Book excerpt: The much-awaited second edition! Study abroad has never been so popular. Students are embarking on life-changing adventures, and they need some tried and true advice. The Exchange Student Survival Kit has become the essential guide for young people traveling abroad, helping them better understand the unique experience of international exchange programs. More important, it shows students how to avoid many common misunderstandings and problems that can occur in the course of their adjustment to a new culture, a new family, a new school and a new community. Based on her years of research and professional involvement with AFS Intercultural Programs, Dr. Hansel has filled the book with examples taken from the experiences of dozens of exchange students from a broad spectrum of cultures. This much-awaited new edition includes: - New communications technology as it affects the experience: e-mail, instant messaging, cell phones, online games and blogs and information searches. - Important advice on personal safety and pressing concerns for parents and students in light of war, terrorism and crime. - Changes in society and family life that affect travelers: fast food replacing family meals, a new emphasis on religious beliefs, consumerism and globalism. For students going abroad, the Survival Kit is the first thing to pack!