Tips for Travelers Abroad

The following are some suggested steps you can take to keep yourself safe as you adjust to your new surroundings in your host country.  Your program orientation will likely provide additional, specific local information, and it’s always helpful to ask your host family or other locals for advice.  Keep in mind that all onsite orientations are mandatory. 

• Inform yourself as much as possible about your new environment prior to departure
• If you leave a program site, make sure someone (i.e. friend, classmate, program director) knows where you are going and when you expect to return
  • Avoid being alone in unfamiliar neighborhoods; travel in a group as much as possible, especially as you are acclimating to your new surroundings
  • Use the buddy system whenever possible
• Learn the basic geography of your destination
  • Familiarize yourself with key routes and areas to avoid
  • Memorize important local phrases
• Maintain a low profile and try to fit in
  • Dress inconspicuously and avoid drawing attention to yourself
  • Avoid displaying money, wearing expensive jewelry, and carrying valuables
  • If you must carry valuables, watch them closely at all times
• Avoid disputes, demonstrations, political rallies/protests, and other street commotions – do not stay in the area to observe or take photos
• Exercise heightened awareness when in public, and be alert to your surroundings; pickpockets tend to target those who don’t appear to be locals, and who aren’t paying attention
  • Report any suspicious activity or people immediately to local authorities
• Never share personal information (name, address, school, etc), or discuss your plans with strangers, even if they seem friendly and take interest in you
• Discuss location-specific concerns with your program director/GEO staff as soon as they arise
• Learn the emergency number (911 equivalent) for your host country – see U.S. State Department resource here.
• Closely monitor reputable local and international news sources. Your program director or host family can make recommendations

More Resources

For more resources, please visit the GEO Tips for Travelers webpage.

Your race, ethnicity, and/or nationality will be interpreted differently depending on your location, and you may bring perspectives that might not have been previously considered. Your experience will differ based on your own race/ethnicity, how that intersects with other identities you may hold, and how these relate to your host country’s history and demographics. You may become part of a racial or ethnic majority/minority for the first time in your life. 

All of these factors will impact how you experience your own race and ethnicity while studying away, and each situation comes with a unique set of challenges, which can be daunting to face without your usual support network in place. Know that you are not alone on your study away program even if you feel isolated while on your program due to your race, ethnicity, or nationality. You have the support of GEO, as well as your program providers.

It is important to educate yourself about conditions in your host community, and to prepare yourself accordingly. We recommend talking with others who have been on the same program and who may be able to offer advice. Reach out to a Duke Study Away Ambassador and/or consult the past participant lists available at globaled.duke.edu/advising/ask-a-student.

If you experience discrimination/bias while on a study away program, this is not something that you have to bear alone. Please consider the following action steps:

• Contact your on-site program director/support staff
• Report via Duke Office of Institutional Equity (anonymous option available)
• Submit your concern to the Global Education Office (not anonymous)

Tips

• Research how your race/ethnicity is perceived in your host location, including the historical context of immigration, race relations, etc. Learn how you may be treated or viewed in your host location.
• Reflect on your own identity. What are the ethnic, racial, religious, and gender identities that characterize you?
• Talk to students who have studied abroad/away in your location before. You can access a list of students here: globaled.duke.edu/advising/ask-a-student.
• Create a local support network to discuss your experiences. Also, think about whom you might talk to back home to help process your experiences.
• Keep an open mind and learn to distinguish between curiosity stemming from ignorance and outright racism or discrimination.
• If someone you know (local friend, host family member, professor, etc.) calls you by a name you are uncomfortable with, politely ask them to stop. If the behavior continues, notify your on-site program director or support staff.
• Review the resources below, and if you need help researching a particular topic, or if you have concerns, talk to a GEO advisor.

More Resources

For more resources, please visit the GEO Tips for Travelers webpage.

Before you leave, research the status of LGBTQIA+ rights in the location that will be hosting you, as well as others that you will be visiting. ISOS is a great resource for information about LGBTQIA+ restrictions and societal attitudes in your host country. It is important to be aware of any applicable laws pertaining to the expression of sexual orientation/gender identity, as well as the general attitudes of the local population toward LGBTQIA+ individuals. Learn as much as possible about the culture-specific norms associated with friendships, dating, and gender. Be aware that behavioral signals that mean one thing in your home culture might mean something completely different in the host culture. 

While studying away, you will most likely encounter different ideologies, and you may need to adapt to different customs. This can be difficult. Become informed so you can have a safe and rewarding experience on your program. 

If you experience discrimination/bias while on a study away program, this is not something that you have to bear alone. Please consider the following action steps: 

• Contact your on-site program director/support staff 

• Report via Duke Office of Institutional Equity (anonymous option available) 

• Submit your concern to the Global Education Office (not anonymous) 

More Resources

For more resources, please visit the GEO Tips for Travelers webpage.