Tag: How To’s

Don’t Disappoint Uncle Sam: Vote While You Are Abroad!

Published on by DU Abroad3 Comments

I would be genuinely surprised if anyone reading this is not aware of the presidential election coming up in November!  Whether it is the campaign signs propped up in our neighbor’s yard or the constant discussions of the candidates on the evening news, it is obvious that our entire country is preparing for that special day on November 6th; a day when every citizen will be able to exercise their right to vote for who they think will best lead our country over the next four years.  I, for one, am super excited to finally be able to have the opportunity to vote come November, as during the last presidential election I was a few months too young and so had to sit back and watch the rest of my friends head out to the polls during my senior year.  Many of you will also FINALLY be able to vote, but if you will be studying abroad during the fall of 2012, you will be having the time of your life in another country and won’t be present here to cast your vote!  But don’t worry…our government has a really awesome program called absentee voting that will allow you to vote outside the good old US of A!  Let me give you a quick rundown of the absentee voting system and how it can help with this dilemma.

Absentee voting is designed to help someone unable to attend an official polling station on Election Day to still be able to vote, and is seen as a great way to increase voter turnout and participation.  Specifically for American citizens and active military personnel who are overseas (that means YOU in a few months’ time) the U.S. government enacted the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) which provides a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot for all registered voters.  So, STEP 1 of voting abroad: register to vote here in the U.S. before you go!  Your voting residence is usually either your parent’s address or your college address (depending on your own personal preferences), so make sure you understand the requirements and processes to register in the state you choose.  The Federal Voting Assistance Program has a great resource online that gives you state-specific registration information here, as well as all the required forms to request an absentee ballot.  Once you have submitted all the necessary documents, your state’s officials will approve your request and will send you absentee ballots for each federal election that calendar year.  STEP 2: VOTE!  Make sure that while you are abroad you fill out your absentee ballot AND send it back in time to meet your state’s deadlines.

As you can see, executing your civic duty of voting while you are abroad is whole lot easier than you might have thought!  And, if for some reason you don’t get this all done before you leave for abroad, you can still do all of these steps overseas (it just takes a bit longer).  If you find yourself in that situation, contact your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in your country to get all of your questions answered and to get your ballot.  There are also tons of resources at your disposal to learn more about the candidates and what their positions are: Project Smart Vote, Democrats Abroad, and Republicans Abroad are just a few websites that will get you informed of everything politics-related if you ever feel out-of-the-loop.

It seems like you really have no excuses NOT to vote while you are studying abroad!  Just DU it and feel accomplished that YOUR voice will heard back here in the states even if you are an ocean away.

Happy voting!

Samson Eberhart, OIE Peer Advisor

The Spain Morocco trip—easier than you think!

Published on by DU AbroadLeave a comment

For those of you who will be in Europe, there’s one trip that you HAVE to take.  Head south to Africa!  When I studied in the UK, I planned a week-long trip that took me through Spain and to Morocco, and I have to tell you, it’s easier than you would think.  Here’s a step by step list of recommendations I have, which hopefully can help you plan a great trip and enjoy a once in a lifetime experience in Northern Africa.

Step 1:  Get to Southern Spain

For those of you already in Spain this will be a breeze.  Just take a bus to Algeciras or Tarifa.  These are the best port cities to travel from, but there are other options too.  If you are coming from elsewhere in Europe, train is a great option, or Ryan Air and Easy Jet (my roundtrip ticket from London to Granada was only £20!).

Step 2: Get to Morocco

Now I spent all my time in Marrakesh, so I’ll tell you how I did that.  The key is to get to Tangier first, and from there you can get anywhere in the country.

From the port cities in Spain you’ll take a short ferry trip (I remember it being about an hour, but I could be wrong!).  You can get tickets here: http://gospain.about.com/od/ferries/qt/ferries_morocco.htm

I recommend buying tickets once you get to the port, that way you’re not rushed to get there on time, but know the times available!  If you do buy at the port, buy within the port itself!  There are LOTS of little vendors everywhere outside the port building promising you lots of deals.  While a lot of these are real groups, there are also scams, so to be safe I would go ahead and buy from the port authorities themselves.  My roundtrip port ticket was €68.  It’s best to buy the roundtrip ticket all at once.  You do get a better price, and you’re guaranteed your seat on the way back!

Step 3: Getting Out of Tangier

Tangier is the main port city in Morocco for arrivals from Spain.  We didn’t spend any time staying in town.  Once you’re off the ferry, you want to get to the main train station.  The best bet is a taxi.  MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF CASH!!! We had a heart-attack moment when none of the ATMs would take our cards.  Later, we were told that it’s a scam to force you to actually trade Euros to local money changers, and not go ahead and take out Dirhams while you’re there.  Whether or not that’s true, we were really lucky that we had plenty of cash to be able to pay the taxi driver and the train tickets.  Better safe than sorry!  PS—we had no problem using the ATMS once we were in Marrakesh.

At the train station, you can book an overnight train to Marrakesh.  I recommend that you book first class—you get a private 4 bed compartment (2 bunk beds), so really it’s the safest and most comfortable option.  The good news is that the Dirham is about 8 to the dollar, so price wise it’s not bad.

Step 4: A Place to Stay and Things to Do

In Marrakesh, I recommend staying in a hotel instead of a hostel.  Generally, they are more centrally located, offer more services and cost less than the typical European hostel.  We stayed at a 3 star hotel and were right off of the central Plaza.

Things you shouldn’t miss in the city:

  • The Souks markets
  • Orange juice in the Jeema El Fna (the central Plaza).  Pick one vendor and stick with him—he can give you great tips on what to see!
  • Moroccan Baths—offered by many of the hotels, this is a traditional, full body exfoliation bath.  Kind of sauna-like, keep in mind you are totally nude with a group of other women 9I don’t know if they offer this for men) so it’s not for the shy

Some things to keep in mind: 

  • Moroccan culture is all about haggling.  Never accept the first price given to you.  Just embrace the experience and have fun trying to negotiate better prices
  • There are a LOT of European tourists, so you often get asked if you’re British.  We ran with it!
  • Women do get a lot of attention in Morocco.  However, in our group of four girls, we never felt in danger or really uncomfortable.  Just ignore it.  It’s a good plan to dress somewhat conservatively—pants, not shorts; at least 3/4 quarter length sleeves—just to avoid some unnecessary attention and to show respect, but you don’t need a headscarf. 

Well, that’s it!  Have fun and enjoy the trip!

Stephanie Roberts, OIE Graduate Peer Advisor