| PRE-DEPARTURE & OTHER
TRAVEL TIPS |
Advisory:
While the Office of Study Abroad will try
to provide as much pre-departure information
as possible, a lot of the critical information
needed must be provided by the host institution
in which you will be studying. It is the
responsibility of students to ask questions
of their hosts before departing the U.S.
Ask your host institution to send you a pre-departure
information package, or review their web
site to find this information. Also check
out GOABROAD Network,
an online community designed for the student
travler to share
travel journals and photos.
|
| PREPARE
FOR TRAVEL TO COUNTRY: |
| GENERAL |
|
Prepare
everything early,
not last minute. Would
help to meet with previous students who
studied in the country you are going
to. Know what to expect in
the country of the program; don't be
afraid to ask questions of staff at
schools. • Read up about the country
before going. Buy "Let's Go Europe" guidebook
for the year you are going. Carry
extra money for emergencies. Bring
an international phone card. Know how
to convert the exchange rate. It
would help to know about weather conditions. • Check
up on all methods of communication before
arriving, so you can have phone and internet
access. Jet lag is common and will be
gone in a day or two.
|
| DOCUMENTS |
|
•
Bring NMSU ID or get the ISIC card (used for
discounts and needed for staying in hostels in
Spain). • Have
papers, bank statements, letters from host and
home institutions for visa. • Bring a copy
of all your things, ids, birth certificate, etc. • I
would recommend a money belt and traveler's checks.
• Keep passports, money, visa, other documents
on you at all times.
|
| MEDIC
AL |
|
What medicine
to take and vaccinations to get, and how
insurance works in the country. • Know
where to get the necessary shots and other
medicines for the specific country of your
program, such as at the Student Health Center.
|
| PASSPORT & VISA |
|
Find
out about: the passport and
the visa requirements for
students and opportunties for working, the
cost, and the time to process;
the documents
needed from the program sponsor. • Make
sure you know thoroughly the entry
requirements for study, work and payments.
|
| TRANSPORT |
|
Find
out what airlines to use and
what airport to fly to. • Arrange
travel early and shop for best price. • Know
when your program ends to avoid buying a one-way
ticket. • Join STA (student travel agency-ISIC
card) for major discounts on flying and traveling. Get
to the airport early. • Get
the least amount of layovers possible
on the journey there. • Be prepared to
have a flight delayed or cancelled. • ...
try to get an open ticket in case you want
to stay longer. • ... fly directly into
the place of study, or as close as possible
and have it all paid for in advance. • If
you can travel with someone, it reduces stress. • Dress
comfortably for the air trip.
|
| BAGGAGE |
|
What
the baggage weight limits are
for each airline used. • When
arriving first time in a country, and catching
an on-going flight in the country or to another
country, you will have to claim your luggage
first and transfer it to the new flight. • Check
with airlines about weight limits. • Don't
carry typical luggage, instead use a big backpack. • Bring
clothes in carry-on • Bring an international
phone card. • It's not worth hauling
everything through the airport or train stations. • Carry
necessities in carry-on since luggage can be
delayed or lost and may take days or weeks
to get luggage. • ... when possible,
inform airlines of travel schedule since sometimes
they up the baggage limit. • Be prepared for
lost luggage.
|
| LANGUAGE |
|
Learn
basic phrases related to travel before departing. • Bring
a language dictionary.
|
| PREPARE
FOR ARRIVAL & STAY IN COUNTRY (BACK
TO TOP) |
| DIRECTIONS |
|
How
to get from airport to program site,
length of time it will take; availability of city
and campus maps. Directions to get
to the institution and the study abroad or
international student service office. Find
out if you will be met at the airport. Double
check that airport pickup scheduled
is confirmed.
|
| ATTIRE |
|
Find
out early what to wear and dress code. •Take
an umbrella, a wide variety of clothes, etc.
|
| MEDICAL
CARE |
|
How
does medical care system work. • Are
doctor's bills are paid up front, then billed
by student to local insurance?
|
| EDUC
ATIONAL SYSTEM |
|
• How
to register, what classes are
available, descriptions of the classes,
exact school dates, course requirements,
course schedule, instructional methods, evaluation expectations. • What
is the payment plan for tuition if paying the
host school, and how to pay for housing and meal
plans.
|
| IDENTIFICATION
IN COUNTRY |
|
| • If
you don't carry passport at all times, important
to have identification (such as copy of passport)
and contact
information
for the school and host family. |
| LIVING
CONDITIONS |
|
• Find
out student residence situation
and how far is it from the school;
available excursions and social activities arranged
by the host.
|
| TRAVEL
IN-COUNTRY |
|
• Travel
to other countries or in-country may be attractive
to students, but the cost, even with discounted
airfares, adds up quickly for housing, food,
souveniers .In Europe use ryanair.com or spanair.com,
or other discount airlines, and plan on $20 per
night for a hostel, $30 per day for food. • Make
train reservations early. • Be
prepared to use a lot of public transportation,
and with a lot of luggage, this can be cumbersome. •• Before
taking a taxi get a firm price. • Take
good walking shoes since you walk more overseas. • Bus
bus, train, other passes first day you arrive.
• If using hostels, carry study ID plus book
in advance since weekends get occupied quickly.
|
| FINANCES |
|
• Use
of traveler's checks, ATM
cards, and how
to change money in the country; how
to pay school in country; financial
penalties for withdrawing early; always
have some local currency before
arriving. • Make sure you have a
credit card or ATM card with separate companies,
so if your are having problems with one, you
can use the other. • Are
utility bills paid for by program of student?
During the short break period (not summer break)
is there a stipend for food (ISEP programs with
meal benefits). • Know what is
included or not included in program fees (such
as excursions, which may be extra).
|
| PREPARE
FOR RETURN (BACK TO TOP) |
| RETURN
TRIP |
|
• Schedule
return trip home early, since after being away
so long you will want to get home.
|
| COURSE
CREDIT |
|
Will courses signed
up for at host institution be available
and also transfer into NMSU.
|
| EXIT |
|
• Find
out if the country in which you are studying
has an exit tax--some countries
charge as much as $35 at the airport to leave.
|
