Studying abroad can bring great rewards, but it could also pose significant risks.While many popular destinations are safe for visiting, students should still exercise caution as they travel and study, says Chad M. Gasta, Professor of Spanish and Chair of the Department of World Languages & Cultures at Iowa State University.Here are seven tips to make sure one's time abroad is happy, productive, and safe:Studying abroad can bring great rewards, but being a visitor in a foreign land also comes with significant risks."It is important to understand how the risks may be different from home, and to be prepared," says Shaun Jamieson, anInternational Risk Analystat Iowa State University, where I teach Spanish and run the university'slargest study abroad program.Few cases underscore this point more than the tragic case ofOtto Warmbier, an American college student arrested and imprisoned in North Korea in 2016 for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster from a North Korean hotel. After being imprisoned, Warmbier was brought back to the United States in 2017 brain-damaged and in vegetative state. He died a short while later and is widely seen as the victim of a brutal regime.While Warmbier's case represents an extreme ' and deaths of American students while studying abroadare rare' they still serve as grim reminders of the perils potentially faced by the more than332,000 US studentswho study abroad each year.Europe remains a top destination for Americans studying abroad, and participation in programs in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East continues to grow, according to the Institute of International Education. Many of these destinations are safe for visiting Americans and boast modern health industries, police and security services, or have no discernible criminal enterprises. Still, students should still exercise caution as they travel and study.According to Jamieson, here are seven tips to make sure one's time abroad is happy, productive, and safe:1. Research your destinationOne of the best things you can do to prepare is research your destination. The US State Department regularly updatestravel advisories for each country.These advisories give detailed information about what parts of the country are safe, what types of public transportation to use, times of year to avoid travel, common scams, and more. Recently published guidebooks, such as those by Lonely Planet, are a good supplement to the official information, and can give reliable local information about cultural customs, etiquette and the best neighborhoods to stay.2. Learn local laws and customsAs you research your destination, pay close attention to laws or local customs. Many countries have strict laws regarding drug use that could result in significant jail time. In countries where alcohol is widely permitted, there may be different laws or cultural norms around drunkenness or public intoxication.In some countries you also should be especially careful about discussing sensitive topics, which in some cases are illegal. For example, Americans have been arrested forsupporting Tibetan independence in China, as well as forsupporting the Boycott, Divestment, & Sanctions, or BDS, movement in Israel. In some extreme situations, mere discussion of prohibited topics is seen as support for terrorism, such assupporting Kurdish independencein Turkey.3. Prepare for emergenciesMake copies of important documents like your passport, visa, and airline and hotel confirmationsand keep them separate from the originals. You might also keep a digital copy on your smart phone or tablet. In the event that a document is lost or stolen, having a copy can help you get new documents more quickly.Also plan for what you will do in an emergency. Write down or digitally store the phone numbers for emergency services and the local embassy/consulate before you leave. Learn a few basic phrases in the local language to ask for help or inform a doctor of allergies.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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