Welcome to Workshop

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Welcome to Workshop 2March 20, 2005

• Plus Three 2005
• Brazil, Chile, China, France, Germany

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Agenda for Todays Workshop

• 230 PM 330 PM -Study Abroad Contracts and
• Health, Safety, and Security Orientation (SAO
  Staff)
• 330 PM 415 PM - Journal Writing How To
  (Faculty)
• 415 PM 445 PM Refreshment Break (All
  Lobby)
• 445 PM 530 PM The Program Project (Faculty)
• 530 PM 6 PM Plus Three Travel Specifics (SAO
  Staff)
• 6 PM 630 PM Question and Answer with Program
  Faculty and Staff

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Traveling Abroad A Guide for Plus 3

• Advice from the Plus 3 Team

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Topics

• Weather
• What to pack and wear
• Food and water
• Electricity
• Money
• Documents
• Safety
• Vaccinations
• Communication
• Conduct dos and donts
• Information Resources
• Program Information
• Deadline Reminders
• Question and Answers

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WeatherAverage Low High

• Santos, Brazil 64-77
• Valparaiso, Chile 50-63
• Beijing, China 56-80
• Rouen, France 53 (avg.)
• Augsburg, Germany 45-63
• (Check weather.com before departure)

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What to pack (regulations)

• Regulations
• USAirways International regulations
• Two checked bags (max each of 62 inches in
  overall length), one carry on, one personal item
  (purse size)
• All checked bags are x-rayed (be careful with
  film)
• It may not be possible to lock your bag

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What to Pack (reality)

• Pack light!
• One suitcase plus backpack carry on YOU are
  lugging this stuff.
• Put any valuables, camera, medicine and a change
  of underwear in your carry on.
• Avoid bringing valuables including a laptop.
• Bring a lock for your suitcase to keep money,
  etc. Your hotel is not likely to have a security
  box.

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What you will wear

• Activity-appropriate clothes
• Business attire (what shoes?)
• Free time attire (campus wear,
  sports wear what do these
  mean in these countries?)
• Bring layers, clothes that
  dont show dirt and dont
  need to be ironed.
• Bring a rain jacket.

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What NOT to Wear!

• Say NO to crack! (This includes front and back
  cleavage very inappropriate)
• Dress CONSERVATIVELY! No bare midriffs, ripped
  jeans, logo t-shirts, etc.
• In these locations, shorts are for sports and
  beach only!
• Convey an image of class and elegance dress
  nicely, but no flashy displays of wealth, etc.

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Food and Water

• Bavarian food tends to include
  meat often pork
• Chilean food often includes seafood and beef
• Chinese food includes rice and side dishes
• French food includes meat, cheese, and creamy
  sauces
• Brazilian food includes meat and seafood
• Tap water is safe to drink in Germany and France.
  In Chile and China, students probably should be
  more cautious. You should drink bottled water in
  Brazil. In all five places, bottled water is
  easily available and cheap (however, if you dont
  like carbonated beverages, be sure to ask for
  water without bubbles!)

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Electricity

• The US uses 110 volt 60 cycle current with a US
  plug
• Continental Europe and Chile use 220 volt 50
  cycle with a European plug
• China uses 220 volt 50 cycle current with a US
  two prong plug
• So what? Two problems. You need to
• Convert the current from 220 to 110
• Some products (laptops, some hairdryers) have a
  switch for changing built inyou switch it or it
  does it for you. Some need to have a current
  transformer (converter) that you buy separately
  to change 220 to 110.
• Adapt your US plug to a European one so you can
  plug your device into the wall. A plug adapter
  does this trick.
• Brazil uses 220, but the outlets will take our
  plugs (Prof. Budny will explain)
• Moral do you really need to take that electrical
  thing with you? If the answer is yes, you need
  to sort out what you need to do to make it to
  work where you are going.

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Money

• Currency Exchange Rates
• (as of March 15, 2005)
• Germany and France Euro (1Euro 1.33)
• Brazil Real (1 USD 2.76)
• Chile Pesos (1USD 593)
• China Yuan/Renminbi (1USD 8.28)
• What form to take? (Travelers checks? Cash? ATM
  card? Credit card?)
• Be sure to take more than one form in case of
  loss or theft.
• How much to take?

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Documents

• What you need
• Passport
• China and Brazil require a visa for US citizens
• Chile requires an entry fee of 100 payable in
  USD
• You need to purchase the ISIC Card.
• Make a photocopy of passport front page and of
  credit cards
• Keep these in a safe place

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Communication

• Email and IM access are available in limited ways
  
• Phone calls from hotels are VERY expensive
  sometimes 5/minute to the USand you pay
• Local calls are metered and are expensive from
  hotels.
• Calling cards are available, but not as readily
  as in the USusually best to use from a phone
  booth
• Usually best if friends and family call you
• Your mobile phone will probably not work (or it
  may be very expensive). Check with your service
  provider about these details. How will you
  recharge its battery (see Electricity)?

15
Safety

• Pay attention to the health and
• safety lecture from SAO
• What are the implications of war and terrorism?
• Dress to fit in no baseball caps, no Pitt
  sweatshirts, no American flag clothes dont wear
  things that identify you as an American
• Dont be an obnoxious American when you go to
  restaurants and bars, work to fit in (drunkenness
  equates obnoxious American)
• Make sure that your family has copies of your
  exact itinerary. Please share the information
  that you have received about this orientation
  with your parents.
• Use the buddy system always stick with at least
  one other person from the program at all times.

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Safety, continued.

• Be careful who you befriend.
• Be careful who you hit on! (they may have a
  boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, etc.)
• Be responsible you are young adults

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Conduct dos

• Be on time for everything planned
• Company visits it is extraordinarily hard to get
  company visits for undergrads
• Be attentive and alert
• Dress and act professionally
• Be prepared
• Ask questions
• Free time fit in (see previous slides) !

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Conduct donts

• Drugs. Stupid. Particularly stupid abroad. If
  you are caught you will go to jail and we wont
  be able to get you out.
• Alcohol. In these countries 18 year olds can
  drink alcohol, but you are to act like adult
  representatives of the University of Pittsburgh.
  You also need to be sober enough to be aware of
  your surroundings and not hung over during
  academic-related activities. Alcohol abuse will
  affect your grade and could lead to your being
  sent home.
• Excerpt from Study Abroad Contract (you are
  required to sign if you intend to do this
  program)
• Illegal Drugs The undersigned understands that
  the use or possession of illegal drugs during the
  program or being knowingly present in instances
  of use or possession of illegal drugs during the
  program is cause for immediate dismissal from the
  program without refund.
• Alcohol Abuse and Related Misconduct Alcohol
  abuse and alcohol-related misconduct will not be
  tolerated. Such misconduct is cause for
  reprimand, referral to counseling if such
  services are reasonably available, involuntary
  withdrawal from the program, and action under the
  Student Code of Conduct and Judicial Procedures
  upon return to the University of Pittsburgh. The
  undersigned must also abide by all
  alcohol-related laws of the host country.
• Involuntary withdrawal The undersigned
  acknowledges that return passage and all other
  expenses occasioned by a participants
  involuntary withdrawal from the program shall be
  the sole and exclusive financial responsibility
  of the student concerned.

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Vaccinations

• Please Refer to CDC information
• Contact Information for
• Allegheny County Health Department
• (Located across from CVS in South Oakland)
• 3333 Forbes AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15213Ph (412)
  687-ACHDFAX [phone]
• http//www.achd.net/

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Other Important Sources of Information

• Study Abroad Pre-Departure Guide
• http//www.abroad.pitt.edu/hss.html
• United States Department of State
• www.state.gov
• Centers for Disease Control
• http//www.cdc.gov
• Lonely Planet Travel Guides
• www.lonelyplanet.com

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Program Information

• We will distribute packets of information to you
  at our April 10th meeting. This will include
  program calendars, contact information, etc.
• This packet of information will also be sent home
  to your parents
• Please share all information that you learn from
  us with your parents!

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Deadline Reminders

• Wednesday, March 23rd, by 4 PM
• Flight and Medical Information due to the CBA and
  ENG Study Abroad Offices
• Program Registration Complete between Thursday,
  March 24th and Thursday, April 7th . You must be
  registered for this course by April 7th!
• Completed Study Abroad Contract and related
  materials due to the Study Abroad Office by
  Thursday, April 7th by 4 PM (NO EXCEPTIONS!)

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Question and Answer

• Faculty and Staff