海外通知書飄然而至,出行之前需要做的工作

For college grads with an offer from a British university, August marks the final month of preparing to emerge into a whole new linguistic and cultural context. Apart from routine tasks such as applying for a visa and buying flight tickets, there are some other important tasks that students need to finish before setting off in order to have a smooth ride in their host country.
對於收到英國大學錄取通知的大學畢業生來說，剛剛過去的八月，他們正抓緊時間爲進入一個全新的語言文化環境做最後的準備。爲了保證在異國他鄉一切順利，出國之前，除了申請簽證和購買機票這樣的例行公事之外，留學生們還有其他的一些重要“功課”要做。
Finance
資金方面
Currency differences and related regulation mean it’s important to consider how to bring money into the destination country. The most common solutions are taking cash, or using bank drafts, traveler’s cheques, wire transfers and credit cards.
貨幣不同以及相關規定，意味着你要着重考慮如何把錢帶到目的國。最常見的方法就是攜帶現金或者使用銀行匯票、旅行支票、電匯和信用卡。

These solutions all involve exchanging RMB into a foreign currency, therefore professionals suggest that students follow their target currency’s exchange rate in order to get a better price.
以上這些方法都需要你將人民幣兌換成外幣，因此專業人士建議學生們留意外幣匯率，以便以較低的價格買進。
“Timing is important when buying a foreign currency,” Qiu Di, director of the fortune management center at a Beijing-based local branch of the Bank of China, told Xiaoxiang Morning Herald.
來自中國銀行北京支行的資產管理中心主任丘迪（音譯）在接受《瀟湘晨報》訪問時表示：“兌換外幣的時機十分重要。”
For example, if the exchange rate of the RMB against the US dollar is going up, it’s wise to buy US dollars as late as possible, and vice versa. Some smartphone applications can help students follow the trend.

例如，如果人民幣對美元匯率走高，兌換美元越晚越好，如果人民幣對美元匯率走低，就要儘早兌換美元。一些智能手機的應用軟件也可以幫助學生密切注意匯率走勢。

Qiu suggests students start checking the exchange rate six months ahead of their departure date. If the exchange rate fluctuates and students aren’t sure about its trend, “they should exchange several times to minimize the risk,” he said.
丘迪建議留學生們在出發前，要提前半年開始關注匯率。如果匯率浮動，無法確定其走勢，那麼“他們就應分次兌換，以使風險最小化。”
After choosing the best time comes selecting the best place. Though the People’s Bank of China sets the exchange rate, different banks offer slightly different rates, so it’s best to compare them before making a purchase.
擇時之後便要擇地了。儘管匯率由中國人民銀行統一制定，但不同銀行之間的匯率也會有細微差別，因此最好還是在出手之前“貨比三家”。

Taking the money abroad is another tricky task. Although taking it in cash seems to be the easiest way, it’s neither safe nor practical. According to Chinese law, anyone going abroad can carry no more than the equivalent of 5,000 US dollars in foreign currency without permission.
攜帶現金出境則是另一件棘手的事。儘管攜帶現金看似最簡便，但是這樣既不安全也不實用。根據我國法律，出境人員未經許可不得攜帶超過等值五千美金以上的外幣。
Therefore, professionals recommend that students incorporate several solutions: Bring cash that covers the living costs for the first several weeks, use a bank draft, traveler’s cheques or a wire transfer to pay for the tuition fees, and take a credit card in case of an emergency.
因此，專業人士建議學生綜合多種方法：攜帶足以維持前幾周生活費的現金，以銀行匯票、旅行支票或電匯的方式支付學費，帶上信用卡以防萬一。

Study
學習方面
In order to graduate with a preferable mark, students need to be well prepared academically. According to the British Council, courses in the UK are often in the form of lectures, seminars and tutorials. This approach to teaching allows students to absorb new knowledge and discuss ideas with the professor or their peers.
爲了以優異成績畢業，學生在學業方面需要準備充分。據英國大使館文化教育處透露，英國的授課方式通常包括課堂授課、研討班以及輔導課。這種教學方法可以讓學生有機會吸收新知識，並與教授或同學交流觀點。
Chinese students, however, many of whom are only familiar with lectures, tend to neglect the importance of seminars and tutorials. They don’t actively participate in seminar discussions and don’t make full use of the tutorials. “What they don’t know is that daily performance often makes up as much as 40 percent of a student’s final score. This is largely determined by students’ performance in seminars and the outcome of tutorial sessions,” said Lin Ying, manager of the UK department at Beijing JJL Overseas Education Consulting and Services Co Ltd.
而許多中國學生只熟悉面授這種授課形式，因此忽視了研討班和輔導課的重要性。他們參與研討班討論的積極性不高，也沒有充分利用輔導課。北京金吉列出國留學諮詢服務有限公司英國部經理林穎（音譯）說道：“學生們還不知道，日常表現通常佔據學生最終成績的百分之四十，這點很大程度上由學生在研討班的表現以及輔導課成果來決定。”

Packing
行李方面
Packing is always a tough task for people who are going to travel far. This is especially true for students, since they are going to live in a foreign country.
收拾行囊對於遠行之人來說總是件頭疼的事。對於留學生尤爲如此，因爲他們即將開始異國生活。
Many overseas education agencies provide a list of things students should bring to their destination country. Though these vary, they all mention that important documents should be kept in carry-on luggage. Students should also keep several copies of these documents in their check-in luggage.
很多留學機構都爲留學生提供了一份行李清單。儘管內容各異，但都不約而同地提到了重要文件應放在手提行李中這點。學生們還應將這些文件的複印件放到托運行李中。

Other things students should take with them are any personal electronic devices, some clothes and shoes, and medicine. The British Council strongly recommends students take a list of emergency contacts and a list of everything they bring with them, just in case they get lost or lose their luggage.
其他的行李包括電子設備、衣物、鞋子和藥品。英國大使館文化教育處強烈建議學生列出緊急聯絡電話和所攜帶物品完整清單，以防迷路或行李丟失等不時之需。
Many students wonder if they should bring cooking devices with them, such as rice cookers and knives, for example. Lin Ying, manager of the UK department at Beijing JJL Overseas Education Consulting and Services Co Ltd, says students should buy these things after they arrive in the destination country. “It is easy to buy these things in British supermarkets. Besides, students can always buy second-hand cooking devices from their upperclassmen,” she said.
很多學生想知道自己是否應該攜帶電飯鍋、菜刀等廚具。北京金吉列出國留學諮詢服務有限公司英國部經理林穎表示，學生應在抵達目的國後購買這些物品。她還說:“英國超市裏，這些物品都是很容易買到的。除此之外，學生們總能夠從學長那裏購買二手廚具。”

Accommodation
住宿方面
There are two common accommodation options, namely university accommodation and private accommodation.
通常有兩種住宿供選擇，即大學宿舍和自己租房。
If your course lasts for more than one year, you will be eligible for the former. If you apply in advance, the university will offer you a bedroom in a hall of residence, which has a member of staff living on the premises. Normally, the bedroom consists of a bed, desk, bookshelves and sometimes a sink. Other facilities, such as the kitchen and bathroom, are shared with the other tenants. Most halls have a lounge or a common room where students can chat and watch TV together.
如果你的學業要持續一年以上，那麼就可以申請大學宿舍。如果提前申請，學校會分給你一間位於學生公寓的房間。這個房間通常配有一張牀、一張書桌、書架，有時還設有盥洗室。你需要與室友共用廚房和浴室等其他設施。多數宿舍樓設有休息室或是公共休息室，以供學生聚在一起聊天，看電視。

If you’re not eligible for university accommodation or you prefer a more cost effective solution, you can choose private accommodation. Students can get “to let” information from the university welfare office, adverts around campus or on the Internet, and local estate agents. If you plan to rent, think about the utility costs, such as gas electricity and water, before you pay the deposit and sign the contract. According to Chen Jianqian, senior consultant at Amber Education, these costs can be high but are often overlooked by students.
如果你無法申請大學宿舍，或者追求更經濟的住宿方式，那麼你可以選擇租房。學生可從大學後勤辦公室、校內廣告、網上或是當地房屋中介這些地方獲取招租信息。如果你打算租房，應在交定金、籤合同之前考慮一下水電等公共設施費用。琥珀教育集團高級顧問陳倩倩（音譯）表示，這些費用有時很高，卻經常被學生忽視。
Chen suggests students take photos of the accommodation before they move in. “There have been cases in which landlords charged students for not maintaining their accommodation properly, but because the students didn’t take photos they couldn’t refute the claims,” she said.
陳倩倩建議學生在入住之前拍照留存。她說：“有些情況下，房東會以學生沒有保持房況爲由收取費用，但是由於學生沒有拍照留證，因此百口莫辯。”