Category Archives: Abroad Advice

How to find the perfect apartment when studying abroad

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how to find the perfect apartment - student mundialMillions of students leave home every year heading for colleges and universities around the world. Almost every one of them goes through a difficult ordeal in searching for accommodations far from home. Some exchange programs include housing, whereas others do not, leaving you to find a place independently. Well that’s a great thing, because it gives you freedom to choose where you want to live and with whom. Let’s go through all the ins and outs (and what have you’s) of finding the perfect flat when studying abroad!

Why live off campus?

The first decision to take. The advantage of living on campus is that you don’t have to commute, you always have your buddies around, hopefully there’s a great student vibe with lots of activities going on and sometimes it’s cheaper than renting your own place. However, some campuses are located outside the city center, the dorms aren’t always in such great shape, you don’t get the same freedom as living by yourself and on occasion you might get matched up with unpleasant roommates.

But! if you rent a place by yourself, you really get a taste of grown-up life. If you’re still living on campus in the US, it’s a great experience to have this trial of living on your own. You also have the perk of renting a place together with friends or your future classmates, thus avoiding nightmare roommates. You can choose any location you want, whether it’s a cool hipster neighborhood or if you’re looking for a more exclusive and quiet area, it’s all up to your preferences (and budget of course).

Getting started on your flat hunt

First of all, do your research about the different neighborhoods of the city. Either buy a city guide, borrow one from your college library, or search for your destination on WikiTravel. They have free neighborhood guides for many cities around the world, giving you a rough idea of what’s your best fit.

Make a budget to determine how much you can spend on rent. Don’t forget to consider factors such as transport: even if you spend less on your flat, you might end up paying more in the end if you must buy a bus pass or frequently must cab it home after rowdy late nights out.

Next, start looking at what’s available in your new home town. Here are a few options:

  • Check out Classifieds sites like Craigslist where Landlords can list available rooms, but be careful of fraudulent advertisements.
  • Look for different groups on Facebook (try searching for “Apartments in Barcelona” or “apartments in London” and variations thereof.
  • Real Estate Agents offer strong local knowledge since they have staff in the area. They are usually more suited for students who are already in the city. It’s hard to find or use their services until you’ve actually arrived. Keep in mind that you may be charged a commission for their services.
  • Conside a student focused website like Student Mundial that only shows you budget-friendly alternatives, lets you contact the landlord directly, prevents fraud by escrowing payments until after move-in and it’s FREE to use the service.

Once you’ve found a few flats you’re interested in, contact the landlords and schedule viewings during your arrival week. During your first week, one option is to crash on a friend’s couch if you know any locals in the city, or otherwise stay at a hostel to meet other travelers. That way, you won’t feel lonely (since chances are that you don’t know anyone in your new city yet) and you get some time to explore the city and pick the neighborhood that best suits your personal taste. Make sure to ask the people working at the hostel for any advice when it comes to housing.

What to watch out for

Be careful with paying deposits before you’ve actually seen the place in real life with your own eyes. It’s a common scam all over the world that landlords you meet online will ask you to wire (anyone who mentions Western Union – completely avoid!) a deposit even before arrival, but upon arrival your new landlord is nowhere to be found. Sure, sometimes it’s legit, but not always, so be careful.

With a service such as Student Mundial you can relax. You only need to pay the first month rent, which is escrowed until you arrive. The money is only transferred after you move in and everything is ok. That way you can focus on enjoying your new city!

Make sure to get a written contract in a language that both you and the host understand (most probably English), signed by both parties. Keep it as specific as possible (duration, rent, deposit amount and so on). If the landlord doesn’t provide you with one, there are plenty of good free templates if you Google it – just make sure it’s for the country you’re going to. Insist on having it written since it’s the only evidence that will hold up.

Finally, when viewing the apartment, look for a smoke detector and a fire extinguisher. Make sure that there’s no mold in the bedroom, bathroom or kitchen (tip: check under the kitchen sink, that’s a common place). If the apartment is on the ground floor, make sure there are sturdy locks – better safe than sorry!

Ready to move!

Now you’re all set and ready to find your dream apartment in your new home town.

Ana is guest blogging on behalf of Student Mundial. She is currently working in mind and spirit for international students and focused on new trends around Social Media. She defines herself as a cultural translator collecting smiles around the world.

Feel free to contact the author at hola@studentmundial.com. If you have any questions or additional useful advice, please share it in the comments below!

Studentmundial.com is a platform that helps students to find housing when they travel away from home to study. Their network lets students meet potential flatmates, other students attending the same school, and offer spare rooms. The team members are graduates from all over Europe with a wealth of study and work abroad experience. Student Mundial ensures the security of the student’s payment and the reliability of the property provider by escrowing the booking payment. They add elements of trust thanks to their 7 years of experience, user-written reviews and premium SSL payment system. And the best thing is: there’s no cost for the student! Here are her best tips for finding your dream apartment for your study abroad.

 

Good Vibes for Good Times – A thank you for your host family

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GOOD VIBES FOR GOOD TIMES

You’ve been sleeping, showering, and munching away in your host family’s home for a few months and now it’s time to say thank you. Surely by now you’ve learned to say gracias but don’t forget to show your American side too! In this country we clearly LOVE to give gifts to one another so why not share that with the world? And more importantly, why not say thank you to the folks who’ve cooked and cleaned for you for the last few months?

I’ve been wracking my brains for a way to come up with a solution for this dilemma. For many of you out there in the big blue world time could be running short before your flight takes off! I hate the feeling of that kind of pressure. It’s a cross-cultural catch-22 that has no simple solution! You obviously don’t want to be cheap with your ‘thank you’ gift but you also shouldn’t want to empty your life savings in a souvenir shop. The solution? Be thoughtful and share your culture as a way of thanking your host family.

This advice came to me by way of my girlfriend who spent four months in the breathtaking Aix En Provence region of France. She says make it personal and make it cute. If you hail from Vermont, why not bring along some of that Maple Syrup I’ve heard about so much? It should be something that defines your region and something that you can share with each other. Food items are a great idea, but if you’re from Philadelphia, like me, putting a Cheesesteak in your carry-on is nothing but silly. International customs and security might even prevent you from bringing food into the country at all so be sure to check beforehand. Think about photos, books, and souvenirs from your home that you think might look good on a Spanish mantle somewhere in Madrid.

Finally, nothing says ‘thank you’ quite like the words themselves. So make it known how you really appreciate all the opportunities made possible by your host family. Buy a real Thank You card and write your message out on paper. Ink has this funny way of being nostalgic and touching. It’s more personal than an email, and could even ensure that another student in the future gets the chance to experience a foreign land like you did. There’s an awful lot of wrongdoing and nasty vibes in this world and young people of this generation have the chance to spread positivity and good feelings all over the globe through Study Abroad. So pay it forward for the next student and make your host family feel as welcome as you did.

 

– Mark Melchior

image of mark melchior

Mark Melchior has a B.S. in Television and Film Production from the Park school of Communications, Ithaca College, and is a contributing writer and staff Sommelier at Abroad101. While he’s not telling you how to quell your travel anxieties you can find him at the local record store, stuck in traffic, or quietly eating a slice of pizza. He is based in sunny Los Angeles, CA.

Connect with Mark through LinkedIn. 

 

 

Study Away: NYC as a Destinations for Art Students

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Just about every college freshman dreams about a semester abroad, most catalogs and university web sites show various options. Surveys of high school seniors show that most expect to study abroad during their college years, but for many students, going abroad is just not possible or practical. Students get immersed in their studies, their extra-curricular activities, efforts to build start their career building, and let’s not forget their social circles. Then there are some students who for a variety of reasons can’t leave the country. They may be foreign students who worry about re-entry or they may have other reasons not to stray too far from home.

For those students who just can’t go abroad, there’s still hope, it is an option commonly called “Study Away.”

Study away is growing in popularity and have none of those hurdles in getting a foreign visa or being overseas at the wrong time. You can study in some pretty cosmopolitan international cities like New York or Washington, DC.   While there’s no visa required to study in New York, wander some of the neighborhoods and you might think you are in China, Israel, Russia or Philippines. Want to teach English, help foreigners transition to US culture, these big cities with large immigrant populations may have some of the same intrigue as ones overseas.

And then there are the cultural aspects of these international hubs. If you are an art student, how could you NOT want to spend a semester in New York for example? New York City is a mecca for art lovers, and with over 100 museums, many of them world-famous. Even if you lived in NYC and visited two museums per week, it would still take you about a year to fully experience the city’s art scene. So what’s a student who has boundless passion for art but limited time in the city to do?

Enroll in a Semester Away program in New York City!;
Below is a list of four NYC destinations that will provide art lovers and art students a representative sampling of what the city has to offer:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Image via Flickr by Monica Arellano-Ongpin

You can’t discuss art in NYC without giving The Metropolitan Museum of Art its due. The largest museum in the United States and one of the 10 largest in the world, The Met houses a permanent collection of more than 2 million works. In addition to its myriad artworks and artifacts, the museum offers classes, lectures, concerts, and workshops.

The Met marks the beginning of the city’s Museum Mile, which is a mile-long portion of Fifth Avenue featuring nine museums. On sites like Gogobot, you can find hotels near the Mile so you can devote as much time as possible to touring its venerated institutions.

The Guggenheim

Hosting over one million visitors annually, The Guggenheim is home to an expansive permanent collection of contemporary, early modern, Impressionist, and Post-Impressionist work. Its unique cylindrical building was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and is considered an architectural landmark. The Guggenheim is different from most other institutions because it does not compartmentalize its collection by era or medium. Rather, it presents the works as an integrated whole.

FIGMENT NYC

FIGMENT NYC is the result of the efforts of thousands of artistically inclined renegades to catapult art out of the climate-controlled, rarefied air of galleries and into hands of the people. FIGMENT is a free, completely volunteer-powered participatory art event that takes place on Governor’s Island during the summer. This summer, visitors can play mini-golf on a course designed by artists, interact with sculptures, and play in a tree house designed for all ages.

The Cloisters

A branch of The Met, The Cloisters museum and gardens feature medieval European art and architecture. Located in Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan, The Cloisters is a peaceful way to experience old Europe without enduring a transatlantic flight. The building itself was built from various pieces of European abbeys that were disassembled and sent to New York City in 1934. The art, which comes mostly from the 12th to 15th centuries, features notable works like the Cloister Cross and several Flemish tapestries.

If you visit the Central Park Met, you’ll receive a free one-week pass to The Cloisters. Likewise, admission to The Cloisters also grants you same-day access to The Met’s main campus.

It’s hard to do New York City’s art scene justice in one trip, but these four destinations are a great start. From artsy mini-golf to medieval tapestries to seven-ton Egyptian sphinxes, you’ll get a delightful taste of NYC’s best art.

Excited for more, to explore a global directory of study abroad programs in art, we encourage you used the advance search option at Abroad101.

 

Guest Posting from Victoria Moretti, a professional writer from the UK who contributes to Abroad101 from time to time. Victoria loves to write about businesses and macro economic affairs that move the needle. Her other loves include travel, long walks and flat whites.

 

Students with Disabilities Studying Abroad

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image of woman in wheelchair on beach with arms raised in victory

Frequently Asked Questions:
For the Parents of Students with Disabilities Studying Abroad

From the perspective of a parent, it’s difficult enough when a child leaves the nest for the first time to attend a college or university. It’s especially worrisome when that child has a disability, though and worse still if he or she wants to travel abroad. Parents express a number of concerns such as their child’s safety, whether their child will have financial assistance, and whether their child will receive appropriate accommodations while abroad. We seek to address some of the more common concerns by providing reassurance and advice for finding the appropriate answer for your individual situation. We understand that each student’s case is unique, but we know every student should have the opportunity to study abroad!

● Will my child be safe while abroad?
Safety is every parent’s first concern when their child expresses interest in studying abroad. This is true whether or not the child in question has a disability. Unfortunately, a person with a disability may stand out as a target, a potential victim. This is as much the case within the United States, however, as it is abroad. In some cultures, persons with disabilities are actually less likely to be targeted than other individuals. Regardless, it’s important to be responsible and aware, whether at home or in a foreign country.
There are several tips that can help insure a student’s safety while studying abroad. First and foremost, it is important that a student be aware of the culture to which he or she will travel. As a parent, this knowledge may also help you feel more secure in your child’s trip. Watch the news and be aware of ongoing issues. Consider checking The U.S. Department of State travel warnings.

Discuss your concerns with your child and set up a regular system for communication. A student studying abroad should always tell someone his or her whereabouts, whether visiting a tourist spot or going out to eat. It is also a good idea to make copies of important documents such as passports and driver’s licenses/state IDs and keep them in a safe place in the case of theft. Finally, consider signing up for the free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive updates from the embassy in the country your child is visiting.

● Will my child lose his/her SSI benefits while abroad?
Under normal circumstances, a person receiving Social Security Income, or SSI, becomes ineligible if he or she spends one calendar month (or 30 consecutive days) outside of the United States. A student, however, may continue receiving benefits while abroad if it can be demonstrated that:
● he or she was eligible to receive benefits in the month prior to studying abroad,
● the period of study does not exceed one year, and
● the absence is for the purpose of conducting studies as part of an educational program
Certain specific documentation will be required to prove the legitimacy of the study abroad program and the student’s need to study in a foreign country. It is advised that you begin this process as soon as your child has selected a program. More information can be found at the following links:
Eligibility for Students Temporarily Abroad: Overview
And
Eligibility for Students Temporarily Abroad: Case Processing

● Will my child receive financial assistance?
A major concern for many families is how their child will make ends meet while abroad. The cost of living can vary greatly from one country to another. In some instances, studying abroad may be more affordable than spending that same time in the United States. In other cases, fluctuations in exchange rates can turn a semester abroad into a somewhat larger­than­expected investment. It is important to note, however, that many scholarships exist for students interested in study abroad.

Study Abroad programs often offer scholarships, and everyone who applies for the program is eligible to apply for the scholarship as well, often by filling out a few extra documents. There are also international scholarships aimed at students who are planning to study abroad. One such scholarship is the Gilman International Scholarship sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
If your child already receives financial aid through his or her home university, he or she may be able to receive that financial aid package while abroad. The financial aid advisor of your home university will be able to provide accurate information.
Finally, many Study Abroad programs offer in­ country assistance in this regard by providing assistance for any program participants who want to work while abroad. For example, those who teach English abroad are sometimes given the option of having a tutoring job to make a little extra income. The bottom line is that, if your child does a some homework, he or she will not be left stranded financially. The Study Abroad and international scholarship programs are there to help.

● My child has never flown before.
The next concern that parents express is how their child will arrive safely at his or her destination. First, any passenger with a disability can contact the airline and request assistance, and someone will be available to help the passenger with luggage, through airport security, to the appropriate departure gate, and on and off the plane. The passenger must be specific about what assistance is needed and the airports where it will be needed. Flight attendants are friendly and are there to provide assistance to all passengers during the flight. Your child can also connect with someone participating in the same program who is willing to provide assistance and book flights together. However, the airline should still be notified of your child’s needs just in case.

● Will my child receive the necessary accommodations?
Another concern that parents express is whether their child will be well­accommodated in the host country. It is your child’s responsibility to ensure this by communicating with the Study Abroad program and advisors as well as the disability support office of the home university. All parties must have a conversation and develop a plan for reasonable accommodations, which will depend on your child’s needs and what the program can provide. It would also be a good idea for the program to connect your child with anyone he or she will be working with in the host country so that they too can be notified of your child’s needs. Finally, your child should research the perceptions of his or her disability in the host country to find out how people will react to him or her, as well as any organizations in the host country related to his or her disability that may be of service. The Americans with Disabilities Act does not exist outside the U.S, so the host country is not legally required to provide the necessary accommodations on that premise, but people everywhere are generally friendly and willing to help out when asked in any way they can. To learn more about requesting and receiving accommodations, visit Mobility International.

● I am concerned for my child’s health.
The Study Abroad program is aware of this concern and may provide health insurance coverage to all participants. One popular company is iNext travel insurance. If the Study Abroad program does not provide health insurance, your child can sign up for iNext as an individual. It is also worth checking if your child’s current insurance will cover him or her while abroad.
Before leaving, your child should also be up to date on immunizations. This can be done at the on­campus health center at your child’s home university or through a family doctor. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a list of any additional immunizations recommended for travel to the host country. Finally, if your child gets sick while abroad, he or she will be well taken care of. The in ­country coordinator is available in case of emergency. If your child is living with a host family, they should be notified as well.

As parents, it is important to remember that your child has considered all of this and may be as anxious as you are. While you can help, you must also remember that it is your child’s responsibility to insure his or her own accommodations, safety, and financial support.


This document was prepared as part of an initiative by Abroad with Disabilities to encourage and support the opportunities of students with disabilities to enjoy the experience of studying abroad. AWD offers no legal advice and each person is individually responsible for ensuring their own safety.

What You Need To Know About University Life In the UK

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For many people going off to a university, it is the first time they will be leaving home for a sustained period of time. The prospect of being in a new environment, combined with being at a new stage in life, and a new level of education, can be scary and exhilarating. If going to college in a different city in the US isn’t exciting enough, where better to spend a semester (or even your entire course) than at a university in the UK. A recent report on Ranstad Education tells us that there are now 500,000 university places in the UK, which is 30,000 more than were available last year. In other words, if you want to have the bragging rights to studying in a UK university city like London, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh or St. Andrews, there has never been a better time to make the move.

This isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. Life at college in the UK is a big change. Adapting to life in London or Manchester, for example, is an order of magnitude above life on an American campus. Here are some tips on what you need to know about university life in the UK in order to succeed.

Debts and Student Loans

Most students going to university on both sides of the pond usually end up with lots of student debt. Unless you have parents with deep pockets, you’ll be one of them too. Tuition fees in the UK have risen dramatically in the past years, from £3,000 to £6,000 a year, and in some cases, to the full £9,000 – the maximum the state currently allows. This, combined with one’s living expenses, adds up to a lot of debt.

If you intend on ditching life in the US for a few years studying in the UK, then you can get assistance for this from the government. Do bear in mind that while there have been large scale and extremely vociferous protests at the rise in tuition fees in the UK (the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, nearly lost his job because of it), they can still be substantially lower than they would be in the US. Something worth considering…

It Is a Learning Curve

Going to a university is both exciting and frustrating. If this is your first prolonged stint away from home, it can be a challenge without having your parents around. It is also expected that as you meet other people, you could be self-conscious, doubting your skills and even questioning your academic and social abilities. It can be tough, but you will adjust.

Expect certain commonalities in student life. While fraternities do not exist to the same extent as they do stateside, UK universities are extremely social places. You should be warned, though, that there is a real drinking culture in the UK, more so than the US. It’s worth keeping this in mind. You will be invited out and you will be expected to drink… a lot. If you are by yourself, this can put you in difficult social situations, particularly if you do not want to participate.

It’s All about Balance

If there were one word, which would describe a solid and sustainable approach to student life, it would be balance. You will have to learn how to balance your academic activities with social interactions. Everyone has a slightly different perspective on how to strike the best balance, but most would agree that too much of anything can be destructive. See the above.

One piece of advice would be to seek out and participate in activities you enjoy. There is no shortage of things to get involved in whether you are into sports, travel, politics, etc. Most student unions will run an information office where you can find out more.

You Will Make New Friends

It’s perhaps one of the biggest draws of doing at least part of your courses overseas: making new friends. Most large UK cities are extremely cosmopolitan places. You will be exposed to a wide range of cultures, languages and interests. This is true even outside London, which has become more of a global city in the same ilk as New York.

You won’t be the only American there, which should be reassuring to those who may be more tentative in terms of integrating with foreign cultures. If you do want a slice of home, find a group of American students you can mingle with too.

Remember to Study

It is important to make the most of all aspects of university life; the independence of living away from home, the challenges of your academics, the intense social life, the emotional ups and downs. But remember to study well. Remember the primary reason why you are at university, and remember the sacrifices you have made to have the opportunity to go there.

As a reminder: If you are looking for semester or sort-term programs in the UK, we invite you to search the Abroad101 directory of Study Abroad programs in the UK.

Guest Posting from Victoria Moretti, a professional writer from the UK. Victoria loves to write about businesses and macro economic affairs that move the needle. Her other loves include travel, long walks and flat whites.

 

Study abroad advice from the talking picture box.

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Image of a man on a TV looking for a study abroad program

 

ADVICE FROM THE TALKING PICTURE BOX

Studying abroad is about more than just picking a cool place to bed down for a semester. It’s also about what you get from the whole experience. But you don’t want to be caught in such a culture shock that the trip ends up being a bad time. If baguettes and wine make you queasy than you can cross France right off your list of choices. If kangaroos are a source of torment and anxiety than perhaps Australia isn’t for you. But as the Aussies would say, ‘no worries.’ I would be a bad American if I turned to anything other than television shows to tell me what to do. Thus, here are a few shows to help facilitate your choice of Study Abroad destinations.

Parts Unknown

If you didn’t think Anthony Bourdain was going to be on this list then shame on you. This guy has made the better half of his living on the Travel Channel’s No Reservations but now has an even more compelling program on CNN titled Parts Unknown. The two shows are like a PC and a Mac; mostly the same except they are not.

Parts Unknown follows the familiar voice of Bourdain throughout many exotic locations. Some notable mentions include Copenhagen, Johannesburg, Spain, and more. Unlike his previous TV stint, Bourdain takes a little bit of a back seat in this series and lets locals squire him about town. What? You don’t like the idea of watching a famous celebrity chef and entrepreneur eat at Sizzler in L.A.’s Koreatown? The food on the show is stellar and takes the stage while witty humor, local flavor, and an overwhelming sense of unfamiliarity make this show perfect for a preliminary dissection of your potential host city.

PBS Nature

Yes I said it. PBS. Please, hold your cries of boredom back because public broadcasting can do you a lot of good. It’s surprising how many fellow 20-somethings I know don’t indulge in the wealth of material available through the Public Broadcasting Service.

Nature could actually be what reveals some of the most enticing beauty about where you’ll be studying. I had a friend go to Africa for a while and his instagram turned into a tangible form of all that stuff you see during “The Circle of Life.” Here’s the lowdown on the PBS nature docs. First of all, they are spectacular and have a fair amount of production value. They’re shot beautifully. Second, they are free to watch so for those of us (raise your hand) Netflix junkies will have no problem watching them online.

These docs have gorgeous pictures of the landscapes and wildlife in the regions they’re filmed. I already know that if possible you are all going to Snapchat everyone with the obligatory shot of the plane’s wing when you’re airborne but how about when you actually land? If aesthetics are important to your vibe and you need an idea of what the rainforest really looks and feels like then you can turn to PBS and the Nature series for a helpful preview.

Music Voyager

This show is more of a bonus because as far as I know it’s only available on Amazon Instant Video. You can probably score the service for free temporarily if you haven’t exhausted an Amazon Student account (free Prime and Instant Video). Music Voyager features Ethnomusicologist Jacob Edgar around the world as he explores foreign beats. The slogan is ‘Tune in to the World.” Sounds “Study Abroad” enough for me.

The locations he’s covered include the West Indies, India and East Asia, Louisiana, and beyond. Music is a spectacular way to explore a region and culture due to the fact that even instruments are location based objects. The rhymes and rhythm of another country can tell you the history of its people, and its future. For those of us that want to capture the true essence of a specific region and culture Music Voyager is there to offer some guidance.

 

– Mark Melchior

image of mark melchiorMark Melchior is a recent graduate of the Park school of Communications, Ithaca College. 

Connect with Mark through LinkedIn. 

 

 

Worldwide Cities with the most Study Abroad Programs

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From Aachen, Germany to Zhuhai, China and everywhere in between, opportunities to study abroad seem countless.  The good news is that Abroad101 has counted –  there are study abroad programs in 1,568 different cities worldwide.  This graphic shows the cities with the most programs.  Lots of programs means lots of choices, we welcome you to explore your options and read the “Thousands of Life Changing Stories” on Abroad101.

 

Graphic chart of most study abroad cities

Most number of study abroad programs per city

 

Evaluations and Expectations : Tips for the Study Abroad Advisor

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By: Missy Gluckmann, Founder of MelibeeGlobal.com

If you’re a study abroad advisor, you will get the magnitude of this question:

How can you collapse many days worth of information on preparing for study abroad into
your short pre-departure meeting?

One could liken covering what is vital in a pre-departure meeting to solving the Rubik’s Cube with one arm tied behind your back. It seems to be a mission impossible!

Students on lecturerThe reality is that there is simply too much to cover and increasing pressure to talk about logistics of getting from point A to point B. (I won’t even get into the “necessary” paperwork that has to be checked before departure.) Couple that with the fact that pre-departure meetings are often scheduled during a busy time of the academic year and students typically don’t read the detailed packets of information that are thoughtfully provided, and you can be left feeling rather defeated in your role as a study abroad advisor.

Ideally, the goal is to set expectations and to transfer knowledge about culture. With the advent of open source evaluations, the advisor’s role of inspiring students to carefully consider what to expect when they’re abroad becomes much easier.

Perhaps Terrell Owens’ quote best sums up the value of expectations:

“If you align expectations with reality, you will never be disappointed.”

Or at the very least, one hopes that your students will have a much better idea of what they’re stepping into!

Here are 3 steps to guide study abroad advisors in setting cultural and programmatic expectations for study abroad students:

1) Look to the past, first.
You’ve heard the expression, ‘you have to know where you’ve been to know where you’re going’. This applies to setting expectations for study abroad too. Through the abroad101.com website, you can look up a specific program and read comments related to each category (such as housing, safety, food, etc.) as an initial starting point. What common concerns or feedback have students shared year over year via evaluations? Where have they rated fewer stars? Have they consistently commented about differences in housing and the type of food available at self-contained campuses abroad? Are there concerns about socializing with locals? Past evaluations will quickly surface common categories that students have felt motivated to share specific feedback about. These categories can translate into a roadmap for areas of focus in your upcoming pre-departure meeting, as these are the “hot buttons” that have come up time and time again, according to your customers (students). By looking to the past, we can see where we can set better expectations for the students (and their parents too).

2) Glean insights
Now that you know where to focus, you’ll need to carefully consider what students are saying about these “hot button” topics. Are the comments “one offs” or is there a pattern? Was the student particularly “picky” or was the feedback ubiquitous and verifiable?

I researched evaluations from one summer program in Quito, Ecuador – a place that I’ve been to twice – that carries a serious reputation for being unsafe. Here are a couple of comments that allow us to easily address expectations of safety :

“There is an overall inevitably high safety risk in Quito, however, I was
fine having taken proper precautions.

Another student candidly notes:

“Americans were definitely targeted but generally just for petty theft, nothing violent. I had my purse slashed and wallet stolen. A friend had his pocket slashed and wallet stolen. Both were on crowded city buses. However, these were the only incidents our group had, probably because we were given a very thorough briefing on safety. A group from another school that we encountered at one point said half of their students had been the victims of petty theft.”

These types of comments are incredibly valuable because they provide REAL accounts about what can happen in Quito. This also provides an opportunity to remind students that petty theft happens in their home country as well as in Western Europe (for example, my sister’s camera was stolen in a movie theater in Paris, France.) Theft happens. Setting expectations of how to avoid it by sharing comments like these is priceless. It opens the dialogue about what to pack (jewelry is completely unnecessary) and how to carry what you bring (put your money in a front pocket, skip the wallet and pocketbook, carry a slash proof travel pouch, the risk of taking crowded buses vs. traveling on public transportation during off peak hours).

Bold, truthful statements will help students (and parents) to set realistic expectations. They’re the kind of banter that is not included in marketing brochures, for obvious reasons, but the type that sincerely and authentically inform.

3) Tap into Culture
If we carry on with the example of safety in Quito, we step into a beautiful opportunity to create dialogue about culture. If we don’t, students (and parents) may be left with the impression that Ecuadorians are perpetual thieves or that you cannot step out of your homestay without losing your wallet.

By taking time to share the economic realities of Quito, students will have a better understanding of the WHY behind the expectation you’re setting. As Rebecca Adams de Garate, co-founder of El Nomad, explains “Minimum wage in Ecuador is a little over $300 per month. If the household has only one working parent, several children and earns only Ecuadorian minimum wage, pickpocketing is an easy way to make money. Things like smart phones, tablets and digital cameras are very expensive in Ecuador, so there is a very active black market for such stolen goods, especially in Guayaquil and Quito.” Improving expectations and providing the cultural realities – now you’re not only preparing – you’re truly educating!

For those of you who do not have a large enough study abroad population to host a group pre-departure meeting or you recruit students from many schools across the country, one solution for enhancing expectations through evaluations is to pull together links from several abroad101.com reviews and share them (by category, such as housing or safety) to include in your communication to students – whether it be a newsletter, a virtual pre-departure program, or via a PDF of your pre-departure materials.

No matter the method, setting expectations will make for a more smooth landing for everyone involved in the program – administrators, faculty, host country staff/homestay families and host country nationals, parents – and of course, the students!
About the Author:

Melissa Gluckmann, contributor to the Studyabroad101 Blog and founder of Melibee GlobalMissy Gluckmann is the Founder of Melibee Global, which aims to elevate the discussion about education abroad, culture, diversity and the lifelong path to global citizenship by offering trailblazing tools, speakers and professional development for the global education and travel communities. Raised in New York, Missy has lived abroad three times and traveled to dozens of countries. Missy currently resides in North Carolina and experiences culture shock there on a daily basis! She can be followed on Facebook and Twitter.

Parents: Encourage Your Teen to See the World

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Parents: encourage your teen to see the world and gain worthwhile experiences this summer!

For many teenagers, it can be tempting to spend summers off from school doing a whole lot of, well, nothing – going to the beach with friends here or there, sleeping in late, playing a few games of pick-up basketball, and basically just hanging out. And while it’s true that sufficient sleep is important for your growing kids, and some amount of downtime can also be a great idea — two and a half months of doing nothing but lounging around watching TV is maybe not the healthiest option.

Encouraging your teens to get out and have some worthy, productive summer experiences is super important – for you, and for them. This is especially true if your teen is hoping to go to college, and possibly even win a scholarship or two. After all, what’s going to look better to a college admissions board – months of sitting around at home, or a worthwhile volunteer program?

There are many different summer activities out there for high school students, but one of the best, and most beneficial, is the option of studying or volunteering abroad. High school study abroad has been on the rise for a few years now, and there are many reasons why:

1) Becoming proficient in a foreign language is becoming increasingly important in today’s world. And because younger students learn faster than college-aged students, your teen is more than likely going to be able to soak up another language pretty fast – giving him or her one awesome, marketable skill for the future.

2) Study abroad looks wonderful on college applications and resumes. Because it’s possible to earn college credit or community service hours while abroad, your child’s study abroad experience will signal to college admissions counselors that he or she takes academics seriously. In addition, study abroad really helps imbue students with vital global leadership skills and a more balanced, worldly perspective.

3) While abroad, your teen will receive a much richer education than a normal classroom would provide. Study abroad programs offer a chance to learn about a country’s language, history, and culture – while living in that country! This kind of in-depth, culturally-enriching education will be invaluable to your teen.

4) Gain good contacts and networking prospects for the future. You never know who you’ll meet when you seize an opportunity like the chance to study abroad. Other than gaining good skills for a future job (it’s not that far off!), it’s entirely probable that your child could make some worthy connections for the future – and possibly even score a potential summer internship or employment opportunity.

5) Studying abroad is an amazing experience. Your child will undoubtedly achieve new levels of maturity, focus, and tolerance while studying abroad – and, of course, it’ll be a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience!

And the best news? High school study abroad doesn’t have to be expensive! Many programs offer scholarships, financial aid, or fundraising guides. So, start encouraging your teen to get out in the world and have a life-changing study abroad experience!

Guest author-
Justine Harrington
Program Advisor | SPI Study Abroad