Safety Abroad

In choosing to study abroad, you have demonstrated that you are a risk taker of the very best kind. We here in the OIP hope that you’ll continue to challenge yourself and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves to you while abroad. Your safety and security are always important when traveling and living overseas. Although we hope that during your time abroad you will not have to concern yourself with global crisis, we know that the world situation is constantly changing. Therefore, we offer the following safety precautions for Americans studying abroad. These precautions make good sense at all times; however, they are even more critical during any time of conflict. In addition to these guidelines, please rely on your on-site support staff to guide you as needed.

• Avoid traveling in large groups and always check the U.S. Department of State Web site before traveling outside of your host country.
  
• Avoid speaking English in public if that is not the native language of the country you are visiting.
  
• Do not stand out by wearing typically American clothing (college sweatshirts, clothes with American symbols, shorts, etc.); try to dress as the locals do.
• Avoid highly trafficked tourist attractions and American establishments such as fast food chains and typically American bars.
  
• Be aware that anti-American sentiments do exist and do not get drawn into arguments. Avoid all conflicts.
  
• Be constantly aware of your surroundings and those around you. Remove yourself immediately from situations you suspect may be dangerous.
  
• Use caution when talking about yourself and other members of your program. Do not offer information freely regarding your program or anything that might link you to an American organization.
  
• Communicate regularly with your family and with the school/organization sponsoring your program overseas.
  
• Register yourself at the local United States Consulate or Embassy and know how to contact them in an emergency.
  
• If you travel away from your program site, leave a detailed itinerary with your family and an official from your program. Be sure to stick with your itinerary.
  
• Formulate a plan for what you will do in an emergency. Know the direct numbers of whomever is supervising your program abroad.

Remember that your health and safety are your responsibility. Pay attention to your surroundings, keep your head on straight, and don’t place yourself in situations that could be potentially dangerous. Above all, remember to use common sense. Pay attention to the advice from your program director or sponsor. If he recommends that you not travel alone or in a particular part of the country, pay attention. Any restrictions on travel are only made with your safety in mind. Also, please take a look at the SAFETI Clearinghouse Web site, which covers many safety issues for students abroad.

RESOURCES IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY

You should always know whom to contact in case of an emergency, medical or otherwise. Your first contact should be the resident director of your program overseas. Please keep this person’s phone number on you at all times. If you are living with a host family, they will be an important resource for you as well.

In addition to your on-site support system, the U.S. Department of State here in the United States offers important information in case of a global emergency. Travel Information Sheets and Travel Advisories are issued by the U.S. Department of State to inform U.S. citizens of unsafe travel conditions due to terrorist threats, civil or political unrest, overt anti-American attitudes, or specific health hazards. You have direct access to these advisories through the Department of State.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs, a branch of the Department of State , is responsible for protecting the interests of U.S. citizens abroad. They can assist in locating travelers in case of emergencies back home. They can also help you find medical treatment, legal counsel, or financial assistance in emergency situations. Their advice: In an extreme medical emergency, first get medical treatment from local sources. If immediate medical treatment is not necessary, call the nearest Embassy or Consulate to get advice about what to do next, including notifying local police or finding English-speaking doctors. Of course you should always contact your resident director first and always keep that person informed of your health and well-being.

DRUGS & ALCOHOL

As a visitor of your host country, you are subject to the laws and regulations of their judicial system. Refusing to obey local laws, especially those that concern the use of illicit drugs, will get you kicked out of your program and could get you thrown into jail. Do not assume that laws are more lenient abroad or that foreign governments are more tolerant. Do not assume you are protected as an American.
If you are arrested, there is very little your program, Skidmore College, or the U.S. Embassy can do for you. In fact, the U.S. Embassy has absolutely no jurisdiction to intercede in the host country’s judicial system.

There are currently hundreds of Americans under detention for drug violations in countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. In some of these countries, prisons are primitive and overcrowded, lack sanitation facilities and bedding, offer limited quantities of substandard food, and provide little or no heat or light. Again, there is little anyone can do to assist you if you find yourself arrested for drug use overseas. Therefore, we cannot reiterate strongly enough, do not use, possess, or distribute illegal drugs of any kind, including marijuana, while you are abroad.

In addition to the legal concerns surrounding drug use, you must strongly consider the safety issues involved. Although students think they are not at risk and that they can handle themselves in any situation, this is just not the reality of studying overseas. You do not know the culture. You do not know how to read natives’ behavior. You do not know who is dangerous and who is not. Do not under any circumstances put yourself at risk by participating in drug-related activities.

Alcohol is a more difficult matter to deal with. Alcohol often is more a part of everyday life than it is here. Citizens of the country where you will be studying will most likely have a very different attitude toward alcohol than is typically seen here. It is unlikely that getting drunk is widely accepted. Again concerning your safety, you are much more at risk if you have been drinking, by becoming an easy target for less desirable people and by impairing your judgment. You will have to decide what to do for yourself, but be sure that alcohol does not interfere with your studies.

• Academics
• Money Matters
• Safety Abroad
• Health Abroad
• Preparing to Go
• International Travel
• Living Abroad
• Cultural Shock
• Fifty Cultural Questions
• Useful links
• Pre-departure Orientation

 

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last updated November 4, 2005