U.S. students urged to be cautious abroad
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
As anti-war sentiment continues around the world, U.S. colleges are warning their students studying abroad to avoid demonstrations, street corner debates on U.S. foreign policy and clothes that might identify them as Americans.
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Vanessa Chong, an adviser for the University of Hawai'i Study Abroad program, said security has been increased in all programs sponsored by UH to make sure students sign out if they're going to be traveling; have strong lines of communication with their directors, including cell-phone numbers; and avoid places where other Americans gather.
"We tell the students to keep a low profile," said Chong.
That includes speaking in the foreign language rather than English, avoiding clothes with American university emblems, or any display of conspicuous behavior that would draw attention.
"We don't want them to be an obvious target," said Chong.
The UH program involves several hundred students.
While some of the UH safeguards were put in place after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, most have been part of the program's orientation training for several years as obvious safeguards for students going abroad, said Chong. In the last week these safety measures and others have been re-emphasized in e-mail contacts with on-the-scene directors of the Study Abroad programs.
Chong said two of 70 students in UH summer Study Abroad programs have canceled because of the war.
"Their parents didn't want them to go," said Chong.
