DELEGATION TO LATIN AMERICA

Transcription

1 DELEGATION TO LATIN AMERICA October 14 19, 2015 Take advantage of Study California s expansive network and broad appeal to benefit from this unique outreach trip to countries of significant importance and yield.

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5 STUDY CALIFORNIA DELEGATION TO LATIN AMERICA OCTOBER 14-19, 2015 Study California in collaboration with the US Commercial Services of the Department of Commerce and EducationUSA of the Department of State present yet another impactful, innovative and cost-efficient recruitment tour. With careful review of market potential and desires of our members, we have made Costa Rica and Colombia the main stops of our 2015 Latin America tour. As Study California with its expansive network and broad appeal, our program has attracted key partners, influencers and college bound students in these Latin American countries, setting us apart from other tours in the region and promising to generate high and long lasting yield. To maximize each member school s exposure and cost-efficiency, we have aligned our schedule with fairs already planned in the region for members to opt-in, if they choose. Included in this trip is an historical and strategic stop to Cuba to be led by the board, optional and open for any members of Study California. All in all, this unique and competitive program will become another successful recruitment tour on the heels of the Study California Delegation to China. 4

6 Brief Summary of Activities Date Location Activities Saturday, October 10 Sunday, October 11 Monday, October 12 Tuesday, October 13 Tuesday, October 13 Wednesday, October 14 Thursday, October 15 Friday, October 16 Saturday, October 17 Sunday, October 18 Monday, October 19 *Denotes Optional Activities Mexico City, Mexico * (1) ASF Fairs * Havana, Cuba * San Jose, Costa Rica Medellin, Colombia Bogota, Colombia Monday: (1) Arrival/Networking Dinner. Tuesday: (1) Meetings with Univ. of Havana & Education Ministry, (2) Visit with two international schools and students, (3) Visit to local high school and students, (4) Depart to Costa Rica. Tuesday: (1) Arrival (Late Evening). Wednesday: (1) Official Study California Delegation to Latin America begins, (2) One on one meeting with high school and university counselors and students, (3) Briefing lunch with delegates and Embassy staff, (4) Networking dinner with high school counselors. Thursday: (1) Arrival, (2) Networking dinner. Friday: (1) Meetings with recruitment Agencies *, (2) Meeting with high school counselors, students, and parents, (3) Briefing lunch for delegates and EducationUSA staff, (4) Meeting with EducationUSA Medellin, (5) Education Workshop, (6) Networking and mini-fair. Saturday: (1) Cultural day, (2) travel to Bogota. Sunday: (1) Cultural Day Monday: (1) Meetings with Recruitment Agencies *, (2) Meeting with high school counselors, students, and parents, (3) Briefing lunch for delegates and EducationUSA, Fulbright, Colfuturo, and Embassy USA staff, (4) Presentations, (5) EducationUSA fair *. 5

7 Itinerary Details: Friday, October 9 th Mexico City, Mexico (OPTIONAL) * Arrival at Mexico City International Airport (Ground transportation on your own to hotel). * Networking Dinner (Place TBD) No Host Dinner Saturday, October 10 th Mexico City, Mexico (OPTIONAL): Program Payable to ASF * American School Foundation Fair (ASF) Mexico City (Separate registration and payment required directly with American School Foundation). If interested, please contact Rachel Dillon, College Counselor at collegefair@asf.edu.mx or visit / for more information. Participation fee for this fair is $250 to ASF and deadline is September 25, 2015) Sunday, October 11th Mexico City, Mexico (OPTIONAL) Program Payable to ASF * American School Foundation Fair (ASF) Has High School visit/fair planned for Sunday to Escuela Tomas Alva Edison (Separate registration and payment required directly with American School Foundation). If interested, please contact Rachel Dillon, College Counselor at collegefair@asf.edu.mx or visit: for more information. Or, Cultural Day On Your Own Monday, October 12 th Havana, Cuba (OPTIONAL) No Program Fee *Flight: Mexico City, Mexico to Havana, Cuba CUBANA AIRLINES: 8:45 AM Direct Flight from Mexico City Arriving 12:15 PM to Havana, Cuba INTERJET: 11:20 AM Direct Flight from Mexico City Arriving 3:00 PM to Havana, Cuba 15:35 PM Direct Flight from Mexico City Arriving 19:15 PM to Havana, Cuba 6

8 AEROMEXICO: Aeromexico flights from Mexico to Cuba Aeromexico flies daily from Mexico City International Airport to Havana, Cuba Aeromexico flight 451 Mexico City (MEX) Havana (HAV), departing mid-morning, arriving mid-afternoon Where to buy tickets? Tickets from Mexico to Cuba are available on the AeroMexico Mexican website, where they have an information page in English. The flight search is in Spanish; however, they will soon offer the flight search in English. From the U.S. or Canada dial: In Mexico, at Aeromexico city and airport ticket offices/from some online travel agencies. * Cuba (Evening Orientation/Networking Dinner) Hosted by Study CA Cuba hotel contact information to confirm registration and make payment: Hotel: Melia Cohiba Ave. Paseo entre 1ª y 3ª Vedado Havana Cuba Hotel Contact: Please make reservations directly by calling or ing and make reference to: Hotel Reservation for (Name of the Person) Study California Delegation U.S. Embassy Cuba. Tel: (53) Fax: (53) melia.cohiba@melia.com Website: Tuesday, October 13 th Havana, Cuba No Program Fee Cuba Program Joint meeting with University of Havana and Ministries of Education and Higher Education to discuss trends, policies, strategies. Visit with two International schools in Havana. The visit may also take the form of a joint meeting. The purpose of the visit to learn the schools operations, understand the expectations, explore future recruitment possibilities. Students are expected to participate in the meetings with the delegation. 5

9 A visit to one local high school: One local school that is very competitive has been identified. The students have high academic achievements, who are most likely to qualify for university studies The program in Cuba is designed, coordinated and facilitated by EducationUSA in Havana. This is the first official delegation managed by the brand new EducationUSA office in Cuba. Due to the newly establish diplomatic relations, we cannot provide detailed information including the activities by the hour as approvals from the Cuban government is sought by the US embassy in Cuba. Late Evening Flight: Havana, Cuba to San Jose, Costa Rica * Depart to Airport: Transportation to Airport Arranged by Study California Flight Information from Havana, Cuba to San Jose, Costa Rica From Havana, Cuba to Panama City, Panama: Tuesday, October 13, 2015 Departure: 6:24 PM La Havana, CU HAV Arrival: 8:00 PM Panama City, Panama - PTY Airline: Copa Airlines CM0437 Aircraft: Boeing Operated by Copa Airlines Connecting Flight From Panama City, Panama to San Jose, Costa Rica: Tuesday, October 13, 2015 Departure: 9:11 PM Panama City, Panama - PTY Arrival: 9:39 PM San Jose, Costa Rica - SJO Airline: Copa Airlines CM0162 Aircraft: Boeing Operated by Copa Airlines Flight Reservation Website: Arrival at Costa Rican International Airport (Late Evening) Ground transportation arranged by Foreign Commercial Service and Hotel Hilton Costa Rica hotel contact information to confirm registration and make payment: 6

10 Hotel: DoubleTree by Hilton Cariari San Jose-Costa Rica San Antonio de Belén, Ciudad Cariari Tel. (506) Ext Fax (506) Hotel Contact: Please send an to and copy Include in the information: Subject of the Hotel Reservation for (Name of the Person) Study California Trade Mission U.S. Embassy Costa Rica Wednesday, October 14 th San Jose, Costa Rica Official Study California Delegation to Latin America begins Breakfast on your own, at the Hotel Hilton (included in the Hotel Room) 7:45 12:00 PM Location: Hotel Hilton by Double Tree (Salones Cocorí ) One-on-One Meetings with High School and University Counselors and Group of Students. Group 1: 7:45 9:45 AM (150 students) Group 2: 10:00-12:00 PM (150 students) 12:15 1:15 PM Briefing Lunch for Education Trade Mission Participants and Embassy Staff. Location: Salon (TBD), Hotel Hilton DoubleTree 1:30 7:00 PM Location: Hotel Hilton by Double Tree (Salones Cocorí ) One-on-One Meetings with High School and University Counselors and Group of Students. Three High Schools per hour. 7:00 8:30 PM Networking Dinner (TBD) Group 3: 1:30-3:30 PM (150 students) Group 4: 4:00-6:00 PM (150 students) Thursday, October 15 th - Medellin, Colombia * Depart to Airport: Transportation to Airport Arranged by Foreign Commercial Service 7

11 Flight Information from San Jose, Costa Rica to Medellin, Colombia From San Jose to Bogota: Thursday, 15 October, 2015 Departure: 10:20 AM San Jose, Costa Rica - Juan Santamaria, terminal M Arrival: 1:35 PM Bogota, Colombia El Dorado International Airport, Terminal 1 El Dorado Airline: Avianca AV696 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A319 Operated by LINEAS AEREAS COSTARRICENSES-LACSA Connecting Flight From Bogota to Medellin: Thursday, October 15, 2015 Departure: 3:35 PM Bogota, Colombia El Dorado International Airport, Terminal 1 El Dorado Arrival: 4:34 PM Medellin, Colombia - Jose Maria Cordova International Airline: Avianca AV9348 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A320 Operated by AVIANCA * Arrival at Medellin, Jose Maria Cordoba Airport * Ground transportation to Hotel Arranged by Foreign Commercial Service & EducationUSA * Networking Dinner (Place TBD) Hotel: Medellin Hotel San Fernando Plaza Address: Carrera 42A #1-15 Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia Tel: Contact for Reservations: ANDREA HOYOS LÓPEZ Tel: (57-4) Ext: 317 Cell: ventas4@hotelsanfernandoplaza.com 8

12 Friday, October 16 th Medellin, Colombia 7:00 8:00 AM Breakfast on your own, at the Hotel 8:00 9:30 AM Meetings with Recruitment Agencies (* optional) Preparation by CS * Delegates do not attend agency meeting will arrive venue at 9:30am 9:30 9:45 AM Coffee Break / Delegates to set up table (Each Delegate will have a table and placard) 9:45 12:00 PM Meetings with High School Counselors, Students and Parents * 6 Schools will be invited (Estimated 120 students) 12:00 1:30 PM Briefing Lunch for Study California Delegates, EducationUSA Staff 12:00-12:10 PM Opening remarks by: Study California representative 12:10 1:30 PM Lunch 1:30 2:00 PM Meetings with EducationUSA Medellin 2:00 4:00 PM Education Workshop/Seminar (Those invited to the Education Workshop/Seminar and mini fair are Parents, Students, and High School Counselors) 2:00 3:00 PM Delegation Member Presentations (UC, CSU, CCC, Private) (5 min. each) Individual school presentations 3:00 3:10 PM Coffee Break 3:10 4:00 PM Group Presentations/Panel Discussion Session (25 min. each) Panel presentations with facilitation: Topic One What are the 4 California Higher Education Segments? Topic Two From Application to Graduation, Life of an International Student 4:00-6:30 PM Networking and Mini Fair (Each Delegate will have a table and placard). 300 students expected. 9

13 Saturday, October 17 th Medellin, Colombia * Morning on own * Afternoon Depart to Airport: Transportation Arranged by FCS * Flight from Medellin to Bogota, Colombia From Medellin to Bogota: Saturday, October 17, 2015 Departure: 2:50 PM Medellin, Colombia - Jose Maria Cordova International Arrival: 3:47 PM Bogota, Colombia El Dorado International Airport, Terminal 1 El Dorado Airline: Avianca AV9309 Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A321 Operated by AVIANCA * Ground transportation to Hilton Hotel arranged by FCS * Networking Dinner (Place TBD) FCS Hotel: Bogota HILTON BOGOTA Carrera 7 No Tel: Ext 2110 Bogota I Colombia Contact for Reservations: Paola Fernanda López (I Group coordinator) paola.lopez@hilton.com ext 2116 Cell: Sunday, October 18 th Bogota, Colombia Rest/Cultural Day (Optional for a fee) Tour Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira 10

14 Lunch at Andres Carne de Res (It doesn t include the cost of lunch, but the entertainment at the restaurant is free.) Cost per person is US $109 (minimum 8 people) and includes transportation to both venues and entrance fees/bilingual tour guide at the Salt Cathedral. Monday, October 19 th Bogota, Colombia 7:00 8:00 AM Breakfast on your own. (Breakfast is included in the room rate) 8:00 9:30 AM Meetings with Recruitment Agencies (* optional) Preparation by CS * Delegates do not attend agency meeting will arrive venue at 9:30am 9:30 9:45 AM Coffee Break / Delegates to set up table (Each Delegate will have a table and placard) 9:45 12:00 PM Meetings with High School Counselors, Students and Parents 6 Schools (Estimated 120 Students) 12:00 1:30 PM Lunch with Education Trade Mission Delegates, Education USA Bogota, Fulbright, Colfuturo and Embassy USA Staff. 12:00-12:15 PM Opening remarks by: Study CA representative. 12:15 1:30 PM Lunch 1:30 2:00 PM Public Affair Section Bogota Briefing - (Participants: Study CA Delegates) 2:00 4:00 PM Education Workshop/Seminar 2:00 3:00 PM Delegation Member Presentations (UC, CSU, CCC, Private) (5 min. each) Individual school presentations 3:00 3:10 PM Coffee Break 3:10 4:00 PM Group Presentations/Panel Discussion Session (30 min. each) Panel presentations with facilitation: Topic One What Are the 4 California Higher Education Segments? Topic Two From Application to Graduation, Life of an International Student Number of Students expected are

15 * Those invited to the Education Workshop/Seminar are Parents, Students, and High School Counselors. 4:00 PM Official Study California Delegation to Latin America ends Optional EducationUSA Fair Bogota, Colombia (Separate registration and payment required directly with EducationUSA. Special participation fee for Study CA delegates is $1,300. For more information, please visit EducationUSAfair.org/university) 4:15 PM Delegates interested in attending the EducationUSA Fair will depart to Hotel JW Marriott. (Five minutes walking) Tuesday, October 20 th Colombia, Bogota * Depart to the United States 12

16 Know Before You Go: Traveling to Cuba Applying for a Cuban Visa All visas must be processed through the Cuban Embassy in Washington, DC. The instructions for submitting visa applications are located at Cuba Embassy United States: St. N W. D.C Washington United States Phone: Fax: secretaria@sicuw.org traduccion@sicuw.org Website URL: recepcion@sicuw.org Cuban Currency and Exchange Rates The major currency for foreigners in Cuba is the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC.) The official exchange rate is 1 U.S. Dollar to 1 CUC. However, when converting from dollars, there is a 10% penalty and a 3% currency exchange fee, so for every dollar exchanged, you will only receive 0.87 CUC at official exchange houses (Cadecas). Exchange facilities are available at some hotels, though the exchange fee may be higher. Note on credit cards: Despite recent announcements, U.S. credit cards are not compatible with Cuban credit card systems. You are advised to bring sufficient cash for all your expenses. Cell Phones Given limitations with internet availability, most communication in Cuba is via cell phones. American carrier cell and data plans will not work in Cuba. Other foreign carriers may have roaming for calls and text messages, although data networks are generally unavailable, and if available and functioning, roaming on foreign carriers can be very costly. Internet Internet service is severely limited in Cuba and is generally available only at state-run internet centers and hotels that cater to foreigners. Even in the suggested hotels, the speed and reliability is unpredictable and depends greatly on hotel occupancy. Local SIM cards can be rented through the state-run telecom company, ETECSA. Foreigners must provide a copy of their passport to rent a local SIM card, and handsets are sometimes available for purchase. These function through pre-paid cards in denominations of 5, 10, 20, and 50 CUC. Note that the cost to call the United States on pre-paid phones is 2.70 CUC/minute. More information in Spanish can be found at Useful Contacts Public Affairs, U.S. Interests Section Havana: (53) or EducationUSA Adviser: Alidamig A. Márquez ext 4169 Deputy Public Affairs Officer: Mrs. Lydia Barraza ext *Note* Cuba requires visitors to have non-us medical insurance. Cuba sells temporary insurance policies to travelers. 13