Five Things Amanda Knox Should Have Known Before Arriving in Italy

Amanda Knox got into this huge mess while on an innocent semester abroad in Perugia, Italy, at the University for Foreigners.

It's enough of a fiasco to make me think twice about picking up and moving to a foreign land on my own for a few months. However, I've done that twice now, and, luckily, I have yet to be arrested.

With a new batch of students preparing to pack their luggage for a spring semester abroad, it's the right time to look at ongoing international issues and recent run-ins Americans have had overseas. From the extremes (like an arrest) to the less extreme (like a slight illness), here's what you need to know to stay out of trouble on your semester abroad.

1. Try to find yourself without getting lost. In one of the more notable cases of late, three Americans traveling in northern Iraq in August strayed into Iran and were taken into custody by authorities. Charged with espionage, they're still in custody, and the campaign for their release continues. It looks as if they may have crossed the border accidentally.

While your excursions abroad may not lead into war zones, you could very well end up lost in a big city and run into less-than-comfortable situations. Knowing where you are, where you're headed, and how you're getting there is crucial.

2. Preparedness -- not just a word used by FEMA. While I was studying abroad in Europe two years ago, I took a week-long trip to Cairo. I arrived with six friends and the only thing we knew in advance was where we were staying on the first night. After being swindled out of some cash, a confrontation with Egyptian police at the Cairo train station, and finally a minor taxi cab accident, we decided having a plan would have helped.

Wherever you're headed, have a plan in hand -- be sure you're set for transport, lodging, money and all the basics. The days of hitchhiking and living on a shoestring certainly sound attractive, but there's inherent risk in winging it. Better to play it safe than sorry.

3. When in Germany, check your gas gauge. Tijuana was once a top spot for the college student exploring lands south of the border, but it's also top of the list in the number of Americans arrested there on an annual basis. Also on the list? Popular study-abroad destination London. The U.S. State Department reported that in 2006, 274 U.S. citizens were arrested in London.

Become familiar with the local laws, like the one that prohibits running out of gas on the German Autobahn. London may be party central for visitors, but English laws say you can actually be arrested for being manifestly drunk inside a pub or bar. London may be safer than Tijuana, but the lesson here is that no matter where you are, you're not immune to the local legal system. Know the laws wherever you are.

4. Illness can be a headache -- even if you're not the one who's ill. When the H1N1 pandemic hit Mexico last spring, numerous students fled the country amid fears of the virus. Now, many countries have regulations regarding H1N1 vaccinations -- be sure to find out if you need the shot before you go. And even if you're on top of the rules and aren't sick, be prepared for pandemic concerns to cause you problems. Notre Dame senior Andrea Jacobson was in China when H1N1 hit, and said she immediately became a concern, simply by being a foreigner.

"By the time I left, they already had a special terminal set up for foreigners arriving from North America, where they had body-heat sensors you had to go through to see if you had fevers," Jacobson said. She was ultimately denied a visa extension to stay in the country over flu concerns, and had to pack her bags and head home ahead of schedule. You can't always avoid something like that, but be aware of concerns about illness, and have medical insurance information and proof of vaccination on hand, should you need it.

5. Know an ex-president, or just do your research. When Americans Laura Ling and Euna Lee were abducted in North Korea last March, they later ended up with the best of resources at their fingertips -- a personal rescue mission from Bill Clinton.

If you get in trouble abroad, it's unlikely that the State Department will send a former president to bail you out. But the State Department has plenty of services to offer to Americans in distress overseas. Should you get arrested, the local embassy can help you get a lawyer and make sure you know the legal process inside-out. Embassy officials can arrange to contact your family and friends, and even arrange a holiday meal for the incarcerated. Read up on what they can do for you and know how to contact the local embassy should you need to.

There are no guarantees you'll be 100 percent in the green -- Amanda Knox proves this better than anyone -- but simple precaution and awareness can go a long way toward a safe and enjoyable semester abroad.