The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2003

www.cntraveler.com . T hough the correspondents in cities from Berlin to Jakarta, including London, Cairo, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, and Hong Kong, reported some generalized anti-U.S. sentiment (consisting, they said, mostly of nasty slogans directed at President Bush during demonstra- tions), not a single correspondent was personally harassed — even in Paris. The most striking effect of the war, it seems, is actually a positive one: a sig- nificant drop in hotel rates. A “Safety Check” is featured in The Perrin Report in the May issue of Traveler , also posted at the Web site. Consulting the State Department travel advisories ( http://travel.state. gov/travel_warnings.html ) is an essential first step, but cntraveler.com recommends cross-checking with the British ( www.fco.gov.uk ), Ca nadian ( www.voyage.gc.ca ) an d Australian ( www.dfat.gov.au ) a dvisories for additional views. Reading an English- language newspaper from your desti- nation is also suggested; you can find them in the Google Directory for Newspapers. The report recommends hiring an English-speaking guide, and advises against going for a group tour: safety in numbers doesn’t nec- essarily apply to a busload of Westerners. The report also con- tains tips for how to get the best medical care anywhere in the world, and how to negotiate the minefield of travel insurance effectively. Communication is another dimen- sion of safety. As the June Traveler reports, the GSM (global system for mobile communications) networks that now include 197 countries are growing fast. Detailed maps are post- ed at the GSM Association Web site at gsmworld.com and can also be found at www.gsmcoverage. co.uk , a popular site with an update- notification facility. To stay connected, all you need is a tri-band phone and a SIM (sub- scriber identification module) “smart” card to go with it. Cell phones operate on one of three dif- ferent frequency bands, depending on what part of the world you are in: the tri-band phone, made by all the major manufacturers, can operate on all three bands. The SIM card, which stores your account informa- tion, identifies you to the regional network you are in. Wireless carri- ers in the U.S. that use GSM have roaming agreements with foreign networks. Or, you can purchase a prepaid SIM card from between $17 and $80 to access the local network in the country you’re visiting. ■ C Y B E R N O T E S 12 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U LY- A U G U S T 2 0 0 3