There's a lot to think about before you travel abroad! Fortunately, the IU Libraries can help as you prepare for your trip and keep you connected and productive while you're away. |
Information on a wide variety of cultural and practical topics, such as communication styles, language, electricity, money, holiday, safety, visas, and more ...
GlobeSmart is a web-based tool that provides access to extensive knowledge on how to conduct business effectively with people from 65 countries around the world. Developed from extensive research and interviews with business people from each country, GlobeSmart content is organized into more than 50 continuously updated topics, including communicating effectively, managing people, business protocol, local business environment, and travel information.
The GlobeSmart Profile allows the exploration of preferred work styles compared with the average styles of people from other countries on five dimensions of culture.
Searchable full-text ethnographies on hundreds of ethnic, cultural, religious, and national groups worldwide.
eHRAF World Cultures is a cross-cultural database that contains information on all aspects of cultural and social life. Information is organized by cultures and ethnic groups and the full-text documents are subject-indexed at the paragraph level. Use to find information on a particular culture or cultural trait or for making cross-cultural comparisons. Includes thousands of pages of text from books, articles, and unpublished manuscripts as well as English translations of foreign texts available exclusively in HRAF.
The Indiana University online catalog.
IUCAT, Indiana University's online library catalog, provides comprehensive access to millions of items held by the IU Libraries statewide, including books, recordings, US government publications, periodicals, and other types of material. Users can access IUCAT from any Internet-connected computer or device, whether in the libraries, on campus, or off campus.
The IU Libraries offer a number of travel guides. Search Your Country Guidebooks, or Your Country travel. For example:
China guidebooks
China travel
You can also find books on language that can help you refresh your high school Spanish or teach you important phrases and social niceties like please and thank you, that go a long way toward facilitating friendly, effective interactions while you are abroad. Try searches like:
Spanish language textbook
German language textbook
We have some great media to help you learn more about the countries you'll be visiting and the languages you'll encounter.
We have Rosetta Stone programs available for several languages. See this list from the library catalog.
Check out the 24 Hours series for streaming video featuring profiles of various cities around the world.