The Foreign Service Journal, December 2005

82 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 5 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT check the “Travel and Living Abroad” section of the State Department Web site for that information (www.state. gov). All students should receive a “stu- dent validation letter” from their host university prior to leaving home; you will have to present this to the immi- gration office once you arrive at your destination. Don’t forget to obtain an International Student Identity Card ( www.isic.org/sisp/index.htm) f or emergency assistance as well as dis- counts on travel, hostels and entertain- ment abroad. In addition, some study- abroad programs demand proof of financial security. The requirements vary from program to program, so make sure you know them well in advance. Have back-ups. Make at least two extra copies of all your docu- ments. Leave one set of copies at home with your parents, and keep another with you, in a separate place from the originals. Do good financial planning. Every study abroad program is differ- ent, so make sure you know exactly what your program entails. Some offer housing for their students; oth- ers do not. You might need to provide your own transportation to the desti- nation as well as around town. And you’ll almost certainly be responsible for covering your own household expenses, personal spending, etc. Once You’re There… Starting out in a new environment is usually tricky, even for Foreign Service dependents and other sea- soned veterans of overseas living. Prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster ride, usually in three phases. Most students are nothing but excited for the first couple of weeks, when everything is brand-new and calls out to be explored. But brace yourself to crash into homesickness; after a few weeks, most international students begin to miss family, friends and 24-hour supermarkets. There are always a few things that study abroad programs won’t tell you. Not only that, but you might even resent things about your host country (like not hav- ing constant Internet access in your room or the tedious matriculation process at your university). But don’t worry; this phase won’t last long. Soon you’ll grow accus- tomed to the new way of life you are Continued from page 78 Every study abroad program is different, so make sure you know exactly what yours entails.