Making Travel Plans
The Let’s Go Series is an excellent resource for all sorts of travel information.
The International Student Identity Card is a great travel resource as it provides access to discount air and rail fares, proof of student status for lower admission fees, and emergency evacuation, travel and accident insurance. The card costs $22.00 and is available through the Bates Bookstore or online.
Student Universe provides a wide array of student travel services, most notably discount airline tickets.
Hostels are great for travelers on a budget; check Hosteling International, Hostel World and Hostelz.com.
Country Information
Study abroad students benefit from learning as much as possible about their destination prior to departure. To find information about your study abroad destination:
For official facts and information, consult
- the CIA World Factbook
- the Library of Congress Country Studies
- InfoPlease Country Information
To learn about current events in your destinations:
For more in-depth information:
- the Lonely Planet, Footprint, Rough Guide and Let’s Go publications are useful
- Planeta.com provides good information on Latin America and eco-tourism
- The British Council provides advice for US students planning to study in the UK.
Currency
It’s advisable, prior to departure, to have a good sense of how the US dollar relates to the currency of the nation where you plan to study. Good currency sense will prevent rude financial awakenings later in the term. For a user-friendly way of determining exchange rates, refer to the currency converter.
Please connect with you bank to learn about their foreign transaction fee. They may offer a credit card with no foreign transaction fee. Credit and debit cards, used at ATMs, often provide the best exchange rate; try to get cards that do not charge a high transaction fee when you obtain cash. A debit card also allows your family to add to your account while you are away. Before you leave, connect with your bank.