Gulu, Uganda: Post-Conflict Transformation– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and Humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Demonstration of an understanding of conflict theories and sensitivity and maturity in dealing with these difficult subjects; Interview may also be required.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Early September through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Contextualizing Conflict in Northern Africa (3 Credits), Post-Conflict Transformation (3 credits), Intensive Acholi Language Study (3 Credits), Research Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Bedulu, Indonesia: Arts, Religion, and Social Change – School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or late January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Bahasa Indonesian Language Study (6 credits), Arts, Religion, and Social Change Seminar (3 credits), Field Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Bamako, Mali: Health, Gender, and Community Development – School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English; French

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Three recent semesters of college-level French or equivalent and ability to follow coursework in French.

Full-time Course Load: 17 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through early December or late January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: French for Health and Human Sciences (3 credits), Gender and Community Empowerment Seminar (3 credits), Healthcare and Health Policy in Mali (3 credits), Topics in Social and Health Research (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Prague, Czech Republic: Arts and Social Change – School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Early September through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Czech Language Study (3 credits), Czech History, Arts, and Civil Society I (3 credits), Arts Field Study Seminar (2 credits), Independent Study Project (4 credits), and either A) Czech History, Arts, and Civil Society II: Creativity in Context or B) Arts Studio (3 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Copenhagen, Denmark –Provider: Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS)

Program Type: Group

Duration: Year, Fall and Spring

Academic Focus: Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, Natural Science, Languages and Arts

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.7 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Some program tracks have prerequisites.

Full-time Course Load: 12 credits (4 courses) 

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or mid-January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: A ‘core course,’ which determines which DIS program track the student is enrolled in, is required.

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Amsterdam, The Netherlands:  International Perspective on Sexuality and Gender– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; College-level coursework or other preparation in sexuality or gender studies.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Early September through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Introduction to Dutch Language and Culture (4 credits), International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender Seminar (6 credits), Field Study Seminar (2 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Cape Coast, Ghana: Origins of African Identity– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or Early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Fante Language Study (3 credits), History and Cultures of the African Diaspora (3 credits), Narratives of Identity in the African Diaspora (3 credits), Reading the African Diaspora: Methods and Approaches (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Athens, Greece – College Year in Athens

Program Type: Group

Duration: Fall, Spring or Academic year

Academic Focus: Humanities and Social Sciences

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: Any major in good standing may apply

Full-time Course Load: 4 courses

Program Dates:  Early September through mid-December, or late January through late May.

Mandatory Coursework: None

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Shared apartments

New Delhi, India: Health and Human Rights– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through early December or late January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Hindi Language Study (3 credits), Capacity Building, NGOs, and Healthcare Delivery (3 credits), Politics and Economies of Public Health (3 credits), Field Methods and Ethics in Social Science and Health (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Delhi, India: National Identity and the Arts – School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or late January through early May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Hindi Language Study (3 credits), National Identity and Arts Seminar (6 credits), Field Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Jaipur, India: Sustainable Development and Social Change– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Hindi Language Study (3 credits), Shaping Sustainable Social Change (3 credits), Development Approaches and Distributive Justice (3 credits), Field Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Budapest, Hungary – Semester in Mathematics

Program Type: Group

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Mathematics and Computer Science

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: Junior or senior status at time of program; Students who have completed at least one semester of college level advanced calculus or abstract algebra may apply; 3.0 GPA.

Full-time Course Load: 4 courses

Program Dates:  Early September through mid-December, or early February through late May.

Mandatory Coursework: None

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Shared rooms in apartments or homestay

Kigali, Rwanda: Rwanda: Post-Genocide and Peacebuilding– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Although there are no prerequisites, students should have an understanding of issues related to conflict/genocide theories and exhibit the sensitivity and psychological as well as the emotional maturity required to deal with these difficult and intense subjects. Dealing with genocide and its aftermath not only through lectures but also through field trips can at times be upsetting and difficult to handle. An interview may be required prior to acceptance. French language knowledge is not required but certainly an advantage.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or late January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Kinyarwanda Language Study (3 credits), Post-Genocide Restoration and Peacebuilding (3 credits), Research Methods and Ethics (3 credits), National and Ethnic Identity (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Kampala, Uganda: Development Studies– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Background in development studies or a related field is strongly recommended.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Early September through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Luganda Language Study (3 credits), Development Studies Seminar (4 credits), Practicum Training and Ethics (3 credits), and Development Practicum (6 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Antananarivo, Madagascar: National Identity and Social Change– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English; French

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Two recent semesters of college-level French or equivalent and ability to follow coursework in French.

Full-time Course Load: 17 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or late January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive French Language Study (3 credits), Intensive Malagasy Language Study (3 credits), ¿ National Identity and Social Change Seminar (4 credits), Field Study Seminar (2 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Fort Dauphin (Tolagnaro), Madagascar: Bio Diversity and Natural Reource Management– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Ecology

Language of Instruction: English; French

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Three recent semesters of college-level French or equivalent and ability to follow coursework in French; Coursework or other significant preparation in environmental studies, ecology, biology or related fields.

Full-time Course Load: 17 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or late January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive French Language Study (3 credits), Intensive Malagasy Language Study (2 credits), Biodiversity and Natural Resource Seminar (4 credits), Environmental Field Study Seminar (4 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: Nomadic Culture and Globalization– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or late February through early June.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Mongolian Language Study (3 credits), Geopolitics and Development Trends (3 credits), Pastoral and Natural Resource Management (3 credits), Research Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Kathmandu, Nepal: Development and Social Change -School For International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or late January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Nepali Language Study (6 credits), Development and Social Change Seminar (3 credits), Field Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Cuzco, Peru: Indigenous Peoples and Globalization– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English; Spanish

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Four recent semesters of college-level Spanish or equivalent and the ability to follow coursework in Spanish.

Full-time Course Load: 17 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or late February through mid-June.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Spanish Language Study (3 credits), Intensive Quechua Language Study (1 credit), History of Indigenous Cultures in Peru (3 credits), Research Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Apia, Samoa: Pacific Communities and Social Change– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through early December or late January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Samoan Language Study (3 credits), Traditional Societies in Transition (3 credits), Globalization and Contemporary Issues (3 credits), Research Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

The Balkans (Belgrade, Serbia): Serbia, Bosnia, and Kosovo: Peace and Conflict Studies in the Balkans – School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences

Language of Instruction: Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Early September through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian Language Study (3 credits), The Breakup of Yugoslavia and the Wars of the 1990s (3 credits), Peace and Conflict Studies in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina (3 credits), Research Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Mombasa, Kenya: Islam and Swahili Cultural Identity– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Early September through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Swahili Language Study (6 credits), Islam and Swahili Cultural Identity (3 credits), Research Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Nairobi, Kenya: Health and Community Development– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Early September through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Swahili Language Study (4 credits), Health and Community Development Seminar (6 credits), Field Study Seminar (2 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Arusha, Tanzania: Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Environmental studies

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Previous college-level coursework or significant preparation in environmental studies, ecology, biology, or related fields.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through early December or late January through early May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Swahili Language Study (4 credits), Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology Seminar (4 credits), Environmental Field Study Seminar (4 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Zanzibar, Tanzania: Coastal Ecology and Natural Resource Management– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Environmental studies

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Previous college-level coursework or significant preparation in environmental studies, ecology, biology, or related fields; Swimming proficiency strongly recommended.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through early December or Early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Swahili Language Study (4 credits), Coastal Ecology and Natural Resources Management Seminar (4 credits), Environmental Field Study Seminar (4 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Kathmandu, Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan People– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or late January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Tibetan Language Study (3 credits), The Politics of Tibetan and Nepali Borders (3 credits), Religious Change in the Himalaya (3 credits), Field Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Accra and Kumasi, Ghana: Social Transformation and Cultural Expression– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Twi Language Study (3 credits), Social Transformation and Cultural Expression (3 credits), Visual and Performing Arts in Ghana (3 credits), Research Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam: Culture, Social Change, and Development– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or mid-February through late May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Vietnamese Language Study (3 credits), Ethnicity, Gender, and Social Change (3 credits), Economic Reform and Development (3 credits), Field Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Dakar, Senegal: National Identity and the Arts– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English; French

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying; Three recent semesters of college-level French or equivalent and ability to follow coursework in French.

Full-time Course Load: 17 Credits

Program Dates:  Early September through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive French Language Study (3 credits), Intensive Wolof Language Study (2 credits), National Identity and Arts Seminar (6 credits), Field Study Seminar (2 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Cape Town, South Africa: Multiculturalism and Human Rights– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through mid-December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Xhosa Language Study (3 credits), Multiculturalism and Human Rights in South Africa (3 credits), Narratives of Identity and Social Change (3 credits), Research Methods and Ethics (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits)

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Grahamstown, South Africa – Rhodes University (Provider: Interstudy)

Program Type: Integrated

Duration: Academic Year, Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: All academic disciplines

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 3.0 GPA

Full-time Course Load: 15-16 semester hours of credit

Program Dates: Mid-July through early December, or early February through late June.

Mandatory Coursework: One course in African Studies

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Residence halls

Durban, South Africa: Community Health and Social Policy – School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through early December or late January through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Zulu Language Study (3 credits), Approaches to Community Health in South Africa (3 credits), The Practice and Provision of Community Health in South Africa (3 credits), Social and Community Health Research Methods (3 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

Durban, South Africa: Social and Political Transformation– School for International Training (SIT)

Program Type: Group Program and Field Based Study

Duration: Fall or Spring

Academic Focus: Social sciences and humanities

Language of Instruction: English

Eligibility Requirements: 2.5 GPA; Sophomore status when applying.

Full-time Course Load: 16 Credits

Program Dates:  Late August through early December or early February through mid-May.

Mandatory Coursework: Intensive Zulu Language Study (2 credits), Social and Political Transformation Seminar (8 credits), Field Study Seminar (2 credits), and Independent Study Project (4 credits).

Gettysburg Pre-requisites: None

Living Arrangements: Homestay

For a language that Gettysburg does not offer, students must seek approval from the registrar's office through the Gettysburg online application in Student Center.

Some programs link Spanish or French with another language. If you want those courses to count toward a major or minor, you will need to go through the department.

Most approvals occur via the Gettysburg online application. However, you may need to meet with a representative from a related department.

Even though you are likely a beginner in most of the languages listed above, some programs require one or more "semesters of college-level" French or Spanish before applying. If you have experience from high school, you may already be at this level without having taken any language classes in college. That can be determined by a placement test, which can be taken on campus. You will also likely take one once you get to your off-campus location as well.

Levels of language study at most US universities are as follows:
Beginning: first two semesters, 101 and 102
Intermediate: third and fourth semesters, 201 and 202
Advanced: fifth semester and later, 300 or 400-level classes

International universities may differ from this standard, so students should always research their program choices to see how each level is defined.

Language study can be an exciting part of study abroad but in choosing an off-campus program, it is always important to get as much information about the program as possible to make sure it is a good fit both academically and personally. Are you interested in the theme of the program and the course offerings ? Are you comfortable with the living situation and local culture? Does the program fit with your academic goals? Is it relevant to your career goals? How does your family feel about you going to this country for 4 months?

The Off-Campus Studies Office, your academic advisor, the heads of relevant departments, trusted professors, family, and friends/acquaintances who have previously gone abroad can all be very helpful in the decision-making process.