It is important to consider your health and what you need in order to be healthy and safe during your time abroad.   Listed below are a few helpful health and safety reminders to help you prepare for your time overseas.

General Health Tips

1. It is always a good idea to make an appointment for a general physical with your doctor before your depart the United States.  Let your doctor know how long you will be studying abroad and the country location so they can give you specific advice on steps you can take to stay healthy while you are away from home.

2. If you take medication on a regular basis, be sure to obtain a prescription and bring enough medication with you that will carry you sufficiently through your time abroad, including a few weeks after you are scheduled to depart from your study abroad location.  In most cases it is illegal to have prescription medication mailed by post outside the United States.  It is also a good idea to bring a letter from your doctor explaining the medication you take and make sure they list the generic name of the medications.  Often overseas pharmacies will not recognize the brand names used for medication in the United States.  In the case you do end up running out of medication please notify the on-site CAPA staff so they can assist when necessary.

3. If you have any existing health concerns it is important to list the details on your initial CAPA application and on the health forms distributed when you arrive at your CAPA study location.  All information provided regarding your health to CAPA is strictly confidential and will only be used in order for CAPA to assist you when necessary.

4. You can never prepare for everything. But it is a good idea to bring a standard first aid kit with you in the event of any minor injuries.

This might include:

• Band-Aids
• rubbing alcohol
• sunscreen and sunburn ointment
• anti-diarrhea medication
• gauze and adhesive tape
• antibacterial ointment
• pain reliever

We also suggest that you bring:

• regular medications (check expiration dates before you go)
• contraceptives
• specific feminine hygiene products (you may not be able to find your preferred brand in country)
• hand sanitizer

5.   CAPA programs include coverage under the World Student Insurance plan. Make sure you read through the insurance pamphlet and bring a copy along with you when you travel. For more information about this coverage, please contact the CAPA office where a representative will direct you appropriately.

Mental Well Being

Making the decision to study abroad is a big step as you will be stepping out of your comfort zone and shifting into a new culture. Before you commit to a program, think carefully about your capability to complete the program from the standpoint of your mental well being. This is applicable to all participants interested in studying abroad.

1.   If you’re having a hard time deciding if you’re ready to study abroad, it’s a good idea to ask yourself the following question:
“What can I turn to for comfort when I am feeling really down? How will I have access to it abroad?”
If you cannot answer this question, you may want to further examine your decision to go overseas.

2.  Once you do decide to go abroad, do your research. Here are some ideas for how to make sure you have the information you need before setting off overseas:

• Talk to students who have studied in the country/city where you are planning to study. What took them by surprise? What did they have a hard time adjusting to? How did they adjust to it? Your study abroad office may be able to put you in touch with students who have volunteered to talk to prospective study abroad students about their experiences.
• Read up. Even fictional books can provide you with a snapshot of the culture, and you’ll have a better context in which to understand them.
• Stay in tune to current events. What has been going on in the country in which you will study? What is the background for any conflicts that are ongoing? Again, understanding the big picture is a good way to protect your emotional health and ability to adjust.
• Check out the State Department website for any applicable travel advisories: http://travel.state.gov
• Browse the blogs. Nowadays, even if you can’t find a peer who has studied abroad with whom you can chat, someone, somewhere is sure to be writing about his or her study abroad experience online. Communities are often set up through websites like Facebook.com and Livejournal.com, as well as Bootsnall.com for fellow travelers. People’s candid responses to the way that they’re feeling can give you some insight into the emotions you might face overseas.

3.  Students who receive additional emotional support in the United States should be sure to talk with their counselors, psychologists, or psychiatrists before studying abroad to establish a plan for how they can keep up the lines of communication overseas. This might mean planning for regularly scheduled phone meetings while abroad, or even setting up sessions with a US counselor in the country in which he or she is studying. CAPA can advise you of counselors in the area where you’ll study.

• Make plans to have access to any medication that you are taking for your mental well being. It can be difficult or illegal to send medication overseas; this is something you should address well in advance in case alternate plans need to be made.

Safety

It’s important to remember that studying abroad is not the time to leave behind the same good judgment that you’d exercise in the United States. This includes being aware of your surroundings, and not abusing substances or alcohol.

We want you to feel comfortable in your new surroundings, but do keep in mind that if something doesn’t feel safe, it probably isn’t! Bear in mind that the country in which you study is probably no more or less safe than where you live at home, but it is a new place, and often a large city. Be cautious and proactive, but not fearful.

General Safety Tips:

1. Mind your dress. Be observant of what the locals are wearing in order to gauge what is appropriate, and where. Formality and conservative dress are most important to keep in mind. You can retain your own style without offending those around you.
2. Travel in twos or threes, not packs. Do not travel alone at night, or in desolate areas.
3. If studying in a country in which English is not the first language, use the native language as much as possible, even when with fellow Americans.
4. When going on trips, notify someone of your travel plans, and how to contact you in case of an emergency.
5. Locate the US Embassy in your country of study and keep contact information for the Embassy on hand in the event of an emergency.  It is also a good idea to register with the US embassy before you depart.  This is a free service offered by the United States state department so they can assist all American citizens in the case of emergency in your country of study. Register with the US Embassy before departing
6. Photocopy important documents, specifically your credit cards (back and front) and passport. In addition to leaving copies with a trusted individual in the United States, you may want to scan and e-mail yourself a copy for quick access should these documents be lost or stolen.

Under no circumstances should you:

• Transport packages of any kind for anyone you meet abroad
• Go anywhere with someone who approaches you on the street (to be your guide, to take you to a bar, etc)
• Buy, sell, or possess illegal substances

Tips to help you avoid petty crime:

1. Keep purses, mobile phones, any valuables within view at all times.
2. Bring a bag or purse that zips shut and hangs in front of you or close to your side.
3. When in an Internet café, keep your purse on your lap, or put the strap around your ankle.
4. Keep the door to your housing locked when you are not at home, and do not leave valuables within site of windows, especially on ground or first floors.
5. Do not pack valuables within your checked luggage.
6. Carry only what you need, and always keep some emergency funds in a safe place at your housing.