Part 6: Living Abroad

Part 6: Living Abroad

• Your arrival in your host country

• Calling home

• Meals

• Local transportation

• Travel

• Information technology

• Tips for daily life

• Activities and excursions

• Service

• The Office of Global Studies 8

Rules for Success Abroad

We’ve told you all about the steps

you need to take before your

semester studying abroad begins,

but what about life after you

actually get there?

While Abroad: Mandatory Orientations

All on-site orientation activities are mandatory!

• If you miss an orientation activity, you will be put on probation for the remainder of the semester – it’s that important!

While Abroad: Cultural Mentorship Events

In addition to the On-Site Orientations, remember that you’ll

have to attend 3 Cultural Mentorship Program workshops

over the course of the semester. These sessions are also

mandatory for all students. For more info on the Cultural

Mentorship Program, see the “Preparing to Go” section, or

the Accepted Students website.

Living Abroad: DTW Rotation Rules

• All on-site orientations are mandatory! DTW students must attend the on-site orientation at each city on the program. If you miss an orientation activity, you will be put on probation for the remainder of the semester.

• DTW students will travel together for the second and third country rotation.

– Arranged transportation will take students to the residence.

– Flight changes are not permitted – you must travel with the group.

• Once you are abroad, we are unable to accommodate rotation change requests for any reason.

• Please note that each destination is different. Do not expect the same experience, food or living conditions at each destination. This is all part of the experience!

• Most importantly, enjoy the new places, people and food you will encounter!

While Abroad: Calling Home

• Make sure you set up a communication plan with

friends and family. Discuss how, and approximately

how frequently, you will call them. You may not be

able to call every day and it’s important to manage the

communication expectations to avoid unnecessary

worry and concern.

• Most importantly, make sure to call your loved ones

to let them know that you arrived safely at your

destination!

While abroad, it may be more difficult to find time to

keep contact with friends & family back home. But

even with the time zone differences and busy

schedules, you can and should still keep in touch.

Here are some basics to remember:

Arrival: Calling Home

International Dialing Tutorial

• Calling from the U.S.

– Dial 011 for international access

– Follow with country code:

• http://www.countrycallingcodes.com/

• Italy: +39

• France: +33

• Spain: +34

– City/area code

• Calling to the U.S.

– Dial 001 for international access/country code, followed by the area code and

number

• Don’t forget about time differences

• Be aware of high international calling rates!

While Abroad: Living with Roommates

For many students, studying abroad will be their first time living with

a roommate. Even if you’ve had roommates before, living abroad

with your fellow travelers can bring new stresses (and new

excitement!) to the roommate experience. Here are a few tips for

the inexperienced:

• Being a roommate requires honesty about the things that matter

to you, but also a willingness to compromise.

• Remember that everyone’s pretty much in the same situation –

and utilize your program leaders when you feel you need help

working out an issue.

• If you have a concern, address it early on. Roommate issues

are usually much easier to deal with if you don’t let them escalate.

While Abroad: Common Roommate Issues

• Personality Issues

– Being roommates doesn’t have to mean being best friends.

– There are many different types of personalities and many types of

roommate relationships.

– Roommates who want to find a way to get along almost always will,

as long as they’re respectful and considerate.

• Pet Peeves

– Do you need absolute quiet when you’re studying? Lights out at

midnight? Hate it when people touch your stuff or sit on your bed?

Everyone has pet peeves, but they’re often only magnified when

you’re abroad and living with new people.

– Be honest about your pet peeves. Set boundaries. Compromise.

These are the keys to successful roommate relationships.

Residence Life Guidelines

• Remember, all the rules that apply to students living in St. John’s

University residences in New York also apply to our campuses abroad

and your stay at any hotel on an SJU excursion. Read the Residence

Life Handbook (available on the SJU Website) for full details.

• It’s important to speak with your roommates at the beginning of the

semester and discuss any ground rules or requests you might have.

Remember, it’s okay to have pet peeves, but your roommates won’t

know yours unless you share them!

• Because you’re in a study abroad program, it’s much more difficult to

accommodate roommate changes. That means it’s even more

important to try to find an amicable solution to disputes.

Living Abroad: Meals (Semester Programs)

• Meal plans, like the food, are different in each location; the food is local, so you generally will not find traditional American staples (for instance, in Spain you’ll find a lot of pork and fish as primary meal staples).

• Food options will be more limited than what you would find at a U.S. college cafeteria.

• Details concerning food options and meal times will be provided during on-site orientations.

• SJU provides roughly 4 breakfasts + 4 other meals per week, on average (through a combination of cafeteria meals and meal vouchers depending on the location) four days a week.

• Consult the on-site staff if you have special dietary needs – they’re an excellent resource!

Living Abroad: Local Transportation

• You will be given more detailed information about local metro services at each of the on-site orientations.

• Use public transportation whenever possible

– Planes, trains, and NO automobiles – take the bus!

• More Americans are injured in traffic accidents abroad than by any other

incident. Make sure that you stay alert!

You will be responsible for local transportation.

Be sure to budget!

Doing and seeing all of the incredible things you set out to on your

study abroad experience will most likely require you to do some, well,

traveling. It’s kind of unavoidable – we just ask that you remember to

be smart and safe about the way you do it. The good news is that, in

most of our locations, that’s pretty easy.

Living Abroad: Travel

• Your STA-provided “ISIC” card may allow you to obtain discounts.

• Eurorail passes can be useful, but they’re not for everyone. Do your

research and decide what method of travel will best suit your needs &

budget.

Some helpful websites:

• Train: sncf.fr, trenitalia.com, renfe.com, eurail.com

• Plane: ryanair.com, airfrance.fr, alitalia.com, iberia.com

And of course, the travel section of our online Student Guide.

Living Abroad: Information Technology

• Students are encouraged to take their laptops with them to Europe.

• For those that find laptops to be heavy and burdensome, computer labs are available in

each location.

– Italy: Wireless connections available on St. John’s campus. Computing facilities also

available on the campus.

– France: Wireless and wired connections available on St. John’s Campus. Limited

computer facilities also available on the campus.

– Spain: Wireless connections available in the residence. Limited computer facilities

are available in the residence.

• If you have any problems with your laptop please contact the on-site staff. IT support,

based in Rome, can assist you on all campuses, but the solutions may take more time, or

even require shipment of your laptop.

Living Abroad: Tips for Daily Life

• Grocery stores, department stores, all-purpose stores – all are widely available

in each of the cities you’ll be in, but they may not keep the hours you’re used to.

So plan your shopping (and meals) accordingly.

• Find out the hours and days of

operation for local restaurants

and shops when you arrive

• Be polite! Many businesses in

Europe are family-owned. Walking

into a shop can be just like walking

into someone’s home. Say “hello”

in the local language!

• Use non-verbal communication when necessary. Most business owners will be

more than happy to try to work with you when there’s a language barrier – as

long as you’re friendly and polite!

Living Abroad: Local Activities

• Each city has tons of things to see and do! Many students travel to other countries in

their free time and explore Europe.

• Special activities are also planned during each cohort that can range from group

trips to historical cities to special cultural events.

• Plan what you want to do & see

ahead of time – time goes quickly!

– The City’s Top 5 Destinations

• Can’t miss these!

– The Banner Events

• Tell your friends!

– On-Site Staff Favorites

• Do as the locals do

Rome/Paris Semester Weekend Excursions

• Rome and Paris semester students have an

opportunity to further explore their host country.

• Just like seeing New York City or Los Angeles

doesn’t show you all of the United States, the

same is true of Rome and Paris

– There is more to these countries than their

capital cities!

• These excursions are designed to show the

uniqueness of different parts of the country.

• Hotel, transportation and some meals are

provided.

• More information on excursions can be found on

the Global Studies website.

Service Abroad – It’s What We’re About!

• We expect all students to participate in service

activities while abroad.

• For many courses abroad, service learning is a

required component.

• Service learning is central to the SJU study

abroad experience—it’s what makes this St.

John’s study abroad.

• You’ll learn much more about your new “homes”

by engaging with the people who live there.

• Service is a great way to connect with the

community and give back in a way, and a place,

you may never be able to again.

• What better way to use your extra free time?!

Just think: no job, no internships, etc. And you’ll

still have plenty of time left to explore the

cities—and the rest of Europe!

The OGS 8

The Office of Global Studies 8 Rules for Success Abroad

1. Learn – It’s study abroad (‘nuff said). And get to know your

professors – they have a ton of different and fascinating experiences.

2. Serve – Service is the core of SJU’s Vincentian mission. Get to know

the people and the culture by giving back and giving of yourself.

3. Speak – Learn 10 words in each language you encounter. Start with

“hello,” “please,” and “thank you”

• Extra Credit: Make it 10 phrases! (“How are you?” “Nice to meet

you”)

4. Eat – Try at least 5 new foods in every country, even if

you start simple – a new flavor of potato chips. And don’t

be afraid of escargot – it’s delicious!

The OGS 8

The Office of Global Studies 8 Rules for Success Abroad

5. Befriend – Talk to the locals. Make it a point to have at least a 5-

minute conversation with someone from each city.

6. Get Lost – Guidebooks and websites are great, but why not come up

with your own places to recommend? Get lost in a safe part of town

and truly explore. Let us know what you discover!!

7. Expect “different” – Abroad is different. But different does not mean

worse or inferior, though you may feel like that sometimes. Try to

cherish those opportunities to learn and expand your comfort zone.

8. Plan – It goes quickly. Be sure to set goals for your time away, then

take steps to actually meet them.