Police looking for father of 'Mai'

Police are hunting for the father of an abandoned toddler while the child's mother is being held at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre.

The mother of the girl, who is aged about 18 months, only found out that her child had been dumped on the doorstep of a western Sydney home after seeing media reports, a Family and Community Services spokesman said.

"The woman was alerted to the child's whereabouts after seeing media reports," the spokesman said.The doorstep where 'Mai' was found'.China Crew Visa application formThe doorstep where 'Mai' was found."Police are still hunting for the father; he has gone to ground."Fairfax Media understands the girl's parents had been involved in a dispute and the child was in the care of her fatherChina Business Visa application at the time she was dumped outside an Auburn house just before 10pm on Monday.

Auburn police superintendent, Phil Rogerson, said police interviewed the 24-year-old mother after finding her distraught."We found her on the street down the road from the police station. She was very upset so we brought her in."The woman, believed to be from China, was taken into the custody of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection after she was interviewed by police with the help of an interpreter.

It is understood she was detained because of a visa issue.A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the woman was an "unlawful non-citizen".The little girl, dubbed "Mai" by carers, would soon be returned to her mother, she said.

"[The baby] will soon return to the care of her mother in the Sydney Immigration Residential Housing while efforts are made to resolve their immigration status," the spokeswoman said.

Extra costs factor into study abroad

International travel is on the bucket list of many college students, but there are other costs besides airfare, hotels and food that students need to take into consideration when preparing to travel abroad. In order to travel internationally, a U.S. citizen must have a passport — an official document that establishes a person's identity and serves as a form of identification no matter where they find themselves in the world, according to Rebecca Laumann, study abroad director for the University of Memphis. Although the process of obtaining appropriate documentation and traveling to unknown places may seem intimidating, students can find information on how to apply for a passport on the U of M's study abroad homepage. Passport applications are also available at local post offices. According to the U.S. Passports and International Travel Bureau, prices for adult passports start at $135, while passports for minors who are 16 years old and younger range from $80 to $100. Having a passport is the first step to going abroad, but other important expenses include visas, international medical insurance and a calling card or cell phone plan. Many European countries don't require a visa as long as a person is staying 90 days or less, but some countries require it no matter the length of time. According to the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs, it costs $160 to apply for a visa. For students who need international health insurance, the U of M Study Abroad office can help students find a plan online that works for them. Through organizations like HTH Worldwide, students can obtain long-term or short-term health insurance. On HTH's website, students can get personalized quotes and purchase insurance that covers hospital care, surgery, office visits, prescription drugs and medical evacuations. Plans usually cover month by month and range from $16 to $35 a month. Many cell phone providers have international calling packages with rates that range from $10 a month with T-Mobile to $30 for 80 minutes with AT&T. Even though it may be difficult for some students to stay away from their phones, using instant messaging clients like Skype, who offers free internet calls all around the globe, can help save money when a student is budgeting in a foreign country. Carissa Hoitenga, a study abroad advisor for the U of M, answers student's questions about the process of applying for a passport as well as aiding them through the often-tedious process of doing so. "Students may want to travel abroad as a participant on a study abroad program, conduct research abroad as part of a thesis or simply to experience something new and explore the world outside of Memphis and the USA," she said. Hoitenga believes that while traveling abroad may seem intimidating when you begin the process, it's still something everyone should do once. According to her, traveling to different countries can bring a completely different aspect of culture and life to people, and, most importantly, it allows many to get out of their comfort zone.