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Travel in the United States
Most participants have some time for travel after camp ends. These notes may
help you plan your travels. Schedules and prices change. Contact a travel agency. They have some bargains. Shop around.
Be sure to plan ahead. You must save enough money for your return travel from
camp to your departure airport. You must also plan to arrange your travel from camp at least two weeks before camp ends. Travel Tips
Travel Options
Air:
For long distances, planes are quickest. For example, if you travel from New York to Los Angeles,
here’s what each mode of travel takes:
Plane — 5 hours
Train — 57 hours
Bus — 72 hours
Automobile — 4 to 5 days minimum
Many of the American domestic airlines have air passes for international
travelers that cannot be purchased in the United States. For example, Continental Airlines has a program called Visit USA. You choose the number of places you want to visit up to a
maximum of eight. The cost is based on the number of stops. This ticket cannot be purchased in the United States. If you are interested in a multi-city pass you should investigate
American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Northwest, TWA, or US Airways before you leave home.
Bus: Buses are the least expensive mode of
travel. Long-distance buses run day and night. They are comfortable and afford-able. Reclining seats and restrooms are on board. They stop for food every four hours. Greyhound bus lines
sells discount tickets for long-distance travel.
Fifteen-day and 30-day passes are often available.
Train:
There are
fewer train routes in the USA than in Europe. The national rail company, AMTRAK, offers some bar-gains. RAIL PASSES MUST BE PURCHASED OVERSEAS. Have a relative or friend buy the pass and
mail it to you! For more information, contact: AMTRAK International Sales, 400 N. Capitol NW, Washington, DC 20001. You cannot buy a timetable listing all United States trains. You must
check locally at the train station. Automobile:
Hitchhiking:
We don’t recommend
hitchhiking. In the past, ICCP participants have been assaulted by drivers who picked them up. Hitchhiking in the United States can be very dangerous, and is illegal on many roads.
Bicycle:
The American Youth
Hostel Association can give you lots of help. Many cities and states have bike routes. Check the nearest bike store for maps and guide books. One caution: Be sure you have a good lock
for your bicycle.
Emergency
Information
For any immediate emergency requiring the assistance of police, fire
department, or ambulance service, dial “911” on any phone. No coin is required when dialing “911” on pay phones. Some rural communities do not have a “911” system, however you can always
dial “0” and an operator will help you contact emergency services. You should dial “911” only in the event of a medical, fire, or criminal emergency.
Lost/Stolen Passports:
If you lose or have your passport stolen, you must obtain a temporary passport before you return home. Your country’s consulate or embassy must be notified at once
to begin the process of issuing this document. Also notify the local police (in the area of the loss) as soon as possible.
Traveler’s Aid: If you have trouble while traveling
(you are lost, or you lose money or a ticket), look for the Traveler’s Aid Society. Their representatives are in many airports, train stations, and bus terminals. Police officers can
also be very helpful.
Illness/Accident:
Medical care
in the United States is provided in a number of different ways. Private doctors, hospital emergency rooms, and, in some areas, walk-in health clinics are available for treatment. If you
become suddenly ill or have an accident while traveling, go directly to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Hospitals offer the most complete facilities for service. See the “Insurance”
section for details about payment for medical services. Lost/Stolen/Lack of Money: ICCP cannot reimburse you for any loss. Be very careful with your money. Convert your cash into traveler’s checks. Thefts should be reported immediately to local police.
ICCP does not have the facility or the capacity to cash checks. Please ask
your camp directors to cash your pocket money and flight refund checks BEFORE you leave camp. If you anticipate a need to have money transferred from home, ask your camp director to help
arrange a bank transfer BEFORE you leave camp. If you are in a desperate financial situation, your country’s consulate MAY be able to facilitate bank transfers. Remember to plan ahead;
these transfers take considerable time.
Where to Stay
Resources
Where to Stay, USA — available in
bookstores Sleep Cheap Guide in North America
— available from CIEE: 205 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017;
telephone: 1-212-661-1414
Let’s Go USA
— available in bookstores
Post-camp Activities
We highly recommend that each ICCP participant plan a post-camp experience
that will give a different perspective of life in the United States. If you wish to experience more of the USA out-doors, and don’t want to spend your time planning travel, food, and
lodging, you may want to consider contacting a professional tour agency.
Another organization which you may want to investigate is
Servas, which provides voluntary home stays throughout the United States and other countries to international visitors. Contact United States Servas, Inc., 11 John
Street, Suite 407, New York, NY 10038.
Traveling in the United States can be very expensive, especially if you have not
planned what you want to do. While we want your primary energy to go into preparing for working at camp, it is not too soon to think about what you will do after camp.
Telephones and
Mail
Telephone Calls
There is no single telephone system for the United States. The instructions
which follow will not be accurate for all public telephones. Wherever possible, read the instructions on the public telephone before trying to place a call.
TO CALL LOCALLY FROM A PUBLIC TELEPHONE:
1. Listen for the initial dial tone.
2. Deposit 35 cents, or use your pre-paid phone card. (See below.)
3. When you hear the dial tone (steady hum), dial the number.
Do not confuse the letters “I” and “O” with the numbers “1” and “0.”
4. If the line is busy, you will hear a buzzing signal. If the line is
busy or there is no answer, hang up and your money will be returned.
To call to a number in North America, but beyond the local area:
1. Dial 1 + (three-digit area code) + number (seven digits).
Have plenty of coins. One minute may be $2 or more.
TO MAKE A COLLECT CALL:
A collect call is one in which the recipient of the call agrees to pay.
1. Dial “0,” plus the three-digit area code, followed by the seven-digit
number, to get the telephone operator. Say you want to make a “collect call” and give the number you want to call.
2. When the operator asks your name, say your name and “International camp
staff from (your country name).”
3. The operator will ask whomever answers the call if he or she will accept
paying for the charges. When the respondent says “yes,” you may talk.
TO MAKE INTERNATIONAL CALLS OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA:
1. Get about $12 to $15 in coins, or use your pre-paid phone card. (See
below.)
2. Find out the country code of the city you are calling.
3. After hearing the dial tone, dial “011” plus the country code, followed by
the city code and number. If calling Europe, do not dial the first “0” of the city code. DO NOT CHARGE CALLS TO YOUR CAMP OR HOST FAMILY TELEPHONE.
ICCP has told your camp director that all calls you
make throughout the summer are to be paid for in advance.
USING A PHONE CARD:
The best way for you to make phone calls without needing large quantities of
coins is to use a debit calling card, which you can use from almost any telephone in the United States. The phone card allows you to pre-pay for calls. It includes the following
advantages:
ICCP can sell you a phone card that is the only one for which we can guarantee rates. If
you choose to buy a different phone card, ASK ABOUT their advertised rates. Many have hidden charges which can cost you double the advertised rate.
You may want to leave your phone card ID number (on the back of card) with your
family and friends so they can leave you private voicemail messages or send e-mail or faxes to you in the USA.
We will have $20 phone cards available for you to purchase at the ICCP
arrival orientations in New York, Charlotte, Kansas City, Chicago, Denver, and Cleveland.
Mail
A first-class letter to an address in North America requires a 34¢ stamp.
A postcard to an address in North America requires a 20¢ stamp.
An international aerogramme costs 50¢.
An air mail letter requires a 60¢ stamp.
An air mail postcard requires a 50¢ stamp.
Your camp store probably will have stamps for sale.
If your family or friends write to you at your camp’s address, ask them to
include the words, “Camp Staff” after your name. |
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