Basic Health and Safety

In this section, you will find information on how to stay well while in China and while traveling to other countries. The process of wellness starts before you go abroad with a visit to your doctor. You may need to get inoculations to protect you from various illnesses before traveling. You will also learn some tips about food and water safety.

• What to Know about China: Learn all you can about the health and safety issues of China and the countries you plan to visit. This includes reading about the cultural and political climate of those countries, as well as learning about how others view people from your country, race, ethnic group, religion, gender and sexual orientation.
• Illnesses, Diseases, and Inoculations: Find out about the various illnesses that might be more common in China or the regions and countries to which you will be traveling. Get the appropriate shots and pills, and take the appropriate medications with you if your doctor thinks it's necessary. Find out about any potential side-effects of shots and pills that you may take. For more information on illnesses that may be prevalent in China, please see the CDC link in the Resources section of this Handbook.
• Physicals and Check-ups: Get a complete physical, eye exam and dental check-up before going to China. The quality of dental and medical care might be different in the various countries or regions you may visit. Also, care could possibly be more expensive than in the United States, or your health insurance may not cover your medical care abroad as well as in the U.S.
• Can You Drink the Water?: Find out if water is generally safe to drink in different regions of China and in the countries to which you will be traveling. To avoid risk, many travelers drink bottled water. Remember that ice can also be unsafe, as well as the water you use to brush your teeth.
• Food Safety: Poor refrigeration, undercooked meat, and roadside/outdoor vendors could pose problems related to food contamination. If you get diarrhea or food poisoning, remember to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. As with any illness, consider seeing a doctor if your condition worsens. Give your body time to adjust to new types of foods you will be eating.
• Laws and Codes of Conduct: Make yourself aware of both the rules and regulations of your study abroad program sponsor, and the local laws and customs of China and the countries which you will be visiting. Understand that you will not only have to conform to the legal system of China, but also obey the codes of conduct required of program participants. Also recognize that certain laws may vary from region to region or even city to city.
• Embassy Registration: Americans who are not staying in hotels (i.e. with friends or family, in an apartment or homestay) must register with the local Chinese police. All U.S. visitors to China are strongly encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy or closest U.S. consulate to their destination in China.
• Mental and Physical Health: Consider your own mental and physical health issues when applying for a study abroad program, and make all your necessary health information available to your program's administrators so they can assist you with any special needs, or advise you on the risks you might face. Study abroad may include both physical and mental challenges for students, so make sure you establish a support network of program administrators, family and friends who can help you.
• Prescriptions: It can be quite difficult to obtain even common, over-the-counter medications found in Western pharmacies. Do not count on being able to fill your prescription in rural China, let alone some major cities. Get a doctor's signed prescription for any medication you have to bring with you to China. Some prescriptions may need to be translated into Chinese if you wish to fill them in China. Also include a copy of your prescription for your glasses or contact lenses. Bring an extra pair of glasses.
• First-Aid Kit: Consider a well-stocked first-aid kit as a first line of defense. Some items to include are: sunscreen, bandages, flashlight, sterile pads, insect repellent, adhesive tape, aspirin, antacid, anti-diarrhea tablets, anti-malarial medication, extra bottled water, feminine protection, condoms, rubber gloves, etc.
• Fitness and Exercise: Try to get fit in the time you have before departing for China. A healthy body can help you fight off illness and recover faster if you do get sick. Even though it may be harder to follow a structured workout routine, try to stay fit while in China. Exercise also helps to increase energy levels and combat depression.
• Walking: Get a good pair of comfortable walking shoes. Without access to a car or public transportation in China, you may have to do quite a bit of walking. Break in your shoes before you go.
• Emergency Contacts: Keep your program staff and your emergency contacts at home and in China well informed of your whereabouts and activities, and provide these people with copies of your important travel documents (i.e. passport, visa, plane tickets, traveler's checks, and prescriptions, etc.).
• Air Travel: When you travel by air, drink a lot of non-alcoholic fluids, stay away from caffeine, eat light, and stretch often to avoid jetlag. Many airlines are now required to show an in-flight video of stretching exercises you can do on the plane in order to avoid the potential formation of blood clots, which can be caused by cabin pressure. A direct flight is usually easier for most travelers, but flights broken up by stops can also lessen jet lag.
• Transportation: Accidents involving in-country travel, whether by air, bus, train, taxi, car, etc., are a major cause of injury to students abroad. It is important to understand what the safe modes of travel are in China and in the countries to which you plan to travel. For more information on transportation in China, please visit the U.S. Department of State.

  • Bus: Long-distance busses are one of the best ways to travel, as they run frequently and provide low fares. Be advised that many roads and villages in Tibet, Qinghai, parts of Xinjiang, and western Sichuan are at high altitudes over 10,000 feet. You may wish to ask your doctor for advance about altitude sickness, allow time for yourself to acclimate to higher altitude, and beware of signs of altitude sickness.
  • Boats: There are a number of short and extended cruises offered down the Yangzi River. You can also take a boat from Hong Kong to mainland or vice versa.
  • Train/Metro: Metro systems are located in four major Chinese cities: Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Tianjin. Shanghai is 15 hours from Beijing by train. A train from Beijing to Hong Kong takes 30 hours, but to fly the same distance would be as expensive as flying from the west coast of the United States to Hong Kong!
  • Bicycles: With over 300 million on the streets, bicycles are an integral part of transportation in China. They prove to be the most reliable and cheapest form of inner-city transport. Trains are another good travel option. Train travel is fast and safe, with routes that extend into every province except Tibet.
  • Air: Within China, air travel can be expensive. Flying from Beijing to Hong Kong can be as expensive as flying from the west coast of the United States to Hong Kong. The national airlines of China are Air China and Cathay Pacific for Hong Kong. There is an airport tax of 90 Yuan payable in local currency only to leave the country, and a 50 Yuan airport tax for all domestic flights.
  • Cars (Driving): Foreigners are rarely granted permission to drive in China. However, foreigners with a residency permit can apply for a Chinese license, but they are urged to avoid such potential liability by hiring a local driver instead. You should obtain full coverage insurance when driving in China. If a driver is involved in a vehicle accident resulting in damages or injuries to another party, the driver may be arrested and detained by Chinese authorities until a settlement is arranged with the injured party. Furthermore, depending upon the extent of damages or injuries to the other party, you may face charges filed by the Chinese judicial authorities.
  • Taxis: Taxis can only be found in major cities. Make sure you ask the driver to turn on the meter, or at least negotiate a fare before you arrive at your destination. Cab fares are not standardized and therefore vary widely. Tourists are advised to pay with small bills and exact change, as taxi drivers have been known to give tourists their change in large bills that are counterfeit currency. Motorcycle taxis and “pedicabs” (in which you are carried in a carriage by your running "driver") are much more common.
• Alcohol and Drugs: Use and abuse of alcohol and drugs abroad can increase the risk of accident and injury. Many study abroad accidents and injuries are related to the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs abroad. Violating drug laws in China may result in very serious consequences. In some countries you may visit, being found guilty of violating drug laws can result in consequences as serious as death.

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