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Students' coping skills determine the rapidity and degree of success in adjusting to their host country's culture. To successfully adjust international students must maintain a sense of meaning to their lives, have a sense of competence, have friends and allow time for leisure activities.
A sense of humor is particularly important. Invariably, many things will discourage or embarrass an individual during a stay abroad--stumbling over the language and cultural cues, unfamiliar surroundings and the confusion that ensues. No matter how many emotional resources one may have, the ability to laugh things off and, as importantly, to laugh at yourself, will be paramount.
For many students, travel is the best part of college or graduate school. Whether you're an American student heading for the London School of Economics, or a Chinese student bound for the University of Southern California, living in a different country can have a profound impact on your outlook and your plans. Here are ten tips to make your excursions safe.
OK, so maybe you won't come down with giardiasis, cyclosporiasis, onchocerciasis, or leishmaniasis. Maybe you'll be spared the unpleasantness of tuberculosis, shigellosis, even cryptosporidiosis. And perhaps you don't have to worry about leptospirosis, coccidioidomycosis, or histoplasmosis. But how do you really know?
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