Web Exclusive

Representatives from the U.S. State Department walked a few blocks down the street Monday afternoon to give GW students tips and advice for staying safe while studying abroad.

Appearing at the Elliott School, Alina Romanowski and Ted Coley of the State Department stressed the need for students to research the area of the world they plan to travel to, and understand where the dangerous areas of the country are. Nearly 1,000 GW students will study abroad this year in countries like Egypt, Uganda and Jordan, according to the GW Study Abroad Office.

Coley, chief of the Western Hemisphere Division in the Bureau of Council Affairs, stressed the need for students to register with the country’s U.S. embassy in order to receive possible e-mail alerts, and calling home if anything happens that could cause your family to question your safety.

“If you are going to know where the best places are, know what the dangers are and what the risks are before you go,” Coley told the approximately 30 audience members.

Coley suggested visiting the State Department’s Consular Information Program on their Web site to find accurate information regarding safety and security in foreign natures.

Coley said the Web site “basically tells American citizens everything they need to know when you’re traveling abroad to have a safe and secure trip.”

“We don’t tell you where the best restaurants are, where the best night clubs are, or about museum hours,” Coley added. He said instead, the Web site contains information about road safety, prevalence of disease, water safety and exit and entrance requirements for your destination.

“It’s great to know where the best beach is, but it’s best to know that there are really bad rip tides at beaches in this area, and that people have drowned,” he said.

Students, along with their parents, can also use the State Department Web site to register with the embassy to receive e-mail alerts.

Romanowski, who works in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the State Department, discussed the benefits studying abroad offers, saying that President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are “passionate about exchange programs.”

“Our mission in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is mutual understanding and we do this through a whole host of exchange programs,” she said.

Romanowski said that the Bureau has sent educators, high school students, graduate students and undergraduate students to study abroad, and boasts more than 100,000 alumni.

She also educated audience members about the Fulbright Scholarship Program. The program is popular among GW students, with 23 GW alumni receiving the prestigious scholarship to teach English abroad or conduct other studies.