Managing Health Issues While Studying Abroad
Becoming ill or dealing with a physical or emotional ailment can be a serious issue when studying abroad in a foreign country.
Whether it is a small malady such as the common cold or something more serious altogether, taking proper care of yourself is necessary to performing well in your studies as well as remaining happy and healthy away from home.
Here are some easy ways to maintain your health and ensure that your year abroad is the most memorable of your lifetime.
Plan Ahead
Before you even step on a plane to fly away from home, make sure that you’re in sound physical health entirely. While it’s typically already a requirement to study abroad, go to a physician for a physical and deal with any problems that already exist.
If your doctor gives you a prescription for anything at all, make sure to bring enough to last you your entire stay. Depending on where you go, there might not be a pharmacy at which you can refill.
Stay Fit and Eat Well
One of the easiest ways to stay healthy during your trip abroad is to exercise and eat proper nutrition.
Doing so will both lower your chances of succumbing to any viral or bacterial infections, and will keep your mind fueled and more active in the classroom.
If nutritional food is not easily accessible, try to stockpile at a grocery store or market when you have the chance.
Know Your Insurance and Know The Risks
Most study abroad programs require that you purchase a national insurance plan in your new country. Before leaving home, make sure that you know everything that this insurance plan covers, as well as everything that it leaves off.
While you can’t prepare for everything, knowing what procedures and prescriptions are covered can be invaluable in dire situations.
Rest and Recover
If you do end up getting sick, make sure to take adequate time to recover and spend time resting.
It may seem like an exaggerated response, but studying or traveling while sick can prolong the recovery time, wasting precious moments of your year abroad, and can give you a strong distaste for your temporary home, as all of the comforts that you know might not be readily accessible.
Know When to Leave
While many illnesses can be quickly treated in most countries with developed healthcare systems, there are still some that should be monitored closely and can be reason to go home if conditions worsen.
For example, the common cold or even basic skin infections can be treated aggressively and expeditiously with a few different prescriptions available for purchase at most local pharmacies.
On the contrary, illnesses such as hepatitis, meningitis, or other serious conditions should warrant a trip home for several reasons: access to healthcare in your native language, proximity to family, and a comfortable situation for you in which to recover.
If you plan to study abroad in a developing country, be extremely careful when visiting healthcare facilities, and know what conditions or illnesses warrant a return trip.
Have Fun Away from Home
Studying abroad can be one of the greatest years of a student’s life. And while it’s important to have fun in a new home across the world, knowing how to manage healthcare issues can leave you happy and healthy as you learn about your new world.
