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.

Empathy（同情），the Key to Being Kind

In science class，your teacher tells everyone to find a partner for a project. Out of the corner of your eye，you notice one girl sitting alone and not making eye contact with anyone. You think about asking her to be your partner，but you're afraid people will think you're uncool. You don't reach out. 【小题1】

Empathy is being able to understand and actually feel what someone else is feeling. For some people, this comes naturally; for others, it takes a bit more work. 【小题2】When you practice being empathetic, it gets easier to make kindness a part of your everyday life. If you can understand why people are feeling down, you'll want to help them. Here are some ideas that can help you.

【小题3】Someone not being able to find a group in class might not seem like a big deal--but part of being kind is noticing when someone seems sad, hurt or uncomfortable. After all, you have to notice how people feel in order to feel empathy and want to help them!

When you're trying to make kindness second nature, really getting other people's feelings is important. Whenever you find someone might be feeling lonely or sad, put yourself in his shoes. 【小题4】 Didn't you wish someone would reach out to you? If someone had offered you a few words of comfort, wouldn't it have made you feel so much happier?

So, when you find people around you who are feeling down next time, do not hesitate to put yourself in their shoes and reach out to them with a kind gesture. 【小题5】 There is always a time when you expect others to relate to you and feel what you feel.

I'm sorry to hear that you feel lonely in the new school, because you find hard to make friends. Now, I'd like to offering you some advice.

Yours,

Li Hua

Four Ways to Beat Summer Weight Gain

When we think of the summer holiday，most of us think of outdoor fun. So it seems like we should naturally lose weight over the summer holiday. In reality，the summer holiday isn’t all beach volleyball and water sports. Therefore，we can gain weight easily in the summer holiday.【小题1】 Here are four ways to beat summer weight gain.

1.【小题2】 When we don’t have a plan，it’s easy to spend the summer holiday moving from the couch to the computer，with regular stops before the fridge. Avoid this by aiming for a specific goal，like volunteering，mastering a new skill，or working at a job. Just be sure to plan for some free time so you can relax a little！

2. Stay busy. When we’re bored，it’s easy to fall into a trap of doing nothing and then feeling low on energy. In addition to helping you avoid the cookie jar， filling your days with stuff to do can give you a sense of accomplishment.【小题3】

3. Beat the heat. Don’t let summer heat put your exercise plans on hold.【小题4】 If a gym isn’t your scene， try bowling or an indoor climbing wall. If you love being outdoors， move a regular run or soccer game to early morning or evening.

4.【小题5】 With school out， we lose our daily routines. If you don’t have a specific job or an activity to get up for，it’s easy to sleep late， watch too much TV，and snack more than usual. Make sure your summer days have some structure—like getting up at the same time each day. Plan activities for specific times，like exercising before breakfast.