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Health and Safety Tips Before you travel...
Medical & Emergency Insurance Students traveling abroad under NC A&T programs are covered by GeoBlue International Travel Insurance. To locate an English speaking physician overseas please visit their website at https://www.geo-blue.com/.
Please feel free to call the Office of International Affairs at (336) 334-7104 if you have any questions or concerns regarding this information. Safety and Security before DepartureBetween now and your departure, it is your responsibility to stay informed about developments in the country/countries in which you will spend time. You can do so by checking the U.S. State Department's Website: http://travel.state.gov/. There you will find: Consular Information Sheets, Public Announcements, and Travel Advisories. The following are brief descriptions of these types of information: Consular Information Sheets include such information as location of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the subject country, unusual immigration practices, health conditions, minor political disturbances, unusual currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, and drug penalties. Public Announcements are a means to disseminate information about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term and/or transnational conditions posing significant risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Advisories are provided for all countries. Students/Faculty/Staff should only travel to countries with level 1 or level 2 advisories. For more detailed descriptions of the above information, please refer to the State Department Web page. Periodically checking this Web page is a good idea and especially important if your program and/or travel takes you to regions of the world where unstable conditions exist or are likely to develop. Document Safety while Abroad
While you are abroad, you are expected to exercise the same safety precautions you would at home. Use common sense, avoid confrontations, familiarize yourself with the area and PLEASE do not place yourself in any unnecessarily dangerous situations. The following are some tips to help keep you safe while abroad: PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION
WHEN GOING FROM PLACE TO PLACE
YOUR SURROUNDINGS
PERSONAL BELONGINGS
Dating and Sex"A DIFFERENT CULTURE EQUALS DIFFERENT NORMS"Women and men should both be aware that the ways people interact vary widely by region and country, and issues around dating and sexuality can be particularly difficult in a cross-cultural setting. Eye contact, dress, and body language can all send different messages by region and culture. Observing interpersonal interactions within a culture can help you to choose the way you communicate verbally and non-verbally with others in that country. Some people consider traveling an aphrodisiac. Meeting new, exciting, and different people may stimulate action that you would not have taken under similar circumstances in the United States. Don't be foolish in assuming that you are invulnerable because you are a visitor in the country and no one is judging your behavior. Ask yourself why you are choosing to be sexually active and be aware of and set your boundaries and partner expectations. BE RESPONSIBLE AND BE PREPARED If you choose to be sexually active, use safe sex and protect yourself and your partner against unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and misunderstandings about the meaning of the relationship. Take a supply of condoms with you since conditions of availability and purchase may be limited, and conditions of manufacture and storage may be questionable. Be responsible if using alcohol or prescription drugs because they can affect your behavior. Don't leave the country with anything you didn't bring: this means a pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, or AIDS.
SPECIAL NOTE TO WOMEN In some instances, women may have a hard time adjusting to attitudes they encounter abroad, both in public and private interactions with foreigners. Some men openly demonstrate their appraisal of women in ways that many women find offensive. It is not uncommon to be verbally and loudly approved of, and, in general, to be actively noticed simply for being a woman, particularly an American woman. Sometimes the attention can be flattering. Soon, it may become very annoying and potentially dangerous. You will have to learn the unwritten rules about what you should and should not do. Be sure to attend your host institution's orientation for international students like you. If this is not covered, ASK! You may wish to meet with other participants early in your stay abroad to discuss what does and doesn't work for dealing with unwanted attention. U.S. American women are seen as liberated in many ways, and sometimes the cultural misunderstanding perceived in that image leads to difficult or unpleasant experiences. Needless to say, all of this may make male-female friendships more difficult to develop. Be careful about the implicit messages you are communicating, messages you may not intend in your own cultural context. Above all, try to maintain the perspective that these challenging and sometimes difficult experiences are part of the growth of cultural understanding which is, all things considered, one of the important reasons you are studying abroad. TIPS FOR AVOIDING UNWANTED ATTENTION Female travelers are more likely to encounter harassment such as unwanted sexual gestures, physical contact, or statements that are offensive. Uncomfortable situations such as these may be avoided by taking the following precautions: Dress conservatively; while short skirts and tank tops may be comfortable, they may encourage unwanted attention. Avoid walking alone at night or in questionable neighborhoods. Do not agree to meet a person whom you do not know in a non-public place. Be aware that some men from other cultures tend to mistake the friendliness of U.S. American women for romantic interest. If, after acknowledging cultural differences, you still feel uncomfortable with what you interpret as sexual harassment, you should talk with your leader, resident director, or other on-site personnel. This conversation may provide you with some coping skills and a possible action plan to avoid future encounters. It may also help you gain a different perspective by understanding the local customs and attitudes.
Office of Overseas Citizens Services
You should register on-line with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate before you go. This will be helpful to you and your family if there is a need to locate you or family members in the event of an emergency. The Office of Overseas Citizens Services provides emergency services pertaining to the protection of U.S. Americans arrested or detained abroad, the search for U.S. citizens abroad, and the transmission of emergency messages to those citizens or their next of kin in the United States.
Further information regarding the emergency services to U.S. citizens abroad and related U.S. State Department services can be obtained on the following Web sites: http://travel.state.gov You should check these sites regularly until your departure to ensure you are familiar with events on-site and any concerns of which you should be aware. Worldwide Health Conditions and Information:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website: http://www.cdc.gov/ The State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs maintains a website that provides easy access to a wealth of information on travelers' health and safety: http://www.travel.state.gov/, including links to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The International Association for Medical Assistance for Travelers offers information on English-Speaking doctors abroad and other helpful items. Call 716-754-4883. International SOS Assistance, a Philadelphia-based emergency worldwide medical and travel assistance service, provides insurance for travelers to cover emergency medical needs and other services, including 24-hour multilingual assistance in centers around the world. 215-942-8226, https://www.internationalsos.com/ |
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