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Preparing for your trip
Booking your Flight
To all Freeman Asian Scholars and all
international students on Wesleyan financial Award: You are
required to use Sanditz travel, Wesleyan University’s
designated university travel agency for flight
reservations. Contact Sanditz travel, by completing
this form - . Let Ms. Schiavone know that you are taking
part in the International Students Orientation and you need to
arrive at Bradley International Airport on August 25th, 2006.
Do not delay in contacting her because the longer you wait the
harder it will be for her to find a flight to get you here on
time for ISO and the start of the academic life at Wesleyan. Do
everything on your part to avoid unnecessary delays!
All Freeman Asian Scholars and
international students on Wesleyan financial award are
required to use Sanditz travel for booking their flights.
You will receive additional information from respective offices.
To all international and Visiting and
Exchange students: As you shop around for a travel agency,
you may also like to make flight reservations, with Sanditz
Travel, Wesleyan University’s designated university travel
agency. Please understand that you are at liberty to make your
independent travel arrangements and that you are not required to
use Sanditz travel. This is purely a suggestion to broaden your
options as you search for travel services. If you do choose to
use Sanditz travel, please complete this form -
http://www.wesleyan.edu/oiss/orientation/sanditz_travel.html.
Let Ms. Schiavone know that you are taking part in the
International Students Orientation and you need to arrive at
Bradley International Airport on August 25th, 2006. Also ask her
to schedule your arrival at Bradley for no later than 7:30 pm if
possible. Do not delay in contacting her because the longer you
wait the harder it will be for her to find a flight to get you
here on time for ISO and the start of the academic life at
Wesleyan. Do everything on your part to avoid unnecessary
delays!
If you are making flight arrangements with another travel
agency, you still need to inform us of your flight itinerary
through the ISO Registration Form
(http://www.wesleyan.edu/oiss/orientation/forms.html). We will
still pick you up if you arrive at Bradley airport on
international student arrival day, Friday August 25, 2006
Health
matters-Medical and dental care
Health care services differ greatly from
country to country, so here are a few things to keep in mind
your health needs before arriving at Wesleyan.
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Have your parents
complete and sign the Consent for Treatment of Patients under
the age of 18 form. Please do not mail this form as you
international mails can get lost. Without the form, you will
not be able to receive medical treatment off campus if you are
not 18 years of age. Carry this form in your hand luggage
and bring it with you to Wesleyan
-
It is advisable that
you get your entire doctor’s and dentist check up before you
leave your home country. Medical and dental care in the U.S.
is excellent but is VERY expensive, and so it makes
sense to take care of any medical needs you have before you
leave. While all Wesleyan students will be required to have
health insurance coverage, it does not cover dental
procedures.
-
It is also important
to have your doctor compose a letter explaining any chronic
complaints or medical problems that you have and what has been
done for you to date. Sometimes it is difficult to explain a
medical condition to the new medical provider, so the letter
can provide both you and the new doctor a clear understanding
of any condition/diagnosis you carry.
-
Remember to bring
any prescription medication you take with you. If at all
possible have the prescription translated into English,
because it can be difficult sometimes to translate a
prescription. Another option is to bring the scientific name
of the prescription because it may be easier that way to find
the equivalent here. Prescription medication tends to cost
more in the U.S so bring enough supply to last you for a
while. All your prescription medication should be in their
original container.
-
In addition to
prescription medicines, you might also consider to bring a
supply of whatever you typically use for colds or other common
conditions
As a general rule, it is not
advisable to travel with large amounts of money. However, you
still need to carry some cash on you (US currency) before you
leave home. A minimum of about $200-$250 will suffice for
emergency needs and for shopping during the ISO shopping trip.
It is also a good idea to carry one-dollar bills, as they will
come in handy for tipping people who help you at the airport
with your luggage. You can also use the one-dollar bills to
rent carts to carry your luggage. If you need to bring more
money here are some suggestions
·
Bring a credit card that you
can use in the US
·
Bring an ATM (bank card) that
you can use at an automatic transfer machine to withdraw money
from your local bank account. The US bank will charge you a fee
for the transaction and possibly so will your bank.
·
Buy and bring US traveler’s checks. Traveler’s
checks are advisable because of their security. They can be
replaced when they get lost or are stolen.
·
You may also want to check if there is a Western
Union office in your town for you to transfer money to the US.
Western Union transfers money from one individual to another.
With this option, you can arrange with your family to transfer
money to you once you arrive in the US.
Packing your suitcase
Remember to pack lightly! Avoid packing
heavy items since you will only have to pay excess luggage fee.
Moreover, you will have to carry all the heavy luggage by
yourself when you arrive at the US airport. During ISO, you
will have an opportunity to go shopping to buy whatever you
could not bring with you. Here are a few tips to bear in mind
when packing your suitcase for international travel
-
Prepare your
suitcase by cutting off all old luggage labels.
-
Call your airline
and verify the weight limit that you are allowed for your
luggage. You don’t want to pay excess luggage fees!
-
Make new tags for
your suitcase with your Wesleyan address. You can use the
address for Wesleyan Office of International Student Services
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Clothes and shoes
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Bed sheets,
(extra large twin size approximately, 39” x 80”)
toothbrush, and towels
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Do not pack valuable
items in the suitcase that you will check onto the plane
-
Zip up your suitcase
and secure it with locks. Have the keys to the locks ready in
case airport security personnel want to do additional checks.
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Tie a bright ribbon
or cloth around the suitcase for easy identification
Packing your
hand/carry-on luggage
Remember that the items listed below should be carried on your
person
and if at all possible have those in your native language
translated into English.
All essential identification papers and documents should be
carried on your person or in your hand baggage. Do not place
important documents in bags that you will check on the plane.
Sometimes when the bags get lost it can take days before they
are found and returned to the owner.
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Your I-20 or visa
document, valid passport (for at least six months)
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Consent for Treatment of
Patients under the age of 18 form signed by your parents
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Contact Information
for Wesleyan University: Carry the name, address, and
telephone number of the individual at Wesleyan University to
contact in case of a travel delay or an emergency.
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Your original
supporting financial documents, such as Wesleyan financial
award letter, Freeman Asian Scholars award letter, bank
statements and Wesleyan letter of admission
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Contact information
in home country: Carry the name, address, and telephone number
of a contact person at home
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Contact information
of consulate: Carry the name, address, and telephone number of
your country's consulate in the United States or another
entity, such as an educational mission or sponsoring agency.
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A set of bed sheets,
which will fit the dimensions for extra large twin size
approximately, 39” x 80”. You do not want to sleep on an
empty bed after a long flight!
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Towels and
toothbrush
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A set of clothing
incase your checked in luggage gets lost
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Birth
certificates-translated into English
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School
transcripts-translated into English
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Medication
prescription-translated into English
Clothes and shoes
The dress code at Wesleyan, like most U.S.
universities, is very casual. All you will need is some
t-shirts and jeans and you’ll be all set for classes. The
weather in Connecticut, however, ranges from very cold in the
winter to warm sunny days in the summer months. You may
want to bring the following for clothing. Remember to pack as
lightly as possible. If you are not able to bring something,
don’t worry; you will have a chance to buy them in the US.
Sometimes, they might even be cheaper here.
-
Winter coat. If the
weather is cold in your country and you own a winter coat by
all means bring it with you. Make sure to carry it instead of
packing it in your suitcase, as you want to avoid excess
luggage fees.
-
Heavy winter boots
for the snow and winter months
-
Sandals for summer
months
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Sneakers or flat
shoes for walking around campus
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Jeans, tee-shirts
and casual shirts for classes
-
Traditional costume
from your country
-
One semi-formal
outfit for special occasions
Household items
During ISO, you will have an opportunity to
go shopping to purchase some household items. At that
time, you will have a better sense of what you need for your
dorm room and life on campus. Also, one additional shopping
trip is planned during the fall semester for new international
students to purchase winter clothes and supplies. Do not incur
excess luggage fees by packing too many things!
Other suggestions
As a prospective member of the Wesleyan
international community; we hope that you will make an effort to
share your culture with others. Please consider bringing
mementos from home not only to share with your new friends but
also because the mementos can be a source of comfort when you
experience moments of homesickness! Here are some suggestions:
-
A traditional
costume and photographs of your home country and family
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Recipes of native
food, to cook and share during the annual PANGEA international
food fair
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A camera to capture
scenes of your new “home” to share with family back home
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Native music, CDs
and musical instruments
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A small memento to
place near your bed or wall
On the plane
Traveling for hours and sometimes for days
on an airplane can be very tiring and exhausting. Once you
arrive in the US, especially as you have crossed many time
zones, you will experience what is called “jetlag” or feel like
eating and sleeping at the wrong times. Here are a few
suggestions to survive the flight and manage jetlag upon
arrival:
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Whiles on the plane,
use ear-plugs to drown out loud sounds, and eye-mask to induce
sleep
-
Set your wrist watch
to the local Middletown time, so that you prepare yourself
mentally to adjust to the new time schedule
-
Avoid alcoholic
beverages. Instead, drink water to keep yourself hydrated.
-
Bring some snacks in
case you get hungry in between meal service
-
Once you arrive at
Wesleyan, try to sleep and eat at the local times so that your
body can begin to adjust to the new time schedule. Don’t
worry; the ISO staff will make sure that happens! If you try
and keep to a full normal cycle for a full day, you will
adjust sooner
Arrival at the U.S airport, customs
and immigration procedure
When you arrive at a U.S. airport, you will
go first to immigration inspection. Make sure you remember to
present your I-20 along with your passport and visa to the
border official so that you will enter the U.S. as a student
(F-1 status). Pack these documents in your carry-on bags
because you do not pick up your luggage until afterwards. The
immigration officer will give you a white Arrival/Departure card
(the I-94) which should be stapled into your passport. Keep
track of this very important little white card. You will need
it to leave the country! Additionally, as there are new border
procedures which require digital imaging of fingerprints and a
photograph, and verification of your record in the SEVIS system
(the U.S. government student database), this process may take a
little longer than in the past.
If the immigration inspector cannot
immediately find your record, he or she may ask you to go to a
second station where the officer has a little more time to find
your record. Do not panic – this does not mean there is a
problem. If there is a problem, call the Office of
International Student Services at (860 685 2793) or Public Safety Office at Wesleyan
at (860 685 2345) and
they will contact someone to help you.
Calling home
One of the first things you will want to do
in the U.S. is to make a phone call home to let folks know that
you have arrived safely. To make an international call, you will
need to purchase an international phone card, available at the
airport, or once you have reached the Wesleyan campus, Neon Deli
is a good source to buy international phone cards. Once you get
settled, you can start buying phone cards online using websites
such as Annako,
www.annako.com. It provides reasonable rates for all
international calls. Instructions on how to make an
international call are as follows:
1. DIAL a number of the following
(preferably Local access if exist):
Dial toll free numbers:
Nationwide: 1-800-434-1774 French
Nationwide: 1-800-434-1469 English
2. ENTER: Your PIN # (if you buy a hard
copy phone card, this will be located at the back of your phone
card so you will have to scratch off the shaded area)
3. ENTER: Your Destination Number:
Banking in
the U.S.
U.S banking connections should be
established before you leave home. Since there are expenses
which must be met immediately upon arrival, you may want to
avoid unnecessary delays. To transfer money to the U.S., you
may instruct your home bank to issue a foreign draft on a U.S.
Bank in Middletown. It is preferable to use a bank account at a
local Middletown bank, rather than a bank in New York City,
because clearance on a draft between banks in different parts of
the U.S. can result in a delay of up to two-three weeks in
making funds available. Some large U.S. banks have branches in
foreign countries. These banks could be used if the U.S. bank
is also located within the vicinity of Middletown. If a large
international bank is not located in the Middletown area, all
U.S. banks have what are called “correspondent” foreign banks in
which they have established financial connections. In most
countries you can find a bank that has correspondent relations
with a U.S. bank in the Middletown area. A transfer of money
form one correspondent bank to another requires obtaining a
draft from the home bank and presenting it, with personal
identification, to the U.S. bank. The U.S. bank will then give
credit in U.S. dollars. You may also request that your bank at
home “wire” money to you, once you have opened an account at a
Middletown bank. Following is a list of banks in Middletown,
within walking distance from campus. You should consult with
the individual banks about the arrangements for transferring
funds as well as their specific features, services and fees.
·
Bank of America, 267 Main Street, Middletown, CT
06457,
www.bankofamerica.com
·
Citizens Bank, 225 Main Street, Middletown, CT
06457, (860) 685-8800,
www.citizensbank.com
·
Wachovia Bank, 111 Washington Street, Middletown,
CT 06457, (860) 347-0567,
www.wachovia.com
·
Webster Bank, 363 Main Street, Middletown, CT,
(860) 638-6903,
www.websterbank.com
·
Liberty Bank, 315 Main Street, Middletown, CT,
(860) 344-7200,
www.liberty-bank.com
U.S Postal
Services
The U.S. Postal Service delivers mail to
homes and business Monday-Saturday. Mail is not delivered on
Sunday or legal holidays. Things addressed to Wesleyan campus
addresses are delivered Monday – Friday when Wesleyan Station is
open for business. When mailing a letter in the U.S. it is
important to use the zip code as this will speed up delivery.
The current rate to send a one-ounce letter first class
within the U.S. is 39¢. The current rate to send a 1-ounce
letter from the U.S. to most international locations is 84¢.
Postage to Canada and Mexico is 63¢. Additional information on
the current postal rates can be found at
http://www.usps.gov/consumer/rates.htm.
The Wesleyan Station Post Office is located on the ground
floor in the Davenport Campus Center; The window for postal
services is open between 10 am and 3 pm, Monday-Friday. Package
window to pick up parcels or mail that will not fit in your
campus box is open Monday-Friday between the hours of 10AM- 4:30
pm, while mailboxes are accessible during all Campus Center
hours.
In addition to Wes Station local postal services are located
close to campus:
The Middletown Post Office is located at 11 Silver ST. Which
is about 1 mile from Wesleyan.
Alice Hadler, Associate Dean for International Student Affairs, Butterfield B 310, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
Tel: (860) 685 2832
Email: ahadler@wesleyan.edu
Daniel Hiroyuki Teraguchi, Dean for Diversity and Academic Advancement, Dean of the College Office, North College, Room 122, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
Tel: (860) 685 2272
Email: dteraguchi@wesleyan.edu
Jimmy Ong, Orientation Intern,
Tel:(860) 685 6584
Email: iso@wesleyan.edu
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