HEAL THE WORLD SUMMER 2009 INTERNATIONAL SERVICE TRIPS FAQ S GENERAL QUESTIONS

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1 HEAL THE WORLD SUMMER 2009 INTERNATIONAL SERVICE TRIPS FAQ S GENERAL QUESTIONS Should I apply even though I m not that involved with Heal the World? Yes! Anyone and everyone apply! Apply to let us know you are interested in Heal the World and have a desire to be more involved! This is where you can take the first step of getting to know more members and becoming more familiar with the club. I don t have any medical experience/i m not premed can I still apply? Absolutely! Regardless of your level of experience, or your major, we encourage anyone interested to apply! While some components of the trip may be medically related, overall, all trips are intended to be international service opportunities. If any special training is required, you will receive instructions once you arrive to your trip site. So, if you re interested in making a difference, experiencing a new culture, and spending time with fellow Heal the World-ers, then you are more than eligible to apply! Where and when are the trips going to be held? This summer, there will be two trip options: San Jose, Costa Rica: June th (break between Summer A and B) Cusco, Peru: August 8-15 th (break after Summer C/before Fall semester) We strongly encourage you to arrive to your trip site as soon as you can, the longer you are there the more time you will have to get to know the city you will be staying in! Please see below for details on each trip. Please read over all information, as some of it pertains to both trips in general. Can I apply for both trips? Yes! On the application, please rank the trips in order of preference, and indicate whether you would like to be considered for the other trip, should your first choice be filled. We will do our best to accommodate everyone. I m not sure if I will be able to attend should I apply anyways? Can I change my mind if I m selected? Unfortunately, we are only able to accept applications from individuals who are sure they will be able to participate if selected. Backing out from a trip is not fair to other members, or trip coordinators, and will result in losing eligibility for future trips. Please consider your schedule, and other personal matters, carefully before you apply.

2 SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA JUNE 20 TH -27 TH What will I be doing in Costa Rica? Are the activities/city safe? The trip itinerary is relatively flexible, and there are several options available. Note that it is possible to participate in both activities given enough group interest: Health Campaign- shadow doctors in San Jose and travel with them to different schools, where you will help treat children suffering from parasites or malnutrition. Additionally, you will perform check-ups and help distribute vitamins. Childcare Photography Project- distribute cameras to children at orphanages, and work with them to photograph different events, places, or things that chronicle their daily lives and points of view. When you return from you trip, the pictures will be formatted for display as part of a Global Health Awareness information session. All the activities you will be participating in while on your trip have been thoroughly planned and researched. It is however, necessary to practice general travel and health precautions, which include obtaining necessary vaccines, health insurance, and proper travel documents. Vaccines can be obtained from the Student Health Care Center (at Shands or on campus). For Costa Rica, the CDC recommends Hepatitis A&B, and Typhoid vaccines. More information will be provided once you are selected. How much does this trip cost and what is included? The estimated cost of the trip is $440 (not including airfare.) Flight costs are expected to range from $ (from Miami to San Jose), however, this cost is tentative, as prices tend to fluctuate. Also included in the total trip cost is food (3 meals/day) and accommodations with a home-stay family. Transportation while in San Jose is not included, however, is fairly cheap and accessible. Currency can be exchanged at the airport, and it is recommended that you keep both a supply of US dollars, and local currency on hand. Please be aware that group excursions or other activities are not covered in your trip cost. We realize these trips are expensive, and we will help provide you with opportunities to fundraise, however it will be your responsibility so remember to start early. What is a home-stay family? Will I be staying with people outside of HTW? A home-stay is a local family in the country you will be visiting. They have been carefully selected, and many of them have hosted other groups in the past. You will be staying with your fellow HTW trip participants. Depending on the size of the group, there will be either 1 or 2 houses, with about 8 people/house. If the group is split, both houses will be next to each other. A home-stay is an excellent opportunity to experience a new culture! Have questions on the Costa Rica trip? Anisa: anisal@ufl.edu

3 CUSCO, PERU AUGUST 8-15 TH What will we be doing in Peru? In the mornings, volunteers will be split up into smaller groups of about three and will work in clinics helping nurses and or doctors (Clinica de Independencia, Tito, the Red Cross, and other various clinics in Cusco). Then volunteers will be given a few hours for a lunch break and then the afternoon will be spent in Hogar Clinica San Jan De Dios, a rehabilitation clinic for children with mental and physical disabilities or Hogar Mercedes de Jesus another local orphanage. At the orphanages volunteers can put together skits about the importance of washing hands and brushing teeth and various other health practices. Another option to spend the mornings for a few days may be to pass out breakfast at the Policia de la Familia, abandoned street children who live at the police station. Childcare Photography Project- Choose between one or various community centers, orphanages, childcare centers or Hogar Clinica San Juan de Dios to conduct a photo project. A group of kids will be give disposable cameras and each day the volunteers will teach them how to use it and give them ideas of things to take pictures of such as things that make them happy, things that make them sad, etc. The pictures will be brought back, blown up, and showcased to represent the world from a different prospective! Look into Born into Brothels ( for more details on that idea. Will there be time to sightsee and be a tourist? Of course! You are free at night and during your lunch break so volunteers are allowed to walk the town to shop, dine, and explore! Volunteers will want to make sure they are working at the clinics and orphanages as much as possible during the time they are there in order to get the most out of it, but they are allotted days to sightsee, it is a very flexible experience! Maximo Nivel, the volunteer program, must be contacted in advance if volunteers decide they will be sightseeing for a day (such as Macchu Picchu for a day) so they can contact the clinics to let them know volunteers won t be attending. How much does the trip cost? The trip cost will be $440 (a 20% discount!) and will include your housing for a week and three meals a day. This does NOT include transportation getting to Peru and back and it does not include in country transportation around Cusco, but transportation around the city is extremely cheap and when traveling as a group only a couple cents! Make sure you bring extra money to the airport for the entrance and exit tax into and out of Peru, souvenirs, restaurants (if you want to go out) and any sightseeing/tours you want to do while there (Machu Picchu, white-water rafting, etc).

4 Will there be fundraising for the trip? A fundraising letter is attached with a Heal the World letter head asking for donations for the trip. This letter can be used and sent out to companies, family, friends, and other sources for donations. Make sure you fundraise and send the letter out way before the trip date in order to turn in the money way in advance. Want to be a trip leader? A trip leader will be in charge of the group and will plan and figure out the days, times, prices for sightseeing/tours while in Cusco, Peru such as traveling to Machu Picchu (a wonder of the World!), white-water rafting, nature trails, etc. For booking these adventures you want to make sure you do it well in advance maybe except for white water rafting, which can be figured out the day you get there. The trip leader will also coordinate the group for transportation to/from the airport in Florida and designate a flexible date upon when the group will be traveling to/from Peru (try to travel together within August 8-14)! At all times the trip leader will make sure everyone in the group is up to date and keyed in on everything happening so no one is left out! Is there anything special I need to pack for the trip? Make sure you pack accordingly to the weather depending on the time of the year you are traveling. While working in the clinics/hospitals in the morning it is a smart idea to bring a white lab coat, this way you don t have to worry about the clothes you are wearing and you also look professional! It is optional to bring scrubs as well to wear under the white lab coat. If you decide you do not want to bring scrubs then make sure you pack either a pair of khaki, black or white pants so you look presentable. If you decide to visit Machu Picchu make sure you bring a student ID to get a major discount on the ticket. Make sure you bring your passport! What vaccinations do I need/ How do I go about getting them? Hepatitis B and Tetanus are recommended. You can receive these shots from the UF Infirmary. You must schedule an appointment to see a travel nurse and then receive your shots. These shots do cost money, and they will quote you on the prices at the UF Infirmary. How much do airlines tickets cost? Airline ticket prices fluctuate. We hope to get the cheapest tickets we can find, while flying out of the most convenient airport. Volunteers DO NOT have to fly together; however, it would ideal for volunteers to stay together and to fly together. More convenient and organized! Selected HTWers will get together ASAP to find the cheapest tickets to book, start looking now! How do we get from the Airport to the Hotel? Maximo Nivel will pick you up from the airport and transport you to your living accommodations this is included in your trip cost.

5 What are our living accommodations? You will be staying with home-stay families. The housing cost and three delicious meals a day are also included in the $440 payment. Transportation around Cusco, Peru is not included in the trip payment and must be paid separately by the volunteer. Taxis there are extremely cheap so don t worry! Have questions on the Peru trip? Liz: eamidon@ufl.edu