Shelley Story’s “Prepare for Departure: A Guide to Making the Most of Your Study Abroad Experience,” is a book dedicated to leading you around the obstacles that slow you down during your study abroad trip. Being in a foreign land can sometimes be confusing or overwhelming. This book allows for you to spend more time and energy on the meaningful activities that are unique to every destination you come across. While preparing for going abroad involves packing the right walking shoes and remembering a raincoat, it also requires the right planning process. Packed with specific recommendations, Story’s book covers a number of things, from pre-departure preparation to health, wellness and how to treat your fatigue. In addition, she goes beyond just preparing for travel, and asks her readers to think about what they want to gain out of this experience. She encourages a sense of courage and zeal while being surrounded by a culture that may not lie within your comfort zone, providing safety tips without providing scare tactics.
Story has plenty of experience to back up her tips and tricks. She managed the student-life of a study abroad program in Florence, Italy for nine years. This piece is a great read for not only anyone planning on studying abroad, but also anyone who is new to international travel.
[accordion_tab title=”Collegiate Correspondent: Anna Redington” default] Anna Redington is a current Strategic Communications and Professional Writing double major at Miami University (of Ohio). She has had the great privilege to travel the world with her family and enjoys many cultures and languages. Some of her favorite places she has been are Venice, Copenhagen, and Salzburg, Austria. She loves books, dogs, music, and the outdoors. She is also an avid supporter of the Cincinnati Reds.
