Service-Learning Abroad

Whether participating in community service is your primary motive for travelling or you’d simply like to get involved in a service activity during your time abroad, there are many options and resources you should consider!

Perhaps you’re travelling with a group that has a history of working with a certain project or service group, or maybe you’re really passionate about a specific cause that you’d love to pursue. If you’re open to different options, doing a quick Google search brings up countless organizations that offer volunteer abroad opportunities in fields ranging from environmental sustainability to poverty elimination. You need to consider not only the destination but what opportunities exist there. For instance, it would be next to impossible to find a program that works to preserve rainforests if you were set on travelling to Alaska.

At MSMF, our School4School program’s trips to Peru focus on service-learning, and our program offers a variety of community service projects. Many travel abroad trips are based around community service, but you could also research specific projects run locally in the place you’re going to go if your chosen program isn’t service-based.

If the project or program that you’re passionate about doesn’t already exist, create your own! For example, if you’re studying abroad for a semester and are dedicated to helping homeless animals, create a plan for how you can serve this purpose abroad. Do some research regarding different people and resources that could assist you. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to partner with a local animal shelter. If you’re going with a group, try to get some other students involved with your project – it’s usually easier to work with a team!

Whatever you think you want to do, stay open-minded and know what’s out there before you make a big decision! Service-learning provides worthwhile experiences that could significantly impact your outlook on life.

By: Megan Salvia, MSMF Intern

5 Tips When Preparing for Trips

Having gone on many trips – some wonderful, others not so wonderful – I’d like to share these five pieces of advice with anyone who’s getting ready to travel abroad…

1.) Bring as little as possible! As you’re wandering around in a foreign country, the last thing you’ll want to worry about is dragging multiple bags along the cobblestone streets. And you certainly don’t want to pay extra airline fees for checked bags or have to worry about everything not fitting in your suitcase on the way home once you’ve acquired countless souvenirs. So try to keep it to the necessities while packing for a trip abroad.

2.) Prepare a detailed itinerary! Even if you like flexibility and going with the flow when you travel, it’s always best to plan ahead and just make changes along the way. In your itinerary, you should include contact information for your accommodations, your flight numbers and departure/arrival times, and any destinations that you definitely want to see while you’re abroad. For those places you absolutely must get to before returning home, research some important information and write it down so you can best decide when to go where. For example, it’s crucial to know if museums are closed on Mondays in a certain city so that you don’t plan to go to one only to find that it’s not open. Also, while you’re preparing this research, you’ll find out if there are any tourist spots you want to see for which you need to make reservations far in advance.

3.) Determine your means of transportation once you’ve arrived! You may know that you’re flying to wherever you’re going, but how are you going to get around when you’re there? Will you be travelling with a tour group on a bus? Renting a car? Riding a train? Walking? If the answer to these questions is “I don’t know,” you should spend some time determining the most efficient and cost-effective way to travel at your destination. If you’re travelling in many countries in Europe, for example, trains are often a fantastic way to get from city to city and a wonderful opportunity to see the countryside. People in some cities primarily use bikes to get around. Learning a little about transportation before you travel abroad can be very beneficial both financially and temporally.

4.) Get your travel documents EARLY! You may know you need a passport for your trip abroad, but do you know how far in advance you need to apply for one? The process of applying for passports, along with other necessary travel documents, is often lengthy and unpredictable. There is usually a suggested time deadline when applying for these documents, but I would advise you to get them as early as possible. My mom applied for her passport just before the suggested date when we were going on a trip a few years ago, and she didn’t get her passport until the day before we left! Needless to say, you can save yourself a lot of anxiety if you leave ample time for receiving your travel documents.

5.) Pay attention to currency! If you’re travelling abroad, the currency of the country to which you’re headed is probably not the same as the money you have saved up in your room. You should spend some time considering what your best option is for spending money abroad. While some vendors will accept the U.S. dollar, others may not, and exchanging for another currency with available machines or banks may leave you with excessive fees to pay. Using a credit card is often a good option when travelling so that you’re not charged an exchange fee each time you purchase something. Figure out what you should use to make purchases abroad ahead of time so that you can arrive prepared!

 Don’t forget to comment and share your own travel preparation tips!

 

By: Megan Salvia, MSMF Intern

Apprehensions About Travelling Abroad?

So you’ve found the perfect Travel Abroad opportunity – congratulations! You’re about to embark on a fantastic journey; while this is extremely exciting, travelling to a foreign country may also be daunting. Adjusting to a new way of life, surrounded by people with different customs and experiences from you can be overwhelming. But don’t let your fears or worries get in the way of enjoying your experience! Below we’ll list some common travelling fears as well as tips and solutions to help you prepare for your trip abroad!

–I’m not fluent in the language of the country to which I’m travelling!

Just be willing to learn and respect the people in the country you’re visiting. Many people will be glad to help you learn, and as long as you have an open mind, you’ll inevitably pick up some vocabulary words while you’re there. If you’re still worried about encountering people with whom you can’t communicate, learn a few important words in the native language of your destination (such as “bathroom,” “please,” and “thank you.”) Also, don’t be scared to ask questions! As long as you’re not asking them in an accusatory way, people will gladly answer you if they can.

–I’m a picky eater – what am I going to eat when I travel abroad?

Travelling abroad is the perfect time to try new foods; though this may make you nervous, you honestly don’t know if you’ll like something unless you try it, and the delicious, fresh, local food made in the town in which you’re staying may surprise you. If you really don’t like much of the food in your host country, politely ask for simpler dishes that consist of foods you know you do like.

–I get homesick easily.

If you get homesick when you go out of town, one of the best things you can do is immerse yourself in the culture and activities of the place you’re visiting. If you’re making new friends and enjoying different events abroad, you’ll be less inclined to think about all the people and objects you miss from home. Also, while it’s good to contact your family occasionally to let them know what you’ve been doing, don’t call or write to them every few hours! The less time you dwell on the things you miss from home, the more likely you are to get the most out of every minute you spend abroad.

–I’ve never travelled internationally before – I don’t know what kinds of clothes to pack!

Just do a little research before you go, and you’ll be fine! First, be sure to check the weather forecast the week before you leave, and research general information about the climate in your destination country. Pack clothes based on the usual weather, and don’t forget things like umbrellas and jackets if you’re going somewhere that’s typically rainy. Also, you need to think a little about how conservative the people in your destination generally are, and consider the places you’ll be going while abroad. For instance, if you’re going to visit cathedrals in a place like Italy, many will require that tourists dress with pants at least below the knees and that they not wear tank tops. Take a few minutes to learn this basic information about the place you’re going, and enjoy your trip!

Don’t forget to share your own worries or suggestions for going global!

By: Megan Salvia, MSMF Intern