Pre-Departure Orientation

Passport and Visas

• Study Away MUST HAVE A PHOTOCOPY of your passport on file• If your passport is expired or within a year of expiring, get it

renewed immediately– Be sure to check the expiration date of your passport!

• Student Visas—applications and requirements for visas will vary by country; it is your individual responsibility to obtain your travel documents– Be sure to give yourself enough time to complete the visa process

• Your Program Director has registered you online with the U.S. Department of State– In the event of an emergency or natural disaster, the U.S. Embassy

will know which Americans are in the country

Communication, Can you Hear Me Now?

• Social Networking• Skype• International Phone Cards• Cell Phones• Global SIM Cards

• Try to limit yourself to a maximum of one hour per day corresponding with friends and family back home

Packing, to Bring or Not to Bring?• Weight

– As light as possible!• Documents

– Passport, visa, plane tickets• Clothing

– As few as possible!• Medications

– Keep meds in original bottles, put what you don’t need immediately in your checked luggage

• Seasons– Know the season, sometimes it’s easier to buy stuff

as you need it• Shoes

– Stick with comfort, not fashion, the fewer pairs the better

• Extras– Do without them…

• Souvenirs– …because you’ll bring home lots of these!

Student Scenario 1• You get terribly sick

in the middle of the night and you think that you may need to go to the doctor. What do you do? Who do you contact? What documents will you need? What other factors should you be prepared for?

Moral of the Story…

• Monitor your health, do not push yourself.• Know where to find the nearest medical facility

BEFORE you get sick.• Understand your health insurance policy and

how to use it. • Notify your on site staff so that they can assist

you if necessary. They are there to help.• Remember, the “24 hour convenience store” is

an American phenomenon, so plan accordingly.

Student Scenario 2

You and your friends have been out to a few pubs Friday night and the group decides to go to one last bar for the evening. One of your friends is pretty drunk and the bouncer will not to let your friend enter because he is too drunk. What do you do?

Moral of the Story…

• Consuming alcohol and taking drugs is a personal choice and is at your own risk.

• Know the alcohol and drug laws of your host country• The drinking culture is different in every country, know the

customs before you consume• Being a foreigner will NOT give you any leniency against the

laws of your host country• Be smart about the amount you consume, know your limits.• Always keep your inhibitions, you ARE in a foreign place.• Use common sense when going out, do not go out alone, do

not leave friends alone.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/08/austin-bice-dead-missing-_n_832750.html

Student Scenario 3You are invited to a local person’s home for dinner along with a couple of other ‘western’ students. How do you dress? How do you react if they serve you food that you cannot, or do not want to, eat? What are ways that can you do to express your gratitude even without knowing the language?

Moral of the Story…

• Know the local customs. Do your research to understand a little bit about your country’s culture.

• Be respectful of local customs. If the dress is more conservative, it’s more appropriate to follow the local dress code.

• Be willing to try new foods!• Be respectful if a local family prepares you a meal.

You can politely refuse food if you must, but do so in a sensitive manner that’s culturally appropriate.

Let’s Talk about Culture

Culture is…

• Values, beliefs, norms, customs, and other forms of behavior shared by member of a social group over a period of time.

• EVERYTHING humans have created, both tangible and abstract– Stuff: tools, art, technology, music, structures, etc. – Organization: Families, clans, clubs, nations, etc.– Ideas: Values, religion, law, politics, games, etc.

Concept of SelfNotion of Modesty

Religious Rituals

Importance of Time

Rules of Social EtiquetteNature of Friendship

Concept of Personal Space

Concept of Fairness

Concept of Beauty

MusicHoliday Customs

Work Ethic

Religious Beliefs

Gestures Food

Art

Facial Expressions

Based on Activities in What’s Up With Culture at http://www2.pacific.edu/sis/culture/

Is it “Natural” to Do What We Do?

• Almost all human behavior has been “culturized.”

• Because we tend to think our behavior is natural, we tend to think it’s “natural” for everyone else.

Ethnocentrism

• The belief that one’s own way of doing things is the right way.

• An ethnocentric way of thinking can lead us to develop

American Culture?

“You see what you expect to see, and what you expect to see is what your culture taught you to expect.”

-Dirk Van der Elst, 2003

Culture Shock “W” Curve

Welcome to the Real World

• Studying abroad is not an “extended vacation.”• Other country’s concept of customer service is

different from the U.S.• Expect to feel confused, frustrated, and awkward at

least for the first several weeks.• You will question your values as an American and

may even loathe the U.S. after awhile.• Not having language proficiency doesn’t mean that

you can’t express how you feel.• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes…because you will.

“The purpose of higher education is its liberating effect.”

-Dirk Van der Elst, 2003

BearWHERE? Study Away Student Photo Contest Submit photos of you studying abroad in your BearWear starting in August!

Great Prizes Awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place photos!Photos will be judged on:

• Creativity of incorporating BearWear• Sense of place or country

• Artistic Interpretation

Study Away student blog: http://blogs.missouristate.edu/studyaway/

Welcome Home Re-Entry Events in September!

Insert BearWear Here!