Lets face it international travel is EXSPENSIVE! Between the flights, hotels and food you’ll be spending a pretty penny. Then you have to factor in how long you’ll be staying and that adds at least another $1,000 to the already huge price tag. But there is another way that you can travel to those countries on your bucket list while getting your college credit. Studying abroad is one of the best decisions you can make while in college. Thankfully UC offers study abroad opportunities all year round even during our spring break!
Think about it when will you be able to take a month to a year off from your busy schedule to fully experience a different culture. Not only that but there are tons of grants and scholarships that you can apply for to reduce the price of tuition. I have had the pleasure of participating in a study abroad program through UC Blue Ash (UCBA) and have come up with a list of things you should know before you go on your trip.
1.) Hurry Up and Wait
There will be lots of times when your set schedule doesn’t go as planned. Instead you have to adopt a “go with the flow ” mentality because the situation is out of your hands. When I was in Paris this very thing happened to me. The bus that was supposed to pick up my study abroad group from our hostel went to the wrong one. Did I mention that it was only an hour before our Eurostar train was leaving for London. So what did we do? All thirty of us (including our suitcases) ran five blocks to the nearest metro station. Some of us made it on the Eurostar on time but half of our group was left back. This is where the waiting takes place; we had to wait for the rest of our group to arrive almost two hours later! But that’s the fun part of traveling, you never know what to expect.
2) Messaging Apps
Being miles away from home can be a lot to handle for first time international travelers so make sure you have a way to get in touch with your family at home. This was a mistake that I made, I didn’t think that I would miss my family as much as I actually did so I didn’t download a Wi-Fi text app. When I tried to download one in another country the app wouldn’t allow me to.Thankfully I learned that I could make Wi-Fi phone calls for free by using the Facebook app.
3) Beware of ATM Machines
Thankfully ATM machines are located all over the world. The thing that you have to be aware of is that the machine might charge you a fee. I know what your thinking “Maya ATM’s charge in America too” well you’re right but I bet you didn’t think about the exchange rate. The machine might charge you £5 but you have to convert that to dollars which is roughly around $7.07. If your group is staying at a college or hostel they offer ATM’s with no fee, so take advantage of it.
4) Know Cultural Customs
When your traveling it is IMPORTANT to know the culture that you will be living in. What is acceptable back at home might be seen as disrespectful or even against the law depending on where your traveling. Always research before you go, it could save you from embarrassment or even a trip to jail.
5) Suitcase Weight Matters
Packing for a study abroad trip is tricky, since you’re unsure of the weather conditions you might over pack your bag. Since the airlines only allow you to have a bag that’s 50 pounds and under, you should check the weight well before you get to your terminal. This also goes for when you are on the way back home. If you’re anything like me you might have bought new clothes or even souvenirs for family and friends, so check that wait or you’ll be paying an extra $100 for your bag.
There are tons of study abroad programs going on this year so check out http://www.uc.edu/international/study-abroad.html to search the many offered programs that you can participate in. I hope that these five tips will help you get ready for an experience of a life time!