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Communication
With Virginia Tech
As soon as you know your international address, send it to
vtabroad@vt.edu. Send us your phone
number, email address, and physical address
when you arrive at the host institution. You should be able to
access your VT email account through webmail from a variety of
locations. We love postcards! If you send us one, we'll
be sure to post it in our office on our postcard board where it
will be admired daily.
With Parents
When you travel away from the city where you are studying, be
sure to leave your schedule, contact names, phone number, etc.
with your coordinator or program director there, so that you can
be contacted in case of emergency. Please remember that many
parents panic if you're out of touch for too long. If something
happens in your country that is likely to make international
news (bombs, hurricanes, etc.) write or call your family ASAP to
assure them that you are okay, even if whatever happened seems
totally unrelated to you or your location.
Think about what you write in your letters home. Do not
exaggerate illnesses or harrowing experiences. Your parents have
no context for understanding what you describe and will call
Virginia Tech when they are concerned. Save your horror stories
for your journal or the book you will write when you get
back. Pease do share! This is a very exciting time in
your life, and your parents, friends, and yes, even the folks in
our office are really looking forward to hearing from
you! Travel updates, stories about your adventures, funny
anecdotes, access to your digital pictures, etc. are all more
than welcome. You may even want to look into starting up your
own webpage where you can post blogs and photos.
Our office can also contact your parents for you should you have
trouble getting through, but you will have to complete the
Release of
Information Form for this to happen. If
you sign it, we are able to release relevant information about
you to a parents, guardians, or relatives (whomever you
name). This information could range from financial aid issues to
information about your study abroad program to safety and
security issues. You are not required to do this, but it can
make communication between you, your family, your home
institution, and your host institution much easier. If you
choose not to sign one of these forms, we are limited legally
with regard to the release of specific information about you or
your program to anyone, either within the university or outside
of it.
With Your Host Institution
In the weeks prior to your departure from the U.S., you may be
living at an address which is different from a permanent address
you gave your host institution or study abroad coordinator. If
so, be sure to contact your study abroad coordinator, because he
or she may need to reach you with last minute details or
questions while you are home before your departure.
Telephone
Calling home from abroad can be expensive and confusing. The
simplest solution to this problem is to use inexpensive phone
cards bought in the host country. Another great option is to
buy a new or used cell phone upon arrival in the country. They
are generally less expensive abroad than they are here, and you
can buy "ready-to-go" phones, for which you just buy "top-up
cards" at a newsstand to get your minutes. These plans are
similar to but less expensive than pay-as-you-go plans here. If
you buy a cell phone abroad, be sure to give us your new number.
Many people use phone cards from U.S. long distance providers,
but you should be wary of this. If you choose to use a U.S. long
distance provider, make sure you know all the rules and policies
associated with the phone card. Sometimes it may be a great
bargain, but only if you call certain numbers or area
codes. That said, most of these offer access numbers that will
provide a direct line to an American operator. This could even
be the best option for someone going to a developing
country. AT&T offers discounts on international calls to
students who have the International Student Identity Card (ISIC).
AT&T also offers a free international calling guide that
contains calling information and AT&T access numbers from around
the world. To get a copy of this guide call 1-800-428-8468, ext.
6205.
You will probably not have your own phone line in your dormitory
room. Chances are, you will have a shared phone for your entire
floor, or, in some cases, a shared phone for the entire
dormitory building. Having individual phone lines in each dorm
room is a uniquely American concept. You will learn to adjust!
Keep a list of emergency phone numbers with you. This list
should include your home doctor's number and your parents' work
numbers.
Email
Your host institution will probably give you a university email
account. Our experience shows that students should expect this
to take about three weeks to set up. |
