C e n t e r     f o r     International  Academic  Programs

Pre-Departure Handbook                         

The Adventure Begins!

 Congratulations on being selected to participate in a study abroad program! We at International Academic Programs (CIAP) are pleased that you have chosen to take part in what will surely be one of the most memorable and formative experiences of your life. It is our hope that this time abroad will be educationally enriching and personally rewarding, and that you will gain new insights and a better understanding of the world that we all share.

The information contained in this handbook is intended to help you make preparations for your studies abroad. While we have tried to make it comprehensive, we have undoubtedly left out some details. Therefore, you should seek other references to prepare for your adventure, such as your program specific orientation materials, travel guidebooks, historical and fictional works about your host country, etc. In addition to reading materials, you should search for people who are knowledgeable about your program and host country; your study abroad advisor, former program participants, faculty, UMKC staff and friends and family who may be familiar with what you are going to experience. These people will be great sources of information and advice. In the end, though, it won't be possible prepare yourself completely. There will be situations you will not have anticipated and your flexibility will go a long way towards making each aspect of your time abroad a positive one.

We wish you a safe journey, and when you return, look forward to hearing all about your adventure abroad!

Introduction

Students overseas are met with a myriad of cultural and behavioral differences from the day they get off the plane. This constant exposure to foreign experiences makes study abroad a period of academic learning, a period of personal discovery, and an exercise in cultural immersion and adaptation. Learning to deal with, adapt to, and accept the differences between home culture and host culture is one of the prime purposes of going overseas to study, and one of the main goals students should try to achieve while abroad.

Study abroad is not a vacation and it should not be viewed as such. Too many students go overseas without thinking about the experience as a whole. Study abroad is fun. Study abroad is exciting and exhilarating and it can also be romantic. But study abroad is also unpredictable, difficult at times, and above all, challenging. Students who only consider the "fun" aspects of study abroad often find the more difficult parts disconcerting and often insurmountable. 

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Where in the World are YOU Going?

University of Missouri-Kansas City Center for International Academic Programs 5325 Rockhill Road Kansas City, MO 64110-2499 USA Phone: 816.235.5759  Fax: 816.235.5610 à How to get to CIAP ~ click here à