Traveling abroad can be exciting. It can also be stressful, just like any other new and unfamiliar experience. Throughout your entire experience, try to stay calm and to remember that, in most situations, you can ask for help from a variety of people around you.
Plan as much as you can for your travel days. If this is your first international travel experience, read about your departure airport here in the US. Go over your plan the night before and check your list of essentials, such as your passport, plane ticket, and foreign currency. Being ready will make you feel more comfortable. Study the public transit system at your destination as well, and review with your CGIS advisor how you will get from the airport to your program site.
The rest of this section provides more specific advice for your experience abroad. Review this information carefully before your CGIS pre-departure orientation and before you depart for your program.
“For many students, finance is a quick answer as to why they won’t study abroad. Once finances are clear, students are really able to think about the benefits of studying abroad. Financial support can take students from marginalized backgrounds and put them in a position where they’ve been able to achieve something that will benefit them both academically & interpersonally.” —CEO & Founder of Diversity Abroad, Andrew Gordon