An increasing number of old U.S. citizens are traveling abroad. The U.S. Department of State wants you to be prepared so that you can enjoy your trip. Please consider the following tips as you plan your travel.

Travel Documents.

【小题1】Some countries require that passports be valid for six months after your trip ends and some foreign countries require that U.S. travelers obtain a visa.

【小题2】

A secure way to maintain your emergency contact information is to enroll （登记）with our Smart Traveler Enrolment Program. Your information is stored securely and enables the American Embassy to contact you，your family，or your friends in an emergency according to your wishes.

Health Information.

Health care tops the list of concerns for many old U.S. citizens who are thinking about traveling abroad. Consult with your physician prior to your travel overseas to identify your health care needs at your destination. Research the environmental conditions at your overseas destination that may contribute to your specific health concerns. 【小题3】

Medical Insurance Beyond Medicare.

Medicare，the U.S. government health plan for people aged 65 years and older，does NOT cover health care overseas. 【小题4】 Many companies offer short-term health and emergency assistance policies to cover health care expenses incurred overseas，including emergency services such as medical evacuations（撤离）.

Smart Travel.

【小题5】Be aware that sudden changes in diet and climate can have serious health consequences for the unprepared traveler，no matter your age. At the same time，if you aren't sure about anything，turn to the Internet.

Habits to Be a Highly Effective Student

Some students are able to get straight A’s and at the same time serve as the president of three clubs. However, some students struggle to keep their GPA (Grade-Point Average) above a 3.0. 【小题1】Although it’s true that everyone’s IQ is different, good study habits are very important. Here  are several habits you should adopt to get good grades.

【小题2】 If you haven’t had a planner (规划薄), get one. Many people use their computers and smartphones to make a schedule. The problem with that approach is that they are major distractions. Instead, get an old-fashioned paper and pen planner.

Create a weekly schedule. 【小题3】 Include time that will be spent eating, sleeping and doing anything not related to school work. That way you know exactly how much you can accomplish each day.

Take frequent, short breaks. Taking a break from studying for 15 minutes every hour will help keep you refreshed. 【小题4】 If you don’t take a break, you may find yourself daydreaming or even falling asleep. Take some time for some water, a snack or a quick chat with a friend.

Take care of yourself. During final exam week, it is common for students to fall behind on sleep and meals. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep and have regular meals. Studying while hungry or sleepy is ineffective and will slow you down in the long run. Also try to make time for friends and family. 【小题5】

   If you're the kind of person who loves travel but finds it difficult to break down language barriers，you may want to check out ICONSPEAK，a T-shirt covered in basic pictographs（图画文字）ranging from clocks to bathrooms. Simply point to the symbol associated with your need，and hopefully，the person you're talking to will understand you soon. I can tell you that it's better than having to make gestures to strangers.

ICONSPEAK is the brainchild of friends George and Florian. They were traveling through Asia in 2013 and found themselves in a remote（偏远的）village with no vehicle，no tourism，and just some locals. The problems they had while trying to express their needs to the locals inspired them to start working on a simple yet effective solution to the language gap. Two years later，they came up with the ICONSPEAK T-shirt.“In the furthest and deepest corners of our world we were repeatedly left with no words，either in breathtaking awe（赞叹）due to the scenery or in empty silence due to our lacking linguistic talents，”its website states.“Such situations got us thinking about how to bridge language barriers with simplicity on a global level. The answer came to us after a remarkable experience in Vietnam: ICONs. Because with ICONs, you can SPEAK, and you can SPEAK to the world.”

The ICONSPEAK collection consists of three types of T-shirts — long, short, sleeveless — as well as large bags and hats that feature fewer icons. The products are available internationally through the website, with the founders attesting that they work anywhere in the world.“I have used it in Norway,”said George.“It works beautifully — the people you ask are surprisingly quick in getting what you want or mean since they are anyway thinking in a certain context. If you point to the bus and the clock on the shirt and you do this at a bus stop, anybody will know that you want to know when the next bus leaves.”

ICONSPEAK is a clear example that the answer to complex problems can be very simple. I have yet to try the shirt, but somehow I have no doubt that it actually works. It might not always help, but for common problems, like finding a telephone, the nearest hotel or an ATM, ICONSPEAK seems like a good solution.

   It can be difficult to meet new people and make friends，especially when you move to a new city or find yourself out of your comfort zone．How will you deal with the situation?【小题1】 There are several ways that you can meet people that you might not have considered in the past．

★【小题2】You probably have several acquaintances that you see on a daily basis or a weekly basis．If you get along well with certain people，you can see if this acquaintance would like to go out and do something socially with you．If you have common interests，you might suggest that the two of you do something together that involves your interest．

★ Make an effort to accept invitations．Sometimes people that you know may be having a barbecue or other types of social gathering．Try to ensure that you are able to attend and then show up at the appointed time．【小题3】If you meet people that you click with，you can make a plan to see them again in the future or you can invite your friends to your own event and ask them to extend the invitation to the friends that were at their gathering too．

★Go out，even when you don’t feel like it．It turns out that when people invite someone to join them for dinner or a movie or something else，they really want to hang out with you．【小题4】

【小题5】 But once you have used the same methods a few times you will know exactly what works and what does not．Don’t give up，everyone is different and it just takes time to get to know people．