How to survive (and thrive in) your research stay abroad

During the course of your academic research you will most likely spend some time working in institutions other than the one where you are enrolled. Varying from two weeks up to a year in length, research stays or secondments are an opportunity to immerse yourself in a different academic and/or professional environment, whilst benefiting from resources, data and personal connections that are difficult or costly to access from your home institution. Even though they bring many advantages, research stays can put a lot of pressure in what already is a time-constrained project. So, how to make the most of it?