Visit online communities to connect with students living in the country. Read books, newspapers, and magazines from and about the country you plan to visit. You can find them at any good bookstore, and many foreign media are online. To prepare for his studies at a German university in Leipzig, Scott Galea, a junior from American University, logged onto the Internet to listen to radio stations and watch television programs from Germany. The Center for the Advancement of Language Learning's Web site offers several links to foreign media sites.
Culture shock is tough enough.
It is best not to make it worse. Galea also recommends boosting your knowledge of the United States as much as possible. Brush up on what you learned in your high school civics class. Back to the checklist Get a passport and necessary visas. Don't wait until the last minute to apply for your passport.