Ol`gita Major: International Economic Relations Status: Workygirl I am fond of chocolates, flowers, friends, loud music, watching movies, taking pictures and traveling!!!

Risk Management
Olya Bezvushko

The main incidents that may occur to any person abroad are: crime or petty theft, traffic accidents, mental health issues, abuse of alcohol or drugs, sexual assaults etc. Lets have a look at this and some others possible situations.

1. Control the situation. There are many circumstances involved with being new in a foreign country which are beyond student’s immediate control, such as:

     - unfamiliarity with new surrounding
     - bad knowing of local language
     - are easily recognizable as foreigners
     - unawareness of the social norms of conduct
     - have a naïve, trustful character and so on.

Still, there are numerous situations that students can control. For example:
     - being out till late at night
     - staying along out off the apartment after midnight 
     - discovering well-known high crime areas
     - forgetting to lock the room at night while sleeping
     - abuse of alcohol or drugs.

2. Verbal and non-verbal communication. The language of gestures is rich in the US, but it consists of many movements and words that may be considered offensive for people in this country or other foreigners. Do not use them, and you will get a chance to avoid many problems.

3. Accept food and drinks carefully. Stay away from accepting drinks from a stranger as well as any food.

4. Sexually transmitted diseases. Avoid such diseases by using protection – condoms or abstinence. Keep in your mind, that the word “no” doesn’t have the same meaning in all languages as in the US. For some people it will mean “Yes” (for example – Bulgarians).

5. Try to understand locals in a right way. Find out how they feel about you and your country, how you are fitting with their values. Obviously the better you know local language the more you will succeed in communication process, but even if you know a few essential phrases it can make you immensely beneficial.
6. What clothes to choose? It is better to wear something conservative in accordance with local standards, the first time on arrival, so that nobody will identify you as a tourist. 

7. Do not wear to much valuables and jewelry, otherwise you will look like you are flaunting wealth and may become a wonderful aim for thieves.

8. Inform yourself in all possible details about your new environment with the help of television, Internet, library, newspapers.

9. Do not engage in conversations about disputable political issues.

10. Be aware of your surrounding. 
     - Pay attention to what people around you are saying.
     - Find out the safety level of city areas
     - Get to know were to get help (police station, fire station, stores, phones, etc.)
     - Clear up what is “normal” and “not normal” to see on a daily basis in the areas you frequent.