Study abroad stymied by attacks, yet scholarships available

    In recent months, the safety of the American people has been interrupted.
    Since the attacks on Sept.11, many people have changed their travel plans for the holidays.
    Although many people are opting to stay close to home, there are still many Americans continuing to travel to foreign countries.
Many of these travelers are college students going overseas to study abroad.
    With the current conditions in foreign countries, Mark Shay, CEO of Study-Abroad.com, says he wants students to know which countries are safe or unsafe for American travelers.
    One of the most important aspects of traveling to a foreign country, Shay says, is to be knowledgeable about the cultural design of the country being visited.
    Students should understand the different religious and ethnic concerns of the people who reside there.
    Countries in the Middle East, South Pacific and South America may be a threat to students’ safety, according to Shay. Experts say even some of the usually U.S.A. friendly nations may be unsafe because of the internal conflicts plaguing those countries.
    If traveling abroad is a must, Mark Shay offers important safety tips for students.
    For example, students should know the proper way to dress.
    They should dress appropriately to not draw attention to themselves, offend others or even get arrested for their appearance.
    Secondly, students should avoid too much eye contact. In the United States, it is a friendly gesture to look at someone and smile, but in some countries, that is an uncommon action that may yield unexpected conflict.
    For example, women in some countries are forced to stare at the ground as they walk.
    Before leaving home, students should determine if this type of behavior is common around the area being visited.
    A final tip for students is to be aware of the laws pertaining to homosexuality in other countries.
    Although this lifestyle is common in America, it is against the law in some countries. Also, students should learn the general attitudes of the people toward gay, lesbian and bisexual members of their community.
    Other suggestions and advice can be found at StudyAbroad.com.
For additional information, e-mail Joe Mitchell at joe@gregoryfca.com.

    Students desiring to study abroad can apply for the David L. Boren undergraduate scholarships, offered by the National Security Education Program (NSEP).
    NSEP awards are merit-based, and applicants should demonstrate commitment to study in foreign countries.
    Award amounts are up to a maximum of $20,000 annually.
    In order to apply, a student must be a U.S. citizen and enrolled as an undergraduate at a university, college or community college. Scholarships are for study in summer ’02, fall ’02 and spring ’03.
    All scholarship recipients enter into an agreement to work in the federal government in a national security position as a priority or secondarily to work in the field of higher education in the area of study chosen.
    NSEP applications must include a foreign language appropriate to the study abroad country. Applicants will be required to take a language proficiency test.
    Applications are first reviewed and rated by faculty on each campus and then ranked by regional panels that convene each year to recommend a list of candidates.
    The pool of candidates is then presented to the National Nominating Panel, who considers the list and makes a recommendation to the Department of Defense.
    The deadline to apply is Feb. 15, 2002. Additional information and applications are available online at the NSEP website www.iie.org/nsep.
    To request a paper application, call 1-800-618-NSEP or e-mail nsep@iie.org.