5:30 – 6:30 Plenary

6:30 Regional Break-out sessions

7:30 – 8:00 Refreshments (Leacock Building main floor and 2nd floor)

IMPORTANT!

In your regional break-out session, you will be asked to complete the PINK SHEET found in your information package.

IF you will be traveling within Canada or the U.S., please complete it and leave it with a staff member on your way out after this presentation.

Welcome to Pre-Departure Orientation October 5th, 2011 5:30 p.m.

Speakers

Pierre-Paul Tellier MDDirectorMcGill Student Health ServicesAssociate Professor Family MedicineMcGill University

Carla JensenInternational Education Admin.Office of International EducationMcGill University

André Costopoulos Associate Dean Student Affairs Faculty of ArtsMcGill University

Sylvie FafardDeputy DirectorOutreach and Partnership ProgramsForeign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT)

Canadian Consular Services

Sylvie Fafard

Deputy Director, Outreach and Partnership Programs

Consular, Security and Emergency Management Branch

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT)

Canadian Consular Services

Your best source of safe-travel advice and information

In this presentation…

Overview of the Canadian Consular Services- role- services- tools

Smart-travel tips Questions?

What is the role of Canadian Consular Services?

• Prevention - To help Canadians prepare for foreign travel

• Assistance - To provide services and help to all Canadians

abroad - To coordinate the Government of Canada’s response to international emergencies affecting Canadians abroad

Who we are…• More than 260 Canadian embassies, high

commissions and consulates in over 150 countries worldwide

Q: What is the difference between an embassy, a high commission and a consulate?

Embassy: in the capital city of another country (Washington D.C., Paris, Brasilia)

High commission: in the capital city of a Commonwealth country

(London, Canberra, New Delhi)

Consulate: in a major but not capital city (Los Angeles, Nice, Rio de Janeiro)

Who we are…

• Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa

• Assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Call collect to 613 996-8885 or e-mail sos@international.gc.ca

• Assist in medical emergencies by providing a list of local doctors and hospitals • Transfer emergency funds ($)• Contact next of kin in case of emergency• Provide assistance in case of missing persons

Consular officials in Canadian offices abroad and in Ottawa are there to…

• Assist victims of robbery or other violence• Seek to ensure that Canadians are treated

fairly under the country’s laws if arrested or detained

• Replace lost or stolen passports ($)• Notarize certain Canadian documents ($)

Consular officials in Canadian offices abroadand in Ottawa are there to…

Consular officials do not provide the following services:

• Perform marriage ceremonies• Store personal effects• Accept mail on your behalf• Assist with job or apartment hunting• Get you out of prison

• 1,800 Canadians currently imprisoned abroad• Most of them for drug-related offences• And most of them are in…

the United States• The rest are in prisons in almost 100 other

countries

A bit more on the prison issue…

Your basic tool kit

For travelling and studying abroad

travel.gc.ca

Risk levels and Travel Warnings

Who should register?All Canadians travelling or living abroad

Why?So that we can contact and assist you in an emergency abroad, or to inform you of a family emergency at home

Registration of Canadians Abroad

Smart-travel publications

Before you go… Learn about your destination

What documents do you need?

Valid passport Student visa Work permit Proof of AIDS testing Certificate of vaccination International driver’s licence

Travel YOUR way, the SMART way!

• Travel health insurance: don’t leave without it!• Protect your passport. Make photocopies of all

your travel documents• Prescription medication and syringes: yes,

but…• Dual citizenship: is it an issue?• Illegal drugs: Zero Tolerance • Local culture and laws: learn ahead of time

General information 1-800-267-6788 (Canada and U.S.) or 613-944-6788

travel@international.gc.ca

Emergencies613-996-8885 (call collect from abroad)

sos@international.gc.ca

travel.gc.ca

Contact us

Questions?...

Thank you / Merci

Bon voyage!

Pierre-Paul Tellier MDDirector, McGill Student Health Services

Associate Professor, Family Medicine

McGill University

Personal Health Abroad

• Getting a physical and filling a form– Often required– Not paid by any provincial Medicare program or Blue Cross

for international students– May include laboratory tests– Cost for physical– Cost for tests– Cost for filling form– Deal at Student Health– Get an appointment early– Not a priority for anyone except you!

Doctors hate forms!

Getting Ready

• Vaccines– Depends on country/ies to be visited– Know exactly where you are going– Some may have to be given a month or so before departure so plan

accordingly– Same rule applies as for forms

• Only a priority for you– All vaccines at Student Health

• except– Japanese encephalitis– Rabies

– At cost– Need nursing appointments– SSMU plan ($300.00/year)

Getting Ready

• Medications– Traveler's diarrhea

• Vaccine exists• Bismuth subsalicylate - Pepto-bismol (only if not allergic to aspirin)• Imodium• Antibiotics just in case

– 1% hydrocortisone cream for rash– Antihistamine– Aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprophen– Antibiotic ointment– Malaria pills– Altitude sickness medication

Getting Ready

• If you take medication– Make sure you have enough– Carry all medication in original bottles with original

label from pharmacy– If syringes are needed make sure you have enough

for entire trip – have certificate from doctor– Some OTC meds legal in Canada may not be in

other countries• Contact embassy of country where you are travelling to

make sure meds you are carrying are legal where you are going

Getting Ready

• Previously mentioned medications• Sterile dressing• Insect repellant – DEET > 30%• Insecticide spray for clothes, camping gear and mosquito

nets – Permethrin• Sunscreen > Spf 15 – water resistant• Thermometer• Disposable gloves• Syringes and needles• Mosquito nets• Portable water filter

Medical Kit

• A no-no• Unless you want a jail cell to be your

residence abroad• Be careful of your luggage

– Pack your own– Don’t bring anything for anyone else

Drugs

• Not everyone is open minded• Check the local regulations

– Is it legal where you are going?– Being militant at home may be a good thing

but not in another country– Amnesty International web site good source

of information

GLBTQ

• Deep Vein Thrombophlebitis– Not common in young people but can happen– Drink plenty of fluid– Don’t sit for long periods– Walk around– Avoid alcohol, caffeine– May manifest up to 2 weeks after a flight– Seek medical advice

• Pain and swelling of legs• Sudden chest pain• Sudden shortness of breath

– Same applies for hemorrhoids – not as serious but sure a pain in the but!

On the plane or driving for long distances

• Boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it!• Best rules

– Avoid salads or raw vegetables– Drink bottle water, filtered water, or treated water

• Boil water• Clean filters with small pores• Chlorination may not be enough • Iodine-containing water purification tablets• Ice cubes are not in bottles

– Hot recently cooked food– Wash hands before eating! Your mother told you to do this!

Eating While There

• Rehydration– Various solution but not simple water unless

you eat something salty with it– Take the pepto-bismol, imodium or

loperamide that you brought– Take your antibiotics– If

• Last more than a week• Bloody• Fever• Seek medical attention

Diarrhea

• Wear loose fitting clothing, light color• Avoid prolong exposure to direct sun light• Certain medications may be a problem

– Check before you leave– Alcohol is one of those

• Drink fluids regularly• Heat stroke

– faintness, nausea, vomiting, increased body temperature, headache, gooseflesh, chills, overbreathing, muscle cramps, unsteady gait

– If you have these get medical help

Heat Stroke

• Can’t predict who will get it• Above 8,000 feet a concern• Climb slowly and acclimatize• May take 3 – 5 days start at 6,000 – 8,000

feet• Take acetazolamide (diamox)• No alcohol• Symptoms: headache, fatigue, nausea,

shortness of breath, confusion, and more

Altitude Sickness

• Mosquito repellent• Early evening worse• Mosquito nets while sleeping• Take your pills!

Malaria Protection

• Don’t have it– STIs– Pregnancy

• At the very least use a condom!

Sex

• Culture shock– Don’t underestimate it

• If you are not coping talk to someone you trust

Mental Health

• Don’t bring back anything you shouldn’t– Drugs– Endangered species– Diseases

Coming Back

• Diarrhea, stomach cramps• STI check – if had sex• If have unusual episodes of fever• Unusual rashes• Any thing else that is weird and that you

are worried about

Seeing a doctor when you come back

Resources

• http://www.voyage.gc.ca• http://www.cdc.gov/travel/• http://www.amnesty.org

Managing your Success Abroad

Carla Jensen

International Education Administrator

Office of International Education

McGill University

• Participation in a pre-departure orientation.

• Approval by your academic unit or research supervisor.

• Completion of a travel registry form. Once your activity has been approved, a travel registry form will be created on Minerva. Find your travel registry Minerva or check with your Departmental or Faculty Student Affairs office for details.

McGill Travel Guidelines

Students going abroad are required to complete the online Travel Registry which can be accessed via Minerva.

Prior to departure:• Verify your faculty’s requirements for recognizing credit for exchanges or

internships.

During your stay:• If you encounter changes while abroad, you must communicate these

changes to your academic advisor.

Academic Credit

• The overall cost of living abroad may be higher than Montreal.• Be sure to budget for emergencies (contingency fund)

FinancesPrepare a Budget

Money & Banking • Obtain some foreign currency before departure• Take more than one source of money with you• Make arrangements with your bank to use your ATM card abroad• Advise your credit card company that you will be away

• Students with financial need can consult the Scholarships and Student Aid Office: http://www.mcgill.ca/studentaid/

• Possible funding opportunities: Travel (Mobility) awards, External Awards , Student Aid.

Financial Aid

Insurance

Students are fully responsible to ensure that they are sufficiently covered during their stay abroad.

Provincial or territorial health insurance plans for extended stays:

To ensure continued coverage, students must contact their regional health insurance provider (e.g. Regie de l’assurance maladie du Quebec) before they leave.

General Information

Insurance

Does your policy include:

• Emergency Health Coverage?• Emergency Evacuation Coverage?• Travel Insurance and Trip Cancellation and Interruption?

What is not included?

• Limitations and Restrictions • Exclusions and Caveats• Consequences of Travel Warnings and Advisories

Travel Health Policy Coverage

Insurance

Canadian Students:

• ASEQ (www.ihaveaplan.ca)• Only for students who have not opted-out

International Students:

• Extended health insurance for study away programs now available• Students must complete an online registration form available on ISS website:

www.mcgill.ca/internationalstudents/health/study-away-program

For more information contact international.health@mcgill.ca

All students:• TravelCuts Bon Voyage

Policy Options

Examples of restrictions:

• “Sickness, injury or medical condition you suffer in a specific country or area for which the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Canadian Government has issued a travel advisory or formal notice before your departure date.”

• “Your participation in and/or voluntary exposure to any risk from: war or act of war, whether declared or undeclared; invasion or act of foreign enemy; declared or undeclared hostilities; civil war, riot, rebellion; revolution or insurrection; act of military power; or any service in the armed forces.”

InsurancePolicy Restrictions and Travel Warnings

Be sure to ask whether your policy:• Continues to provide benefits after a travel advisory has been issued.• Includes an in-house, worldwide, 24-hour emergency hotline.• Covers doctor’s visits and prescription medicines.• Pays for hospitalization and related medical costs. • Provides direct payment of bills and cash advances abroad.• Covers emergency transportation, such as ambulance services.• Provides for medical evacuation to Canada.• Pays for a medical escort to accompany you during evacuation.• Covers pre-existing medical conditions (get an agreement in writing). • Covers emergency dental care. • Excludes any countries or regions you intend to visit.

InsurancePolicy Coverage

Be Prepared…

• When you arrive, locate the nearest reputable clinic or hospital. • Ensure that you are familiar with how your policy works. • Carry details of your insurance policy and emergency hotline with you. • Tell a friend or relative at home, and in your host country how to contact your

insurer on your behalf.

In case of an emergency…

• Get a detailed invoice for services obtained before you leave.• Always submit original receipts for medical services or prescriptions received.

InsuranceWhile Abroad…

• Culture shock is an inevitable experience.

• Research your host country:– History and current political situation– living conditions and cultural norms.

• Know which languages are spoken.

• Center for Intercultural Learning Country Insights: provides information on countries’ characteristics and provides useful insights on cultural perspectives. www.intercultures.ca

Cultural Awareness

During Your Stay

• Check-in: let a relative at home know when you have safely arrived.

• Emergency Contact: Leave a copy of your emergency contact information with your host institution.

• Updates: send regular updates to your emergency contact at home to let them know how you are doing.

• Email: Ensure that you check your McGill email regularly.

Emergency Plan

In case of an emergency…• Who would you contact first, second, and third? • Where is the nearest hospital and police station?• What steps do you need to take to ensure that costs will be covered by

insurance? • Will you have access to a cell phone? • How much emergency money will you carry on you?

If you had to leave the country, what would be the first, second, third things that you would do to accomplish this?

Keep the following documents in a safe place, separate from originals. Also leave a copy with a relative at home.

– Photocopy of your passport identification page. – Photocopy of any visas or work permits you require.– Phone number and policy number of your insurance provider. – A copy of your “Emergency plan of action”. – Emergency Contact information. – Flight details/itinerary.– Local embassy’s contact information– McGill Campus Security 24/7 emergency number (514-398-3000)– DFAIT 24/7 emergency number (Call collect: 613-996-8885)

Safe Travel Tool Kit

Before you leave:

1. Complete McGill’s Travel Registry on Minerva. 2. Check the passport and visa requirements for your host country.3. Consult your insurance provider.4. Photocopy important documents (e.g. passport, itinerary). 5. Contact a travel health clinic. 6. Prepare a budget.7. Learn about your destination country. 8. Put your credit cards, ATM cards in order.9. Register with the local embassy/consulate.10. Understand your responsibilities to McGill and your host institution.

Summary

Share the experience: Become an International Blogger!

Blog about your international experience to• Reflect on your experience• Communicate with friends and family at home• Connect with other students abroad• Build a portfolio –

highlight professional development

Selection criteria• Writing quality• Commitment • Variety of experiences

To applySend an email explaining why you want to be an

International Blogger to: carla.jensen@mcgill.ca

Before you go…

At your Breakout Session, please turn in:

• Pink sign-in sheet• Evaluation form (back of the agenda in your info packet)

** Students travelling within Canada and the U.S., turn in these forms to event staff on your way out

After the Breakout Session:• Refreshments will be served on the 1st and 2nd floor of the Leacock

Building between 7:30pm and 8:00pm• Medicine students: breakout sessions continue from 8:00pm – 9:30pm

The AmericasCentral America, South America & Mexico, LEA 819

Africa East & South Africa, ARTS 160

North Africa andthe Middle East, LEA 834

Asia South and Southeast Asia, LEA 210

East Asia, ARTS W-215

Please proceed to your Regional Break-Out Session…

Australia Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, LEA 26

Europe Western Europe, LEA 219 The Mediterranean,LEA 232

Note: There is no break-out session for North America

MedicineA – F: LEA 424 G – J: LEA 738

K – M, LEA 927 N – R: LEA 721

S – Z: LEA 517 Caribbean LEA 638