After months of trying and finally succeeding in procuring seats in universities abroad, it is now time to focus on the actual preparations for departure. This is the time that students are bogged down by various queries and doubts. Students often get confused and some even feel desperate, as well-meaning suggestions and advice pour in from all sides. Help is now at hand in the form of pre-departure meetings.

At these meetings students get answers for all queries ranging from travel, accommodation, food, weather, clothing, insurance, and local transport to culture and academics. Even country-specific doubts are cleared. These orientation meetings are extremely useful and help students equip themselves for a completely new and exciting experience.

General information is available online and most students equip themselves well. Also social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter and various blogs offer students correct information. However, students attend these briefings with the aim of networking. Networking is very useful as it not only provides students opportunities to travel to other cities or countries but also helps them to do internships in other countries. Students also get to meet alumni and students who are traveling to various countries.

Study in Holland, Chennai, for example, is an agency that arranges for students currently studying in Holland and vacationing in India to address the students. The main aim is to help new students familiarize themselves with the culture of the new country. Campus France is another such agency that helps students traveling to France. Students are briefed about classroom experience, examination, and evaluation. A dinner was also organized to help students learn about table manners and food habits in France. There are other similar agencies such as Immer Besser and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Chennai.

Pre-departure briefings also bring up various problems faced by Indian students. Indian students going abroad are usually concerned about how they would perform academically in a foreign university. Indian students are for the most part strong in theory, but they need more experience in areas of application.  These meetings help prepare the students by communicating the expectations of the universities to them and by informing them of the importance of adhering to the rules and regulations of the universities. Students are also encouraged to interact with local students and those from other countries. This will help them to deal with a multicultural population and later a global career.

Interaction with overseas students will inspire more students from around the world to visit India either as tourists or as interns. This will enrich the intercultural experience of both sets of students and pave the way for international success.