Bryn Mawr College

When You Arrive Abroad

First Things First!

• Get information about how to make international phone calls & contact your family
• Attend orientation and any language and cultural classes organized by the program
• Stay safe and make healthy choices
• Find out about any services that might be available for students with disabilities
• Obtain the phone number for local policy and the equivalent of U.S emergency 911
• Find out the address and contact information for the U.S embassy or consulate
• Obtain information on local doctors or nearest hospital & ambulance service
• Get information on your credit card provider to report lost or stolen credit cards
• Obey local laws
• Locate the nearest bank
• Find out about local transportation
• Contact us at Bryn Mawr, any time, if you need anything.
• Have FUN!!

In Case of an Emergency Abroad

As a student is alone in another country, she needs to be prepared for any crisis, whether it is an illness, accident, violent crime, terrorist attack, natural disaster, or political unrest.

• In case of an emergency you should contact the on-site program director or relevant university staff immediately.
• Notify the Director of International Programs at 610-526-7390 or oip@brynmawr.edu.  If the emergency happens outside normal business hours, call BMC Public Safety at 610-529-7911.

General Safety Precautions Abroad

• Do not leave your bags or belongings unattended at any time. Security staff in airports and train station are instructed to remove or destroy any unattended luggage. Do not agree or carry or look after any packages or suitcases for anyone. Make sure no one but you puts anything in your luggage.
• Do not keep all your documents and money in any one place. It’s best to carry your travel documents and some money on your person in a place inaccessible to others even when you go to the bathroom on the plane.
• Keep a photocopy of your passport and visa separate from the original.
• If you find yourself in uncomfortable surroundings, try to look as if you know what you’re doing, and stay in well-populated areas. Try not to draw unnecessary attention to yourself.
• Always show respect for the culture and laws of other countries.
• Use caution when traveling alone. Women especially should not walk alone at night. Be responsible for your safety and well-being. Learn from locals what behavior might put you at risk.
• Keep the on-site director(s) informed of your whereabouts and any health problems. When you travel, be sure that someone knows where you are and how to reach you.
• Have cash or credit card on hand for emergencies like illness or an unexpected need to get home.
• Be alert to your surroundings and the people with whom you have contact. Be wary of people who seem overly friendly or interested in you. Be cautious with new acquaintances don’t give out your address or phone number, and always meet in public places. Be discreet in giving out information about other students or group events. Report unusual activity near your classes or home to the program director.
• Don’t hitchhike, even if the locals do.

Safety Precautions in times of political conflict involving the U.S.

• Stay apprised of the current political situation by listening daily to the television or radio news. In the event of emergency, advisories may be made to the general public through the media. In this situation, stay in contact with the on-site staff, who then can contact authorities locally and at home, as well as parents and Bryn Mawr College.
• The on-site director should register all participants with the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, and students should be sure they are so registered.

1. Ask your on-site program director about program emergency/contingency plans.
2. Always consult with the on-site director before making travel plans.
3. In large cities or popular tourist destinations, spend as little time as possible in potential targets for terrorist activities, especially places frequented by Americans: bars, discos, fast-food restaurants and stores associated with the US, branches of US banks, American Express, and US consulates and embassies.
4. Keep away from areas known to have concentrations of residents aligned with interests unfriendly to the US and its allies.
5. Be inconspicuous in dress and demeanor. Avoid American logos and name brands on clothing and belongings. Avoid large or noisy groups. Do not flash money or bring out documents (especially your passport) in public places. Keep small bills in your pockets to pay for purchases.
6. Keep away from political demonstrations, particularly those directed toward the US. If you see a situation developing, resist the temptation to satisfy your curiosity or join the crowd. Walk away.
7. Do not agree to newspaper or other media interviews regarding political conflicts.
8. Make a personal communication plan with your family and decide on methods of contact should an emergency arise.

Staying in Touch with Bryn Mawr

• You should keep Bryn Mawr College informed of any changes in your academic program.
• If you need to make changes in your plan of study, especially changes pertaining to coursework in your major, be sure to contact your major advisor. 
• While abroad, you can continue communicating with Bryn Mawr using your e-mail account on the Internet.  The Bryn Mawr e-mail account can be re-directed to a personal account so that you will continue receiving important announcements.
• Send at least one e-mail to your dean, your major advisor, and the Director of International Programs to let us know how you are and what you are doing.

Managing Culture Shock

Culture Shock is the anxiety produced when you move to a completely new environment. It’s the feeling of not knowing what to do or how to do things in a new environment, and not knowing what is appropriate or inappropriate. It generally starts during the first few days/weeks of arriving in a new place. Culture shock includes the physical and emotional discomfort you suffer when coming to live in another country or a place different from what you know. The way you lived before may not work in the new place. So much is different, from the language to banking, from telephone etiquette to flirting, from how you behave with a professor or a fellow student to how you schedule your day. The symptoms of culture shock can show up at different times, and sometimes conflicting feelings overlap. Although you can experience real pain from culture shock, it’s also an opportunity to learn about yourself, your own culture, and your host culture.

Symptoms of Culture Shock:

• Sadness, loneliness, melancholy;
• Preoccupation with health;
• Aches, pains, and allergies;
• Insomnia or a desire to sleep too much;
• Changes in temperament, including depression or feeling vulnerable, powerless, or lethargic;
• Anger, irritability, resentment, or unwillingness to interact with others;
• Identifying with the old culture or idealizing the old country;
• Loss of identity;
• Trying too hard to absorb everything in the new culture or country, or to abandon your own ways;
• Inability to solve simple problems;
• Lack of confidence or feelings of inadequacy or insecurity;
• Developing stereotypes about the new culture;
• Developing obsessions such as over-cleanliness;
• Longing for family or homesickness;
• Feeling lost, overlooked, exploited, abused, or misunderstood.

Coping with Culture Shock:

• REMEMBER YOUR STRENGTHS! Remind yourself of your talents and abilities.
• KEEP AN OPEN MIND: different is not necessarily better or worse. Try not to be judgmental; maintain tolerance for otherness.
• KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR. If you can laugh, you will be better able to fight off embarrassment, fear, shame, despair, and some of the other reactions people sometimes feel when experiencing culture shock.
• EAT HEALTHY foods and get enough rest.
• DEVELOP A HOBBY (also a good way to meet people).
• SEEK ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Remember that there are always resources that you can use, and don’t be afraid or shy to ask for help.
• BE PATIENT. Adaptation is a process, and it takes time.
• IF YOU ENCOUNTER A PROBLEMATIC situation and don’t know how to handle it, ask someone you trust to help you understand it from a local perspective.
• DON'T TRY TOO HARD to be like everyone else: you need to be flexible, but not to change your core self.
• LEARN TO INCLUDE a regular form of physical activity in your routine. This will help combat the sadness and loneliness in a constructive manner. Exercise, swim, take an aerobics class, etc.
• RELAXATION AND MEDITATION have proven to be very helpful for people who are passing through periods of stress.
• BE CURIOUS. Ask questions – this will get you using English and learning colloquial phrases while learning important cultural cues and norms.
• MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF. Follow your ambitions and continue your plans for the future.

A student needs to learn what the unwritten rules are about and what she can and cannot do abroad.  It is a good idea to talk to other participants and/or program staff early in her stay overseas.  Most importantly, try to maintain the perspective that these challenges are part of the cross-cultural learning experience which is one of important reasons for studying abroad. 

Academic Culture Abroad

• You are responsible for finding out, knowing, and following the program or host institution guidelines.
• Attend class regularly, prepare and participate actively in classroom discussion. 
• You are also encouraged to take a proactive approach to learning and to engage voluntarily in learning activities that complement the formal curriculum that will reinforce your language and cultural skills.
• Absence from a class may be excused normally only for a legitimate medical reason. Absence from classes for other scheduled activities due to travel or visitors, including family, is not tolerated and may lead to sanctions (i.e., a reduction in grade). 
• It is a good idea to keep copies of syllabi, papers, and exams in case the Registrar’s Office or the Major Advisor has any questions or concerns regarding the coursework overseas.

Living with a Budget

Because students are in an unfamiliar environment and confronted with an almost endless array of entertainment possibilities and attractions, the overall cost of living can be higher than when you are at Bryn Mawr.  A go-slow approach to buying much makes sense.  Try to live within budget that will take care of all necessities for the entire duration of stay.

The following suggestions may be helpful:

• Make both daily and weekly budgets and stick to them.
• Be consistently on the lookout for special student rates and discounts, and know what is available through the use of the International Student Identity Card (e.g., travel, accommodations, entrance fees, etc.)
• Take advantage of less expensive alternatives when possible.  Cook for yourself (especially breakfasts) if possible, or use student cafeteria meals rather than restaurants—saving even moderately priced restaurants for special occasions.
• Plan your entertainment and recreation around the availability of free, inexpensive, and discounted events—on campus or in the surrounding community.
• Shop when possible in street markets or major chain supermarkets.  Avoid specialty shops and convenience stores (which tend to mark up the price).  Put off making major purchases as long as you can, when you have learned the range of available selections and prices—or learned that you don’t really need that expensive item, after all.
• When you travel, stay in Youth or Student Hostels, or in modest bed-and-breakfast accommodations, as opposed to hotels that cater to tourists and business travelers and charge accordingly.
• Take care of your belongings and safeguard your cash and credit card.  Losses from carelessness are difficult at any time, but even more unpleasant while you are overseas.  Pick-pocketing, unfortunately, is universally common.