While You Are Abroad

Safety

Students abroad need to learn a new situational awareness because they are usually in surroundings that are very different from Norman, Oklahoma. While that statement may seem obvious, it is an important point. 

There are some general safety guidelines that can be followed anywhere in the world.

* Don't carry more money at one time than you can afford to lose.
* Don't carry your passport with you except when necessary for something like changing money at a bank. 
* Take two copies of your passport page with you. Keep one with you and the other in your room separate from your actual passport.
* Put your valuables in a money belt to be extra safe. This is not the same thing as a “fanny pack,” which is a ready invitation to thieves. DO NOT use a money pouch that hangs around your neck. Valuables that you keep in an easily accessible pocket in your pants or purse will be just as accessible to pickpockets.
* Be very cautious and very alert in extremely crowded places like the metro, buses, flea markets and crowded tourist attractions.
* Be particularly careful at night. Go in groups and be ready to take a taxi home if necessary.
* Do not drink excessively. Alcohol consumption to the point of drunkenness is dangerous behavior on study abroad. You are not as alert and your common sense is dulled. If you do drink, use moderation.
* Never leave a bar alone with someone you have just met.
* NEVER GIVE A NEW ACQUAINTANCE YOUR ADDRESS AND NEVER GO OUT ON A DATE ALONE WITH SOMEONE YOU HAVE JUST MET.

It is hard to overemphasize the problems that can happen if you abuse alcohol on study abroad. Most of the serious situations that study abroad participants get themselves into deal with alcohol abuse. Many of them can be very serious!

We strongly recommend that you also check the U.S. Department of State information on safety abroad.

Culture Shock

Be prepared to undergo a fairly typical adjustment cycle during your stay. Expect some ups and downs. You'll start out with a great deal of excitement. Wherever you are studying will be the most fantastic place on earth. You'll be riding high with enthusiasm. After a while, the novelty will wear off and reality will set in. You may feel lonely, frustrated, disappointed, depressed, homesick, and irritable. You may even feel "abandoned" by your friends and family at home due to the lack of communication. You'll complain about many things and many people, you'll probably wish you'd never left home, and long to be back in the United States or your home country -- if you could ever imagine that!

These feelings of "culture shock" are perfectly normal and will pass with time as you develop friendships and make progress in the language. It is important at this point not to give up, but instead hang in there and keep swimming. This stage will pass and remember that your family and friends -- and all of us at OU's Education Abroad office -- believe in you and what you are doing. Bit by bit things will get better, the petty frustrations will tend to disappear, and you'll finally figure out who you are, where you are, and why you are there. As you complete your adjustment cycle, you'll come to accept and then enjoy everything, including the academics, food, drinks, habits, languages and customs of the host country. Finally when you complete your experience, you may not want to leave when it is time to go home.

Signs of Culture Shock

Some signs of culture shock might include disorientation, depression, homesickness, excessive sleeping, withdrawal and irritability. It is important to note that this is very common and is a normal part of the adjustment process. Most of you will go through some form of culture shock.

For most, the difficult part of culture shock will last from two to four weeks. It is important that should you or a friend show any of the signs above for more than a month, some outside counseling might be helpful. Most of the institutions abroad have counseling centers with qualified staff to help students through difficult times.

There are some things you can do to help alleviate culture shock. Keep a journal of your experiences; make yourself write in it every day. Write letters home to your family and friends. Make yourself go out with friends or join a club or association, even if you don't feel like it at the time. Finally, don't keep your feelings to yourself. Share them with other international and American friends.

Enrollment for the Next Semester at OU

It is possible for OU students to enroll themselves for a coming semester at OU while abroad. However, certain things have to be done long distance for any stops to be lifted. 

Email the faculty member or college advisor who usually advises you about your courses for the coming semester. Ask for the advising stop to be removed before your enrollment window opens. 

Check for any outstanding amount on your bursar’s bill. You won’t be able to enroll with a bursar’s stop.

Staying in Touch with Education Abroad

Check your OU email. While students are abroad we communicate exclusively through OU email. We send important reminders to you while you are gone.

Stay in touch with your OU advisor, especially if you are having problems. Don’t let a difficult situation get really bad before contacting us. It’s best to let us know early in the semester if you are facing a problem that needs to be resolved and you aren’t having any success. We have experience in issues related to study abroad where your friends or parents may not, so please contact us first if you need help.

If You Have an Emergency Abroad

We have an emergency protocol that is activated if a student has a serious problem abroad. If you can contact us yourself during our business hours, please tell the person answering the phone that this is an emergency, that you are an OU student abroad, and that you need to speak to someone immediately.

If you are incapacitated, have someone contact the international office at the host university. Our colleagues there will contact us.

After Business Hours contact the OU Police Department.

If Your U.S. Passport Is Lost or Stolen Abroad
Please check the Lost and Stolen U.S. Passports Abroad section on the U.S. Department of State website for details on how to obtain a replacement passport.

Promoting the Exchange Program
If your host university asks you to help recruit their students to come to OU, please agree. This is something we expect all OU students to do when asked. It is an easy way to meet students abroad who want to have a study abroad experience. In addition, it gives you the opportunity to present your country, state and university to others.

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