Email Email is a wonderful way of staying in touch with your student. Students will find that they will check their email accounts regularly to keep in touch with family and friends from back home. Students can utilize Internet Cafes as well to check their email while traveling and not on campus.
The Host Universities are well equipped with computer labs both on campus and in most of the dorms. Many of the accommodation options are equipped with internet connection. Your student should check with their GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Coordinator for specifics. Skype Skype is a great way to stay connected and is a free service! With Skype you can make free calls over the internet to your student for as long as you like, to wherever you like, for free. For more information about staying connected through Skype click here. Mail a Package Many students enjoy receiving packages, cards and letters in the mail! Receiving a few creature comforts from home can go a long way in easing the transition to living abroad. For some additional information about mailing a package, click here.
Phone Calling internationally can be expensive, but we encouraged you to compare international rates with different phone companies as well as looking on the Internet. How to Dial Internationally from the U.S. Placing international calls will vary depending on if you're calling directly or using a calling card. In general, you can follow the guidelines for dialing directly, but be sure to review the instructions provided by the long distance phone company and/or on the calling card. Step 1 | 011 (Allows you to call outside of U.S.) | Step 2 | Country Code: The Czech Republic: 420 Germany: 49 Greece: 30 Ireland: 353 Italy: 39 The Netherlands: 31 UK: 44 | Step 3 | City code (The city code may be listed as one to several digits, beginning with a ‘0’, drop the zero when placing international calls) | Step 4 | Phone Number |
Calling Cards We recommend that students buy international calling cards when they arrive in the host country. Typically calling card long distance rates are competitive and can easily be purchased at local convenient stores and shops. If you do want to buy one in the U.S., please make sure that the card is able to be used from the host country, and that your student knows what number they will need to use in order to call out of the country. Cell Phones Many students decide that a cell phone is a convenient way to stay in touch while abroad. Some students prefer to purchase a cell phone upon arrival in the host country or use the current cell phone with a new SIM card from the host country. In order to use a cell phone from the US or Canada, it must be a TriBand phone. The cell phone must be unlocked by the provider in order to use another provider’s SIM card. Students are provided with additional information about cell phone options through out the pre-trip process. Remember the Time Difference Depending on which time zone you live in the U.S., the time difference in Europe may be significant. To know what the time difference in the host country compared to where you are located, please check the website www.worldtimeserver.com |