| TEACH
CHILE: PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION
We are very excited you have chosen
the AIDE as your program provider! AIDE is an educational
travel organization devoted to expanding the horizons of people
of all ages through experiencing another culture. Based in
Austin, Texas, AIDE offers a wide range of programs. AIDE
was launched as a not for profit sister organization of Alliance
Abroad Group (AAG), in order to expand upon the programs historically
offered by the AAG Outbound Department. As a not for profit
AIDE aims to reach a larger audience, and has more than 16
years of experience in offering programs abroad due to its
previous home in the AAG Outbound Department. Through its
affiliation with some of the world’s oldest and most
respected language schools and experiential education programs,
AIDE has helped thousands of people travel abroad. The organization
provides interesting customized programs to students and young
adults wishing to work, teach or volunteer in many countries
across the world. AIDE prides itself in being able to offer
program flexibility, support, quality placements, an easy
application process and affordable prices.
What Happens Next?
• Over the next few months, we
will be in touch regularly to provide updates about your Teach
Chile program. Please feel free to ask any questions you may
have throughout the application process.
• Payment: Within 2-7 business
days you should receive an invoice, sent to you through email
from our finance department. Please keep an eyeout for this
email! It may be diverted to your junk mail folder. Your payment
is due no later than 60 days prior to your arrival date, or
within 4 weeks of receiving the invoice. You do not have a
secured position for this program until full payment has been
received.
** AIDE is a non-profit organization.
Donations contributed in excess of the fair market value of
services you receive from AIDE may be tax deductible. Please
consult your tax adviser.
• Application Processing: Once
the program fee is paid in full, your application is sent
to the Chilean Ministry of Education to secure your placement.
Program details, including your general site location, will
be forthcoming. This program is always a work in progress,
so some details may change over time.
• Orientation and Preparation:
We will send you orientation materials for your review. It
is very important that you carefully review all materials
that are sent to you. Ask us if you have any questions! You
should also start researching Chile, to become more familiar
with the country and to prepare yourself for the program.
• Arrival: All participants should
fly into the Santiago Arturo Merino Benitez International
Airport (SCL) on Saturday or Sunday of one of the following
weekends: March 21 - 22, 2009, May 30 - 31, 2009, or July 25 – 26, 2009, depending on your program, preferably arriving in
the morning. You will then receive free transportation from
the airport to your orientation accommodations. Once you have
purchased airline tickets, you must email us your complete
itinerary. It is very important that you include details such
as airline, flight number, connecting airports, time and day
of arrival and the day you plan to leave Chile. We use this
information to arrange for insurance. IMPORTANT – your
insurance will not be activated until we receive your flight
details.
• You are on Your Way! Once we
have received your complete flight details, you are ready
to start your adventure!
Meet
the staff
We are here to support you throughout your entire program.
Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
We are here to help. Remember, we cannot fix a problem if
we do not know about it.
AIDE
1221 S. Mopac Expressway, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78746 USA
Fax: 1- 512-857-1108
Tel: 1-866-6ABROAD
Sklyar King – Program Coordinator
Telephone: 1-866-6ABROAD or (512) 904-1137
Email: skylar@aideabroad.com
Kimberly Wied – Program Manager
Telephone: 1-866-6ABROAD or (512) 904-1147
Email: kim@aideabroad.com
Arriving
and Orientation in Chile
When you arrive at the
Santiago Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, a booth
will be set up for you to meet at and a shuttle will be arranged
to take you to your accommodations. In Santiago you will be
staying at the Hostelling International – Santiago for a 3 - 5 day orientation, depending on your program start date. During this time you will learn
about Chilean culture and the country, the Chilean education
system and school visits, Teaching English as a Foreign Language
training (TEFL), and take some Spanish lessons. In addition,
recreational activities and cultural events will be organized.
Visa
Documentation
Volunteers from North America and most other countries are
automatically granted a 90-day tourist visa upon entering
Chile. During the orientation in Santiago, volunteers will
be assisted by the Chilean Ministry of Education with the
necessary paperwork to obtain a year-long temporary residence
visa. We will send more information regarding the visa application
process before you leave, and the Ministry
of Education will also send you more information as well.
Please note that no visas will be granted until the full program
fee has been paid. AIDE does not have the authority to grant
visas, and cannot be held responsible for any difficulties
in obtaining a visa.
Insurance
One of the benefits of booking your trip through AIDE is that
we provide excellent travel insurance, which covers health,
accidents and prescriptions for medical issues which develop
during your program. You are also covered for emergency evacuation
related to medical necessity. Please note that pre-existing
conditions are not covered, and you also will be responsible
for a deductible. The Outbound Program Manager will give you
an insurance card with insurance carrier contact information
to have during your trip. Details of the coverage can be found
on the AIDE website.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Is there a language requirement for this program?
A basic proficiency in Spanish is required for
this program. If you do not have much practical experience
with the language, we recommend that you take an informal
Spanish class or find a way to practice conversational Spanish
before departure. If you do not speak at least some Spanish,
you might find it more difficult to adjust to life in Chile
and to participate in the projects. This is a very independent
program, and you may not be placed near other English speakers.
Who is my host family?
You will be placed
with a host family that has been screened by the Chilean Ministry
of Education and that lives in a safe area near your school.
Like families anywhere, there may be a range of families with
different income levels. All host family homes will be modest,
clean, and safe. Host family living is an opportunity for
you to have a level of insight into the culture that you could
not get as a tourist. However, if you prefer not to live with
a host family, you can receive the additional $200/month money
that would have gone to your host family. We can help you
arrange a dorm or apartment living, however, keep in mind
that you will need to bring extra money to cover the additional
expenses you will incur. $350/USD a month will not cover the
living expenses outside of a host family.
What if I’m a vegetarian?
Your host family will try their best to accommodate
any special dietary requirements you may have. However, please
be prepared to supplement your own
meals if they are unable to adjust their cuisine to meet your
needs.
What are my duties?
As a volunteer on this program, you will be asked to teach
a minimum of 25 hours a week in the classroom, plus an additional
10 hours of preparation and extra-curricular activities. We
expect our volunteers to become involved in the community
and take initiative in creating extra-curricular activities
for the community to help promote English learning. As part
of your volunteer teaching assignment, you will also be asked
to assist in organizing and training a dialogue team
(for 5th to 8th graders) and/ or a debate team (for 9th to
12th graders) in order to participate
in the National Dialogue and Debate Competitions in Chile.
In the event that your school
might not yet have developed these teams, as a volunteer you
will also be called upon to assist in developing them.
What are some challenges
I will face?
The biggest challenge you will probably face
in your classroom will be discipline. In many of the public
schools in Chile, discipline and consequences are not enforced.
You will find that many students talk during class and do
not follow your directions. While
on this program you must be learn to develop your own forms
of discipline that work for you and your students.
Do I need to get any immunizations
before I leave?
AIDE does not require any proof of immunizations;
however we do recommend that you research which ones are needed
for Chile based on your past immunization history. The Center
for Disease Control has an excellent website about health
and travel at: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationList.aspx.
Please always consult with your doctor or a local travel clinic
about what immunizations are recommended for Chile. This is
important as you do not want any medications or immunizations
to conflict with any current or past treatment. You
should take care of any immunizations 4-6 weeks prior to your
arrival as many immunizations
require booster shots, or can take some time to be effective.
Do I have to do anything
after the program is over?
Yes, as part of AIDE ’s Teach Chile program
you are required to complete an evaluation form at the conclusion
of your program. You will receive the form by email shortly
after you return. It is very important to us to hear about
your experiences. It helps us
improve our programs, and will ultimately help all the participants
that follow you.
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