Information regarding the health and safety of our student applicants and those overseas will be updated as needed to provide materials and relevant information regarding health and safety. Please continue to revisit this site for updates.

The following information is taken from the 2007 Work Abroad Handbook that is provided to all students upon acceptance by their overseas employer. The Work Abroad Handbook provides comprehensive information about your IAESTE internship and should be carried with you during your trip; simply click on the "PDF" icon below to download it. 

2007 Work Abroad Handbook

*Adobe Acrobat Reader must be used to view the application materials that are saved as Portable Document Format (PDF) files.  If you do not have this program, connect to the Adobe Web site and obtain your free copy. 


The health and safety risks in most foreign countries are fundamentally no greater than those in the United States. However, there are some additional concerns you need to be aware of as you travel:

• Limit alcohol consumption so you are better able to assess your surroundings.
• Be cautious about mixing different types of alcoholic beverages.
• Eat substantive food before consuming alcohol.
• Make arrangements to go home with a friend before you go.
• Don't leave beverages unattended.
• Don't take any beverages from someone you don't know well.
• Do not accept open-container drinks at parties.
• Accept drinks at a bar only from the bartender.
• Be alert to the behavior of friends and ask them to watch out for you too.
• Be aware of your surroundings.

If you have been sexually assaulted, get to a safe place and call a rape crisis center or the police. If you want to report the incident, you may not be allowed to shower, douche or change clothes until medical evidence is collected. Contact the IAESTE committee in your host country.

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Contraception
Information on contraception may be more difficult to obtain outside the U.S. You should inquire before you leave. If you plan to be sexually active, purchase condoms before you go.

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Preventing AIDS & Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Take adequate precautions to avoid contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Use latex condoms during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Do not use intravenous drugs or share needles. Be aware that tattoos, acupuncture treatments, and injections for medical or dental procedures may put you at risk. Avoid the use of locally produced immune globulin and blood-clotting factors in countries where the blood supply is not routinely tested for communicable diseases. If a blood transfusion is necessary, contact the nearest American Embassy or consulate for advice. If you are concerned that you may have a sexually transmitted disease, see a doctor immediately.
 
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• Be certain of your responsibilities and the status of your insurance. Familiarize yourself with the rules of the road for the location in which you will be using an automobile.
• Be certain that your automobile always contains at least a half tank of fuel. Make sure your lights, signals, horn and brakes are in proper order.
• Avoid traveling by road after dark (especially in rural areas). Park in a well-lit place.
• Avoid riding motorcycles - if you do, wear a helmet.

Pay particular attention to all of the following, which are common on the roads of some countries:

• Passing on the right and cutting in front of other vehicles from the right side. 
• Unexpected stops or turns without signaling for any apparent reason.
• Stopping in unexpected locations to pick up or let off passengers by cars, buses, and trucks, including main highway entrance ramps, intersections, and along major highways.
• Trucks parked at night without lights on the highway rather than on the side of the road.
• Disabled vehicles parked without warning signs. 
• Many countries also require that all vehicles have certain equipment available (i.e. first-aid kit, reflective warning triangle, spare fuses and light bulbs, fire extinguisher), check local laws.
• The Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) collects, analyzes, and distributes Road Travel Reports to travelers. These reports enable travelers to make informed travel decisions and may, therefore, minimize the risk of road accidents abroad. Visit  www.asirt.org for more information.
• Keeping your valuables safe. Here are some tips to secure your valuables during travel:
  • While you are traveling, you should always wear a money belt or pouch to keep your money, passport, traveler's checks, and other valuables safe from theft. This is especially important on long trips when you may fall asleep, when it would be easy for someone to go through your purse or backpack.
  • Buy a padlock for your backpack. This is useful while traveling, and when you leave your backpack unattended at a youth hostel.
  • Don't carry everything in one place! You should organize your funds and essential documents into two separate packs. When in country, one of these packs should always be left at your residence as a back up.
  • If you must carry a purse, use a shoulder strap and keep the purse in front of your body. Carry your wallet in an inside coat or front pant pocket.
  • Don't leave your luggage or handbag unattended anywhere. Should you put a backpack down, place it on the floor between your legs and wrap a strap around a fixed object.

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Violence and Terrorism
While most countries in the world have less street crime and personal violence than is potentially present in urban and suburban America, public political demonstrations are not uncommon in some cities and countries abroad. Do NOT participate or go to observe these demonstrations as your hosts may not appreciate that you, a foreign visitor, are publicly opposing their political or social system. Your behavior abroad is your responsibility, not IAESTE's, and you should think about the consequences before acting.

Violence and terrorism are now clear realities of the twenty-first century, and are not likely to diminish significantly. Nevertheless, there are certain rather obvious precautions that American students abroad can take:

• Do your homework, listen and heed the counsel you are given.
• Keep a low profile and try not to make yourself conspicuous by dress, speech, or behavior, in ways that might identify you as a target or uniquely American. This includes: wearing U.S. college or university insignia clothing or heavily patriotic American clothing, wearing baseball caps or U.S. sports teams' shirts or jackets.
• Do not draw attention to yourself either through expensive dress, personal accessories (cameras, radios, sunglasses, etc.) or careless behavior.
• Avoid crowds, protest groups, or other potentially volatile situations. Keep abreast of local news. Read local newspapers, magazines, etc. and speak with local officials to learn about any potential civil unrest. If there should be any political unrest, do not get involved.
• When in large cities and other popular tourist destinations, avoid or spend as little time as possible in potential target areas for terrorist activities, especially places frequented by Americans: bars, discos, and U.S. fast food restaurants; branches of American banks; American churches; and American consulates or embassies.
• Try not to engage in conversations about contentious political issues with host nationals and avoid retaliating against hostile or bigoted remarks about Americans.
• Be wary of unexpected packages and stay clear of unattended luggage or parcels in airports, train stations, or other areas of uncontrolled public access.
• Report to the responsible authority any suspicious persons loitering around residence or instructional facilities, or following you; keep your residence area locked; use common sense in divulging information to strangers about your study program and your fellow students.
• If you haven't already done so, please register with the nearest Embassy or Consulate of your home country. Additionally, if you travel to countries beyond your internship site and expect to be there for more than a week, register upon arrival at a consulate or embassy of your home country having jurisdiction over the location.
• Make sure that IAESTE or your host employer always knows where and how to contact you in an emergency (make sure that someone always knows where you are!).
• Develop a plan with your family for regular telephone or e-mail contact, so that in times of heightened political tension, you will be able to communicate with your parents directly about your safety.

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Anti-Americanism
American travelers abroad should be aware that anti-Americanism is on the rise in some countries around the world. Many people cite the United States' foreign policy, popular culture, collective personality or the negative effects of globalization as reasons why they feel negatively towards the United States. The current geo-political situation has increased anti-American sentiments around the world. While it may be easy to dismiss these attitudes as irrelevant, there are very real problems which arise when the United States loses friends in the world. It is bad for American businesses and products, it means there is less cooperation on issues important to our country, and it means that countries may be less hospitable to American travelers or workers.

As an intern overseas, there are many things you can do to help combat negative impressions of the United States . You may not be able to do much to influence America 's foreign policy or the negative impacts of globalization, but you can change how people view America 's popular culture and collective identity.
 
American products are pervasive around the world, and some people only know the United States by McDonalds, Coca-Cola, and Jerry Springer. While overseas, share some of the lesser known aspects of American culture with your new friends, such as an art, jazz music, sports like ultimate Frisbee or baseball, local traditions from your hometown/ state, or literature. You should also make sure that you are showing respect and appreciation for your host country's culture.

You can also do much to combat the negative impressions of America 's collective personality. Some people feel that Americans are loud, arrogant, insincere, wasteful and ignorant of world affairs. Be mindful of these stereotypes and do what can to make a positive impact. Use your internship as an opportunity to serve as an unofficial ambassador of the United States.

While in general, anti-Americanism does not pose a personal threat to travelers abroad, you may want to follow the below precautions to help prevent conflict during your time overseas. 

• Do not attend political demonstrations against the United States.
• Do not speak loudly or behave boisterously when in public.
• Do not frequent American chains or travel with large groups of Americans.
• Treat people respectfully.
• Follow local customs with regards to manners.
• Do not wear overtly American clothing or flags. 
• Do not respond with anger when you hear anti-American rhetoric. Listen first and take time to decide whether the criticism is valid or not. If you choose to engage in discussion about America, make sure that you are not speaking emotionally. Present your thoughts calmly and rationally.

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