education abroad orientation fall & ay 2015. goals of this presentation: overview of international...

Education Abroad Orientation Fall & AY 2015

Goals of this Presentation: Overview of international academic and travel planning. Different programs, different needs. To provide a framework from which students can make informed decisions while abroad. To help CSUMB students understand that international travel has certain inherent risks as well as benefits. Welcome

Pre-Departure Planning forms to complete: Understand CSUMBs withdrawal policy and form Academics here and there Safety Financial aid and money matters Health Abroad Laws Abroad Register for STEP Getting There Presentation Topics

What you should expect to experience Culture Shock Culture Shock: Homestay experience Culture Shock: Homesickness Culture Shock: Depression Communicating with loved ones Mental health concerns Presentation Topics

Pre-Departure Planning Travel Mantra #1: Know where your embassy is!

Academic Planning How to stay enrolled at CSUMB: Stay enrolled in ASE 290 Pay your bills at both CSUMB and abroad Attend classes while abroad difference between study abroad and travel. No required courses can be taken pass/no pass All grades do transfer. Know their class withdrawal date. Pre-Departure Planning

Your Insurance Company: Trawick International For Claims and questions: http://students.trawickinternational.com/ http://students.trawickinternational.com/ CSUMB SCHOOL ID: 95 Toll free: 877-916-7920 Email: [email protected] Pre-Departure Planning

Have copies of the following with you in a secure location separate from the originals: PASSPORT: This is the MOST IMPORTANT document you will have with you! A person without a Passport is a person without a country! Insurance Card Flight Information Contact information for bank/credit card Pre-Departure Planning

Leave copies of the following with your primary emergency contact in the U.S.: Identification documents (Drivers License, Passport, etc.) Insurance Contacts Medical Information Flight Information Your contact info while abroad & contact information for bank/credit card Pre-Departure Planning

Upon Arrival & Throughout Your Stay E-mail your new address and phone number to ([email protected]), so we can contact you in an [email protected] Find the nearest U.S. consulate travel.state.govtravel.state.gov Visit the website for the State Department & Center for Disease Control (CDC) frequently to check for Travel Warnings and Public Announcements: travel.state.gov & www.cdc.gov travel.state.govwww.cdc.gov Keep your study abroad/health insurance current for the entire time you are away (i.e., if you extend your stay, be sure to extend your insurance policy until the date you return) Please check your e-mail daily or as often as possible, in case we are trying to reach you. If your e-mail address changes, let us know immediately. Important Information

Remember to register your travel plans with the US Embassy. Its fast and easy! The US Department of State provides the most accurate and current information about your host country as well as helpful information for US citizens abroad. Though airports are full of security, you still need to watch your luggage at all times. Prepare a personal Emergency Action Plan (EAP). Writing down what you will do in an emergency before an emergency happens can save you time and help you deal more efficiently with an emergency situation. - Contact Cobus or Holly so that we can help you in anyway we can. Safety

Dont travel alone at night or on long trips. Dont invite strangers to your room. Notify someone of your travel plans. Tell them your expected travel dates, arrival, and return times. Register all side trips with STEP Excessive drinking can be an invitation for disaster. If you are drunk, you are more likely to become a crime victim. Feel free to email or call us if you think we can be of assistance, but remember that we are thousands of miles away and may not be able to respond as quickly as you need. Safety

Serve as a travel agent Act as an interpreter Get you out of jail Arrange free medical or legal service Safety The U.S. Embassy WILL NOT:

Safety Limit personal data to what is needed for travel purpose Encrypt and/or password protect data Back up all data before leaving home Ensure antivirus software is current and working properly Ensure all software patches are applied Tips to keep your laptop and private information safe

Safety CELL PHONES CONTAIN: Personal data, bank and credit card account information Intellectual property Calendar information GPS Geotagging photos can give away your location Do not post photos on Facebook while traveling A unique factory setting serial number Scam artists can reprogram (clone) phone to charge calls and texts to your bill Signs your phone was cloned: Phone calls and texts not received Incoming calls go straight to voicemail Cell phone battery suddenly drains Do not allow strangers to use your cell phone Consider purchasing disposable cell provide phone number Tips to keep your laptop and private information safe

Check the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), The World Health Organization (WHO) and the US State Department for the most up-to-date information regarding health issues and/or vaccination requirements in your host country. Meet with your physician before leaving the US. If you take prescription medications, make sure you have a sufficient supply to last you for the entire time you are abroad. It may be a good idea to have a copy of the prescription with you Health Abroad

Anticipate your health requirements. If you have an allergy to something, be sure to communicate that with your host family/program provider. Practice common sense health habits: safe sex, washing your hands, going to a doctor if you feel flu-like symptoms, etc. Health Abroad

You are bound by the laws of the country to which you are traveling. Drug abuse will NOT be tolerated and could land you in jail. Drinking, while perhaps an important part of the local culture, is oftentimes subject to the same laws and restrictions as in the U.S. Alcohol abuse in any country is a recipe for disaster. If you find yourself in jail, CSUMB will not be able to assist you. Even the US Embassy in your host country may have limited authority to assist you. Laws Abroad

Whenever you travel outside the U.S. you should register your information online in the U.S. State Department STEP program. This will allow U.S. Embassy staff to send you security updates and information about the countries you are visiting and to locate you in case of a natural disaster or other emergency. STEP Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

Go to step.state.gov/step/ Create an individual account and log in Fill out profile information Fill out trip dates and locations You should receive confirmation email You will receive updates and warnings from the nearest consulate STEP Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

Dont put all your eggs in one basket! Carry a combination of a debit card, credit card and cash/travelers checks. Consult your bank for the best way to use money abroad. ATMs generally work just fine everywhere in the world. If youre not sure if ATMs are readily available in your host country, ask your bank for advice. (SCHWABB.com, USAA, etc. no conversion fees, not ATM fees) Dont carry a large amount of cash on you at one time. Take out only what you need for a day; you can always get more later. Money Matters Planning Ahead

Call your bank and credit card companies to alert them that youll be traveling abroad. Make sure you can increase your withdrawal limit should you need to use your credit card for an expensive emergency. Be sure you understand your currency conversion rates or bank fees associated with overseas withdrawals and consider changing a small amount of money before you leave (most banks can do this). Money Matters Planning Ahead

Before you go, figure out how much money you will need for incidentals not included in your program fee. Research your host countrys and citys costs of living and exchange rate. You can check daily exchange rates for your host country online at oanda.com or xe.com. Determine how youll be spending money abroad consider cost of entertainment, restaurants and regional travel. Money Matters Money Management Tips

For students going abroad for a semester or longer, it may make sense to open a bank account in your host country. Research your options and talk to your study abroad adviser. Plan to have the currency of your host country on hand when you step off the plane. It is good to have cash with you in case your debit or credit card doesnt work, or if you dont have access to an ATM right away. Money Matters Opening a Bank Account Abroad

CSUMB study abroad participants recommend the following sites for discounted airfares: www.studentuniverse.com www.studentuniverse.com www.sta.com www.sta.com www.mobisimo.com www.mobisimo.com www.kayak.com www.kayak.com www.sidestep.com www.sidestep.com www.vayama.com www.vayama.com www.flycheapo.com www.flycheapo.com www.cheapoair.com www.cheapoair.com Around the World Tickets (ATW) Most American students are unfamiliar with ATW tickets, but it is worth looking into If you are planning on doing some major traveling. Most ATW tickets will grant you a full year to travel to three or more continents and can be quite reasonable in comparison with the price of other tickets. Getting There by Air

Passport Student Visa (If needed) Round-trip Itinerary Proof of Housing Proof of Adequate Finances Health Insurance Acceptance Letter to Host University Requirements for Entering Your Host Country

1. Initial Anxiety 2. Initial Elation (Honeymoon) 3. Initial Culture Shock 4. Superficial Adjustment 5. Depression/Frustration 6. Acceptance of Host Culture 7. Return Anxiety 8. Return Elation 9. Re-entry Shock 10. Reintegration What you Should Expect to Experience Source: Returning Home, Canadian Bureau for International Education, 1984, p. 7. Rhinesmith's Ten Stages of Adjustment

Upon arrival, you LOVE everything! Its just the most wonderful experience ever. Everything in the new place is BETTER than at home. After a little while longer, you start to miss home a little and start to compare the host culture to your home culture. Not everything is so perfect any more! Everything is WORSE than at home. Stage 6: Acceptance of a new culture You start to understand and appreciate the cultural differences between the US and the host country. You develop a new set of friends, may be traveling more, and may even be dreaming in another language. The "other way" may now become the "normal" way of living. What you Should Expect to Experience Stages 1-5: Honeymoon Phase to Culture Shock

Travel with an open mind, respect for other cultures and the joy of learning something different. Travel Patiently: Dont expect everything to work the same way it does back home. Travel Gratefully: Enjoy every experience even the bad ones. They make you stronger, and youll be able to laugh about them later. Culture Shock Travel Mantra #3: There is no better, no worse, only different!

Culture Shock How can you change the worlds negative perception of the US and Americans? Learn more about the current events related to US-Foreign Relations (especially as they pertain to your host country). Travel Mantra #3: There is no better, no worse, only different!

Bring a gift. Participate in daily household activities (yes, even cleaning!) Do not use excessive amounts of hot water. Be receptive to activities planned by your host family. Try to be flexible and fit-in with familys routine. Stay in contact with your host family when you leave the country. With some planning to align your expectations to reality, a homestay can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life! Culture Shock: the Homestay Experience Scared about your homestay? Here are some tips to help you cope:

Most common adjustment problem related to culture shock and loneliness. Experienced by students from every country, homesickness is a universal side-affect to being away from home. Some students might experience homesickness within the first few days or weeks of being abroad, while others might not be hit by homesickness until later on. Culture Shock: Homesickness Homesickness is normal!

You may start to actually HATE everything about the new surroundings as you long for the comforts of home. Nothing in the new place compares to what you have back home Also, many students report increased feelings of homesickness during the winter months when darkness, rainy weather and the cold can lead to feelings of depression. Culture Shock: Homesickness Homesickness is normal!

Dont wait for homesickness to go away by itself! Get involved in opportunities that keep you busy and occupied so that you wont think about home. Join a sports team or club, join a gym, or participate in program activities. Take classes that you're interested in and get involved in your favorite activity, or try new ones. Confront your feelings by talking to someone (a counselor, family member, roommate, or another student). Chances are likely that others may be feeling the same way you are. Culture Shock: Homesickness Coping with Homesickness

Make friends with locals and invite them to spend time with you. Creating such a support network can really help to alleviate homesickness while creating lasting friendships. Familiarize yourself with your new surroundings. Walk around. You will feel more in control if you know where buildings, classes, and services are. Be patient as you adjust to the unexpected realities of being abroad, and how abroad is not like home. Examine your expectations. We'd all like to be popular, well-dressed, well- organized, well-adjusted. Well, we're not. Setting a goal of perfection is the most predictable way of creating trouble for yourself. Laugh at your mistakes. You're learning. Culture Shock: Homesickness Coping with Homesickness

Depression can leave you feeling helpless and out of control of your life, your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. You want to regain and experience more power and control; you want to get to the point where you feel like you can do something to improve your situation and life. Culture Shock: Depression

What Can I Do If I Think I Am Depressed? Remember that these feelings can be a normal part of study abroad. Take a walk outside. Take one problem or issue at a time and think about, write down, or discuss with a friend, what might help alleviate the problem or issue. Write to the CSUMB International programs office. What NOT To Do If I Think I Am Depressed? Do not expect depression to just go away on its own. Lock yourself in your room. Call mom, dad, significant other every 5 minutes. Culture Shock: Depression

Technology is a great tool to keep in touch with loved ones back home while youre abroad. However, be careful not to spend so much time communicating with loved ones back home that you are missing out on great experiences in your host country. Social media is an easy way to stay connected with your loved ones. Be careful not to spend too much time on social media, as it limits your opportunity to connect with your host culture and may increase homesickness. Web and smartphone apps such as Google Hangout, Skype and Facetime make it easy to video chat with friends and family in the U.S. for free. Other apps such as WhatsApp and Viber are also popular choices among students. Communicating with loved ones in the US

Stay connected and be open-minded Share your stories with those at home to put new experiences in perspective Keep contact with home in check; find time for new friends abroad Respect the communication conventions of your host culture Seek help locally if you need it Make a record of your thoughts and feelings to help you reflect Communicating with loved ones in the US

As you go through the cultural adjustment (immersion) experience, you will have to find a balance between communicating with loved ones back home and finding your place in the host location. Be strong! You can make it just fine in your new surroundings! Communicating with loved ones in the US

Be flexible; do not have too high of expectations everything wont be perfect Keep an open mind & be prepared to learn Get out, make friends, & learn the language. Do not hang out only with Americans! Take time to adjust in the new environment Budget for souvenirs for yourself, family, or friends. Control your temper. Do not go if youre going to complain about how much you hate the host country. If you choose to drink, do so reasonably: your drunken stupor will reflect badly upon yourself, CSUMB, and America as a whole. Advice from Study Abroad Alumni

When planning your travel, not only do you have to leave your emotional baggage behind, you also need to leave non-essential items at home, too! Packing Travel Mantra #2: Pack Lightly!

YOU and ONLY YOU are responsible for your luggage. Dont take more than you can carry! Dont pack anything you dont want confiscated. Dont forget prescription meds! Keep all prescription and over-the-counter medications in their original containers. Know your airlines baggage restriction policy (weight, liquids safety, extra charges, etc.) Packing

Have a plan for bringing back those souvenirs. (You really do not have to buy something for everyone!) Believe it or not, clothing, laundry facilities, soap, shampoo, and other toiletry items are readily available in just about any country. There might be something you can pick up once you arrive so that you can lighten your load now. Although unfashionable, a broken-in pair of sneakers is your best friend. New shoes mean blisters and a BAD start to your trip! As the Scouts say: Be Prepared! Take a small first-aid kit along with you. Packing

Remember: 3-1-1 Airline guidelines for carry-on luggage: 3.4 ounce bottles for liquids 1 quart-sized clear plastic, zip-top bag 1 bag per passenger placed in a screening bin Packing

So your study abroad has come to an end and youre on your way home? Everything will be exactly as it was when you left, right? WRONG! YOU are not the same as when you left! Coming Home: Re-Entry Issues Home Sweet Home!

1. Initial Anxiety 2. Initial Elation (Honeymoon) 3. Initial Culture Shock 4. Superficial Adjustment 5. Depression/Frustration 6. Acceptance of Host Culture 7. Return Anxiety 8. Return Elation 9. Re-entry Shock 10. Reintegration Source: Returning Home, Canadian Bureau for International Education, 1984, p. 7. Rhinesmith's Ten Stages of Adjustment Coming Home: Re-Entry Issues

Stages 7 - 10: Leaving a new culture behind As you become integrated to the ways of the host countrys culture, it may be more difficult to re-adapt to the US upon return home. The U.S. just won't look the same way it did before leaving to study abroad. You may see home with new eyes and may also be more critical of U.S. cultural traditions once thought to be "normal". Things may have changed significantly at home while you were away. More importantly, YOU will have changed so much while those at home have remained the same. Dont expect too much of them! Coming Home: Re-Entry Issues

Start taking care of issues back home before you leave your host country: Locate all return travel documents (passport, airline tickets, etc.) Confirm your return flights Remind your host program to mail your transcript to the Education abroad Office Register for classes for next semester Register for housing Tell your stories in small chunks. Dont expect your family/friends to be enthralled by a 5 hour slide show of every day you were away. Connect with other returned Study Abroad Alumni. Coming Home: Re-Entry Issues Tips to help you cope with re-entry shock:

Everything in one spot. http://studentsabroad.state.gov/ Lost or Stolen Passports Visas Emergencies Health Emergency Embassies Stay in Touch Safety, Health & Emergency

Thank you for completing this Pre-departure Orientation. We hope you have a safe, healthy and thoroughly life-altering experience while away from CSUMB. As always, should you have any questions, issues, concerns, want to vent, or simply want to brag about being outside the U.S., dont hesitate to contact us! GOOD LUCK!

Government Websites Department of State travel information for students: studentsabroad.state.gov studentsabroad.state.gov Department of State travel registration: step.state.gov/stepstep.state.gov/step Passport services and information: travel.state.gov/content/passports/english.html travel.state.gov/content/passports/english.html Foreign embassies in the U.S.: state.gov/s/cpr/rls/fco state.gov/s/cpr/rls/fco Foreign entry requirements: travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country.html travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country.html Department of State travel warnings: travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings.html travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings.html Overseas Security Advisory Council: osac.govosac.gov Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.govcdc.gov RESOURCES

Culture and Travel Websites Whats up with culture?: pacific.edu/sis/culturepacific.edu/sis/culture Lonely Planet: lonelyplanet.comlonelyplanet.com Exchange rate information: oanda.com & xe.comoanda.comxe.com Electrical outlets abroad: electricaloutlet.orgelectricaloutlet.org Student Universe: studentuniverse.orgstudentuniverse.org STA Travel: statravel.comstatravel.com Worldwide hostel listings: hostels.comhostels.com Hostelling International: hihostels.comhihostels.com RESOURCES

Thank you!

education abroad orientation fall & ay 2015. goals of this presentation: overview of international...

Documents

travel planning

important information

welcome slide

predeparture planning

current information

academic planning

abroad difference

helpful information