We all use our smartphones daily and presumably this will be true if you travel to China as well.  There are some applications on your smartphone that you will use frequently in China, and some that you will discover are actually a necessity.  We get into routines and comfortable with applications’ functions, and I had an initial discomfort of learning a number of new apps, but later discovered their great value.

You want to ensure that you are extra careful when communicating with your hands and your body so you don’t send the wrong message.  There are specific gestures that should be avoided while abroad to show respect to Chinese people and to best connect with them during your time in China.

When you hear the phrase “language learning”, how many of you think about your past language classes? Have you ever judged your own ability to speak or learn another language based on your grades in those classes?  

It’s little stressful for just about anyone to take off to a new place and be away from all that’s familiar, but this is especially true for women. But walk right into that discomfort, because there’s a whole new world on the other side.

We always save Cusco for the end because at the end of every study abroad semester in Lima because it’s a special way for our local staff at EdOdyssey to wrap up an emotional semester abroad with our students. As a final touch, this past semester our study abroad students took an amazing trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu with Patty, our Peruvian Program Coordinator.

Are you thinking about traveling in the future or have already travelled during a study abroad?  Here is my guide on how to keep the vibe of your experiences abroad alive. After studying and traveling abroad, I know how it feels to come home and encounter difficulties keeping this vibe alive on campus.