Students can also find a lot of discounted rates at museums and even for Flixbus rides. In Europe, some places do require that you have an ISIC card, which is a European university ID. CIEE helped program participants in Prague acquire one if they wanted, even if they didn’t end up taking classes at Charles University but just through the CIEE center.
The more personal side of things
My friend Dania Khan ‘23 (Chemical Engineering), a student at Berkeley University, also participated in my program in Prague.
One of the ways her time in Prague was unique from mine was that she experienced navigating the process of finding a therapist, a psychiatrist and obtaining a prescription for anxiety and ADHD medication in a foreign country.
Khan said CIEE suggested a couple of therapists but there weren’t very many options for English speakers, people of color or women who could more accurately relate to her experience. As I noticed with medical appointments for illness or injury, it was also incredibly frustrating to try and schedule a timely appointment. Khan had to wait several weeks to see the professionals she needed, and one practice even said they couldn’t get her in for six months — long after we would have already returned home.
Another note on medical appointments: CIEE provided us with a list of clinics for expatriates and American students so they had staff who spoke English. It wasn’t always perfect and the language barrier could be tough at times. The point I want to make here though is that you often need to pay out-of-pocket up front for these visits and then save your receipts for reimbursement by your U.S. insurance or travel insurance later. I visited the clinics a couple of times and it came to about $150 each time. I wasn’t reimbursed until a couple of months after coming home.
CIEE also had a strict attendance policy and a doctor’s note was required for missing class due to illness.
You don’t have to face it all alone, though. If you are really worried about going to the doctor’s office, you could always ask a friend to tag along or in some cases, CIEE staff went with students.
Because of issues with licensing, most therapists won’t be able to continue offering services internationally while you study abroad. For this reason, the St. Kate’s Global Studies Office recommends having frequent FaceTime calls with loved ones and your support system back home while you are gone as one way to boost mental health and process your new experiences in a safe space.
The CIEE staff at the center in Prague was very supportive. Along with giving some tips during our program orientation, they were also able to provide guidance and comfort throughout the semester. I remember one of the staff members being kind enough to help me print a plane ticket and my ballot to vote in the U.S. midterm elections. Price was able to sit down and talk with a couple of staff members about helping her make a plan to catch up on work she had fallen behind on while dealing with the aforementioned crises back home. She felt incredibly supported, and the small class sizes helped her feel comfortable being honest with CIEE staff and professors.
Global Studies and myself also strongly encourage packing a supply of your necessary medications for the entire duration of your time abroad. For narcotics and ADHD medications, this can be tricky with insurance authorization, so make sure you mention studying abroad to your primary care doctor as soon as possible so you can make a plan to have insurance approve a larger quantity for distribution by your pharmacy.
This is also a pro-tip, but you will be hard pressed to find a CVS or other pharmacy-drugstore combo n Europe. The word for pharmacy can even vary based on the language of the country you visit. It is easiest to pack some Advil, cough drops, allergy medication, nasal spray or any other over-the-counter medical supplies that you know you use frequently and would be annoyed to have to find while abroad.
It might be hard to find some of your favorite skincare or hair products while abroad, too. In the Czech Republic, for example, it is hard to find conditioner in stores because it is more customary to use a 2-in-1. Especially if you have curly hair or sensitive skin, Price and myself found it much easier to just pack larger bottles of our favorite products with us in our checked luggage. This way we had the products that made us feel good and extra room to pack souvenirs on the way home when we had finished up the products we had brought from the U.S.Fitting in
As I mentioned in my very first article for this column, one of the greatest favors you can do for yourself to feel more comfortable wherever you go is to learn some of the language!
Learning a new language keeps your brain sharp and keeps your wallet from overpaying or your face from getting flustered while asking for directions in a new place. Native residents also tend to be kinder and more patient with you if they see you are making an effort to learn about their culture. Asking for help pronouncing things and being open to correction is also a good way to form connections in your temporary home.