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There are a few things that you will need to know/complete before you are ready to depart on your study abroad experience.

To Know:

It is really important to not just know the name of the destination that you are traveling to, but to really know where you are going. Depending on the location, you could experience a lot of culture shock. The key to reducing culture shock is reading ahead and being well prepared.

First and foremost, know that everyone experiences culture shock, depending on your destination, it is inevitable. The first way to try and reduce the negative effects culture shock can have on you is to accept that it is likely to happen, and that it is not necessarily a bad thing!

Before your trip, to reduce culture shock, students are encouraged to look into as many different resources that can give an accurate depiction of the country they are traveling too as possible. This can include a variety of forms of media, including government or embassy websites, travel blogs, travel shows, podcasts, social media, and more!

It is important to find a good mix of sources, that way you can get a variety of perspectives about a place, and as fulsome a depiction of what your destination country might be like as possible. This can also help you evaluate if an opportunity really is for you or not.

Some great sources to get you started can include:

Before you go, it is important to remember that caring for yourself while abroad is what is most important. If you have not taken care of yourself both physically and mentally first, then you will not be able to take care of anything else while on your trip, including assignments or other graded activities. Know that you are allowed to rest if you need to, and that you are always encouraged to reach out to your instructors on the trip if you are having a hard time with anything at all. Your health and well-being is our top priority.

Remember to keep your boarding passes! Outbound students must keep all boarding passes as Dal AC International will request that you hand them in (either physically or electronically) after your trip. They also make a great little keepsake from your trip!

Lastly, you should know that Dal AC International will have you complete a few activities to really help you better understand the country you will be traveling to, and the context you will be traveling in.

To Complete:

It will be mandatory for students traveling with Dal AC International to participate in several pre-departure sessions, as well as complete a few pre-departure activities in order to be approved to travel.

Activity 1: Complete Pre-Departure Course in Brightspace

Students will need to complete a pre-departure course on Brightspace. This course consists of 6 modules, a quiz, an acknowledgement of commitments form that must be completed, as well as a registration with 鈥� which helps in ensuring your safety while abroad. This course covers a variety of topics including health and wellness while traveling, culture shock, and power and privilege.

Activity 2: Risk Assessment

All students will be required to complete a risk assessment. This ensures that you understand that there are always risks associated with travel, and that you know how to identify and mitigate risks associated with the particular country you are traveling to.

Students will research potential risks associated with each category outlined in the risk assessment template provided and will write out as many risks as they can find, how these risks will affect them, and how they might mitigate these risks. Students must note that writing one or two risks in each category won鈥檛 suffice. The more risks you are able to identify the better prepared you will be!

Understanding risk will allow you to; re-evaluate if the opportunity you have chosen is right for you, make decisions on what to pack (or not pack), mentally prepare and rehearse for scenarios that you might not encounter at home, help you keep yourself safe, and help you reduce the impacts of culture shock due to understanding a little more about what to expect.

Activity 3: Self-Care Plan

As mentioned in the 鈥淭o Know鈥� section, if you are unable to care for yourself while on your trip, then you will not be able to take care of anything else. You won鈥檛 be able to take care of any assignments or graded activities, you won鈥檛 be able to be there for your classmates and friends, you won鈥檛 be able to participate in the activities you were so excited for, and your trip won鈥檛 be as amazing as it should be!

Creating a self-care plan that is tailored to the risks and resources of your destination country will significantly improve your chances of feeling healthy and well on your trip.

Students will evaluate what their current self-care needs are, what practices they currently observe as part of their regular self-care routines, and what practices they might like to try in their day-to-day lives. Students will then reflect on what practices they think they will need in an emergency scenario in their destination country to create an emergency self-care plan.

Having all of your self-care practices and needs mapped out for you help to create an external toolkit that you can refer to in times of need. This way, you will be prepared with a list of self-care practices tailored to your specific scenario and context to refer to when experiencing the negative effects of culture shock.

Once all of your activities are complete, then you will be cleared for take-off!