South Africa HANDBOOK 2018

Transcription

1 South Africa HANDBOOK 2018 July 29 - August 11, 2018 Congratulations on your acceptance into the South Africa Summer Program! SPEA s International Office staff and assistants work year-round to provide support to students like you who desire a unique international component to complement SPEA coursework at Indiana University. Through your participation in this program, you have the unique opportunity to study across the world. This document will help you prepare for you upcoming adventure! This first part is especially critical so read and heed!!!! You need a passport, AND be sure it doesn t expire until 30 days after August 11, AND you must have at least two blank facing pages in it. THEY ARE VERY STRICT ON 1

2 THIS. You will be checked before boarding in the US and not allowed on the plane if you have not met these criteria. You will also need to show proof of onward journey, but that is automatic if you have purchased a round trip ticket, which you must do.! SA has no requirement for a visa or shots unless you are coming from, or are a citizen of, a country other than the US (see page 2 for more health and safety information).! Flight reservations: We will be picked up and dropped off at the Johannesburg Airport by our guide, but he can do so only once. Therefore, make your arrival time in O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) to be as close as possible to 5:35 PM on Sunday July 29. For the return, we have a long drive back to the Johannesburg Airport so your departure must be later than 7:55 PM on Saturday August 11. Failure to arrive and depart at theses designated times will cost you a very long, very, very expensive cab ride, and will also require permission from the university. And remember, it takes a full day to get there so you have to leave the US the day before. FYI, see below for the most direct route for those leaving from the Bloomington/Indy area. This route is competitively priced and the shortest, which is a big deal because it is a LOOOOONG flight. You might find something a little cheaper but that usually means 48 hours travel time, which means having to leave the US two days in advance rather than one. When coming home, be sure and allow at least two hours to get through customs because sometimes it s a bottleneck. See Appendix A for some tips on buying tickets and alternatives to the Indy-JNP route. These are the Delta flights your instructors will be on: o Indy to Johannesburg Depart Indy Saturday July 28, 4:25 PM; Flight #1534, arrive Atlanta 6:07 PM Depart Atlanta, 7:58 PM; Flight #200, arrive Johannesburg (JNB) 5:35 PM the next day (Sunday July 29). o Johannesburg to Indy Depart JNB Saturday August 11, 7:55 PM; Flight #201, arrive Atlanta 5:59 AM the next day (Sunday Aug 12) Depart Atlanta 9:05 AM, Flight #2986; arrive Indy 10:32 AM Customs in South Africa and Swaziland: ü You only need your passport with two blank facing pages that doesn t expire for 30 days. Student visas are not required for short term courses such as this and you are not on a student visa. Simply tell the custom officers that you are traveling for 14 days and show the officer your US passport. As a backup be sure you have your acceptance letter and course syllabus handy, but it is unlikely you will be questioned about it. What to expect 2

3 ü We have contracted with a local guide who will be with us 24/7. His name is LD VanEssen who is a native South African who specializes in tours such as this, is well connected with park authorities, and is extremely knowledgeable about South African wildlife and management practices. ü We will travel as a group the entire time in a small bus with LD as our driver. ü We will move several times, sometimes staying only a night or two in the same place. Travel times may be several hours. ü Facilities will range from primitive (tents and outhouses) to pretty nice (B&B s and lodges). Not to worry, the primitive thing is only for two nights. ü You will do some of the meal preparation although there will also be some restaurant meals and local meals included. Duties will rotate from cooking, to cleanup, to off time. ü It gets dark early since it is winter there. To get the most of daylight we will get up by 6AM most days, have breakfast, and be on the road/trail by 7AM. You will be expected to be on time. ü We will meet often with numerous officials for presentations on environmental management in SA. ü We will view big game and other flora and fauna from the bus, in open air Land Rovers, and on foot, always under the direction of a guide. This will occur almost daily. Health and Safety ü Malaria is present in this area, although we will be in their winter and it is the dry season. Our guide tells us the risk will be low at this time, however, the choice is yours regarding prophylaxis. There is always some risk of getting it, but the prophylaxis is also not without risk. Long pants, long sleeves, and bug spray are recommended. You can get information about malaria and other health recommendations at the CDC website: ü Crime is unfortunately a problem in South Africa. The good news is the criminals generally don t go where we are going. However, in the interest of safety, we will always travel as a group. The common wisdom is to not take valuables on this trip: expensive jewelry, lots of cash, high end camera equipment, etc. Also, if you have time to kill in the airport it is strongly suggested that you do not venture into Johannesburg. The airport itself is relative safe but many sections of the city are extremely dangerous and you would be an obvious mugging target. Also be aware of fake good Samaritans offering to help you with luggage or at an ATM. Just say no thanks. You can get more information from the US State Department website: ü A bigger risk comes from animal attacks. For this reason it is absolutely critical that you follow the instructions of our guide. In some areas it is illegal to get out of your vehicle 3

4 and running from an animal identifies you as prey. DON T feed the monkeys or anything else.they bite and might eat you!!!!! ü Vehicle accidents are also an issue, so you will be required to wear your seatbelt in the bus. They drive on the left so look to your right when walking across a street. ü If you currently take any medications, talk to your physician or nurse practitioner about arrangements for continuing the medications abroad. Any medications carried overseas MUST be left in their original containers and be clearly labeled. Local considerations ü You will find the locals very friendly and numerous languages are spoken there. However, almost everyone speaks English. ü We will have the opportunity to buy some handmade products along the way. ü We will be expected to tip our guide and there will be a few occasions to tip local guides. It probably won t be more than about $40-50 for the whole trip. ü The food is similar to what we are used to, but wild game is served more often than here. ü They don t accept US dollars so you will need to exchange. We will make a stop at the exchange counter at the airport. The currency is the Rand; the exchange rate as of this writing is about 12 Rand = 1 USD, although this varies a bit day to day. ü ATMs often don t work in the smaller towns we will pass through. We will give you advice as to when and where to get the local currency. ü Wifi and cell coverage is very sporadic so don t count on it. Tell your parents not to worry if they don t hear from you for a few days. ü We will have one free day where you can participate in a local tourist activity of your choice. However, this is not part of the class and your participation would be at your own cost and liability. Our tour guide will make recommendations for safe activities. Problems/contact info: ü If you have travel problems please try and get ahold of us: o My stateside cell phone: o My South Africa cell phone: to be determined. Add the +27 international prefix if calling from outside of South Africa. o My lwadzins@indiana.edu o South African guide: LD Van Essen Add the +27 international prefix if calling from outside of South Africa. o TBD, SPEA staff in-country Phone # and South Africa GroupMe ü SPEA: o SPEA Abroad Office (daytime) o After hours this automatically forwards to Ashely Steven, the go to person for emergencies. 4

5 What to bring ü Your passport (see above for additional passport requirements) ü Money for incidentals, souvenirs, and tipping. ü This will be a field experience so there is no need for dressy clothes. The bus will have very limited storage so your limit is one standard suitcase and one carry-on type daypack for use on the bus and hikes. We ll use the airline standards for your suitcase size: 50 pounds or less and not exceed 62 inches when you total length + width + height. ü There will be an opportunity for laundry part way through the trip so pack light. ü We will not always have wifi or electrical access. It may not be worth the trouble to bring your laptop and you don t need it for your presentation because we will provide a laptop and projector if you wish to use a PowerPoint. ü Telephone: you may wish to purchase a SIM card in SA for your cell phone or check with your provider about an international program. Be sure and check out rates. Our guide will provide car chargers. Keep in mind coverage is not as good as in the US. Our guide and SPEA staff will have cell phones for emergency calls incoming or outgoing, so a phone is not required. ü Clothing - temperature range is F; layers are your best bet ü Light rain jacket ü Hat, sunglasses ü Toiletries nature friendly (including sun screen and insect repellent) ü Comfortable walking shoes with closed toe, heavy duty hiking boots are not necessary ü Heavy duty sandals for walking on sharp rocks in the tidal pool, but not for hiking ü Swim suit ü Towel and soap (not always provided at accommodations, also need for the beach) ü Wash cloth (generally not provided at accommodations) ü Personal medicines, aspirin etc. ü Journal (something sturdy for field use, not a three ring binder) ü Binoculars (there will also be one provided) ü Camera/video camera ü Flash light or headlamp with fresh batteries ü Daypack / Rucksack ü Personal Water bottle e.g. Nalgene or similar ü Charger for any electronic devices you may bring, both for vehicle and wall outlets. ü Wall socket adapter and possibly a voltage converter because South Africa operates on 220/240 volts which is twice the voltage of the US. It s my understanding most laptops, phone chargers, etc. are set up to operate on either voltage. If you look at the fine print on the charger you will likely see something that says V Hz. If that is the case all you need is the plug adapter. However, if you want to operate something heavy duty like a hair dryer you will need a voltage converter that is rated for that level of use. 5

6 Actually, it might be easier to buy a cheap hairdryer over there instead of buying the heavy duty converter. See below for more info: You will need to get an adapter that allows your device to accommodate this type of plug-in (round pins). I have not been able to find any in our area but we can get some over there. 6

7 Appendix A Ticket Buying Guide: Timing: The earlier you purchase your plane ticket, the better, for a multitude of reasons. Tickets purchased far in advance tend to be cheaper than those purchased near the flight date. By purchasing early, you also increase the number of flights you can choose from, the number of open seats, and the potential to pick a seat that suits your preference (aisle vs window, business class vs economy). An early purchase can also make planning for other aspects of the trip easier. Finally, by securing your ticket early, you will have greater peace of mind and reduced stress prior to your trip. When purchasing tickets, check that you will have ample time to make connecting flights typically travelers need at least two hours to make connecting flights. Also, be sure that your connecting flight is at the same airport or terminal as where you fly into. Large international airports may have multiple terminals and some cities have a regional and international airport. When purchasing your ticket, you have a few options: Option 1: Buy a round-trip ticket from Indianapolis to Johannesburg Option 2: Buy a multi-city ticket flying from Indianapolis to Chicago, Chicago to Johannesburg (as an example) Be aware of booking flights with two different airlines (i.e. Delta will not care if you miss their flight due to a delay from another airline) Be aware of layover times (2-3 hours is recommended) Be aware that you will need to collect your luggage from your first flight ( Airline A ) and check it at your second flight ( Airline B ) Option 3: Drive to Chicago and buy a round trip ticket flying from Chicago to Johannesburg Anticipate traffic, finding and paying for a place to park, etc. Although these options appear to be the same, by searching multi-city and round-trip tickets separately, you may find one option to be cheaper than the other. You may also find more flexibility in the flights you can choose from. Ticket Buying: Most travelers use airline ticket search engines when they begin the search for plane tickets. Some are more well-known than others, with each offering different advantages and disadvantages such as competitive bidding, flexibility, filtering results, and comparison tools. Some of the more popular sites include Kayak, Priceline, Expedia, and Orbitz. But there are others, such as CheapTickets and CheapAir. Another option is to search through student airline services such as Student Universe and STA Travel which typically negotiate a discount for 7

8 students so they may fly at a cheaper rate. If you are booking with multiple airlines, understand that there are potential risks in doing so. For example, if you book with two separate airlines and your first flight is delayed, resulting in you missing your next flight with the second airline, you will likely have to buy a new ticket. Whereas if you book with the same airline and your first flight is delayed, the airline will assist you in finding an alternate flight for you without needing to purchase a new ticket. When looking at different airlines, it may be worth your time to compare the airlines themselves in terms of service, customer ratings, average flight delay time, and so forth. One factor which varies widely among airlines is the number of checked bags allowed, the dimensions and weight of the baggage allowed, as well as the cost of adding extra bags or overweight fees. This may affect the overall price of your travel cost. For example, Airline A may have a ticket that is cheaper than Airline B by $50. But you then find out Airline A charges a $75 fee for a checked bag. Now your total cost for Airline A is greater than Airline B. This is only one of numerous potential scenarios. Please see Packing section before booking your flight. One option that many travelers take advantage of is airline perks and airline miles. These can be earned through booking with the airlines directly, or may be done through certain credit or debit cards. Finding/using these perks can make your trip more affordable. Additionally, some airlines have perks that also allow you to skip long lines at the airport. Some travelers prefer to employ a travel agency to help them plan their trip and buy their tickets. Should you do so, you will incur a fee, but travel agents can potentially find you a better deal than you could on your own, and are particularly helpful if you are traveling in a group. The fee may also outweigh the personal cost to you in terms of time and stress by making the process less complicated and time-consuming. There are several travel agencies within Bloomington and nearby areas that you may choose from. 8