In many ways, the opportunity to study abroad is the best part of a student's undergraduate years. To earn course credit through the fun of experiencing new culture is a dream, especially with the aid of a university that offers numerous study abroad programs and study abroad scholarships throughout the year. However, beyond the fun, the academic course work, or the logistics of the trip, some conversations are left out of the necessary information sessions.

When traveling to a new country, there is a lot to learn in regards to daily life, especially for a student who is already barely "adulting" at home. Here are a few topics no information session will address regarding study abroad.

Communication

Obviously, you may have to speak a different language the entire trip, and while all those language courses address how to introduce yourself or order food at a restaurant, practicing the language with a native speaker is entirely different. In reality, language is only learned through immersion, and the difficulty of finding the correct words with a recognizable accent is harder than it looks.

Money

It is already obvious that study abroad is extremely expensive. Yet beyond the initial costs of tuition, travel, and lodging, the cost of food or souvenirs can add up quickly. While a lunch out seems nice, it can be difficult to budget foreign currency each day of the trip and reserve enough savings in case of an emergency.

Safety

Emergencies do happen, and when studying miles away from home, they can create even greater problems. Some issues such as getting lost in the public transportation system or spraining an ankle on a hike can be remedied with an international phone plan or student health insurance. But other issues require more than these basic precautions to avoid.

One situation arose when I studied abroad in France this past year, and I was absolutely unprepared as far as what I could do to stay safe and get help. One calm Monday night, a friend and I were on our way home after studying for our exams most of the evening, and we grabbed the last tram towards our neighborhood. We were still a few stops from our destination when a man, scruffy and stumbling, began cat-calling us and trying to get our attention.

I tried my best to ignore him, and after some time he seemed to finally go back to minding his own business, but I was very much mistaken. Somehow all three of us ended up getting off the tram at the most dangerous part of town in the middle of the night. The man tried to attack us and proceeded to chase us through what coincidentally turned out to be his neighborhood. We were alone, running as fast as we could from a predator, without any way of getting back home or calling the local police (fun fact: 911 does not work in France). Eventually, we were able to get away, contact our professors, and call the police who then scared the man enough to finally leave us alone. The next day I filed a police report of the incident and prepared my things to go home.

After witnessing how easy it is to be in danger, especially in a foreign country where you are unfamiliar with the area and lacking proper safety tools, I can see how preventable these situations could be. I was lucky enough to not be alone on that tram and to have an international phone with which I could call for help. Not everyone is so lucky. Please plan your next trip with this in mind and stay safe.