Heatwaves and prolonged excess heat conditions are increasing in frequency, duration, intensity, and magnitude due to climate change. Extreme heat conditions can cause cumulative stress on the human body and disrupt the delivery of important resources like water and electricity. Excessive temperatures can significantly impact traveler health and safety, exacerbate existing health issues, and increase the risk of dehydration and heat-related illnesses. This podcast and the associated resources will help you think about how you can best cope with extreme heat conditions and plan for a safe and healthy trip.

References and resources from the podcast are listed below:

• ISSD Preparing for Extreme Heat
• American Red Cross - "Extreme Heat Safety"
• Ready.gov - "Extreme Heat"
• National Weather Service - "Heat Cramps, Exhaustion, Stroke"
• National Weather Service - "Heat Safety"
• Yale Medicine - "How To Stay Safe in Extreme Heat: 11 Things To Know"
• UNICEF - "Heatwave Safety Tips"
• CDC - "Preventing Heat-Related Illness"
• FEMA - "Extreme Heat"
• CDC - "Extreme Heat and Your Health"
• CDC - "Symptoms of Heat-Related Illness"
• Ready.gov - "Be Prepared for Extreme Heat"
• Cleveland Clinic - "Heat Illness"
• CDC - "Heat Stress – Heat-Related Illness"
• Mayo Clinic - "Heat Exhaustion"
• Mayo Clinic - "Heat Stroke"
• Mayo Clinic - "Safety tips to prevent heat-related illness"
• Mayo Clinic - "Hydration in the heat"
• Mayo Clinic - "Mayo Clinic Minute: Heat exhaustion and heatstroke"
• Johns Hopkins Medicine - "Heat-Related Illnesses (Heat Cramps, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke)"

In today's episode, we are talking about Ecuador and the Peace Corps with Hannah Bennett, the UW-Madison Peace Corps Representative. Hannah served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the agriculture sector in Ecuador from 2004-2006. After that, she worked as a farmer in southern Minnesota and in management at a food co-op in Minneapolis. She earned an MFA in Design Studies from the School of Human Ecology at UW-Madison in 2017 and has been working as an independent artist and Art Department Lecturer at UW-Madison. She is originally from central Kansas and has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas.

UW-Madison students interested in Peace Corps can contact Hannah at [email protected]. 

References and resources from the podcast are listed below:

• Art Show Featuring Hannah's Peace Corp Related Art
• Hannah's Website Featuring Her Art 
• Peace Corps Website 
• Peace Corps Volunteer Openings 
• Peace Corps at UW-Madison Website
• Website for the Area of Ecuador where Hannah Served in the Peace Corps
• U.S. Department of State Ecuador Travel Advisory
• OSAC Ecuador Country Security Report
• UW-Madison Ecuador Study Abroad Programs

Device and data security affects everyone, no matter their travel destination.  Having your bank account hacked, your phone stolen, or your computer compromised can ruin a trip and put you in a difficult situation. The information in this podcast will help you protect your personal information, maintain online privacy, and ensure you have access to the technology, apps, and accounts you need to have a safe and productive trip.

References and resources from the podcast are listed below:

• U.S. State Department Travel Advisories
• CISA.gov - "4 Things You Can Do To Keep Yourself Cyber Safe"
• CISA.gov - "Cybersecurity While Traveling Tip Card"
• CISA.gov - "Protecting Portable Devices: Data Security"
• FCC.gov - "Cybersecurity Tips for International Travelers"
• Mcafee - "How to Keep Your Data & Devices Safe While Traveling"
• National Geographic - "Practical tips for protecting your data while traveling"
• Kaspersky - "What is VPN? How It Works, Types of VPN"
• CBS News - "Apple's Stolen Device Protection feature is now live. Here's how it can help protect your iPhone."
• Apple - "About Stolen Device Protection for iPhone"
• Apple - "About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch"
• Apple - "Apple Platform Security"
• Apple - "Two-factor authentication for Apple ID"
• Apple - "Use the built-in privacy and security protections of iPhone"
• Apple - "Privacy"
• Android - "Find, lock, or erase your lost Android device"
• Android - "Help prevent others from using your device without permission"
• Android - "Mobile device security and data protection"
• Windows - "Device encryption in Windows"
• Microsoft - "Microsoft security help & learning"
• Google - "Safety Center"
• Google - "Turn on 2-Step Verification"

In today’s episode, we talk about some basic safety and security considerations when using taxis, rideshares, and public transportation to travel locally while at your destination.  Statistically, road travel is one of the most dangerous activities a person can do when traveling overseas, and public transportation is a common target for crime. This episode will give you a few things to consider before you call that taxi, reserve that rideshare, or hop on the train.

References and resources from the podcast are listed below:

• U.S. Department of State - "Travel Advisories"
• OSAC - "Crime and Safety/Security Reports"
• U.S. Department of State - "911 Abroad"
• U.S. Department of State - "Driving and Road Safety Abroad"
• British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) - "Foreign Travel Advice"
• Government of Canada - "Travel Advice and Advisories by Destination"
• Australia Smarttraveller - "Destinations"
• Australia Smarttraveller - "Public Transportation"
• Rick Steves Europe - "How to Handle Strikes in Europe"
• CDC Yellow Book - "Road and Traffic Safety"
• CDC Advice to Travelers - "Road Safety" 
• CDC - "Global Road Safety" 
• CDC - "Policy Impact: Seatbelts"
• Association for Safe International Road Travel 
• United Nations - "Road Safety Strategy"
• United Nations - "Road Safety"
• World Health Organization - "Few countries have road safety laws addressing all five key risk factors"
• OSAC Off-Road and Remote Travel Safety

In today's episode, we discuss Florence, Italy, with Meg Langie, the Associate Director for Program Management at UW-Madison's International Academic Programs (IAP). IAP is a unit of the International Division and the central study abroad office at UW-Madison. IAP collaborates with academic units across campus to offer safe, accessible, and high-quality study abroad, domestic study away, and international internship opportunities that foster UW-Madison students’ academic, personal, and professional growth. 

Meg has a BS in Communication Studies from UW-River Falls and an MA in Communication Research from Bowling Green State University. During undergraduate and graduate school, Meg studied abroad in multiple locations including Florence. Tune into this episode to learn about Meg's experiences in Italy and how studying abroad helped shape her academic and career goals.

References and resources from the podcast are listed below:

• UW-Madison Study Abroad - Italy Programs
• UW-Madison Major Advising Page - Italian
• Tips to Prevent Mosquito Bites - EPA
• Florence Local Government Travel Website
• Florence - Rick Steves' Europe
• Florentine Art History - The Met
• Florence Travel Guide - U.S. News and World Report
• Florence Travel Guide - National Geographic
• ISSD Petty Crime and Theft Tips

In today’s episode, we'll talk briefly about tropical storms and how you can plan and prepare for them while traveling abroad. “Tropical storms” is a broad term that encompasses hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones. Every traveler should be aware of tropical storms and plan and prepare for their impacts because they can impact destinations all over the world, including inland areas. This podcast is just a basic overview of tropical storms, so make sure you read through the resources below so you can be informed and ready!

References and resources from the podcast are listed below:

• Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
• National Weather Service - National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center
• U.S. Department of Defense - Joint Typhoon Warning Center
• UW-Madison International Safety and Security Director - "Preparing for Tropical Storms"
• National Weather Service - "What to Do Before the Tropical Storm or Hurricane"
• CDC - "Food and Water Needs: Preparing for a Disaster or Emergency"
• CDC - "Stay Safe After a Hurricane or Other Tropical Storm"
• CDC - "Preparing for Hurricanes and Other Tropical Storms"
• U.S. Department of State - "Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones"
• U.S. Department of State - "Crisis Abroad: Be Ready"
• Ready.gov - "Hurricanes" 
• Ready.gov - "Build a Kit"
• Ready.gov - "Food" 
• Ready.gov - "Water"
• CDC - "Food and Water Needs: Preparing for a Disaster or Emergency"
• Ready.gov - "Evacuation"
• Ready.gov - "Shelter"
• American Red Cross - "Hurricane Safety"

In today's episode, we discuss traveling in Austria with Mia, a UW-Madison undergraduate student who is studying international studies with an emphasis on global security and political science. Mia recently studied abroad in Vienna, Austria, with one of our International Division's programs. She shares some of her experiences from Vienna and provides insights for future travelers who may be interested in studying abroad in Austria or Europe.

References and resources from the podcast are listed below:

• UW-Madison Study Abroad Programs in Austria
• IES Study Abroad in Vienna
• Duolingo
• U.S. State Department, Austria Travel Advisory 
• U.S. State Department Guidance - "Women Travelers" 
• Austrian Government - "Official Travel Portal"
• Rick Steves' Europe - "Austria"
• Visiting Vienna - "The Käsekrainer sausage"

In today’s episode, we discuss geo-tagging, social media, and a few safety tips you should consider when sharing pictures while traveling. When we share pictures of our travels, we are sharing a lot of information, even if we don’t realize it. While sharing your travel experiences through social media is an enjoyable and important part of going abroad, sharing too much information about yourself, your trip, or your location can be a problem. This episode will give you a few things to think about before you share that next picture.

References and resources from the podcast are listed below:

• CISA.gov - "4 Things You Can Do To Keep Yourself Cyber Safe"
• Google - Changing your camera location settings page
• National Geographic - " When not to geotag while traveling"
• Air Force Academy - "Geotagging Safety"
• Mcafee - "Why You Should Think Before Geotagging that Selfie"
• USAToday - "How do I hide my location when sharing photos? Tips to secure privacy"
• 60 Minutes - "How Bellingcat trains journalists and investigators"
• Bellingcat - Geolocation page
• Vox - "What happens when nature goes viral?"

 A power outage refers to the complete or partial loss of electrical power in a specific area or across a broader region. They often occur when the supply of electricity to homes, businesses, or infrastructure is disrupted or interrupted. Power outages can and will happen when you're overseas, particularly if you're in a developing area or a region that is heavily affected by climate change. Today’s episode will cover power outages and how to plan for and respond to them while you’re traveling.   

The impact of power outages can range from minor inconveniences to significant and prolonged threats to your health and safety. Many travelers probably do not think about how outages can affect them while they’re traveling, especially when they’re traveling internationally. Hopefully, this podcast will change that.

References and resources from the podcast are listed below:

• Ready.gov, Planning for Water
• Ready.gov, Planning for Food
• U.S. Mission in South Africa Message on Sustained Power Outages
• Ready.gov, Power Outages
• CDC, Power Outages 
• American Red Cross, Power Outage Safety
• 10-hour blackouts: What is behind the South Africa's energy crisis? | DW News (YouTube)
• Ready.gov, How to Build an Emergency Kit
• U.S. State Department Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
• Eskom (South Africa) Municipal Load Shedding Schedule

In today's episode, we discuss traveling in Vietnam with Nathaniel Liedl, an Intern Abroad Advisor and Program Manager with UW-Madison's International Internship Program. In his role, Nathaniel cultivates and advises UW-Madison students on internships in Asia and Africa. From 2009 to 2011, he lived in Vietnam teaching English and reporting on food and drink, travel, and culture for an English language magazine.

Nathaniel holds a BA in Journalism from UW-Madison and a Master’s degree in Education from Edgewood College. After his undergraduate, he worked as an editor, reporter, and photographer for a newspaper in Southern California before moving to Vietnam.  After returning to Madison, and taught English and literature at DeForest Area High School for five years before joining the International Internship Program in the fall of 2019.

References and resources from the podcast are listed below:

• UW-Madison International Internship Program
• Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
• CELTA Course
• Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam
• Ban Xheo - The New York Times
• The Best Clothing for Humidity and Hot Weather - REI
• Keep Cool in Hot Weather - CDC
• Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness - CDC
• Extreme Heat - Ready.gov
• Be Prepared for Extreme Heat - Ready.gov
• Traveler's Diarrhea - CDC
• Food and Drink Considerations When Traveling - CDC
• Vietnamese Food - CNN