KU Study Abroad Office offers international travel tips

LAWRENCE -- With the summer travel season just around the corner, the Office of Study Abroad at the University of Kansas offers a few tips that can make a trip overseas safer and more enjoyable.

Susan Gronbeck-Tedesco, director of the Office of Study Abroad, says travelers should take the most important precautionary step before they even pack their first bag.

"Read as much as you can about the country before you go, try to blend in, and keep aware of the surroundings, and you should be fine," she says.

Travelers still have to watch out for the typical pitfalls, such as pickpockets and scam artists, but recent events made it important for Americans also to mind how they present themselves in foreign countries, Gronbeck-Tedesco says.

"We urge Americans traveling abroad to be sensitive, because the people in those cultures are just as proud of their heritage and homeland as we are of ours," Gronbeck-Tedesco says.

The best way for American tourists to keep a low profile is to avoid political demonstrations and dress according to the country's cultural customs. Gronbeck-Tedesco also recommends that travelers keep tabs on the local news.

Along with common sense advice, Gronbeck-Tedesco offers the following tips for people traveling overseas:

 • Check out personal health and travel insurance. The study abroad office recommends that people traveling overseas understand what their current health insurance will cover in case of a medical emergency. In addition, the office enrolls all students participating in KU-sponsored study abroad programs in a travel insurance plan that covers medical evacuation and repatriation of remains. Individuals can purchase similar insurance through their insurance carrier or through many credit card companies. Medical evacuation for treatment and repatriation can run in the tens of thousands of dollars without insurance.

 • Check for travel warnings posted by the U.S. State Department. State Department travel warnings can be found online at travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html. Gronbeck-Tedesco says her office also could help direct people to any State Department travel warnings.

 • Make two photocopies of your passport. A traveler should leave a copy of his passport at home or with a friend and should carry a copy separate from his actual passport. In the case of passport loss or theft, a replacement passport can be obtained from an American embassy.

 • International Student Identification Card. Students traveling abroad should consider getting an International Student Identification card, Gronbeck-Tedesco says. The card, which is available through the Student Union Activities office in the Kansas Union, has a photo of the traveler and provides basic travel-related coverage for sickness and accidents. It also includes a toll-free emergency help line and several other benefits, such as discounts at selected hostels and hotels.

For more information on international travel safety, contact KU's Office of Study Abroad at (785) 864-3742.