Study Abroad

1
Study Abroad

• Pre-Departure Presentation
• Part II
• Health Safety

2
Health Safety

• Health Issues
• Insurance.
• Health Care before you go.
• Health Care while youre away.
• Substance Abuse.
• Mental Health.
• Communicable Diseases.

3
Health Issues Insurance

• Minimum Required Coverage
• 24-hour emergency assistance.
• Emergency evacuation coverage.
• Repatriation Coverage.
• Basic Medical Coverage.
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage.

4
Health Issues Insurance

• Questions to ask when you consider coverage
• What procedures do you need to follow
• when filing a claim while abroad?
• Do you pay up front then get
• reimbursed afterwards?
• Is there a dollar limit to the amount of
• your coverage?
• What will you use as proof of coverage
• while youre abroad?

5
Health Issues Insurance

• Study Abroad Insurance Providers
• The following website offers a list of
• insurance companies that provide
• coverage for students studying
• abroad
• http//www.studyabroad.com/marketplace/insurance.
  html

6
Health Care Before You Go

• Before you leave you should
•    Get a basic check-up.
•   Make sure that you have sufficient
• quantity of any prescription
• medicine to take with you.

7
Health Care Before You Go

• Before you leave you should
•         Look at the CDC (Center for
• Disease Control) Website
• www.cdc.gov
• Check out any information specific to the
  country where you are going, in particular any
  required or suggested immunizations.
• Arrange for these immunizations and proof of
  such.

8
Health Issues Health Care While Youre Away

• Diet Routine
• Eat nutritiously but try new things.
• Get enough rest and exercise.
• Be open to new experiences.

9
Health Issues Health Care While Youre Away

• Medical Alert
• Wear a medical alert bracelet or carry a card
  with you if you have allergies or other medical
  conditions or concerns that medical professionals
  should be aware of in case of an emergency.
• Carry a list of any prescription or
  over-the-counter medications that you regularly
  take.

10
Health Issues Substance Abuse

• Alcohol
• Abuse of alcohol drugs is a major cause of
  accidents and death abroad.
• Abuse may lead to serious injuries, sexual
  assault, rape, or drowning.
• If you use alcohol while abroad do so
  responsibly.

11
Health Issues Substance Abuse

• Drugs
• All US legal restrictions on drug use apply to
  Rosemont College students while abroad.
• You will be in a different country with different
  laws and penalties for drug use and abuse.

12
Health Issues Substance Abuse

• Drugs
• The use, purchase, or sale of illegal drugs while
  abroad may result in your expulsion from your
  program and your immediate return to the US at
  your own expense. It may also result in the loss
  of your academic credit for the semester. The
  cost of all legal advice, fines, and return
  travel will be yours to bear.

13
Health Issues Substance Abuse

• Drugs
• The use, purchase, or sale of illegal drugs while
  abroad may also land you in a foreign jail
  without access to the rights that you have in the
  United States.

14
Health Issues Mental Health

• Any mental health issue that you have before you
  go abroad may be magnified by the stress of being
  in unfamiliar surroundings.
• Discuss your decision to study abroad with your
  doctor before you leave.
• You should also discuss any mental health issues
  or needs with your program provider or foreign
  institution.

15
Health Issues Communicable Diseases

• HIV AIDS, Hepatitis, STDs
• The possible repercussions of risky behavior
  exist abroad just as they do at home. All the
  facts about HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis, other STDs and
  how they are contracted apply. Practice common
  sense.

16
Safety Issues

• Dont let the novelty of your surroundings
  distract you. Following common sense advice
  should make your stay abroad a safe and healthy
  one.
• Make a point of talking with students, friends,
  family, or professors whove traveled to your
  destination. This can help you form realistic
  expectations about your living situation.

17
Safety Issues General AdvicePacking

• Packing can be a safety issue. Pack light! This
  will enable you to move quickly. You should also
  remember to never leave any piece of baggage
  unattended.

18
Safety Issues General AdvicePacking

• Dress conservatively to avoid attracting unwanted
  attention.
• In the current political climate, we would
  suggest that you leave the college,
  fraternity/sorority, baseball caps and USA
  paraphernalia at home. Its good to be proud to
  be an American and a Rosemont College student,
  however these items identify you as an American
  and may make you a more visible target.

19
Safety Issues General AdviceValuable Items and
Documents

• Keep valuable documents safe (Passport, credit
  cards, etc.) by securing them in a secure place
  in your residence. When traveling, carry them in
  a money belt or bag under your clothing.
• Dont take anything valuable with you that cannot
  be easily replaced and that you would not want to
  lose.

20
Safety Issues General Advice

• Meeting people
• You should not agree to meet people you dont
  know in a secluded place.
• Purpose in Movement
• Always think and act confidently. When you move
  about try be appear purposeful. This will
  prevent you from looking like a target.

21
Safety Issues General Advice

• Demonstrations
• You may have strong political beliefs that make
  you interested in participating in a protest or a
  demonstration. You are strongly advised against
  this. What might begin as something peaceful
  could become something dangerous and its best to
  avoid being caught in the middle.
• Buddy System
• When traveling use the buddy system and let your
  program provider know where youll be and how to
  contact you.

22
Safety Issues Expectations

• Do your homework Read all of the information
  that Rosemont College, your program provider and
  foreign institution give you.
• It may be a lot to digest but it will help you to
  be prepared and its important.

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Safety Issues Expectations

• Know Yourself
• You should consider your personal, emotional,
  physical, and mental health before accepting a
  place in the program.

24
Safety Issues Expectations

• Provide Accurate Information.
• Provide accurate information regarding your
  health to your program provider.

25
Safety Issues Expectations

• Take Responsibility
• Take responsibility for preparing for your
  semester abroad. If your parents know all the
  policies of your program and the laws of your
  destination and you dont it wont help you. They
  arent the ones wholl be there and they arent
  the ones wholl be held accountable!

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Safety Issues Expectations

• Obtain Appropriate Insurance
• Make sure that you have appropriate health
  insurance and study abroad insurance.
• Keep Parents or Guardians in the Loop
• Make sure that your parents or guardians know
  about the program and have emergency contact
  information.

27
Safety Issues Expectations

• Know the Laws and Culture
• Ignorance of the law is no excuse, so you should
  be aware of the laws of the country where you
  will be studying as well as the cultural dos and
  donts.
• Be aware of current events
• While abroad you should keep up with current
  events, especially in your host country. This
  will help you to make informed decisions.

28
Safety Issues Airport Safety

• Arrive Early
• Check with your airline. For most international
  flights you should plan on arriving at least two
  hours before your flight. Check in as soon as
  possible, and proceed immediately through
  security clearance.
• Identify Your Luggage
• Make sure that all of your bags are clearly
  identified inside and out with your name and
  address. Bright or fluorescent string or tape
  around your luggage makes it easier to find. Make
  sure you receive a claim check for EACH piece of
  luggage you check.

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Safety Issues Airport Safety

• No Jokes!
• Do not make jokes about terrorism, bombs, or
  hijacking or you might find that you get more
  attention from security personnel and that you
  may not be allowed to board the plane.
• Carry only What Youve Packed!
• You should NEVER carry packages from strangers or
  agree to watch anyone elses luggage.

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Safety Issues Airport Safety

• Forbidden Items
• You should avoid carrying forbidden items in all
  your baggage.
• For more detailed information, including a list
  of specific items permitted and forbidden in
  baggage, check out the Transportation Safety
  Administrations website http//www.tsa.gov

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Safety Issues Airport Safety

• Travel Documents
• Carry all important documents and any medication
  you may need upon arrival in your carry-on
  baggage.
• Passport, visa (if applicable.)
• Copy of acceptance letter.
• Return air ticket, and prescriptions.
• Immigration officials may ask for proof of
  financial viability. (A bank statement or letter
  of financial support from your parents and/or a
  bank normally suffices.)
• You should always be polite when going through
  Customs Immigration.
• Do not offer any documents or information that
  you are not asked to produce.

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Safety Issues

• Additional Health and Safety information
  Information can be found in the Rosemont College
  Study Abroad Handbook.

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Safety Issues Resources

• The following web sites are good resources for
  information before you go and while youre
  abroad
• U.S. State Department http//www.state.gov
• A source for information about travel warnings,
  addresses and phone number of U.S. embassies and
  consulates abroad
• SAFETI Clearinghouse
• http//www.usc.edu/dept/education/globaled/safeti
  

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Safety Issues Resources

• The following web sites are good resources for
  information before you go and while youre
  abroad
• ASIRT (Association for Safe International Road
  Travel) http//www.asirt.org