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Study Abroad Newsletter - November 2009
Upcoming Events and Deadlines
See http://www.muohio.edu/international/events.php for more information on upcoming events and deadlines, including times, locations and links for more information. If you plan on studying abroad in spring 2010, CHECK NOW to see what your program's application deadline is. We only list here application deadlines that have changed, or internal deadlines for this campus.
- Monday, November 2 - Deadline to apply for U.S. State Department internships
- Monday, November 2 - Honors Study Abroad workshop
- Tuesday, November 3 - Study Abroad for Access Initiative Students
- Wednesday, November 4 - Peace Corps information meeting
- Monday, November 9 - Study abroad advisors out of the office for a conference - no Study Abroad 101 session
- Tuesday, November 10 - Study abroad advisors out of the office for a conference - no Study Abroad 101 session
- Wednesday, November 11 - Diplomat-in-Residence presentation
- Tuesday, November 17 - Financing Your Study Abroad
- Wednesday, December 2 - Passport Blitz
- Wednesday, December 9 and Saturday, December 12 - Study Abroad Pre-departure Orientation Session for spring 2010 students
If you are starting out your study abroad search, please attend one of our Study Abroad 101 Information Sessions. Dates and times can be found here.
Program Updates
Passport Blitz
Do you have a valid passport? Did you know that you now need a passport (or passport card) to travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean? A U.S. passport is valid for 10 years after the date of issue, so there's no reason to put off applying! If you're planning on leaving the country for Spring Break, summer vacation or to study abroad at some point in your college career, don't put it off any longer. Some programs are now requiring that students have a valid passport at the time they apply to study abroad, so getting a passport now could help speed up that process.
In order to serve the high demand for passports, the Office of Lifelong Learning will be holding the Passport Blitz on December 2 from 10am-2pm in 212 MacMillan. You can come to this event to quickly and easily apply for a passport. In order to apply for a new or renewed passport, you'll need to bring:
- A passport application form
- Proof of U.S. citizenship
- Usually a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or previous passport - see here for other example documents
- Proof of identity
- Usually a driver's licence, other government ID or previous passport- see here for other example documents
- Two identical passport photos (you can have these taken at the Print Center or off-campus at a place like CVS or Walgreens)
- Application fees
All the details on passport applications (including other passport application locations and how to expedite a passport application) are available on the U.S. Department of State's website. If you do not have your birth certificate with you at Miami but are going home for Thanksgiving, you may want to pick it up then, so that you'll have it for the Passport Blitz.
If you can't come to the Passport Blitz, you can still apply for a passport at the Office of Lifelong Learning, 127 McGuffey Hall, from 8am-5pm Monday-Friday and 8am-12pm on Saturdays. You'll need to bring the same materials listed above.
Job Opportunities for the Internationally-Minded
A Peer Orientation Leader (POL) introducing new international students to Miami activities
You, the reader of this newsletter, are thinking globally, considering study abroad, and knowledgeable about how to find study abroad resources. Have you thought about becoming a Residence Advisor (RA) in the new Study Abroad living-learning community? The Office of Residence Life is looking for the following characteristics in a Study Abroad RA:
- Demonstrate intercultural competencies and awareness
- Recognize the importance of global citizenship
- Articulate the various campus resources available for students planning to study abroad
- Explore Study Abroad opportunities
- Discover components involved in International Education
- Demonstrate a commitment to the cultural proficiency learning outcome of the residential curriculum
Even if you don't end up in the Study Abroad LLC, any LLC could use an RA who's thinking globally. If being an RA is not for you, you might also want to consider applying for other influential positions on campus where you can share your interest in international opportunities and your knowledge about study abroad resources:
- Admissions Tour Guide - introduce prospective students and their families to Miami's international efforts and the resources and opportunities available. Selection is in the spring. If you're interested in this position, please contact tourguides@muohio.edu for more information.
- SOUL (New Student Orientation leader) - share your experience or plans for study abroad with incoming students. Selection is in the spring. If you're interested in this position, please click here for more information.
- POL (orientation leader for international students) - get to know Miami's new international students and welcome them to our campus. Selection is in the spring. If you're interested in this position, please contact Frank Merendino.
- Study Abroad Peer Advisor - when you return from studying abroad, we have a few positions in our office for students to share their experiences and help us with projects. Selection is in late summer and early fall.
Even if you're not working in one of these jobs, you're still be in a position to influence people to think about studying abroad and to tell them how to learn more. Talk to your friends and classmates about your study abroad plans, and let them know that they can get started on their own search by attending a Study Abroad 101 session!
Studying Abroad with a Mental Illness
If you missed this in our Twitter or Facebook feeds, you may want to read this article about one student's first-hand experience dealing with mental illness while studying abroad: Her Story: Studying Abroad With a Mental Illness.
Study abroad can be a time of emotional highs and lows for all students, and students who are already receiving counseling or medication for a mental illness should be especially aware of this. One of the best things you can do is to disclose your condition to your study abroad advisor and study abroad program. If you disclose this information, however, it will help your study abroad program prepare to accommodate your needs. They can help you choose a program that will be a good match for you, and help to arrange the therapy and medication you will need on site.
It's also worth noting that some of the drugs used to treat mental illnesses in this country are not available (or are even illegal) in other countries. If you're planning ahead and choosing a study abroad program well in advance, you and your doctor will have a longer period of time to discuss changes that you might need to make abroad.
Featured Study Abroad Location of the Month: Botswana
Botswana is a former British protectorate in southern Africa, and a good location for students who are looking for an English-language educational experience in southern Africa. Based on the relative wealth of Botswana and the years of political stability, it is considered one of the safest locations for study abroad students in Africa.
Students who want to study for a semester in Botswana can attend the University of Botswana in Gaborone, the capital and largest city (population: 186,700). The student population at the University of Botswana is approximately the same as Miami University, and there are many opportunities to join student organizations, do internships or get involved in volunteer projects. Fields of study available at the University of Botswana include: Setswana language (the most prominent local language), biology, communication, economics, English literature, development, engineering, environmental studies, geology, history, political science and psychology.
Study abroad students live with local roommates in residence halls on the university campus and take classes alongside local classmates. If you choose to study abroad in Botswana, you might go on field trips and cultural excursions to local game reserves, museums, archaeological sites, or diamond mines, visit the Kalahari Desert or go on safari in the Okavango River Delta. Students will also often visit neighboring countries like South Africa and Namibia.
If you're curious about Botswana and would like to learn more, you might want to check out the mystery series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. A TV series based on the novels has been shown on HBO and was filmed on-site in Botswana with a majority-African cast. The books and TV series share a positive, proud view of Africa that's not often seen in Western film/television and a peek into the landscape of this lesser-known country.
"She loved her country, Botswana, which is a place of peace, and she loved Africa, for all its trials. I am not ashamed to be called an African patriot, said Mma Ramotswe. I love all the people whom God made, but I especially know how to love the people who live in this place. They are my people, my brothers and sisters."
- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
- For more information on study abroad options, health and safety in Botswana, please see the Botswana page of our website.
- For more information on study in Africa in general, please see the Programs page of our website.
This monthly newsletter is brought to you by the Office of International Education. Please remember: if you wish to subscribe, unsubscribe or read this issue online instead of through email, you can do so at
http://www.muohio.edu/international/sa-newsletter.php
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