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Practical Matters Friends World Program of Long Island University Greetings! I am very excited about the coming year and would like to take this opportunity to give you a little idea of what lies ahead.
The CRC is an educational program that emphasizes reflection and analysis of experience. The American philosopher, John Dewey, uses a furniture analogy to make a distinction between an event and an experience. When furniture is unloaded from a moving van, it is stacked in any old manner on the sidewalk. This is an event, or a collection of events. The furniture is then carried inside the house or apartment and arranged carefully to suit the color, space and living requirements of each room. An event becomes an experience through analysis, reflection and integration. Any trip around the world will give you the opportunity to select extraordinary pieces of furniture. Without critical reflection and analysis, the furniture stays outside on the sidewalk and eventually rots. The CRC program is designed to assist you in analyzing your own choices and in considering how best they might be arranged. Critical self-reflection is at the heart of this process; is your understanding of furniture already predetermined? Have you trained yourself to select only those pieces that compliment your present spatial arrangements? Or are you open to a radical reconsideration of what furniture is, and to a complete re-orientation of your interior spaces? Considering these sorts of possibilities is your work for the coming year. Asking you these sorts of questions is our job. I am very excited about the intellectual adventure that lies ahead. Passport & Visa Information All students must have passports that will be valid for at least 3 months beyond the end of the program. Applying for and receiving an American passport can take 4-8 weeks. Citizens of countries other than the U.S. should check the visa requirements for their nationality for all the countries visited. Being that this can be a long, time consuming process each person should, at least, contact the office closest to them to inquire if any other information is required, how much time should be allowed for applying and what specific steps, if any, they must take. The visa requirements vary from country to country; contact World Headquarters for more information. If you have not provided the Admissions Office with your passport number and name (exactly as it appears on your passport) for the certified letters needed for the visas, please call Jennifer Piddington immediately at 631-287-8466 or e-mail at jennifer.piddington@liu.edu Vaccinations (Immunizations)
For other vaccinations for international travel, go to: http://www.cdc.gov and perform a search under the countries we will be visiting to see what inoculations and other prophylaxes are required and/or suggested. Consult your doctor, local clinic or health department early, as some series of vaccinations may take weeks. Many students travel with the "International Certificate of Vaccination". This booklet will contain a record of all your vaccinations. Packing Luggage - Don't run out and buy a huge backpack for CRC. If you have a good rolling suitcase, that may be as good as or better than a backpack. The vote is split among past CRC students. Some people, who started out with backpacks, eventually sent them home and purchased rolling suitcases because they were easier to pack, unpack and handle at the airport. Others swear by their big backpacks. It seems to be a personal preference, but there is no need to spend a lot of money on new luggage for CRC because it takes a beating on this nine-month journey. Ziploc type bags are a great cheap way to keep things waterproof. Do not bring any item of value, sentimental or monetary, that can be lost, stolen or damaged. On the other hand bring items that you cannot do without (specific toiletries/cosmetics) as they may not be available. You do not need a sleeping bag or sheets for the academic program. However, depending on where you choose travel for your holiday breaks, they might be of use. A travel towel often comes in handy. Computers Students who have taken a laptop computer with them on the program have said that it was indispensable. Although we do not require that all students have one, we strongly recommend it. It is not necessary to bring a printer. E-mail - It is suggested that you set up a hotmail or yahoo account prior to leaving North America. You can then access your own personal e-mail account from any Internet café. Other Information An International Student I.D. - The ISID card can be used for discounts on travel, museums, and lodging worldwide, and provides a limited amount of health insurance. It is highly recommended. STA travel at www.sta.com issues these cards. Passport size photos - Please bring 6-10 passport size photos. We have used them on several occasions in the past when encountered with unexpected bureaucracy. Money Students often ask how much money they should take and in what form. ATM cards are the best way to get money everywhere we go. Make sure that the card is on either the PLUS or Cirrus network (you can tell by looking at the symbols on the back of the card). However, there may be instances when your ATM card will not work (for unexplainable reasons) in some places. Bring some back up money in the form of cash or travelers' checks (probably not more than a few hundred dollars) and/or a credit card. Just to give you an idea of the things students will spend money on - entertainment (going out, movies, concerts, etc.) internet, coffees, laundry, phone cards, transportation (buses, taxis), gifts for family and friends, books (both for pleasure and for classes), newspapers, etc. The amount of money spent by former students has varied greatly. Each student receives a food budget from the field director for cover basic meal costs. You will need extra spending money to cover: the food beyond basic meals, nights out; transportation (buses or taxis to use during your free time); and buying clothing or souvenirs along the way. Students are also responsible for all expenses during the two 7-10 day holiday breaks. Over the course of the program, some students managed to stretch their food budget to cover personal spending, while some end up spending a lot of extra money. It really depends. Personal Medications It is recommended that you bring required medications for the duration of the program, as it is difficult to find most North American medications overseas under the same product or name brand. Please carry copies of your prescriptions especially if you are on long-term prescription medication. This helps in Customs if the group experiences any problems. Suggested Items to Take Sunscreens, as they are not as readily available in some countries, Discman or ipod with plenty of batteries and battery charger, and a water bottle. Wardrobe/Weather As a general rule for packing, bring clothes you normally wear and feel comfortable in. While you should bring sturdy clothes, backcountry wear is not really necessary. CRC mostly travels in cities. The best advice is to bring versatile clothes that you really like to wear because you will wear them over and over again. Another thing to bear in mind when packing is that in China, Thailand and India, to be a university student is considered an honor and most students dress comfortably but nicely. Also, bring one slightly dressy outfit; there will be some occasions when you will want to dress up, for example a thank you luncheon, an evening at a concert etc. Everyone should bring comfortable and sturdy shoes. Some important notes for women: you will need a long skirt and a scarf to cover your head for mosque visits. In virtually all places of worship, it is appropriate to dress modestly - shoulders covered and at least knee-length pants or skirt. Tank tops and sleeveless shirts keep you cool in hot weather, but are not always appropriate. Make sure to bring something that you can throw over your shoulders when necessary. Notes for men: You will need and will want at least one pair of long pants. Laundry facilities will vary from laundromats to buckets - expect it all. Following are some bits of advice from former CRC students that
you may want to consider: As far as weather is concerned, it will be hot and sometimes rainy in various locations. It will be very sticky for the first month or so, so bring a few cool, breezy things. October is the beginning of monsoon time in South Asia and things do get awfully wet! A windbreaker or waterproof jacket is essential. In Thailand it will be hot if you go to the beach, but in Northern Thailand it can get cool, so you might want to bring something like a fleece or light sweater or long sleeved shirts for that and other cooler climates. South India will be hot and Italy could either be cool or warm. Before Leaving Photocopies of Documents - Please make a photocopy of your passport (and the pages with the visas) and keep them with you, as you travel, in a safe place. You should also photocopy all of your airline tickets when you receive them and keep them with your passport copies. In past years several people accidentally lost or threw away part of their airline tickets. Without photocopies, trying to get a new ticket issued is much more complicated. Finally, you should make a list of all of your credit cards, ATM cards, etc. and the account numbers and the phone number to call if the cards are lost or stolen. Keep one copy of this with your other photocopies. You might also want to leave one copy at home with a relative or trusted friend. One year a student lost her wallet and did not have any information to cancel cards. Tickets/Travel
Once the ticket price is negotiated and flights booked, students will be directed to individually contact the travel agent to pay for the tickets. You will be receiving a thick envelope of tickets, which you should photocopy to keep with you when you travel in case they are lost. I will be keeping you posted with the travel itinerary and departure information as they become available. Mailing Items Abroad
Accommodations
However, students should be ready for anything. The past CRC groups have stayed at primitive camps, slept on hard surfaces, stayed with families and encountered the occasional cold bucket shower and other rustic experiences while on field trips. Food Food and the sharing of food can have ritual power. At various times during the year our hosts may offer meals to you. You may want to take some time to think about whether and what compromises you are willing to make, in order to engage your hosts and their religious and cultural heritage better. The CRC program takes full advantage of experiencing the infinite variety of foods found in the cultures we visit and students with restricted diets may find it difficult to participate fully in the program. That said, for most meals you will be on your own to explore the culinary delights of all the places we will visit. It can be hard for vegetarians and for picky eaters, especially when you don't know what might be lurking in your lo mein. The food is just as much an adventure as anything we encounter during the year, and fortunately, everywhere you go, you can find chocolate, which can make even the worst of meals seem not quite so bad. THE FIVE AGREEMENTS As students of such a program, traveling in a large group, you should see yourselves not only as students, but also as Ambassadors for your country. You are not only going to learn, but also to teach; not only to understand, but also to help create a better understanding of you and your culture. That said, please read the following five agreements, with which we ask you to comply while on the CRC. These rules are not only for the benefit of you the individual, but also your group, and beyond that, they are for the benefit of future CRC students. 1. Attendance: An effective learning community requires trust as a basis of its foundation. Trust is undermined and resentment fostered when the entire group is not present for the work that needs to be done. Attendance is expected at all times unless otherwise stated or exceptional circumstances prevent it. 2. The 'CRC' - Compassion, Respect and Compromise: It is essential when traveling in a large group that we adopt practices of showing compassion and listening well, respecting others' opinions even though they may differ from your own, compromising if and when possible, questioning our own assumptions about others, being open and honest with each other, keeping things in perspective in terms of what is important and what isn't and finally remembering that we all have our individual annoying quirks. 3. Controlled Substances: CRC trips are substance free. Drug awareness is a crucial issue and many of the countries we will be visiting have drug laws far more extreme than the United States. Penalties for drug usage or alcohol abuse may fall not only on the individual, but also on the entire group and on groups that follow. Students who feel unable to refrain from illegal substances during the year are asked to withdraw from the program. In purchasing the air ticket, you are promising to refrain from using illegal drugs for the CRC year. 4. Safety: The CRC group will not travel to areas in which our safety will be compromised in any way. CRC students are free to travel inter and intra-country during their 7-10 day breaks and are asked to inform the staff of their whereabouts. Female students are advised to travel in groups of two or more, in certain areas, in order to ensure their safety. Students will receive an orientation in each country regarding safety issues. 5. The Comparative Religion and Culture program is a very intense educational experience: Students should be in good physical and emotional health. Students presently seeking assistance (or in support programs) for emotional or substance abuse or affective disorders should seriously consider whether participating in the CRC program is appropriate. Because the CRC is a traveling program, the support services students might expect at some of the FW centers may not be available on the road. Faculty may ask students to take time out of the CRC programming if it is determined to be in the student's best interest. |
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