If
your child is planning to study abroad, recent world events may have you
rethinking those plans. Study abroad leaders at the University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point offer several tips to enhance safety and communication.
Study
Abroad Director Eric Yonke is also a parent whose children have completed
overseas programs. They gained confidence in themselves and greater appreciation
for what many Americans take for granted.
“This
is a moment when your student steps out on his or her own. It’s a privilege to
observe and one of the greatest educational gifts we can give as parents,”
Yonke said.
Parents
have safety conversations with children at several pivotal points in life, he
noted: starting junior high, getting a driver’s license, going to college.
“Study abroad moves the conversation to a global scale,” he said.
For
concerned parents, a bit of context is helpful. The homicide rate is higher in
Milwaukee than Cameroon, said Sam Dinga, of the UW-Stevens Point Academic and
Career Advising Center. He has led the winterim trips to Cameroon since 2009.
“We
know these areas and how to navigate them and avoid locations of concern,” Dinga
said. “I don’t want to die either.”
If
a situation occurs that may jeopardize safe travel, a trip would be canceled or
rescheduled, Yonke said.
They
offer several suggestions to put parents at ease about their child’s study
abroad experience.
- Learn
about the country where your child plans to travel. Understanding its history,
culture and geography can help family members be more comfortable and
knowledgeable of the experience.
- Those
concerned about Ebola may note that a case has never been reported in Cameroon.
Travel between African countries is not easy, so disease does not spread as
readily, Dinga said.
- Establish
times and frequency of communication before your child leaves. Whether it’s a
daily message, weekly call or Facetime visit, plan for regular contact. And
remember the time-zone differences. “Remember,
no news is no news,” Yonke said. While you may be anxious to hear from your
child regularly, not hearing may mean they’re out learning and having fun.
- Be
sure your student has arranged for phone service reliable 24 hours a day.
“Relying on WiFi is not good enough,” Yonke said. UW-Stevens Point travel
leaders are required to know how to reach a student traveler in case of an
emergency.
- Recognize
it’s OK to have concerns. “As a parent, I’m coping with my own fears – fears of
the unknown, fear our child is so far away,” Yonke said. Realize, too, your
child will learn and grow, become more confident and independent.
- Realize
that what you say and do as a parent affects your child’s experience. If you
are anxious and fearful, your child may be worried or spend precious time
abroad trying to reassure you.
- Trust
the trip leaders. They have carefully planned the itinerary and work with
partners in the host country to ensure safety and security.
- Check
international media in addition to American news reports. Be aware of world
events and political climate of countries, and encourage your student traveler
to do the same. The
U.S. State Department posts travel warnings, which are a good source for
current information. The UW-Stevens
Point Study Abroad office also registers all its participants with the State
Department’s “Safe Traveler Enrollment Program” (STEP). STEP registers all U.S. enrollees with the
U.S. consulates and embassies in their host countries.
If
anything happens anywhere on the same continent, Yonke tells students to
contact family members to say they’re OK. An infectious disease, natural
disaster or terrorist incident may concern family members, even if it’s hundreds
of miles away.
“Please
understand that your parents are going to worry about you know matter what,”
Yonke said. He encourages students to
acknowledge that in a positive way and talk about how you will address it.
And
for more context, Dinga says: “If you saw the list of diseases you can get in
Wisconsin, you may not want to travel to Wisconsin.”
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