When preparing to study abroad in a foreign country, it is important to gain a balanced perspective. Safety is a global, national, regional, and local phenomenon. With all of the initial excitement traveling to a new country comes with, sometimes health and safety can be overlooked. It is very important to put your health and safety at the very top of your priority list when traveling.
Like we have previously mentioned, it is so important to do your research before you embark on your journey. The internet is full of resources that can give very useful information regarding the health conditions and precautions you should take in the country to which you are visiting. When doing your research, it is important to see what vaccines a particular country requires you to have before visiting. You don’t always need vaccinations to travel abroad. If you do, the recommended vaccinations will vary, depending on:
- which country you’re visiting and, in some cases, which part of the country
- the season or time of year when you’ll be travelling, for example the rainy season
- whether you’ll be staying in a rural area or an urban or developed area
- what you’ll be doing during your stay, such as working in or visiting rural areas
- how long you’ll be staying
- your age and health
It is very important to make an appointment with your doctor for a checkup to get these vaccines and even some antibiotics that could be essential to your health if you were to become ill when abroad. It is also important to research nearby hospitals and clinics that are going to be within the area of where you will be. When it comes to traveling to a new and unfamiliar place, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Food and water tend to be very tricky in foreign countries. Here in the United States, we don’t really have to think twice about drinking tap water or what we are ordering in a restaurant. When abroad, it can be difficult to tell what is okay for your body and what could get you very sick. ALWAYS stick with bottled and sealed water. Even when you are brushing your teeth, do not use the sink water. Tap water in other countries can be very contaminated and cause you to become very sick. Buying bottled water every day could get expensive, but again it is better to be safe than sorry. Unclean water can also make you sick if you swallow or inhale it while bathing, showering, or swimming. Try not to get any water in your nose or mouth. When it comes to food, do not eat anything off the streets of a foreign country. While the food may look or smell delicious in street vendors, you never really know how it may have been prepared. Stay away from raw or uncooked anything, salads, condiment, unpasteurized dairy products, and anything served at room temperature. Stick to fully cooked hot food and fruits and vegetables you have washed and peeled yourself in clean water.
For more information about the safety and health conditions in a particular country, visit http://studentsabroad.com/ and get educated!