Securing living arrangements abroad may be
particularly challenging depending on the researcher’s
specific situation. S.B. and S.I. were able to arrange
housing ahead of time with the help of their host program
and contacts through colleagues. In other cases,
it may be necessary to arrive in the country and verify
that the housing actually exists, is as advertised, and is
in a safe and convenient location before agreeing to
any financial transaction. V.L. was advised to find
living arrangements after arriving in the country and
had a particularly difficult time. This resulted in a
longer than anticipated hotel stay, which impacted her
planned budget. After about a month, V.L. found a safe
and convenient room to rent through intensive
networking. Travel guides, trusted local contacts, and
online resources, such as CouchSurfing.com or
ex-patriot Facebook pages, can identify safe areas of
town, potential roommates, and available apartments.
Renting a room in a family home is an option to