To help you prepare for your time overseas, we have put together some useful resources for you. These will help you get the most out of your #DMUglobal experience, develop your self-awareness and improve your knowledge of other cultures. You are encouraged to explore these resources before you depart for your #DMUglobal experience.
Cultural awareness and country comparison
The Hofstede Centre offers high quality cultural education and its online activities allow you to compare one country’s culture with another. Before going overseas with #DMUglobal we suggest you use this tool to investigate the key cultural differences between your home and host countries. An understanding of some of these differences will be useful to have while you are abroad and will give you the time to imagine how these differences might feel and work.
Self-awareness test
Learn more about yourself through this free online self-awareness test. The aim of this test is to give you a personal understanding of your skills such as confidence, adaptability, social support and purposefulness. Many of these skills can be developed or improved through a #DMUglobal experience and we encourage you to revisit this test after you return from your time abroad.
Studying abroad and student travel tips
Go International – find out about students’ experiences of studying abroad as well as find some useful advice on how to prepare for your international opportunity.
Global Graduates – contains a range of articles on various topics related to studying abroad. These include homesickness, settling in, disability advice and making the most of your time abroad. You can also find tips on how to write and talk about your international experience in CVs and interviews.
Erasmus+ – in addition to the essential Erasmus+ information, such as funding applications, this resource also contains important information about travelling including visas, money and travel insurance.
General travel information
Foreign And Commonwealth Office Travel Advice – up-to-date information on every country regarding safety and security, travel advice, health advice, entry requirements, local laws etc.
Lonely Planet – provides survival guides and specific advice for every country, covering money and costs, travel options, weather, health, safety and security, disability advice and information for LGBT travellers.
Wiki Voyage – everything about your destination. This resource will help you think of activities to do and places to visit, as well as give an insight into history and culture of your destination.
Accommodation and travel bookings
Skyscanner, KAYAK, momondo – these search engines draw information about flights from other websites, so you can see different options on one website. However, they may not show all the deals available, so make sure you also check the airlines websites.
Booking.com – convenient to book hotels or hostels. You can select specific locations and price ranges, search for deals and find hotels with free cancellation options.
Hostelworld – the focus of this website is specifically on hostels, so it provides more options to choose from if you are certain you would like to stay in a hostel.
Useful Travel Apps
Hopper – allows you to access flights deals, tracks the price of your selected flight and notifies when it is the best time to book the flight.
App in the Air – provides information on flight delays and cancellations even if there is no internet coverage.
Citymapper – provides information on the transport options available in your chosen city.
Google Trips – allows you to create travel itineraries and keep all of your travel information in one place.
Google Translate – particularly useful at destinations where not many locals can speak English.
Memrise and Duolingo – these apps will help you learn a new language before you go on your opportunity or during your trip. Make sure you utilise these skills trying to talk to locals in their language whilst overseas.