Student Travel Tips For Traveling Abroad

So you’ve decided to take that trip abroad. Good for you! You’ll return home with all kinds of adventures and memories to share with friends and family. But before you go here are some student travel tips that will make your trip enjoyable and keep you safe.

The very first thing you need to do is apply for your passport. Don’t delay in doing this as there can be quite a wait to receive it. You may also need a visa for some countries. And if you are a student and you are planning to work or study abroad you will need a student visa. If you aren’t sure check online or with the embassy of the country you will be visiting.

Now that you’ve taken care of that you should spend some time learning about the country you plan to visit. Customs and laws can be very different in a foreign country. If you aren’t prepared you may find yourself suffering from culture shock or worse yet in trouble because you didn’t understand their laws. You should also spend some time learning about their history, their government, their economy, and the political stability of the area.

Both Canada and the US post travel warnings regularly. These warnings will tell you about risks that may involve political unrest, disease or illness or even weather related concerns. You should always familiarize yourself with how to obtain this information and you should consider postponing your trip if a warning has been issued.

You need to register with the nearest US Embassy through the State Department. You can do this online. Registering will mean the government knows where you are incase you need to be contacted in an emergency. This information is never shared without your consent but it’s a valuable resource should US or Canadian citizens need to be evacuated from an area. The Government then knows how many people they are looking for and where they are located.

You should also leave a detailed itinerary and a copy of your passport with a friend or family member as well as any other documents you may have relating to your citizenship. If you are an immigrant make sure that you have all the required documents for our post 911 world.

Once you’ve registered with the Embassy if there is an emergency your family will be able to get a message to you. You can also visit the Consular to get assistance with finding a lawyer, getting medical help, replacing your stolen or lost passport, or obtaining emergency funds from family. Your Consular cannot serve you in legal matter or lend you money but they can help you make arrangements.

Sometimes schools offer interesting programs for traveling abroad. Some may have a student exchange program that allows you to study, work, or travel abroad. Check with your school to see what they have to offer.

Before you leave make sure you have your valid passport and visas if needed handy and easily accessible. Be sure to fill out the emergency information page at the back of your passport.

Make sure you have purchased travel insurance that will cover your emergency medical needs including evacuation be it medical, natural disaster, or political unrest. Too often students try to save a few dollars by not purchasing insurance only to regret it down the road. You simply cannot predict what can happen.

Never leave your luggage unattended. Doing so could set you up for trouble. Drug dealers are very creative about how they move their drugs and unattended luggage is sometimes targeted. Suddenly you find yourself under arrest because drugs are found in your luggage. Drugs you know nothing about. You should also never accept a package from somebody you do not know no matter what the story is they tell you.

Leave your expensive jewelry at home with your expensive designer clothing. Flaunting items that cost a lot only makes you a target to a thief. The best way to travel abroad is to blend in with the locals. You should also never carry large amounts of cash.

Try to avoid drinking too much or partaking in the use of illegal drugs. Associating with people you really don’t know and not being on the ball could lead to disaster. You might find yourself robbed, raped, or worse yet. These are things we don’t want to think of but women are more at risk and should never socialize alone with people they don’t know really well. Too many young women have gone missing or found murdered. Party, have fun, but stay safe.

Traveling aboard can be great fun for a student. Heck you are only young once and you might as well enjoy a good adventure, and the exploring of new territory while you can. Following these travel tips will help you have a great time and stay safe!

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory. This means that as a publisher you may reprint the articles that are included in our site, as long as the article is unedited and the author box is included with it's live hyperlinks.