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SPAIN: 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?
· Within 2-7 business days you
should receive an invoice, sent to you through email, from
our finance department. Please keep an eye out 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. We
will not start the placement process 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.
· Once the program fee is paid
in full, your application is submitted to the local coordinator
to begin matching you to a host family. Placements are typically
confirmed 2-4 weeks prior to your arrival date; however, due
to the fact that we are working with another culture, we ask
that you remain flexible about receiving your placement details.
· We will send you Pre-departure
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!
· Once your host family is found,
we will send you their details for your approval. It is important
to us that you are matched up with the best placement so you
can have the experience you are seeking. You will need to
contact the family by phone and/or email in order to introduce
yourself and coordinate your arrival. Once you have spoken
with them, you will need to send back your approval and agreement
to the terms of the project. This can be done by email, which
we will use as an “electronic signature.”
· You should not purchase your
airplane ticket until your host family placement has been
confirmed and your arrival dates have been arranged with their
schedule. 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 Spain. We use this information to arrange for insurance.
IMPORTANT – your insurance will not be activated until
we receive your flight details.
· Once we have received your
host family approval and 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
in Spain
You should not purchase
your airplane ticket until your host family placement has
been confirmed and your arrival dates have been arranged with
their schedule. We do our best to get host family details
as quickly as possible; however, most families do not accept
language assistants far in advance. We understand this can
be a frustrating process, and ask for your patience with acceptance
of this cultural difference. Many placements may come as late
as 2 weeks before your projected start date. If you choose
to purchase your plane ticket before having a host family
confirmed, you will be responsible for all expenses incurred
prior to a host family being ready to host you (including
airplane tickets, hotels in country, etc). AIDE is not responsible
for any fees related to arriving in Spain prior to when your
host family is able to accept you.
Most host families will pick you up
from the airport. If they are unable to pick you up, you must
be prepared to take public transportation to your host family’s
house based on the directions they provide for you.
Visa
Documentation
If you are an American, Canadian, Australian, European or
a New Zealand citizen you do not need a visa for Spain. Your
passport will admit you to the country for 90 days as a tourist.
If you are planning to stay for longer than 90 days it is
necessary for you to obtain a student visa.
To qualify for a student visa you must
be enrolled in classes while in Spain. All student visas must
be applied for in your home country, prior to your arrival
in Spain. You can check out the Spanish Embassy’s website
for further details: http://www.spainemb.org/ingles/indexing.htm
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 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
Who is my host family?
All host families
are screened by the local coordinator. Most families have
2-3 children. Their ages can range anywhere from 4 –
18 years old, though typically children will be around 9-12
years old. Your family description will be given to you once
a host family has been found. Most host families are upper
class families. They may have other workers in the house,
such as a housekeeper or nanny.
Where will my host family
be located?
Families can be
located anywhere in Spain, though mostly concentrated in Madrid
or Barcelona, including the surrounding suburban areas. If
you are placed in the suburbs you may need to take a bus ride
into city center, which can take up to 1 hour. Families living
in the suburbs may live in a larger home, and families living
in the city center may live in a smaller apartment.
What if I’m a vegetarian?
Your
host family will try their best to accommodate any special
diet 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?
All language assistants
are required to teach for at least 15 hours a week. Once you
arrive in Spain you will work out your particular work schedule
with your host family. Typically, you will work from about
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Monday through Friday. You will have
the weekends free to travel around with friends. As
a member of the household, you will be expected to pick up
after yourself, and will likely be expected to help out with
other chores– possibly with things like cooking, getting
kids up for school, etc. You should always keep your room
clean. However, you should never be made to feel obligated
or guilty for doing chores around the house or taking care
of the children. If you ever feel like a family is trying
to take advantage of you, please contact your local coordinator
and/or AAG so we can help address your situation.
How will I meet other people
while I’m there?
We will provide
a list of names and emails of other participants in your area.
It is up to you to contact them directly about possibilities
of meeting up or even traveling around together on the weekends.
You can also enroll in English classes or use English newspapers
to search out organizations, Intercambios, events, etc. in
the city you are living.
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 Spain 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.
You should always consult with your doctor about what immunizations
he or she recommends for Spain. 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 take some time to be effective.
Do I have to do anything
after the program is over?
Yes, as part of AIDE’s Teach Spain 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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