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Pre-Departure Resources > Orientation

The DU Office of International Education (OIE) has organized a number of pre-departure sessions to help you prepare for study abroad. Regardless of whether you have received confirmation of acceptance to your program, plan to attend these sessions.

General Pre-departure Sessions (required!)

During the Spring Quarter, you are required to attend a one-hour Study Abroad Pre-Departure Session at the International House. The Pre-departure Session covers basic information that all DU students need to know and is presented by the Peer Advisors. Much of the content presented can be found in the Study Abroad Handbook and Policies.

For your convenience, these sessions are offered several times throughout the week. The first session is on March 23rd and last one is on April 29th.

Spring Quarter 2011 Schedule (for summer and fall study abroad students):

  • Wednesdays: 10am & 3pm (until 4/27)
  • Thursdays: 11am & 1pm (until 4/28)
  • Fridays: 12pm & 2pm (until 4/29)

Your session will be a full hour in length. No RSVP is necessary, but keep in mind that each session has a capacity of 40 students; therefore, we strongly encourage you to attend a pre-departure session as soon as possible. It is important to be on time, as late-comers will not be given credit for attendance (nor will those who leave early). The first 100 attendees will receive a DU luggage tag!

Regional Orientation Sessions (strongly recommended!)

During the Spring Quarter, one-hour Regional Orientations will be held at the International House. These provide you with the opportunity to meet the other students participating in the same study abroad program, as well as returnees who just got back.

For some regions of the world, a supplemental guide is available and is posted on our website here (these will be updated in April). Most of these sessions will be offered in late April or May. No RSVP is necessary.

 

Spring Quarter 2011 Schedule (for summer and fall study abroad students):

 

  • Australia - Gold Coast, Brisbane and Adelaide: Sunday, May 15 at 3pm
  • Australia - all other cities: Friday, May 20 at 12pm
  • Austria, Germany, and Hungary: Friday, May 27 at 2pm
  • Belgium and The Netherlands: Friday, May 27 at 12pm
  • China: Monday, May 16 at 4pm
  • Czech Republic: Monday, April 25 at 6pm
  • Denmark: Friday, May 20 at 10am
  • England: Friday, May 20 at 2pm
  • France: Saturday, May 7 at 12:30pm
  • Ireland and Scotland: Friday, May 13 at 5pm
  • Israel: Friday, April 29 at 1pm
  • Italy - Rome and Florence: Friday, April 22 at 3:30pm
  • Italy - all other locations: Friday, April 22 at 5pm
  • Japan: Wednesday, May 11 at 4pm
  • Latin America - ISA, CIEE, and non-DU programs: Thursday, April 28 at 4pm
  • Latin America - IFSA Butler programs: Saturday, May 7 at 11am
  • New Zealand: Thursday, May 12 at 4pm
  • Russia: Friday, May 20 at 12pm
  • Semester at Sea: Wednesday, May 25 at 12-1:30pm
  • SFS: Thursday, May 12 at 12pm
  • SIT: Friday, April 15 at 11am
  • South Africa: Thursday, May 5 at 3pm
  • Spain - Sevilla, Granada, and Barcelona: Friday, May 13 at 3pm
  • Spain - all other cities: Friday, May 20 at 4pm
  • Thailand and Vietnam: Monday, May 9 at 4pm

Study Abroad Returnee-organized Special Event!

DU You Know What You're Getting Yourself Into? Study Abroad: The Things They Don't Tell You (strongly recommended!)

Join recent study abroad returnees for a candid discussion about the study abroad experience. They will discuss their personal adventures, advice they wished they would have received, tips for budgeting, how race and nationality affected their experiences, and personal resources you should access before leaving the country. Dinner will be provided!. Click here for more information

  • Wednesday, April 27 at 6:30pm at the International House

World on Wednesdays (strongly recommended!)

Most Wednesdays during the Spring Quarter, one-hour World on Wednesday sessions will be held from 6-7pm in the Nelson Private Dining Room. The content of these sessions is outlined below and is presented by study abroad Peer Advisors and returnees. Each session has a capacity of 40 students, so it is important to be on time. No RSVP is necessary.

Spring Quarter 2011 Schedule (for summer and fall study abroad students):

  • April 6 - "Our Top Ten" - all the things we wish we knew before we left, including travel advice, packing tips, cooking help, and more!
  • April 13 - "No Comprendo?!" - tips on effective language acquisition for beginners & how to get FREE access to Rosetta Stone
  • April 20 - "My Life in Digital" - tips on photos, video, journaling & other ingredients for making a digital story about your study abroad
  • April 27 - "Living with Strangers" - tips for how to live with your host family effectively
  • May 4 - "It's Money, Honey" - where to find scholarships, how much to save NOW, & tips to make your money stretch further
  • May 11 - "Web + log = Blog" - Blog: info for beginners & how to tailor your blog for Study Abroad
  • May 18 - "Study Abroad Success Stories" - how to maximize your time abroad, including dealing with culture shock, managing relationships, and getting involved + info for internships & experiential learning