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TAGALOG ON SITE TRAVEL GUIDE FOR PARTICIPANTS |
:: Travel Light |
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1. The number one rule: TRAVEL LIGHT. The TOS itinerary entails a lot of travel. It will be difficult to be bringing several bags where there are no porters to assist you. It is best to limit yourself to 2 easy to manage pieces of luggage plus a backpack or 1 hand-carried bag. Opt to use waterproof bags/luggage that can be folded and tucked away when not in use. Large pieces of hard plastic luggage with wheels are cumbersome and not ideal for travel to Philippine provinces. 2. Before leaving the US, make 3 photocopies of your passport, plane tickets, credit cards, insurance cards and birth certificate. You should entrust one photocopied set of these documents to your parents/family in the US; another set should be given to trusted family members or friends in Manila (if any) and the third set you should keep with you while traveling. In the event that you lose the originals, having photocopies of these should make it easier to get replacements. Leave your passport and return ticket to the US with trusted relatives or friends in the Philippines. Ask them to confirm your flight reservation at least 3 weeks prior to your departure, and to reconfirm 72 hours before your departure. 3. When packing your things for the trip, opt to bring items that are of little value. We will be traveling to different places within a limited time. The possibility exists that you will lose or misplace things. Opt to bring items you wouldn't mind losing. For example:
a) You are expected to have your own supply of notebooks, pens and stationery. School and office supplies are found in both Manila and provincial stores. b) TOS uses its own curriculum and student handbook which will be provided on Orientation Day. If you arrive in Manila early, you may purchase the English-Tagalog/Tagalog-English Dictionaries by L. English (two volumes) which is readily available at most bookstores (e.g. National Bookstore). Also, past participants found it useful to have Conversational Tagalog by Teresita Ramos (University of Hawaii Press, 1985). YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS BOOK by Teresita Ramos. Your notes from your classes, plus the TOS Language Handbook will suffice. c) It would be best to bring a small, battery-operated tape recorder and blank tapes. In the past, it has helped our students to record their assigned interviews with community members and some class sessions. The tapes will come in handy when reviewing the day’s lesson, and you can bring these items with you to the US to help you recall your language lessons. 5. PREPARING FOR LANGUAGE CLASSES: A number of participants have e-mailed asking how best they could prepare for their Tagalog Language classes. A few tips:
a) "Short shorts" and skimpy clothing, especially for women, are unusual particularly in the provinces. To avoid being stared at, opt for modest dressing. For women, it is advisable to choose to wear one-piece bathing suits versus bikinis at the beach or swimming pools. b) IMPORTANT: Bring 2 easy-to-dry bath towels or 1 camp towel. You will need these for overnight trips. Some like to bring hand towels for shorter hikes. c) The weather in the Philippines is usually warm even during the rainy months of June-October. Bring light, easy-to-dry clothing such as T-shirts, light cotton shirts and pants (versus heavy denim jeans which take a while to dry on the clothesline). A light sweater should the temperature drop. A waterproof, cotton-lined windbreaker (one with a hood), a light raincoat (no trench coats please), or an anorak lined with light cotton (definitely NO down-feather lining) is a MUST. d) There are laundromats with drop-off service in Laguna. However, there are no self-service laundromats. A week’s laundry (with wash/dry/fold service) will cost about P150 -- P200 ( $3 -- $4). In the areas where laundromats do not exist, laundry service by hand is readily available. e) Bring at least 2 large cotton scarves/bandanas, large enough to cover you head/nose/mouth. The roads in the provinces can be very dusty. f) Bring waterproof hiking shoes (with lots of traction) best suited for the tropics. Winter boots with heavy lining are too hot for comfort. g) Bring enough clothing to tide you over for a week to a week-and-a-half. h) Remember, you are coming at the onset of the rainy season. Bring a foldable umbrella. i) Bring one "decent" dress/shirt and slacks to wear for a semi-formal occasion should we need to attend a function. Again, opt for modest dressing for these occassions. j) There may be times when we will be visiting tribal populations which have had very limited contact outside of their indigenous culture; or communities that prescribe to conservative norms dictated by religious beliefs. It is TOS’ belief that it is important to do as little as possible to further erode ethnic/local tradition. In the past, some TOSers have visited communities looking as they would in their own American communities. Some women wore revealing tank tops, some sported color-treated hair, braided hair extensions, colored contact lenses and pierced facial features. Some elders of the communities we visited expressed shock and thought it was a sign of irreverence. While TOS understands and respects one’s right to express a person’s individuality, we believe that it is of higher importance to respect and conform with the norms of the ethnic communities we visit, and to seek the preservation of their endangered and vanishing cultures. TOS will strictly enforce a dress code when visiting certain communities respecting the peoples' norms and traditions. We advise you to take this issue into consideration in preparing for TOS. For example, if you have color-treated hair, consider using a scarf while we are visiting these communities. If you have facial piercing, try to remove nose rings, stud earrings, etc. and cover tattoos before we go into certain communities/villages. Your understanding and cooperation will be greatly appreciated. 7. EATING OUT- Although all your meals while classes are in session will be provided, there are times when you may want to eat out. Meals would range from P150 to P400 ($2.75 - $8)per meal depending on the restaurant you pick. 8. OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD BRING (a majority of which may be purchased in Manila or at the cities we will be visiting ):
Some TOS alumni suggests that the following items may prove to be useful but not necessary:
9. THINGS THAT WE NORMALLY TAKE FOR GRANTED:
ATM Banking in the Philippines:
IMPORTANT: TOS cannot assist you with obtaining your visas to the Philippines. It is highly recommended that you secure your visa from the Philippine consulate/embassy in California before leaving for Manila. a) IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU TRY TO GET YOUR PHILIPPINE VISA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Non-Philippine passport holders are allowed to stay in the Philippines for 21 days without a visa. However, there are STIFF FINES for those who exceed the 21 days. Expect bureaucratic delays -- thus it is best to start the process of visa procurement early. b) It is generally easy to procure a visa. While in the US, locate the nearest Philippine embassy or consulate. Call beforehand to confirm the requirements for a 59-day visa. c) A 59-day visa will suffice for the TOS program. BUT if you intend to stay in the Philippines longer, it is strongly advised that you arrive at least 2 days before TOS begins. During these pre-program dates, you may already apply for a visa extension should you wish to play it safe with immigration requirements. Ask your relative(s) to accompany you to the Immigrations Bureau to apply for an extension. A word of warning, DO NOT wear shorts or tank tops to the Immigrations Bureau in Manila-- government offices in the Philippines strictly enforce a dress code. e) BALIKBAYAN SEAL/STAMP -- allows you to stay a FULL YEAR from your date of arrival. This can be stamped on your passport upon your arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) regardless of the type of visa you hold. How to obtain the Balikbayan Seal/Stamp: Upon your arrival at NAIA, proceed to customs/immigration and fall in line at the counter that explicitly says BALIKBAYAN. If you have visited the Philippines in the last 5 -- 7 years with your parents (of Filipino descent) then you may already have the Balikbayan stamp (at times it would just say "BB" plus the date of arrival) on your passport. If this is the case, show the immigration official the old Balikbayan stamp and simply ask for a new one. If you do not have an old Balikbayan stamp on your passport, simply request to have one. Officially, you need to be accompanied by a parent of Filipino descent to qualify for "Balikbayan status." But in the past, TOS'ers have just requested one and have received it without much trouble. (Even our Chicana participant who has no Filipino blood in her veins got the Balikbayan stamp upon request!). If you are Philippine-born, but are now an American citizen, bring a photocopy of your birth certificate and/or your old Philippine passport. Show these documents to the immigration officer at NAIA, and request the Balikbayan stamp. f) In the event that you do not do any of the above, there is a way to apply for a 30-day visa extension at the Office of Philippine Immigration before the 21-day period lapses. This procedure is NOT recommended for TOS participants, and should be considered a last resort. This matter MUST be taken care of before the TOS program begins to avoid the fines upon your departure from NAIA. GRANTS What is it? This is a need-based grant award for undergraduate students in good standing at an institution of higher education in the United States who wish to spend a summer up to a year in Asia. How much is the award? Three thousand dollars for the summer, 5,000 dollars for a quarter/semester and 7,000 dollars for the academic year. Which study-abroad programs are eligible? Study-abroad programs in Asia that are approved by applicants' home institutions for academic credit are eligible. Interested applicants must contact their academic adviser to obtain approval and each applicant must apply for the grant through their home institutions. In most cases this will be done through the study-abroad adviser. Can I apply for the Freeman-ASIA Award even before being accepted by Tagalog on Site? Yes, but proof of program acceptance and flight arrangement will be required before the final award is disbursed. Where can I find more information?
Other information:
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