Problems and Emergencies

While you may lose your luggage, your plane ticket, or even your passport, these are problems, not emergencies.  Emergencies are situations where there is an immediate threat to your health and/or safety.

Problems and emergency procedures will be different depending on your study abroad activity. If you are travelling with a field school you can seek help and assistance for your problems from the faculty accompanying the field school.

In the event of an emergency, follow the directions given by faculty. If you are studying abroad alone you must take responsibility for addressing problems that arise, as well as following emergency procedures outlined below in the emergency section.

Problems abroad

Students are more likely to be victims of petty crime shortly after they arrive in the foreign country because they may be disoriented and uncertain of themselves and their surroundings.

You may forget to lock your room, your purse or backpack may be snatched or, in the confusion and newness, you may simply become careless, so be especially protective of your personal possessions the first week or two after your arrival.

Emergencies Abroad

Emergencies are catastrophic personal or situational events, including:

Personal	Situational
Death of a student	Natural disaster
Serious illness, accident, or physical assault requiring hospitalization	Terrorism
Missing person	Political/civil unrest
Rape	Hazardous conditions
Arrest