After the first week the fun begins, and how much fun all depends on how you got to your foreign country of choice.
- Study Abroad - This one can be tricky because it covers the rainbow spectrum of fun because of all the variety we have in study abroad programs. It also depends on how lucky you get with your program. My personal experience with study abroad was all across the rainbow. After declaring myself sick and asking for help I was sent to a nurse.....who did not speak English, instead she had a chart of English diseases or symptoms with the Japanese counterpart. After much hyming and hawing I was told to go to a clinic where the first time my university was kind enough to drive me (it was ~40 minute bus ride alternatively) and all was slightly well. For the follow-up visit, I was told to get there myself and I would not be provided with a translator, instead I got to try and hijack any Japanese student who was walking by. Not so fun and not so helpful because the odds of them knowing medical terms turns out to be very low.
- Work - Again this is a rainbow runner, because it all depends on how great your company is. For company mandated things, you will get an escort and a translator I mostly guarantee that because you have to do that to be able to work there. When it is not work related and you just managed to hurt yourself or get sick....that is where the fun begins. At one point during my job my tonsils were so swollen that I couldn't eat solid food and drinking was painful enough to make me cry. I had a high fever and was extremely tired and dizzy (probably lack of food and dehydration) I came into work not knowing what to expect, they told me not to work and see a doctor. That was the good part, they then proceeded to tell me to walk to the hospital (~20 minutes away when you are healthy and walking at a decent pace) or I could go to the clinic across the street. The clinic across the street doesn't sound so bad right? Well they didn't know where it was in the building and this building had 11 floors and no one would go with me. I ended up getting lost and ending up in a chiropractor's office and it turns out I had herniated one of my lumbar as well. I have also twisted my ankle, and been given the look like I was complaining about a paper cut when I had to use a computer chair to wheel myself about and refused assistance in getting crutches. So yes it runs the rainbow.
- Marriage - I have no idea on this one, if someone would like to tell me I'm all ears. I would assume you'd get treated better than #1 and #2 because you have someone who loves you.
- Traveling - I would assume you are just screwed in this department because well, no one has a financial investment in you (#2), no one will be in trouble if you die (all the above) unless you are traveling with a company, and you really are just relying on the kindness of strangers if you don't know the language on a fairly high level of comprehension.
I think that covers the main reasons for traveling. I will say that improving your diet will definitely aid in preventing illness. If you want avoid street food, in certain countries it doesn't really matter, same with the tap water. Feel free to add personal experience and advice.
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