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Study Abroad Overview of Studying Abroad - What this program is about and how International Programs can help you.Communication Help - Learn how to contact your student while s/he is traveling. External Links - Other websites with useful information for parents of an abroad student. |
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Overview of Studying Abroad Studying abroad can be a great experience for your student to learn about a new culture, meet new people, and see new places. However, many parents and families are worried about their student going away internationally for a semester. On the other hand, International Programs at Virginia Tech is here to help clarify the entire procedure of your student studying abroad. Our website contains a large amount of information on studying abroad, and if there is something you cannot find, you can always contact us at the office. |
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Communication Help Here you will find several ways you can communicate with your student while s/he is studying abroad. All of them are great ways to keep in touch while your student experiences another culture.Email - Email is free and easy to use. Every student at Virginia Tech has his/her own email address already. Prior to his/her departure, ask for his/her email address and you will be able to send a message at any time you want. Of course, you need an email address for you to do this yourself. If you do not have an email address already, you can obtain a free account at websites such as: Yahoo! Mail or Gmail (mail service provided by Google). Additional Help: If you are new to email and just made your account, you can now send messages to your student. Compose a new mail and place your student's email address in the "To" field. Type a short message or greeting in the "Subject" field, and finally your entire message in large textbox within the form. After filling this out you can just hit send and when your student checks his/her email next, your message will be waiting for him/her. Snail Mail - The "older" method to send messages to your student, through the post office. Prior to departure, your student will have an international address at which s/he is staying at. Feel free to send them a note, card, or care package. Skype - Skype is a free-to-use Internet phone. With a computer and a microphone, you and your student can talk from around the world just like you were on the telephone for free. To further enhance this experience, you can purchase a webcam for you and your student and actually see each other on your computer screen while talking. This program also allows you to leave voicemails on your student's computer for a small fee. |