Tips for Travelers to . . .
STUDENTS are especially encouraged to consult these State Department web sites:
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Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
The Travelers & Consumers section of the TSA's website is a comprehensive travel guide for the flying public, including information about:
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ATMs
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Baggage
The FAA provides general information about airline baggage and the size requirements for carry-on items.
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Computers
The computer section of the World Electric Guide has basic information about using computers overseas.
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Culture Shock
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Disabilities
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Doctors & Hospitals
The Department of State maintains a list of doctors and hospitals in some countries, including France, Germany, Ireland, and Italy.
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Electricity
Fodor's Online Resources Center has a Smart Travel Tips section on Electricity.
The World Electric Guide contains an informative overview of terms, concepts, and issues related to the use of electrical devices throughout the world. Scroll down to the bottom of the World Electric Guide web page for a helpful section on adapters and converters. The same web site also has an ELECTRIC POWER AROUND THE WORLD page with information about voltage and illustrations of plug types used in each country.
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Embassies and Consulates
Our country information web page has links to Embassy web sites for each country in which Randolph-Macon offers opportunities for international education.
The U.S. State Department maintains a list of Foreign Embassies in the U.S.
Other lists of embassies and consulates worldwide are available online:
According to the U.S. State Department's Foreign Entry Requirements web page,
Some countries require that your U.S. passport be valid at least six months or longer beyond the dates of your trip. If your passport expires before the required validity, you will have to apply for a new one. Please check with the embassy or nearest consulate of the country that you plan to visit for their requirements.
Therefore, if you have a passport that will expire less than six months after you expect to complete your period of overseas travel, check now with the embassies of the countries to which you will travel, to determine if your passport will be accepted. Each country has its own policies with regard to passport expiration dates. You should determine if your passport will be accepted in the countries to which you will travel, well in advance of your departure from the U.S.
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E-mail
Semester abroad student must get a web based e-mail account--one they can access from any Internet connection, without needing any special software other than a web browser (such as Internet Explorer and Netscape). Keep in mind that a free e-mail account is not the same as free Internet access. Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs), such as AOL and Earthlink, allow access from any Internet connection. Thus, if you subscribe to one of these ISPs, you may be able to access your e-mail overseas through your ISP's homepage. However, ISPs usually charge a fee for their services, often about $20-25 a month (for a list of ISPs see The List of ISPs).
FREE (or inexpensive) WEB BASED E-MAIL PROVIDERS: Alternatively, many students choose to set up an e-mail account with one of the many free or inexpensive web based e-mail providers. This allows students to send and receive e-mail from any computer on which they have Internet access, such as an Internet café, computer lab, or friend's computer. The links below connect to some of the many web sites where you can sign up for free or inexpensive web based e-mail account. Carefully read all information before signing up.
You should also know that "free" e-mail usually comes with certain costs (remember the sayings, "You get what you pay for" and "There's no such thing as a free lunch"). One thing that almost always accompanies free e-mail is advertising. That's how the e-mail can be provided to you without charge; someone else pays for ads that appear along with your e-mail. Although some web based e-mail systems do provide "free" e-mail without the ads, they usually charge a one-time or annual fee, e.g., $20, for this service. Other things that may come along with free e-mail are slower access, increased spam (unsolicited, junk e-mail), and limited storage (additional storage is usually available for a fee).
For more web based e-mail options, visit Free Email Address Directory. That site provides a list of free e-mail providers along with information, comments, and reviews about many of them. Several of the e-mail providers listed there specialize in foreign language e-mail, including Korean and Japanese.
You can also visit Free Email Providers Guide, with a list of over 1,000 free e-mail providers in over 85 countries.
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Finances
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Health & Safety
Whether they are traveling abroad for two weeks or studying overseas for a year, the health and safety of study abroad students are primary concerns of the college. Randolph-Macon continually strives to exercise reasonable care and effort with regard to the health and safety of participants in our semester abroad programs and study/travel courses. At the same time, there will always be circumstances that study abroad providers cannot control. Similiarly, no study abroad provider can forsee and address all possible events and conditions—natural, political, legal, medical, social, or personal—and their outcomes.
NAFSA: Association of International Education, the largest professional organization in the field, has produced a statement titled "Promoting Health and Safety in Study Abroad—Responsible Study Abroad: Good Practices for Health and Safety." We encourage semester abroad students and study/travel course participants, as well as parents, guardians, and families, to consider this resource, especially the following sections that we include here for your convenience:
Things that program sponsors cannot do
In particular, program sponsors generally:
- Cannot guarantee or assure the safety and/or security of participants or eliminate all risks from the study abroad environments.
- Cannot monitor or control all of the daily personal decisions, choices, and activities of participants.
- Cannot prevent participants from engaging in illegal, dangerous or unwise activities.
- Cannot assure that U.S. standards of due process apply in overseas legal proceedings or provide or pay for legal representation for participants.
- Cannot assume responsibility for actions or for events that are not part of the program, nor for those that are beyond the control of the sponsor and its subcontractors, or for situations that may arise due to the failure of a participant to disclose pertinent information.
- Cannot assure that home-country cultural values and norms will apply in the host country.
Responsibilities of participants
In study abroad, as in other settings, participants can have a major impact on their own health and safety through the decisions they make before and during their program and by their day-to-day choices and behaviors.
Participants should:
- Assume responsibility for all the elements necessary for their personal preparation for the program and participate fully in orientations.
- Read and carefully consider all materials issued by the sponsor that relate to safety, health, legal, environmental, political, cultural, and religious conditions in the host country(ies).
- Conduct their own research on the country(ies) they plan to visit with particular emphasis on health and safety concerns, as well as the social, cultural, and political situations.
- Consider their physical and mental health, and other personal circumstances when applying for or accepting a place in a program, and make available to the sponsor accurate and complete physical and mental health information and any other personal data that is necessary in planning for a safe and healthy study abroad experience.
- Obtain and maintain appropriate insurance coverage and abide by any conditions imposed by the carriers.
- Inform parents/guardians/families and any others who may need to know about their participation in the study abroad program, provide them with emergency contact information, and keep them informed of their whereabouts and activities.
- Understand and comply with the terms of participation, codes of conduct, and emergency procedures of the program.
- Be aware of local conditions and customs that may present health or safety risks when making daily choices and decisions. Promptly express any health or safety concerns to the program staff or other appropriate individuals before and/or during the program.
- Accept responsibility for their own decisions and actions.
- Obey host-country laws.
- Behave in a manner that is respectful of the rights and well being of others, and encourage others to behave in a similar manner.
- Avoid illegal drugs and excessive or irresponsible consumption of alcohol.
- Follow the program policies for keeping program staff informed of their whereabouts and well being.
- Become familiar with the procedures for obtaining emergency health and legal system services in the host county.
Recommendations to parents/guardians/families
In study abroad, as in other settings, parents, guardians, and families can play an important role in the health and safety of participants by helping them make decisions and by influencing their behavior overseas.
Parents/guardians/families should:
- Be informed about and involved in the decision of the participant to enroll in a particular program.
- Obtain and carefully evaluate participant program materials, as well as related health, safety and security information.
- Discuss with the participant any of his/her travel plans and activities that may be independent of the study abroad program.
- Engage the participant in a thorough discussion of safety and behavior issues, insurance needs, and emergency procedures related to living abroad.
- Be responsive to requests from the program sponsor for information regarding the participant.
- Keep in touch with the participant.
In addition to the NAFSA guidelines, above, students and parents may wish to consider general health and safety information as well as specific topics.
General health information related to study abroad is available from:
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Health insurance - Also see our Health Insurance web page
WILL YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE COVER YOU WHILE ABROAD? - All students going abroad as part of a Randolph-Macon semester abroad program or study/travel course should have health insurance that will cover them while they are overseas. Coverage provided by many health insurance policies does not extend outside the United States. On its Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad web page, the U.S. Department of State recommends:
- overseas travelers should learn what medical services their health insurance will cover overseas
- if health insurance coverage extends overseas, travelers should carry with them both their insurance policy identity card, as proof of such insurance, and a claim form
Check with your health insurance provider to determine if you will be covered while studying abroad. If so, it is a good idea to request a health insurance letter to that effect. If your health insurance will not cover you while studying abroad, a separate traveler's health insurance policy can be purchased and a health insurance letter or other proof of coverage requested from that company.
SHORT-TERM HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES FOR OVERSEAS STUDY - Students who will be studying and traveling abroad can purchase short-term health insurance coverage for their period of overseas study and travel. Our Health Insurance web page has links to several companies that offer such policies. The Department of State's Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad web page also contains a list of companies that offer medical insurance for travelers; scroll down from the top of the page to see the list. In addition, the Office of International Education has brochures describing short-term health insurance policies available from several companies. Contact or visit our office for more information.
ISIC COVERAGE - Basic accident and sickness insurance for travel outside the United States is provided by the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). Randolph-Macon requires all semester abroad students and study/travel course participants, whose courses travel outside the U.S., to obtain an ISIC before their departure date. However, the amount of insurance coverage provided by this card may be deemed insufficient by itself. For example, coverage provided with purchase of an ISIC reimburses certain medical costs incurred overseas but does not pay them up front. See the ISIC section below and our International Student ID Card web page for more information about the card.
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Hostels
While studying abroad, most students take advantage of opportunities afforded by breaks in their academic programs to travel and explore different parts of their host country and neighboring areas. One way to cut down on costs while traveling is by staying in youth hostels. Several web sites provide information about hostelling, including lists of hostels along with their contact information and addresses. Here are some hostel web sites you may find helpful.
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Immunizations for overseas travel
Immunizations may or may not be required for overseas travel, depending on one's intended destination(s). The main source of information about required or recommended immunizations is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those traveling overseas are encouraged to consult the CDC's web pages for Destinations and Vaccinations. More information about the CDC and the resources it provides for travelers is listed above.
Immunizations and information about them are available locally from the Hanover Health Department and the VCU Medical Center Travel Clinic.
Hanover Health Department (HHD)-
- LOCATION - south of the college, on Route 1 near Sheetz gas station.
- PAYMENT - The Hanover Health Department accepts cash or checks only, no credit or debit cards.
- If you already have prescriptions (or scripts) from a physician for the immunizations you need, you can go to the HHD any Tuesday or Friday from 1:00-3:30 p.m. Nurses will administer vaccinations based on the prescriptions you bring with you. There is a fee for the office visit in addition to the cost of the vaccinations.
- If you do not have the prescriptions needed for your immunizations, you can go to their Foreign Travel Clinic. However, you must make an appointment; walk-ins are not allowed at the Foreign Travel Clinic. During those hours a physician or other qualified medical personnel will meet with you and write the necessary prescriptions, based on your travel destination, and vaccinations will be administered. There is a fee for this type of office visit, in addition to the cost of the vaccinations.
- Although the HHD usually stocks commonly administered vaccines, students should call before going and verify the HHD has the vaccines on hand that are required for the student's travel destination.
- Hanover Health Department
12312 Washington Highway
Ashland, Virginia 23005
(804) 365-4313
(800) 464-5506
Fax: 365-4355
VCU Medical Center Travel Clinic
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Insurance
See the information about health insurance and travel insurance elsewhere on this web page.Return to the top of the page
Internet
Internet access is available worldwide. However, Internet access is often not as widespread in other parts of the world as it is in the United States. Also, Internet access is easier, cheaper, and more readily available in some areas overseas than in others. Cybercafés or Internet cafés are one way to keep in touch with family and friends while traveling abroad. To find the location of cybercafés worldwide, try these search engines:
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Maps
Online maps are available from many sources. Here are a few good ones:
- CIA reference maps (click the "Reference Maps" link on the right)
- Holt, Rinehart and Winston (world map, click a continent then country)
- Holt, Rinehart and Winston (alphabetical list of countries, click on a name)
- National Geographic Map Machine (interactive, searchable, and organized by various theses such as physical, political, climate)
- University of Texas, Perry-Casta�eda Library, map collection
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Measurements
You can use The Digital Dutch WWW Unit Converter to convert from one unit of measure to another. Use it to convert lengths, temperatures, volumes, and other units of measure.
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Money: Exchange Rates and Foreign Currency
— EXCHANGE RATES —
International currency rates can remain fairly stable or fluctuate widely over time. Currency exchange rate information is available in the business section of most major newspapers or on exchange rate web sites, such as:
Keep in mind that when you exchange one form of currency for another, banks and moneychangers usually charge a fee for their services. Credit cards and ATM cards often give better exchange rates and sometimes do not charge an additional exchange fee. Check with your financial institution about its policies, fees, and exchange rates.
— OBTAINING FOREIGN CURRENCY —
You can purchase cash and travelers cheques in foreign currencies at many American Express Travel Service offices. Available currencies usually including British Pounds Sterling and Euros. For more information, contact an American Express Travel Service office. The one nearest to Randolph-Macon College that offers foreign currencies is at 1412-a Starling Drive Richmond, VA 23229, telephone: 804-740-2030. You can check online for other offices in the Richmond area. Another option is to visit their TravelFunds Direct web page.
Some foreign currencies are also available through AAA (American Automobile Association). The AAA office closest to Randolph-Macon College is at 5001 West Broad Street, Suite 1000 Richmond, VA 23230-3003, telephone: 804-285-8912. For a list of other AAA offices in Virginia and neighboring states, visit the AAA Mid-Atlantic web site.
A variety of foreign currencies can be obtained at Foreign Currency Exchange, located at the Food Court inside Potomac Mills mall. Telephone 703-492-2767.
|
Amount of currency exchanged: |
Fee: |
|
$0-$20 |
$1 |
|
$20-$200 |
$3 |
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$200-$500 |
$5 |
|
over $500 |
$10 |
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.; Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Exchange rates: Fluctuate daily with international markets.
The company regularly stocks Euros and British Pounds Sterling. Call about the availability of other currencies, daily exchange rates, and to verify current exchange fees.
— FOREIGN CURRENCY ONLINE —
You can order foreign currency, travelers cheques, and cash passports online from companies such as Travelex and All Foreign Currency.
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Newspapers
Many newspapers are available online. Below are links to some that originate in countries where Randolph-Macon provides opportunities for international education. In addition,