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Cultural Immersion at Partner Programs (Direct-Enrollment Sites)

Here are a few tips to improve your cultural immersion while abroad.

1. Attend the international student orientation offered by your host institution to learn about opportunities, activities, clubs, and excursions that are available to you.
   
   
2. Live with locals! There’s no better way to get to know the host culture than to be surrounded by it 24/7. This also gives you instant contacts upon arrival to help thwart off those pangs of loneliness and homesickness.
   
   
3. Make friends with local students in your classes. Since you share some common academic interests, chances are you’ll get along outside of class too.
   
   
4. Join a club(s)! Keeping busy will occupy your free time and distract you from being homesick.
   
   
5. Breakaway from the groups of American students hanging around together. You most likely have the rest of your life to get to know other Americans! You only have this semester to get to know a lot of young people in your host country.
   
   
6. Keep a journal. Daily reflections will help you realize if you’re reaching your study abroad goals.
   
   
7. Offer to help your local friends with their English in exchange for tips on your host language.
   
   
8. Stay in town! Don’t plan a different trip that leaves your host site every weekend. You’ll never really get to know your host city if you do. Instead, walk around, go to a new museum, find a different café to explore – there’s lots to discover and only a semester to do it in!
   
   
9. Ask questions! The International Office at your host institution is there to help you. If you want to get involved in something but don’t know how to start, then they can guide you in the right direction.

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