International Travel Handbook

SAFETY ABROAD AND WORLD EVENTS

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
We urge you to take simple precautions to ensure your safety. Please read this information carefully, share it with your parents or guardians, and contact your sponsoring department or program if you have any questions at all. Harvard College expects students to follow program safety recommendations while abroad.

There are a number of ways in which you can decrease the risks associated with travel abroad. Many programs offer a local orientation to cover country-specific knowledge that will be valuable to you. Be aware that as an American – and even as an international student who is affiliated with Harvard – you may be a target for political harassment or other crimes, regardless of your support of U.S. foreign policy.

Tips for Decreasing Risks Abroad
• Keep a low profile in your manner, speech, and dress. Do not wear clothes, baseball caps or accessories with US logos. Speak the language of the country when possible. Be careful to observe local laws and be sensitive to local customs. Be polite and inconspicuous.
• Avoid American hangouts, embassies, restaurants, hotels, and political demonstrations. Be aware of risks in areas with many tourists.
• Be discreet about your money; if you wear a money belt, do not pull it out in public. Keep your money stored in several places.
• Do not operate motor vehicles abroad.
• Do not participate in extreme sports or engage in reckless behavior.
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption when you go out for drinks, and do not leave a drink unattended; always go with a friend.
• Bring condoms.
• Consider plans for leisure travel carefully, taking into account the safety of your intended destination. Notify those at your program site of your plans, leave a copy of your itinerary with a friend or program representative, and inform your parents at home of your plans. Travel with a friend.
• Keep a copy of your passport, and the emergency contact numbers for your program and the local consulate with you at all times.
• If you are on a study abroad program, acquaint yourself with the program’s emergency plan. If you need more information, ask for details.
• Stay informed of developments at home and abroad by reading local and international newspapers and online news sources.

Register with International SOS
Before you depart, register on-line with the Harvard International SOS Emergency Travel Assistance Program.

Once you arrive, update your local contact information. If there is an international incident, I-SOS will be able to contact you through the information that you provide.

International Terrorism
According to the U.S. Department of State, terrorist attacks typically occur in a random, unpredictable fashion. Your best protection is to avoid unsafe areas or areas with a record of recent terrorism. If you must travel to such areas, don’t go into the situation without giving your actions careful thought. Tourists are not usually the targets of terrorism.

Destination-Specific Information
Assess potential health, safety, crime, natural disaster and political instability factors your destination. Develop an emergency plan for your physical safety, and for contacting your parents in the event of a natural disaster or international incident. If you have concerns about safety in your destination, speak with your local contacts and your sponsoring program or department at Harvard.

There are several sources of current information about safety and security in your host country. The U.S. State Department creates Consular Information Sheets for every country. In the event of a natural disaster or other security threat, the US State Department will issue a Public Announcements on their web page. Should conditions further deteriorate, the State Department will issue a Travel Warning. It is possible to register for automatic emails whenever these statements are made or updated, and it is wise to stay informed of current conditions.
• Consular Information Sheets
• Public Announcements
• Travel Warnings

Register with the Local Embassy or Consulate of your Home Country
Foreign embassies and consulates exist to provide assistance to their citizens while abroad, including information about current social and political events, climate, health and safety concerns, and educational and cultural affairs.

Register with the embassy or local consulate of your home country so they will be aware of your presence in the country and be able to assist you should an emergency arise or in the unlikely event that citizens need to be evacuated. If your travel documents are lost or stolen, report to the nearest embassy or consulate immediately to replace your documents. If you find yourself in legal difficulties abroad, contact the embassy or consulate, which can help you get in touch with people at home, provide assistance about local laws, and try to make sure that you are treated humanely under international conventions.

Non-U.S. citizens should check with their embassy or consulate in the United States to find out what services will be available to them while abroad. U.S. citizens can find the location of the embassy or consulate in their host countries through the web site www.state.gov, and can register their trip abroad with the State Department online or in person at the embassy when they arrive in country.

Harvard College Travel Policy Regarding Sponsored Undergraduate Activities Abroad
Harvard College undergraduates may not receive credit for study abroad, funding for internships, research or volunteer activities, or sponsorship for extracurricular activities such as music or sport, in countries for which the State Department has issued a Travel Warning that:

• orders departure of U.S. dependents and non-emergency personnel;
• recommends that any U.S. citizens remaining in the country should depart;
• (strongly) warns U.S. citizens against (all) travel to the country; or
• warns (urges) U.S. citizens to defer (all) (non-essential) travel to the country.

Guidelines on discerning whether or not travel is permitted to a certain country due to a State Department Travel Warning can be found here.

The decision to withhold sponsorship can be made up until the date of departure. For travel to countries for which a warning is in place, the warning must be lifted at least 30 days before the date of departure for sponsorship to be allowed. If a Travel Warning is issued while students are in the country, Harvard will consult with a variety of sources to decide whether students will be required to leave the country. Students will be notified of the warning and of Harvard’s response, and will be given appropriate guidance on steps to take. Each student’s emergency contact person in the United States will also be informed.

All students traveling abroad under Harvard sponsorship are required to read and sign an “Assumption of Risk and General Release” form prior to departure. They will receive a copy of this form, and a copy will be kept with their Harvard records.

The Bureau of Study Counsel posts on their web site practical information about dealing with the stress of an event, including:
• Taking Care of Yourself after a Traumatic Experience
• The Trauma Response

Self-Defense for Women
From time to time, the Harvard College Police Department sponsors free of charge a four-session Rape Aggression Defense System (R.A.D.) workshop to teach women techniques of self-defense. The R.A.D. System is a program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women. It is a comprehensive, women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, and then progresses on to the basics of hands-on defense training. R.A.D. is not a Martial Arts program. For information on when the next workshop will be held on campus, contact the Harvard College Police Department at (617)495-1215, and ask for the R.A.D. Coordinator, or check online.

The Office of Sexual Assault Prevention
Some students report experiencing greater levels of sexual harassment while abroad. Similarly, some countries have different standards for what is acceptable behavior between men and women. Research cultural norms before going abroad, and communicate sexual harassment experiences to your program contact to seek help.

The Office of Sexual Assault Prevention maintains a 24/7 emergency hotline that is available to all Harvard College students who travel abroad during the academic year. Don’t hesitate to call (617)495-9100 if you need support of any kind related to sexual assault or sexual assault prevention. In the summer, calls will be taken by the regular College Emergency Number: (617)495-5560.

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