What may appear to be a tropical paradise can quickly become a nightmare.
This is the message the U.S. State Department is trying to make clear to students who plan to vacation in foreign countries next week.
Anyda Budig, press officer for the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, said some students come to foreign countries with the wrong attitude.
"Many students come to foreign countries, especially Mexico, the Bahamas and islands in the Caribbean, with the belief that it is more laid-back than the United States and any type of conduct, no matter how inappropriate, will be overlooked by the local authorities," Budig said. "This isn't true. If the behavior is out of line you can get thrown in jail."
The State Department reported this year that more than 2,000 American citizens are arrested abroad every year. Arrests for violating local laws regarding the use of alcohol in public and the behavior associated with it account for many of those incidents, the report stated.
Some students said horror stories and disturbing statistics made them willing to play it safe while vacationing abroad.
"I want to have fun but it's not worth killing myself over it. Last year a girl got hit by a bus and was in a coma (while during spring break). You have to be on guard when you're in potentially dangerous situations," LSA first-year student Michael Brown said. "It's not hard to let loose and be out of harm's way at the same time."
But Budig said many vacationing Americans don't follow Brown's cautious lead.
"It doesn't take much to get thrown in jail," Budig said. "In the past, American college students have been arrested for being intoxicated in public areas, carrying illegal narcotics or plain rowdiness."
"The harsh truth is that anyone suspected of drug violations can face severe penalties, even the death penalty in some foreign countries," Budig said. "It's not uncommon to spend months or even years in pre-trial detention, only to be sentenced to a lengthy prison stay without parole in a foreign jail."
Brandon Vernon, manager of Spring Break Travel company, said he tries to warn all the students of the potential danger in foreign countries.
"We make sure to tell all the students if they act like idiots they are going to get in a lot of trouble," Vernon said. "We also send them a full disclosure form telling them of what to be aware of when they travel to popular vacation spots like Cancun and Tiajuana."
Budig said the Consular Office is limited in what they can do for a student being held in police custody.
"We can't do much because it's not our jurisdiction - once you leave U.S. soil, U.S. laws and constitutional rights no longer apply," Budig said. "Unlike the United States, few countries believe you are innocent until proven guilty."
But Budig said the U.S. government is not totally powerless to aid Americans in hot water abroad.
"We can, however, intercede with local authorities to make sure that your rights under local law are fully observed and that your are treated humanely, according to internationally accepted standards," Budig said.
LSA sophomore Josh Webber, who is traveling to Tiajuana, Mexico with his friends, said he plans to play it safe.
"I went up a couple of years ago and it was a lot of fun. It's a popular place to go because you don't get hassled over the drinking age," Webber said. "It was a little crazy last year. A bunch of students got into a big brawl in one of the local bars. They left before the cops got there."
LSA first-year student Julie Munchmeyer, who is going to the Bahamas during spring break, said it's important for students to know where they are staying.
"A friend and I went up last year without really knowing what the hotel conditions were going to be like," Munchmeyer said. "When we got there we saw things crawling on the floor, water that was discolored and beds with dirty sheets."
Munchmeyer said she learned the hard way that outside of the United States refunds on unacceptable accommodations are not readily available.
"We left for another hotel and tried to get a refund, but we were out $200 and we had to go stay in another hotel. It was a disaster."