Researching Your Destination

The better you prepare yourself for your time abroad -- the more you know about what to expect and what is expected of you -- the more meaningful your experience will be.  There are many resources available to you, from travel guides available in the International Office to returned students and IWU faculty, from daily newspapers to the Internet.

One of your first research stops should be the U.S. State Department Web site (https://www.state.gov/).  There, you can find information on getting or renewing your passport, on requirement entries for you host country, and general travel advice.  In particular, access the Country Specific Information for your host country and look at any Travel Alerts for both your host country and any countries to which you plan to travel.

Whatever resources you consult, you should try to learn as much as you can about your host country: its language, history, and culture, as well as its current social and political conditions.  To help you do this, here are 20 questions you should seek to answer.