It's Like Traveling Without Moving

How to work remotely abroad and maintain your sanity

Dana Fair, ITS Communications

Contributors:
Rita Girardi, ITS Communications
Alan Levy, ITS Information Assurance
Svetla Sytch, ITS Project Management

Planning for Takeoff

Passports and Visas

For those who hold a U.S. passport, be sure to check the document’s expiration date. Certain countries require visitors to have anywhere from six months to 30 days remaining on their passport from the time of arrival, and may also require a visa. Using the standard mail-in process, it can take eight weeks or more to renew a passport—or obtain a new one—and secure a visa.

If a valid passport is needed less than eight weeks from departure but more than three, an expedited renewal or new request by USPS mail or by visiting a passport agency is the way to go.

If the impending departure is two to three weeks away, the best option is to make an appointment at a passport agency—the Detroit office is the closest one to Ann Arbor, Dearborn, or Flint—and bring along the necessary proof of travel (ticket, receipt, etc.). And since the process is already underway, acquiring a passport card is a convenient way of maintaining international identification while one’s passport is hidden away back at the hotel, rental, or host’s home.

Note that expedited visas are dependent on the country being visited. Contact the destination country’s consulate or embassy for exact details and requirements.

Individuals with non-U.S. passports should confirm that all travel documents (visas, etc.) are in order and that returning to the U.S. will not be an issue. The U-M International Center is an excellent travel resource for U.S. and non-U.S. citizens alike.

Health and Safety

Be sure to register travel plans with Global Michigan, which will provide the latest updates regarding destination-country health, safety, and security matters.

U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance is useful if unexpected hospitalization is needed while away. What’s more, in case of political instability or natural disaster, the university will assist staff and their family members with a quick and safe evacuation back to the U.S.

For those whose health insurance is through U-M, consider downloading the Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Global Core mobile app. It will help with locating local providers, medicine equivalents, medical translations, and more.

TSA Pre✓, CLEAR, and Global Entry

All are good to have when traveling. TSA Pre✓ and CLEAR (research both to determine which would work best) allow travelers to quickly traverse the TSA check-in process for domestic or international flights without having to unpack computers or remove jackets and shoes.

Global Entry, which requires an in-person interview with TSA, expedites the return-home process. Even if seated in the back row of economy, there is nothing like sailing past all the people who fought their way off the plane first and being fast-tracked to the front of the immigration line where the agent is beckoning with the words, “Welcome home!”

Are they worth it? For TSA Pre✓ and CLEAR, the modest cost and time spent getting interviewed and approved will more than make up for time otherwise spent in long lines unpacking / undressing and repacking / re-dressing in front of total strangers. For Global Entry, it is worth it only if frequent travel is planned outside the U.S.

Is approval assured? No, but most individuals who have managed to avoid no-fly lists and arrest-worthy crimes have a pretty good chance of being approved.

University Owned vs. Personally Owned Computer

Unless one has a burning desire to lug overstuffed luggage that includes two computers, a smartphone, a tablet, noise-cancelling earphones, Bluetooth fill-in-the-blanks, and other expensive technology through breathtakingly expansive airports, up broken escalators in a mad rush around meandering families (with children crying) and weary business travelers (also crying), onto crowded trains with luggage racks that are just out of sight, past signs that read (no joke) “Computer thieves have been known to operate in this vicinity,” across wobbly pedestrian bridges, over crumbling curbs, into seen-better-days taxis or rideshares, and up to hotel rooms with (“SURPRISE!”) no safe, the optimal choice may be to travel light. A good rule of thumb: Less is always more.

Having a smartphone and one computer can provide the needed access abroad. Personal computing can be managed on a smartphone using an international calling plan and/or by alternately accessing available WiFi. What cannot be accomplished on a smartphone can be on a single computer. Chromebook is a good option, while other folks have found a tablet or iPad with keyboard to work quite well.

The real decision is regarding personal boundaries of working on a university-owned versus personally owned computer, and if travelling with both is worth the hassle of keeping each completely separate and safe.

Computer Stickers

It’s a small thing, but computer stickers with, say, a large Block M or American flag can mark one as a tourist. This could be an issue if blending with the locals for whatever reason is a priority. Not having such stickers or instead opting for an innocuous pool or loaner computer can decrease the likelihood of being pegged as a tourist and the negative implications and potential challenges that accompany it. The choice is a personal one, but nonetheless should be considered.

International Calling Plans

A good (free) text and data plan from one’s mobile phone provider is preferred. T-Mobile, for example, has an excellent international plan with free text and unlimited data in most countries. Those with a Google FI plan will likely have a seamless U.S. to destination-country experience, also with free text and unlimited data.

A Google Voice number is a great alternative, considering that local calls—treated as “long distance”—can be made for pennies when using VoIP. People back home can call directly using a U.S.-based number, or leave a voicemail.

When researching options, keep in mind that some work-related applications, such as the Duo mobile app, send text messages that are needed for verification. For services like Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Zoom, international calling plans are not as critical and rarely worth the extra investment (sorry, AT&T).

Beware that devices tethered to a computer on calling plans that are limited can consume a lot of data. For such plans, offline mode for Gmail and Google docs works notably well.

Converters and Adaptors

Speaking solely about computers and mobile devices, most will not require a power converter (one that modulates the power for a U.S. electronic device that is set to 110 Volts and 60 cycles), as they can self modulate irrespective of the country. To be certain, do a quick Google search concerning the computers and devices being taken. Regardless, an adaptor will be needed when visiting countries where U.S. plug prongs are incompatible with destination country outlets.

A single-country plug adapter will be straightforward and easy to use, as will purchasing a country-specific computer cord upon arrival to one’s destination. Travelers should note that combining a larger multi-country plug adaptor with a computer plug (especially the MacBook power adapter kind) can end up being relatively heavy and bulky. This can be problematic if charging options are limited and available outlets are either loose, so it can’t hold the weight, or somewhere confined—meaning it won’t fit into a cramped space. All of this information is just something to ponder when sorting through adaptor options.

Computer Peripherals

One cannot express the “pure joy” of arriving to a destination country with a slick fill-in-the-brand-name laptop, only to discover that the Airbnb or HomeAway unit offers wired internet connection, which oddly does not attach to the nonexistent LAN line input on that slick laptop.

For MiWorkspace machines, ITS provides dongles, so be sure to pack one just in case. As well, a HDMI-to-HDMI cable—or Chromecast if WiFi is available—can come in handy when connecting to a TV as a large computer screen. Earphones, too, are a necessity for online meetings, especially when working in public settings.

Duo Two-Factor

Duo works well while traveling abroad, particularly when using the mobile app (see “International Calling Plans” above) or a hardware token. Even if both are available, it is a best practice to download the 8-digit codes before departure and keep them up to date and handy in case technology or connectivity goes awry.

Should you hit a snag, which I did a mere 15 minutes before attending a meeting, the ITS Service Center had me up and running with time to spare.

VPN

For online security purposes, install the U-M VPN on university-owned and personally owned computers before departure and use it everywhere, even if accessing a host’s home wireless or a network that should be "safe." It’s easy, and many U-M services and sites require it.

Working After Landing

Time Zone Vertigo

Well-heeled travelers have several tricks for managing jet lag. A quick online search will churn up many suggestions. Adding remote work on top of the time change is yet another level of engagement to be managed.

The novelty of having one’s computer clock display a time several hours out of sync with the Eastern Time Zone will likely grow old fast. The issue isn’t the pleasure of sending emails to colleagues at 3:45 a.m. and asking for quick responses, but rather the mind game one has to play at being awake when everyone else is fast asleep. It is that and the fact that colleagues are going to be responding beyond one’s preferred local start or cutoff time—so payback will be coming.

Here are a few suggestions to make the whole time zone out-of-sync thing function better:

  • Hide the computer’s clock from the display, so it is not visible.
  • Change the computer’s settings to show the local time, which may be obvious, but it means the device’s internal settings may be a little weird when it’s time to switch them back later.
  • Use the Google Calendar feature that allows two or more time zones to remain visible simultaneously.
  • Place a “Telecommuting” status on one’s calendar, Slack profile, Hangout profile, etc. (and turn on the home alarm before leaving the U.S.!)
  • Block calendar times when unavailable—depending on whether the destination country is ahead of U-M or behind, decide sooner rather than later on extended early or late working hours and abide by those parameters, making exceptions only as needed.
  • Silence phones during sleep hours, unless an important call is expected. Telemarketing calls tend to come during U.S. evening hours and being awakened by a “Likely Spam” call at 2:03 a.m. is not fun.

Charged Up

It is always a good idea to keep one’s computer and phone charged, as one never knows when there will be access to a working outlet and for how long. Bringing along a fully-charged spare battery or portable power supply can be helpful when out and about, or when using GPS navigation or taking photos and video, which tends to drain battery life.

WiFi Connections

Many airports provide access to WiFi, while some public buildings and hospitals (especially those affiliated with universities) offer access to eduroam. If available, take advantage of this free and secure, high-speed WiFi network.

An alternative is to identify cafes, restaurants, hotel lobbies, or other businesses that have unlimited and free wireless. Coffee shop chains—such as Caffé Nero, Costa Coffee, illy Caffé, McCafé, or Starbucks—can be an easy go-to and allow for a diversity of locations and surroundings while getting work done. Just remember to use VPN!

Videoconferencing

Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Zoom are great with VPN. When using, consider what is in the background when the camera is on, as it can be challenging for colleagues if Palm trees and sandy beaches are displaying and Michigan is in the middle of a snowstorm. 

Where Extra Planning Is Needed

It should be noted that some countries, like Russia and China, require foreign travelers, upon arrival to the destination city, to take their passport/visa and check in with the local authorities. A trusted host alternatively can handle this process for their foreign-traveler guests. If overnight or extended travel to other municipalities within the same country is on the docket, the check-in process needs to be repeated upon arrival to all subsequent cities and towns.

Alas, working remotely in countries such as China can be challenging because the government limits access to services like G Suite and discourages using VPN. For embargoed countries—specifically Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and the Crimea region of Ukraine—working there can be especially difficult given the various restrictions. For instance, the Duo mobile app and hardware tokens are encryption items subject to U.S. export control regulations. This means the mobile app must be uninstalled and hardware token stored safely outside these countries before entering them.

The best way to manage working in countries like these is to visit Travel Safely with Technology on U-M’s Safe Computing website, check out the U-M Export Control Program’s Tools of Trade License Exception for country-specific guidance, and connect with colleagues who have experience doing so.

Returning Home and Closing Thoughts

Cache Out

Online searches that reveal destination-country restaurants, shops, and activities can be interesting and fun, but not so much after returning home and similar ones keep popping up over the ensuing days and weeks. When the return flight leaves for home, clear the browser's cache, which will help with the transition and reentry back to the U.S.

Password Change

While no longer required on an annual basis because of the Duo implementation and U-M’s alignment with National Institute of Standards and Technology, changing one’s passwords should occur before leaving the U.S. and once again upon returning home. The folks in U-M’s Information Assurance recommend it.

Finally

Using best online safety practices and common sense increases the likelihood of a positive working remotely abroad experience for you and your back-at-home colleagues who, despite possibly being a little jealous, will be counting on your continued virtual presence and thoughtful contributions. Do your best, and be sure to have a safe and enjoyable work-travel adventure.

(Article revised: April 30, 2021)

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