If you think back to your first year of college, you might remember both apprehension and anticipation. You were quickly hit with what you did not know—how to do your laundry, how to navigate the cafeteria, the necessity of having your I.D. card on you at all times, where to buy books, how to succeed in a new kind of study…the list goes on. What you were going through was a process of cultural adjustment. You were learning the rules of a very new game; it took time, patience, and a willingness to watch, listen and learn. What you are about to experience abroad is roughly comparable in character to the transition you went through coming to HWS, but it will be far more intense, challenging and rewarding. It’s the next step. Congratulations on choosing it.
How long will you be abroad? About four months? That’s really not all that much time to fit in what many returned students would call the most significant and amazing experience of their college careers (if not their lives). You don’t have much time to waste being homesick or being frustrated by the cultural differences you encounter. If you spend the first three weeks of your program disoriented and down, that’s about 20% of your time abroad wasted. This section will help you understand what intercultural adjustment is all about, what you should expect to experience, and how you can actively work to make his process a vibrant learning experience.
You are about to encounter a culture that is typically much different from that with which you are familiar. The rules of the game will not be the same. Researchers of cross-cultural communication use several models to describe various aspects of the study abroad experience; this packet will guide you through them. You may not think you need this information now, but many students who have crossed cultures—and come back again—say that they are glad they knew about these ideas beforehand. Take this packet with you…our bet is that at some point in your time abroad, you’ll pick it up again.
Much of the value of your study abroad program lies in the experiences of day-to-day living, the encounters and relationships you build with the people of your host country. The experiential learning model depicted to the left contains several key ideas that, if you keep them in mind, can help you get the most from your time abroad.
The experience of living amidst a totally new culture can be at turns exhilarating and frustrating. These frustrations can add up as you run into more and more differences between the culture you carry around with you and the host culture. One of the benefits of study abroad is this realization—that you actually carry America around with you. It’s your comfort zone, a set of values, ideas, and manners, a language and a set of products. You’ve got to step out of this comfort zone if you want to truly have a great experience.
There's no way around this: If you want to really learn, you'll have to go outside of your comfort zone. And going outside of your comfort zone means taking a social risk.
A good rule of thumb for students abroad; if you’re not feeling uncomfortable, you’re not in much of a position to learn anything. You haven’t felt confident enough in your language to talk to the newspaper seller you pass every day, even though he looks like a character. You’ve felt too shy to go into that corner pub. You’re lost—but rather than ask someone for directions, you fumble with a map. You pass the town square and people are dancing in traditional costume—what’s the occasion? Your host family invites you to a familiar gathering—but your American friends have planned a day away at the beach. You’re in class all day with foreign students and many of them look very interesting but they haven’t introduced themselves to you.
Stepping up to these challenges involves social risk and possible feelings of discomfort. But they all offer opportunity as well. There’s much to gain, so take a chance!
Most cities have their tourist attractions and these are great things to take in during your time abroad. But remember that most local people don’t frequent these places. And remember too that the spaces where the local people live aren’t frequented by tourists. There is a name for this: tourist infrastructure. Tourism is the largest economy on the planet. This infrastructure (with multi-lingual tour guides, menus in 12 languages, museums and historic sites and boutiques) is designed to do three things: make you feel comfortable, show you what most tourists want to see and separate you from your money.
If you understand the experiential foundation of study abroad, then you realize that this is not the optimal space for students studying abroad to spend their time. Tourist infrastructures in fact insulate the traveler from the daily life of the country (and the citizens that don’t speak the tourist’s language) and this is exactly what you should want to experience while abroad. So, as a student abroad and not a tourist, take delight in the simple pleasures of daily existence and really get to know your neighborhood and your city. Find a local hangout. Become a regular. Go to restaurants without menus out front in five languages (they’re also often less expensive). Get to know the merchants, waiters, and neighbors you bump into every day. Play basketball or football (soccer to us) with the local kids. These experiences often have as much (or maybe more) to say than every city’s “tall thing to climb” or sanitized “attractions”.
If you’re abroad for a language immersion experience, hanging out all the time with other Americans will keep you from advancing your language skills. So too will missing out on activities because you have to wait around for your boyfriend/girlfriend to call for the second time that week. And: did you really travel halfway around the world to spend all your time with people you already know or talking to people at home? So take advantage of invitations from your host family, your language partner, or a foreign classmate. Go off exploring on your own or with one good friend.
It's okay to explore with an American buddy, but beware the pack! Large groups of U.S. Americans (along with being immediately recognizable and off-putting) will keep you from really getting to know the local culture and people.
Going abroad is about breaking away from what you know, so make sure you actually do that and don’t live abroad in "Island America." There are two other related things that will keep you from actually experiencing what is going on around you: one is the easy accessibility of internet cafes, and the other is cell phones. Technology allows us to be connected with people far away with great ease, but remember that is often at the expense of connections with those immediately around us (not to mention actual monetary expense!)
It’s a famous line from My Cousin Vinny, a film about culture clash right here in our own country. But blending is what the characters try to do, and it’s what you should do. Why should you try to blend? First and foremost, it’s a great way to learn about the culture. To blend in first requires you to actually look at the people around you. You must become an ardent and keen observer of people’s behavior, language, etiquette, dress and, in more general terms, the way people carry themselves and treat each other. Local people will appreciate your efforts to understand and adopt some of these behaviors. It will show them that you respect and want to understand their customs and values. And therefore they’ll trust you more, share more with you, and feel more of an immediate bond of commonality with you. You’ll learn even more. Another reason you should try to blend in is safety. The reality is that foreigners are often the targets of petty crime or unwanted attention from the wrong kinds of people. Not sticking out in the crowd will keep you safer, and that bond of commonality will mean that local people will be more likely to look out for you.
Just as you did when you entered college, you will go through a process of cultural adjustment abroad where you will learn to operate in a different cultural system, with different signals, rules, meanings, values and ideas. Your experience living in this host culture will change over time. Once the immediate sensations of excitement subside (the honeymoon phase), the experience of adjustment will likely be characterized by feelings of anxiety, stress, sadness, and fatigue, as things begin to seem very...foreign.
If you’re studying in a non-English speaking country, your language skills will be quickly tested to their limit. You might not understand the local accent. You might not be able to communicate with the bus driver. Your host family’s behavior may confuse you. You may feel fatigued at having to use the language so much, and finding it so difficult. This is normal and to be expected.
Many students who study in English-speaking countries go abroad with the mistaken belief that they will have no cultural adjustment to make. Beware! Don’t mistake the superficial similarities of the countries for sameness. While the differences may seem subtle at first glance, closer examination often reveals very different attitudes, values and “norms”. Unfamiliar social customs (etiquette), and colloquial expressions (“tube” for subway, “mate” for friend, “craic” for good conversation) are just a few of the possible differences between countries that share the “same” language!
The truth is living in a culture different from your own is challenging and exhausting, especially early on in the process where almost everything is a mystery. What is happening is simple: you are realizing how different this new culture really is! And you are realizing that what you knew from before, what was familiar and comfortable to you, may not help you at all now. Some people call this “culture shock”
You may react to “culture shock” in a number of ways: you may find yourself favoring time alone, preferring contact with friends or family at home over contact with foreigners or fellow students, and perhaps as a sense of rejection of the host culture (hopefully, for your sake, temporarily!). Don’t let this phase of adjustment forfeit an amazing opportunity to learn and grow! It is important to bear in mind that the initial difficulties do wear off, and get much easier with active immersion in the culture that surrounds you. As shown on the U-curve, the initial low subsides as you become accustomed to the norms and custom of your host-country. This is called adjustment. Another note of good news: there are concrete strategies you can use to minimize emotional and social difficulties:
You may have your down moments, but if you persist in trying, eventually the daily victories—when you have successfully adapted to one or another aspect of the culture—will start to outweigh the setbacks and frustrations. Over time, as you gain confidence in your ability to navigate through a different cultural system, as your familiarity with local norms, values, and attitudes grows, and as you start to see things from different perspectives, your adjustment will enhance the exciting and happy time you originally anticipated your experience abroad to be.
One final note: everyone experiences cultural adjustment differently. This is just a general model to help you visualize the fact that you will go through a process of cultural adjustment, and that this process will include ups and downs, good days and bad , and moments of alternating homesickness and elation at the new culture that is all around you.
Before you go abroad, it’s a good idea to start thinking about culture as being one part customs and one part values. As a person going abroad to immerse yourself in a different culture, you should be extremely flexible about your customs, that is, the little things that make up your daily routine, the way you do things, the level of service or quality of life you expect. You should, however, be more reserved about your values, that is, the core beliefs that are important to you. It on’t hurt you to eat a food you are not accustomed to (notice the word “accustomed”?) but say, for example, your hostfather makes a racist comment about the recent wave of North African immigrants. You shouldn’t feel like you have to agree with him just for the sake of fitting in. Be respectful, but be true to your values, too.
There’s a connection between customs and values, however; the values of a culture are often expressed in its customs. The café society of many Mediterranean countries suggests a certain value for comfortable social interaction, a relaxed view of time, and the idea that life should be savored teaspoon by teaspoon. So as you adopt new customs, take time to reflect on the values that underlie them, and examine your own values as well. Is there something in this culture worth taking back with you, making part of your own core values?
How you set your expectations now will impact how positive of an experience you will have abroad.
Simply put, examine your expectations and be realistic. You are going to a different country. Expect that things will be different. You have no idea how many things will differ or in what ways, and of course you may well be surprised at how many things are similar. But for now expect that everything will be different.
Believe it or not, notions of the “right way of doing things” are entirely cultural and relative. Efficiency, manners, punctuality, customer service and “the rules” do not mean the same thing in different countries. Germans might be meticulously punctual. Italians might operate under a different conception of time (and being “on-time”.)
The point here is not to draw national stereotypes but to understand that different countries organize things differently, and not all of them work well from the U.S. American’s point of view. So don’t expect people in your host country to define these terms in the same way as you do. Expect to run into bureaucracy, but do look at how the people around you react to these things, and follow their lead. If they’re not throwing a temper tantrum and lecturing the mail clerk/waiter/train conductor, then neither should you.
You’d be surprised how ingrained our expectations are. We don’t see them as culturally-determined; rather, we see them as part of “the right way of doing things.” So you will get frustrated. Expect that too. But keep telling yourself that things are different, and remember that it’s not the local people’s duty to meet your expectations—it’s your duty to adjust yours to what is considered right and reasonable locally. “Don’t expect, accept.”
Food is one of the most important parts of any culture. Although we may have pushed eating aside in the United States, trying to make it fast and unobtrusive on the real concerns of our lives, for many cultures across the world, eating and food are still of central importance to family and social life. Following the logic above, a country’s eating habits and customs suggest its values. Note the café example above; a simple cup of coffee has many facets of Mediterranean culture encoded in it. In Africa, to take another example, meals may be eaten with hands from a central bowl. Encoded in this is a statement about community, family and sharing. As a guest in another culture, you should be open to trying as many different new customs as you can, and this means kinds of food and modes of eating. But be realistic: don’t expect yourself to eat beef if you’re a vegetarian or down tripe soup for the fourth time if you really hate it. If you’re in a homestay, first and foremost, be honest on your application for housing. If you’re a vegetarian, say so. If you can’t handle cigarette smoke, write that. The programs we work with abroad will try to meet your needs as best as they can. But expect some compromises! Also, be honest and polite with your host families; probably not every family member likes the same kinds of food there, too. It should be a process of mutual discovery. But also try new foods. Experiment with menu items you can’t necessarily identify. You never know what you’ll discover. Bon appetite!
While alcohol consumption varies in degree and social context from country to country, it is safe to say that, in general, few countries consider the kind of drinking prevalent on American college campuses to be socially acceptable. Many countries do not have strict drinking ages and therefore alcohol, not being illegal or taboo, isn’t considered novel, and binge drinking is relatively rare. Many other cultures appear to have a much healthier relationship to alcohol than does society in the U.S.
Many English- and German-speaking nations, for example, have lively pub scenes where people drink quite a bit; but the careful observer will note that 1) people drink more slowly than in the U.S. and 2) people are expected to hold their liquor. To be seen stumbling drunk is embarrassing, not funny. In these cultures, you may also note that, with the exception of pubs that are explicitly for the student population, there is a broader mix of people who socialize together. It s quite common in England and Ireland, for example, for young adults to go to the pub with dad and grandma or even with a young sibling in tow. So, conduct yourself in a way that is appropriate for a mixed age crowd.
A common practice in Britain and Ireland is to “buy rounds”. If you go to a pub with a group, one member of the group will ask everyone else what s/he is drinking and will then pay for all the drinks for everyone. Be prepared! If you accept the offer of a drink in such a scenario, YOU are expected to buy the next round for all. If your budget cannot handle this and/or if you know that you need to limit the total amount you consume, buy your own.
Mediterranean cultures value alcohol as a social lubricant and as an intrinsic part of meals. People will socialize in bars, but the careful observer will notice that the local people will space their drinking out over a large stretch of time, and eat small snacks in-between drinks. In this environment, it is not uncommon to leave drinks half-finished as there will be a lot of sampling over the course of the evening. If you finish everything, you’ll normally drink quite a bit more than you might here.
In a number of Asian countries, most notably Japan, you’ll probably be surprised by the quantity of alcohol consumed, especially within a short time-frame. You might even witness drunken behavior – within the confines of the bar or restaurant. But notice two important things: 1) this behavior ends when you cross the threshold from the bar to the street where drunkenness is NOT tolerated and 2) behavior that might be okay for a local is more likely to be disapproved of when displayed by a guest. Asians are very mindful of the differences between hosts and guests and each has explicit responsibilities to the other. In Japan you are likely to be showered with gifts and offers of hospitality by total strangers – which are okay for you to accept. In return, however, you must be certain that your own behavior is always seen as respectful.
Although you are all “legal” abroad, we strongly encourage you to drink responsibly and carefully abroad. Drinking too much leaves you more vulnerable to pick-pocketing and other petty crime and, in excess, will lead you to display behavior that may fuel anti-American sentiment. If you choose to drink, be very aware of the quantities you consume. Also note that alcoholic drinks in other countries, beer and hard cider in particular, tend to have a higher alcohol contact per volume than their U.S. counterparts.
U.S. Americans are used to large living spaces, lots of privacy, endless hot water and access to the telephone. Most people in the world do not have the same expectations and get by with (sometimes much) smaller spaces, have less privacy, take very quick showers, often turning off the water between getting wet and rinsing off, and use the telephone for only very brief communications. Often there are economic and ecological reasons for these differences.
U.S. Americans live in a service-oriented economy. We expect a certain level of service for our money. Many other countries have no similar service culture. Store clerks don’t have to be polite and warm. Wait-staff in many countries do not make their money from tips and so therefore do not feel the need to give you a lot of attention or deference. Remember that you expect what is normal, and what is normal for you is not necessarily normal for the local culture. The good side to this different definition of service is that you can often stay for as long as you would like at a café and the waiter won’t bother you too often or urge you to leave. Locals are clearly okay with the quality of service at cafes and restaurants—they would have a different system if they were not. So accept it and look to the local people to help you figure out how to get your check. Tipping is still appreciated, of course.
Email access is seemingly a strange thing to add to the list, but email has become such a part of student life in the United States that many students abroad are appalled by the lack of easy email access. So take note: email/internet access is not as universally available as it is in the U.S. Don’t expect to be able to log in from home. Don’t expect unlimited access at your school. You might not have it all, and you may have to rely on internet cafes, if there are any. In some cases you ay have to revert to that old stand-by, snail mail. See your individual program guide for the specifics of your program, but in general, don’t go abroad expecting the same level of access. You’re likely to be disappointed if you do.
Take a look at the experiential learning model again. Notice that there’s “social discomfort”, and there’s danger. Taking social risks doesn’t mean putting yourself in harm’s way. What you “risk” should only be embarrassment and a wounded ego, temporary feelings that wear off. You can rely on your good judgment to tell the difference between risk and danger much of the time: for instance, there’s talking to the newspaper seller, and there’s wandering through a seedy part of town alone in the middle of the night. One poses the kind of social risk we’re encouraging, and one poses danger to your well-being.
Recognize, however, that there are instances when you can’t sense the line between social risk and danger simply because you don’t understand the culture. Sellers in the open market place follow you around. They seem aggressive. Are you in danger, or is this simply the normal way of doing things in your host country? Is there some kind of body language you can use to communicate that you’re not interested? You can’t know this unless you know the culture well, you need to get out there, learn, ask questions, and take social risks!
The best way to stay safe abroad is to be more aware and learn as much as you can about your host-country.
Statistically the crime rate in most overseas locations where we send students is lower than the typical US city. However, because there is often a large student population in many of the locations, students can be lulled into a false sense of security. Remember that with your American accent you will stand out and could be a target. Given that you will be in unfamiliar surroundings while you are abroad it is particularly important that you use your best judgment. Above all, be street smart: if you are going out at night try to go in groups and be aware of your surroundings. Look out for one another. You will be spending a lot of time in an urban environment so act accordingly. If something doesn’t feel right, listen to your instincts.
Regarding your personal belongings, be sure to secure your important items (passports, traveler’s checks, valuables) and to lock the door to your flats at all times.
The following is behavior you should avoid while abroad:
Refer to your specific program handbook for more detailed information. For some of you, your parents’ policy will cover you. If this is not the case, all HWS students are covered by the Colleges’ mandatory medical plan. In most cases, you will have to pay for your medical expenses up front and obtain an official receipt of the treatment you have received with the date of treatment. Then you must present that receipt and a claim form upon your return to your insurance company and or the HWS Business Office for reimbursement.
All program participants must obtain the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). You can purchase this card at the HWS Registrar’s Office or go online to the STA Web site to purchase the card. The card will provide you with an emergency medical insurance package; in the unlikely event that you are injured or fall ill and need to be evacuated back to the United States, the ISIC card will pay for much of the expense. Medevac services can be unbelievably expensive, so make sure you get your ISIC card! You can also enjoy a number of discounts with the card (for admission fees and the like) that will identify you as a student. Finally, if your passport is lost or stolen, you will be eligible for special replacement services which will expedite the process and pay for a new passport. PLEASE BE SURE YOU HAVE THIS CARD WITH YOU. Make a photocopy of it in case you lose it.
American girls are easy. A special word to women going abroad: the sad truth is that some foreign men believe this stereotype to be true. How they may have arrived at this conclusion is not hard to surmise if you watch a little TV. What this means for you is that certain behaviors in public (drunkenness being a big one) may get you unwanted attention from the worst kinds of people. Again, blend in by watching the behavior of those around you and adopting it as your way.
HIV is equally or more prevalent abroad and just as deadly as it is here. Sometimes Americans abroad lower their guard and engage in activities that they never would back at home, feeling somehow “immune” or “invincible”. Resist these thoughts! Also, in a different context, many Americans are unsure of the cultural cues involved or are unsure of how (or whether it is appropriate) to talk about sex. Don’t let this uncertainty get in the way of your safety: get to know your partners, use a condom, and be aware of safer sex practices.
Each year, 2,500 U.S. Americans are arrested abroad, 1/3 of these arrests for possession of illegal drugs. So here it is in simple terms: don’t do drugs abroad. If you get caught doing drugs in another country you are fully subject to their laws (which are often more stringent than our own) and chances are good that you will spend time in prison, or worse: some nations have the death penalty for those found guilty of drug trafficking. Being a U.S. citizen gives you no special privileges. The U.S. embassy will not go out of its way to help you out. The Marines will not execute a daring amphibious landing to rescue you. And, HWS can do nothing to intervene other than to call your parents and advise them to hire an international lawyer – fast and at their own expense.
There are three key things to understand about this issue (drawn from a study of U.S. Americans in prison abroad by journalist Peter Laufer):
DON’T DO DRUGS ABROAD! Use of illegal drugs is, on top of everything noted above, grounds for being returned home to the US (to your parents’ home – not to your college) at your own expense and normally at the forfeit of academic credit (and tuition dollars) for the term. If you are caught using drugs abroad by the authorities, the only assistance the Faculty Directors and your home campuses will provide is to refer you (and your parents) to legal counsel. We cannot and will not intervene in matters between you and the local authorities. Breaking the law abroad is simply unacceptable and could be a decision you will spend a lifetime regretting.
Look both ways before you cross, cross in the cross-walk, obey the right-of-way rules. Traffic safety and the roles of drivers and pedestrians are deeply engrained in a car-oriented culture such as the U.S. When going abroad, it’s important—essential—to understand that like everything else, traffic rules differ from country to country. For students studying in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Australia or New Zealand or South Africa, you have to remember to look right first because that’s where the cars are coming from. This takes some getting used to! For students studying in the Germanic nations of Denmark, Germany and Austria, you have to understand that people in general follow the rules. Pedestrians do not jay-walk; they wait for the walk signal—even if there isn’t a car in sight. In contrast to this are Italy, Spain, France and much of the developing world, where general chaos often rules and pedestrians are expected to make way for cars—in the crosswalk, in the middle of the street, even sometimes on the sidewalk. Beware!
A final word about traffic: given the differences in the traffic rules but also patterns and driving customs, we strongly advise AGAINST ever renting a vehicle and driving yourself while abroad. Public transportation in most nations is far better and more accessible than it is here. Use it!
Don’t read the newspaper? Unfamiliar with what’s happening in Washington or New York, let alone the events shaking Paris or Moscow or Delhi? You’re in the minority. People around the world, by and large, know a lot about politics and spend a lot of time talking about it. Not just their politics, our politics. So it is very important to read up on what’s going on in the country you’re going to, and what’s going on here, too. We can pretty much guarantee you that people will press you for your opinion of the current U.S. administration or the next stop on the globe-trotting war on terror.
You can learn a lot from talking politics with surprisingly well- nformed foreigners. Some of you might, however, be on the receiving end of angry talk against the United States. Second to the surprise over how knowledgeable people around the world are about politics is how angry many of them are over U.S. policies. In general people are very good at distinguishing between U.S. Americans and the U.S. government, but in some cases you might feel the need to remind them of this distinction and to diffuse some of the anger by saying that you might not necessarily agree with the policy either. It’s an instance where you’ll have to use your judgment. As you re-examine some of your values over time, you might also find yourself questioning some of your political beliefs. And you might change other’s minds as well. Eventually people all around the world will have to come to the table and talk out their differences…you might as well be in on it early.
There is much to learn outside of the classroom. Nevertheless, study abroad is also fundamentally an academic endeavor. No matter what your goals and expectations might be, the Colleges also have expectations of you. These include the expectation that you will take all of your academics abroad seriously and that you will come prepared, meet deadlines, read assignments, write papers or exams with care, etc. Having said that, as study abroad programs are uniquely well-suited to non-traditional learning (i.e. experiential learning such as field-trips, internships, or field research), you will likely find that you have never had so much “fun” working so hard. The key, however, is to realize that if the fun comes at the expense of learning, you will likely be very dissatisfied with the final results. The sections that follow are designed to answer the most commonly asked questions about academics and study abroad.
If you are studying on any HWS program at any destination, you will be required to carry a full course-load and you will receive letter grades for your work which WILL be computed into your HWS grade point average and will be posted on your permanent transcript. A full-time course load on our programs abroad is USUALLY four courses. If you have not been directed otherwise, this is the load you should expect to take. However, highly motivated students may petition for permission to take 5 if they prefer. That process is the same as on the home campus; you should petition to your Dean’s Office (with a copy to the CGE office) for permission to take an unusual course load, outlining the five classes you’d like to take and why you wish to overload. If your request is granted, the Dean’s Office will notify you and the CGE office and we will then facilitate your enrollment in the extra class. As would be the case on the HWS campus, there is no extra (tuition) charge for the fifth class, but you are also obligated to complete the course once you begin it.
We encourage you to undertake coursework in areas that would be unavailable to you here on campus. However, if you have any concerns that this could unduly affect your GPA, be aware that you may select any course outside your major on a credit/no credit basis, simply by notifying the Registrar at HWS during the first eight weeks of class.
As is the case on campus, there is no single “standard” or classroom culture abroad; each professor will run his/her own classroom his/her own way and your job, as the student, is to adapt to his/her expectations and teaching style. This having been said, there are some general statements that can be applied to most classroom settings outside the United States. Here are some of the most prevalent and most pressing that are likely to affect the classroom “culture” you will experience and to which you must adapt if you will have any professors from the host country.
Both the law and the custom abroad with regard to accommodation for special student needs are different than the law and custom here. If you have a physical or learning difference that requires accommodation, you should: 1) disclose this prior to embarking on the program abroad to find out about the accommodation that is available and how to gain access and 2) be prepared to find arrangements more ad hoc than they would be here on campus. If you are attending a program led by an HWS or Union faculty member, you can normally expect to receive similar accommodations as you would here for his/her particular class(es) (such as extended time on exams or access to a notetaker, etc.) but may not receive the same accommodation from host country faculty unless this is arranged and agreed to well in advance.
For some of you, your term abroad represents your first excursion out f the country and your first real travel experience. Some of you are already seasoned travelers, or at least seasoned tourists. A term abroad will open up to you many opportunities for further travel. sometimes there are so many choices it can be difficult to make decisions. It’s worth thinking about what you’d like to do, and how you’d like to do it, before you go. Develop a strategy or philosophy to guide your travels. Perhaps you have two weeks to travel after your program. Do you plan a whirl-wind tour of 10 countries? Or do you choose one or two places to get to know well? Do you put the well-known cities and sites on your itinerary, or do you choose lesser-known, out of the way places? This is a good time to do some homework, too, reading guidebooks about the country you are going to and the surrounding region. Consider what is important to you, what kinds of things you think would make the best memories later on. You might want to make a list of things you hope to see and experience while abroad, or maybe you even want to make a detailed plan; or maybe you want to leave it entirely open and be spontaneous. But thinking about how you want to explore now will enable you to make better use of your time.
The city you are studying in is your major entry-point into the study of he nation as a whole. This is one of the reasons we tend to name programs by both city and country (Bath, England; Hanoi, Vietnam); we recognize that the city you live in is a major player in creating the sense of place you have. Students abroad can choose between two extremes, spending a lot of time getting to know every corner and nook the city has to offer, or traveling most weekends to other cities or even other countries. Recognize that there’s a balance to be struck between these two extremes. But also recognize that weekend visits to other cities or countries will not offer the level of in-depth access you will get by regularly exploring the city you live in while abroad. One of the writers of this guide was struck when, at the end of his study abroad term in Seville, Spain (a gem of a city by all accounts) a fellow student asked him “what’s there to do in this town?”
Remember that around the world, most people don’t move as often as U.S. Americans do. We’re a very mobile society. Globally it is much more common for a person to spend his/her entire life in one city of one country. A result of this difference in mobility is that in general, people abroad spend much more time building relationships and friendships than U.S. Americans do. What this means for you abroad is that you might need to spend more time getting to know a place and its people before you become a “regular” at a café or life-long friends with your host family or local classmates. This reality is one of the reasons we suggest you explore your city and surrounding areas and save most of your major travel for after the program.
If you do travel during weekends outside of the excursions may be built into your program, consider limiting yourself to other cities in the country. This advice is especially relevant to students on language immersion programs. When learning a language in this style, taking a break entirely from it for a weekend will delay or even push back some of the progress you’ve already made. Traveling around a country and visiting its different regions and cities can give you a fascinating comparative view and a sense of the diversity of the place. Also, traveling in a country where you speak the language (even not very well) will always be a more in-depth experience than traveling through countries where you speak none of the language.
Each student will receive a Program Handbook that will provide specific details about their program – housing, meal plans, specific packing lists, classes, local climate, etc. The nuts and bolts section that follows will be concerned with some general ideas that apply to going abroad for most students.
How much to pack is our concern here, or rather: How little to pack! The rule of thumb is: pack light. Most students abroad do more walking than they do in several years in the United States, and often you are carrying your luggage, or a subset of it, around with you. Students who pack three suitcases are often sorry for it. There are several ideas out there about how not to over pack:
Other things to keep in mind:
Point 1: Most other countries have stores! Most other countries have stores that sell things like toothpaste and socks. The brands might be unfamiliar to you, but they will get the job done. Also, you’re going to want to do some shopping abroad for souvenirs, art, clothes, tc…so leave some empty space in your luggage.
Point 2: Bring a day pack large enough for a weekend away but not so large you break your back. You’ll need a day pack to get your books/things back and forth around the city, and a 4000 cubic inch frame backpack is quite inconvenient for this! A lot of people forget this basic necessity. (If you do, see point 1!)
Point 3: Choose the form of your luggage carefully. Many students find the internal frame backpacks efficient for getting around since they can be worn instead of being dragged or wheeled (not nice on cobblestones or dirt roads!) But there are options for all kinds of people and all kinds of travel. You know what you like best…we really just want to you to bring less.
Point 4: Bring some nice clothes. Check with the faculty director, a guidebook, or students, and they’ll all likely tell you U.S. Americans are some of the most informal folks around. That means that for most students going abroad, you’ll be diving into a more formal culture with a more formal standard of attire. Shorts are great for hot weather, but in Europe and Latin America, for example) are reserved for sport and certainly not for visiting cathedrals! In general, bring at least some dressy clothes with you. It never hurts to look “good”—just remember that this is culturally defined.
If you have any medication you must take while you are abroad, please be sure that you have enough for the entire time you are away as it may be difficult to have prescriptions filled. Be sure to bring the written prescription (no photocopies) and a signed statement from your doctor if you have a particular medical requirement. Also, please notify the Center for Global Education before departure if you haven’t done so already. Immigration authorities may question medications in your possession and you should have proper documentation. Finally, it would be advisable to verify that a particular drug is not restricted in the host country (or others that you may plan to visit). Some countries ban certain drugs, even when prescribed by a doctor (for example, the drug Ritalin cannot be legally brought into some countries). The est advice is to be prepared and check either through your personal physician or through official government sources (such as the US State Department or the Center for Disease Control.
The utility of having a laptop computer varies from program to program. As would be the case at HWS, you may find it convenient to have your own computer, but this is not required as the programs do their best to provide computer access to students. Please see your pecific program handbook for more information. Taking a laptop is also a personal decision based on your preferences. Some students choose to take laptops and are glad they did. Others wish they hadn’t. Some wish they had. If you do take a laptop, remember to thoroughly investigate whether you need a special power converter. Many countries operate on 220 volts (the U.S. is on 120). Many laptops have 120/220 switches that will allow them to work on European current without a separate transformer. These only need a plug adapter to allow you to plug it in. Ones that do not have a switch which may be automatic: read your manual!) need a converter.
Please note that petty theft is the most common crime affecting travelers. Please do not bring anything without first considering the impact of it getting stolen, or the reality of having to worry about the safety of these possessions all the time.
Two general rules for all electronics: 1) bring copies of your receipts. If your equipment looks new, upon return to the U.S., you may be asked to pay customs duties if you don’t have a receipt to prove that you didn’t purchase it abroad. 2) we recommend you investigate insurance coverage for your electronic devices and other expensive items. They might be covered by parents’ homeowners’ insurance policies.
The most important general advice we have regarding money is to make sure you can access money in several different forms. That way, if for some reason your debit card doesn’t work at a particular ATM, ou can use a credit card or traveler’s checks. We recommend that you carry a credit card as a source of emergency cash and credit. You may also use your ATM card or Visa/MC debit card if it has the irrus or Plus logos--don’t forget that you will need your PIN number.
Do your homework. Here are some things you’re likely to need to learn about each way to access money:
Credit Cards
Credit cards are useful in many countries now, and one of the advantages is that by using them, you’ll be getting a competitive exchange rate. But, if you’re going to be using a credit card abroad, make sure your card company knows about your trip. It’s possible that they may cancel your card if they see lots of foreign charges all of sudden. While you’ve got them on the phone, ask about any fees for using the card abroad for purchases or cash advances. Also, make sure you have your pin number memorized before you go. This will enable you to get a cash advance from many ATM machines. NOTE: You can often get a credit card cash advance inside a bank, though they may wonder why you are not using the machine outside. Just make sure you have your passport for identification purposes. This process may take a while, but can be a saving grace in a financial pinch.
Debit Cards
Make sure your card is on one or both of the big international ATM systems, Cirrus or Plus, by looking at the back of the card. Make sure you contact your bank to let them know you’ll be abroad and ask about any fees for using ATMs overseas.
Traveler’s Checks
These are used less and less as credit and debit cards become more popular, but they are still useful in some countries and are far safer than carrying cash. Traveler’s checks have tracking numbers on them that will allow you to easily cancel them and recoup your losses in case they are lost or stolen. You must keep these tracking numbers separate from the checks and several copies in different locations are recommended. You can sometimes pay establishments directly with these checks, but most often you must change them at a change office r bank. There is often a fee involved in cashing them, expressed as a percentage of the total or a flat fee.
We really recommend traveler’s checks ONLY as a backup source of funds in the event that international money networks are down or your cash/credit card is lost or stolen. You will find them inconvenient to use on a regular basis. However, it’s not a bad idea to bring along about $200 (in relatively small denominations) in traveler’s checks – just in case. If you don’t use them while abroad, they’re still “good” here in the U.S. upon your return
How Much Money Do You Need?
Students and families always ask us to estimate the amount of funds that they’ll need for personal spending. This is VERY difficult for us to estimate as “typical” student spending ranges vary so widely depending upon resources available and personal spending habits. Given the fact that most of your basic needs will be provided for and/or should have been pre-budgeted , you actually NEED (as opposed to want) very little personal spending money. For most students an extra $1000-$1,800 for personal/ discretionary spending should be adequate. This sum should still buy you that occasional night out or one or two extra weekend trips. Be forewarned, however! If you are a power shopper, expect to jet off to a new country every weekend, or tend to consume large amounts of alcohol or food at night, you will certainly spend a lot more. You’ll also need more if you expect to stay on to travel after the program has finished. Most students tend to spend however much they have (we seldom hear of students bringing money back home with them), whether this is $500 or $5,000 or even more. Our best advice is for you to sit down as a family and decide what you can afford and what you think is reasonable. Given that it is very easy to get money to you quickly if you underestimate (mom or dad can make a deposit at the ATM in the U.S.; you have access to the funds within 24 hours), it’s better to bring less and ask for more in a pinch than to re-mortgage the home up front. If you’re on a tight budget and need tips, ASK us!
You’ll need to read your Program Handbook, attend mandatory meetings and read all your program materials thoroughly for information pertaining to your specific program. However, one recommendation we have remains consistent and universal: make copies of your passport’s identification page (with the photo on it), any pages with entry stamps, your visa (if you are required to have one, it will be stamped in your passport) and your acceptance letter. Put these copies in various locations. Leave one at home with your parents. Put them in different pieces of luggage/locations. Here’s why: If you lose your passport, having a copy of it will make getting a new one much, much easier.
We hope this guide is useful and has given you some idea about the issues to think about when going abroad.
Please contact CGE if you have any questions:
Phone: (315) 781-3307
E-mail: walsh@hws.edu