The Dreaded #Physical!

Had my annual #physical for the #Chinese residence permit & #Visa! 😷

Managed it alone without a #translator – quite a feat! Look at my bold self go 😜

For #China 🇨🇳 you need: Blood Analysis, Urinary Analysis, X-Rays, Ultrasound, ECG/EKG, and Blood Pressure.

 The X-Rays 📷 are competely #Topless with other people (men included) waiting in the room 😱 for their turn – no protection. 😓 The ECG requires baring it all in front of a major, street level window with no curtain and a ferris wheel🎡 right outside❗ Goodbye dignity, hello #crosscultural oversharing! 😂
What’s Your International Hospital Story?!?
 

#TB outbreak

Yay! Not! 4 students at my University have been confirmed to have #tb 😷 We’ve had an outbreak before and it isn’t pretty.  20,000 students and more teachers have to be tested and checked. 😱
#Diseases like this aren’t uncommon in some countries still. We’ve now had #Cholera, TB, and some other issues in the 3 years I’ve lived abroad. 
So if you #travel or #studyabroad or #teach internationally, be careful. Wash your hands👍, wear the #masks 😷, Avoid coughing or sneezing people 👄. Only eat food you’ve seen cleaned or well-cooked food🍴.  Drink bottled or boiled water ☕. Wash any dishes in boiling water, even at restaurants where dishes come wrapped! Sleep, take your vitamins, and drink orange juice!
#China #tourist #sick #health #safety #travelsafety #stayhealthy

Bed bugs and summer travel: how to protect yourself

“Bed bugs and summer travel: how to protect yourself”

via “Ellwood City Register“

When summer arrives, all you can think about is that vacation getaway, getting the kids off to camp and traveling to visit friends and family. You’re looking forward to spending some relaxing time away from your hectic everyday environment. Unfortunately, bed bugs feel the same way. They’re itching to get out and see the world just as much as you are.

Amazingly, 99.6 percent of professional pest management companies in the United States encountered a bed bug infestation in 2013, according to a survey conducted by Bugs Without Borders. Bed bugs are skilled hitchhikers that can be picked up from hotels, motels, public transportation, rental homes and other public areas. You might think you’re safe at a five-star luxury hotel, but bed bugs don’t discriminate. Bed bugs can attach themselves to and be carried by any of your personal belongings, including luggage, clothing, computers and more.

Take steps to stay safe from bed bugs during the summer travel season. Use these tips as a checklist to make sure you’re protected before setting out to enjoy fun in the sun.

* Know the signs. Before you embark on your vacation, take some time to educate yourself on the signs of a bed bug infestation. These include tiny dark or red spots from a fresh bed bug feeding or a trampled bed bug. Although they are very small, bed bugs, their eggs and cast skins can be seen by the naked eye. They can usually be found hiding in tight, typically undisturbed and cramped spaces near the sleeping areas of a home. Additionally, unexplained bites on a person’s skin may be another sign of a bed bug outbreak. If the infestation is large, bed bugs will lurk in other areas outside the bedroom and you will likely smell a sickly sweet odor.

* Take preventive measures. If you’ve been traveling often, have a child in college or have had a previous bed bug infestation, it’s important to be proactive about prevention. Pack a flashlight in your suitcase to help you inspect your travel accommodations right when you arrive. Ask a pest professional to help you find a strategy that’s best for your family and home. If you travel often or feel you are at high risk for bed bugs, consider an active liner on your bed at home. Where other bedding products such as encasements solely attempt to trap bed bugs within or prevent them from migrating, an active liner kills bed bugs on contact and stops infestations before they establish. . . .

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Duty While Students Are Abroad

by Kaitlin Mulhere via “Higher Ed“

A group of influential education organizations has stepped in to support a private prep school in its appeal against a former student, saying the case could have far-reaching negative effects on study abroad trips.

Cara Munn suffered brain damage after she contracted viral encephalitis in 2007 from a tick bite she received while on a school trip to China with the Hotchkiss School.

Last year, a Connecticut jury awarded Munn $41 million in damages, after agreeing with her family’s claims that the school had failed to take appropriate precautions and to get proper medical attention quickly enough.

The Hotchkiss School, a private boarding school in Lakeville, Conn., argued that the tick bite and the illness were so unlikely to occur that there was no way to prepare for or prevent them.

Study Abroad Monitors Ebola for Traveling Students

by Lindsey Clark via “Vindette Online”

When news that Ebola had entered the U.S. broke in September, panic resulted for many residents.

However, while the threat of the foreign disease is now more tangible, it is unlikely that citizens need to fear.

Meanwhile, several strategies and precautions exist for students interested in the Study Abroad program at ISU they can take despite this threat.

“At this time the Office of International Studies and Programs does not have any students studying in Western Africa,” Samantha Potempa, Study Abroad coordinator, said.

“We are closely monitoring the Ebola situation, and will continue to do so.  If an ISU study abroad student was affected, we would work with the student to help them receive the necessary medical attention,” she said.

“Study abroad programs are wonderful things and the current Ebola situation is not one that should discourage students,” Dr. Ben Sadd, assistant professor of Infectious Disease Ecology, said.

As of now, it is advisable not to travel to Sierra Leone, Guinea or Liberia. This is where outbreaks have been the most severe here, but outside of these countries, risk is negligible, Sadd said.

The best way students can educate themselves on foreign diseases is by doing research. Doing research when travelling or planning to travel to unfamiliar destinations should be a top priority for any traveler.  . . .

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Safety Tips for Studying Abroad

by William Frierson via “CollegeRecruiter.com”

Studying abroad can be an exciting, one-of-a-kind experience. From immersing yourself in the local culture to expanding your education and making lifelong friends, the opportunities offered by studying in a foreign country are endless. If you plan on studying abroad, check out the following tips for staying safe and adjusting to your new surroundings.

Do Your Homework

Before going abroad to study, you should spend a considerable amount of time researching your destination. To help ease your transition in a new country, be sure to familiarize yourself with the following points:

• ~Laws. For many students, adjusting to the laws in a foreign country is difficult. This can be remedied, however, through research and memorization. Take notes or, even better, consider a cheat sheet. Many well-meaning travelers end up in hot water after unwittingly breaking the law, so take this tip to heart.
• ~Geography. So you’re less likely to get lost, study maps of your new surroundings. Familiarize yourself with your new area, and make sure you know how to get to sites like hospitals, embassies, police stations, etc.
• ~Language. While fluency isn’t necessary, having a basic grasp on the language of your new location is extremely helpful.
• ~Customs. In addition to familiarizing yourself with the local laws, understanding the customs in a particular area is important as well. Studying the  local customs and traditions will help you blend in, avoid social snafus and generally help you settle in to your new surroundings. Also, for female students, understanding rules regarding clothing and public behavior are essential.

Have Your Paperwork in Order

Make sure all your paperwork is valid and up-to-date. For added protection, you should make photocopies of the following documents:

• Passport
• Student ID
• Driver’s license or identification card
• Health insurance card
• Transportation tickets

Visit Your Doctor

Prior to traveling abroad, getting a medical checkup is extremely important. Check with the university where you’ll be studying, and find out if there are any . . . . 

 

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“Take These Steps to Make Your Air Travel Better”

via “CNN Travel“

“Endless security lines, jet lag, and middle seats don’t have to be necessary evils of flying—not if you follow T+L’s best tips for smoother air travel.

Consider that security line: TSA’s PreCheck expedited program will be in 100 domestic airports by the end of 2013, and there are three ways to join.

As for jet lag, your strategy should be to get on the right schedule while in transit, with some help from Stopjetlag.com. The site tailors a personalized hour-by-hour schedule for meals, rest time, and even sun exposure based on your itinerary , . . . .”

 

“Healthy Eating Tips for 3 Types of Travelers”

by Crystal Meers via Yahoo!Shine

“In planes, trains, or your own car, you’re constantly on the move. These insider tips from nutritionists and trainers help you stay in tip-top shape, no matter the workplace conditions.  . . . “

“Report: Preventing malaria in travelers to West Africa lowers health costs”

by Paul Tinder via Vaccine News Daily

 

“U.S. travelers to West Africa consulting health providers before they leave reduces costs to both health insurance providers and themselves, according to a report recently published in the journal Clinical Infectious Disease.  Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the costs. . . .” 

If you are studying abroad, don’t forget to check with your doctor to get all the vaccines you need!

“Active Travel, Health & Wellness”

by Kirsty Connolly via GoGirlfriend

“For many people, a vacation can signify a break in an otherwise healthy life style the moment they arrive at the sandy beaches of an all-inclusive. In the last few years, the travel industry has seen a significant shift toward offering healthier options from food choices  to in-room workouts and activity specific vacations. . . “