Safety Abroad

Maximizing interactions with locals while abroad is very important to acquire the benefits that come along with studying abroad. But the reality is the world isn't 100 percent safe. With this as an safety concern, the State Department has a list of dangerous countries to avoid, and some Universities even forbid students to go to these specific countries. As a result, when students travel abroad, it is important to have an emergency contact with you at all times or have the local number for 911. Another good piece of advice is having all your travel documents in one place if you needed quickly. It is easy for someone to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Simple encounters such as muggings, or freak accidents can easily occur. An example about safety would be when Julie (person I interviewed) studied abroad in Malaysia. Even though she was basically fluent in the local language, her city was not really safe to go anywhere alone. This was a problem for her because this safety issue made her feel like some of her freedom was taken away. However, each country is different, so it is important to know the culture and the right precautions that should be taken. There are also simple things to avoid like going places alone, or drinking too much. With that said, the best thing to do is be smart and listen to your gut.