It’s always useful to have some idea of what to expect when you plan on traveling or living abroad. Basing your expectations on what you see on TV or in films, though, probably isn’t the way to go. (Just see a film based in your own country and see how realistic it is!)

Arab News reports that the Saudi government is taking steps to prepare students studying abroad on scholarships. This is a good idea, depending on how it’s implemented, as the difference between Saudi society and its expectations and its ‘understoods’ is quite different from those of the countries to which they’ll travel.

BTW, the US Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia offered cultural preparation courses several times a year. Those stopped when the Student Advisors positions were vacated due to the level of terrorist activity in the Kingdom. Someday, they hope to return.

Saudi Students Taught How to Behave in Host Countries
Lulwa Shalhoub, Arab News

JEDDAH, 27 January 2008 — Over 3,000 students from Jeddah, who are going abroad as part of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program, which is in its third year, attended a four-day orientation course offering them educational tips and how to behave in their host countries.

The course, which took place at the Jeddah Hilton Hotel and was attended by 3,240 young men and women, ended on Friday. Countries where the students will be going include: Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, the US, the UK, France, Hungary and Holland.

Students attended workshops, which provided them with knowledge about their destined countries. “Students going to study abroad, especially in the UK, have to try hard to adapt not only to the environment of the countries, but to adjust to meet the high standards of the universities they are going to,” said Dr. Abdullah Al-Nasser.
…