Independent Student Newspaper of UW Oshkosh Campuses

The Advance-Titan

Independent Student Newspaper of UW Oshkosh Campuses

The Advance-Titan

Independent Student Newspaper of UW Oshkosh Campuses

The Advance-Titan

Students should research before traveling abroad

“Traveling to a different country may be one of the most challenging leaps for a college student to make. Not only can that trip enlighten a way of thinking, but it also allows for the opportunity to learn about other cultures.

An aspiring traveler should definitely start reading reviews before booking a vacation. Looking at reviews will help an individual better understand what to expect from the trip creating a safe and self-assuring experience.

Kelsey McDaniels, the study away coordinator at the Office of International Education, recommends Hostelworld.com because the posted reviews can only come from people who have booked and stayed at the hotel. “You also want to make sure to look up the location of the hotel on a map,” McDaniels said. “Some places will be inexpensive, but it’s because they’re on the outskirts of the city and not near anything you want to see or do.”

It’s also hard to know what to fit inside a suitcase when away from home for a long amount of time.

It is easy to forget to pack perscriptions, outlet adapters and clothes for every occasion.

McDaniels said travelers should definitely pack as light as they can.

“It’s never fun to drag a big suitcase around, especially if you’re going to be moving from place to place,” McDaniels said. “I learned this the hard way the first time I traveled to Europe. I had a large suitcase that couldn’t roll because most of the streets are cobblestone and none of the buildings we stayed in had elevators.”

Senior Maiyer Lee, who participated in the 2014 USA Summer Camp said her trip was rewarding in many ways.

“I got to teach English to over 1,000 students at seven different camps,” Lee said. “But more than that, I feel like I really made an impact in the process. I also learned a lot about myself.”

Before planning the trip, Lee did her own research on the USA Summer Camp program. She went to the study abroad fair to get more information, attended informational meetings and talked to students who have previously gone on the trip.

“The most frequent suggestion I got was to pack light,” Lee said.

McDaniels said that a traveler should take into account the exchange rate if he or she is leaving the country.

“Make sure you have enough US dollars in your account for food, spending money and souvenirs,” McDaniels said. “We use budget sheets for our trips so students can see how much the program costs, as well as airfare, food and spending money.”

It’s imperative that students always do research before considering a trip. Students who take advantage of all the resources availible to them, will ultimatley have a better experience abroad.”

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