Select the topic below to find answers to our most frequently asked questions.
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| QWhat happens if a delegation destination becomes unsafe during or before departure? |
AWe choose our destinations carefully, relying on the advice of the U.S. State Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, as well as numerous international safety and security organizations.
If it is advised that we avoid a particular destination, excursion, or event on the itinerary, or if a location is temporarily unavailable (such as a museum closure), we will arrange comparable, alternative activities to the best of our abilities and with full regard for the well-being of each participant.
In addition, our delegation managers — who accompany each delegation and coordinate the daily activities — know the local area, are equipped with cell phones and pagers, and are supported by an international team. We also provide training for our delegation leaders, all of whom are CPR-certified.
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| QWhat if an emergency occurs with a student? |
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In case of an incident, our local coordinators are on the job—24/7. People to People Ambassador Programs has 24-hour staff coverage in our office during the summer months, enabling us to notify parents immediately about any emergency that might arise. To ensure student safety, our programs include:
- CPR-certified delegation leaders
- Medical and accident insurance
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| QWhat if an emergency takes place at home while students are traveling? |
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We maintain 24-hour staff coverage in our program office during the summer so families can contact us in an emergency. We can also put parents in contact with their students if necessary.
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| QWhat if a participant becomes ill? |
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Our associates maintain ongoing relationships with medical personnel in every destination, so our staff can respond to any situation that may arise. People to People’s 24-hour, in-office staff will contact family immediately if a delegate becomes severely ill. To ensure student safety during the program, all of our delegation leaders are required to have current CPR certification.
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| QWhat if a family needs to communicate with their traveling delegate? |
| AParents have many ways to get in touch with delegates, including telephone calls, letters, and faxes. Students are also free to call home during the journey. At orientation meetings for all international programs, the delegation leaders will discuss how to send international mail and use calling cards.
Keep in mind that not hearing from a student during the first few days of the program is not cause for worry. Our delegates have full schedules and are often too excited with new friends and activities to pause and call home.
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| QWhat if a student gets homesick? |
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It's completely natural for students to get nervous in the days leading up to the journey. If a student worries about leaving home, it may help to offer reminders of all the reasons he or she wanted to participate in a People to People program.
During the journey itself, the focus on friendship and educational activity does wonders to ward off homesickness. Teacher leaders will watch for signs of worry and encourage any homesick student to call home. A quick phone call to a positive, reassuring parent is often all a homesick student needs to return to the fun and adventure of a People to People journey.
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| QWhat if a delegate doesn't like the food? |
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The different foods delegates will enjoy on an international journey reflect the culture and traditions of the destinations. Trying new foods is a fun way to experience unique cultures and an opportunity for personal growth.
Most delegation meals include a choice of items or a buffet of selections, so a student should be able to find foods he or she enjoys. During Student Ambassadors’ home stays with our selected host families, we encourage students to try the food and politely decline items they do not prefer.
Students often find themselves enjoying foods they would never have tried at home, much to their parents' surprise.
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| QWhat if a student has special dietary restrictions? |
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Before students embark on a People to People journey, we will ask them to fill out a health form outlining any special dietary restrictions they may have. We will then work with our overseas partners to meet the student’s dietary needs during the journey.
In addition, teacher leaders will be accessible during the series of orientation meetings leading up to departure and will ask families about any special dietary requirements students may have.
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| QWhat if a student takes medications? |
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It is very difficult (and in some cases impossible) to ship medications internationally or fill a prescription in another country. Therefore, we recommend the following steps to ensure medication needs are satisfied:
- Leave all medication in original packaging with all prescription details.
- Bring extra medication in case of loss or damage.
- Discuss the issue of time zone changes with a physician to ensure that students will receive proper dosages at the right time of day. For convenience, consider alternatives to medications that require refrigeration, as refrigeration is not possible while traveling.
- Make sure the delegation leader is aware of all medications a student is taking. The teacher leader will ask for this information during the orientation meetings before departure.
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| QWhat if there is a discipline problem? |
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Our highly selective nomination, application, interview, and acceptance processes are designed to ensure that every Student Ambassador delegation is made up of bright, well-mannered, and disciplined students.
We employ the same kind of highly selective screening process when choosing our delegation leaders. We only select educators who we believe have the classroom and youth leadership experience to handle their delegations appropriately and effectively.
In the event of a serious discipline violation, the parents of the offending delegate will be notified immediately and the student will be escorted home as quickly as possible. We aim to ensure that no single participant's behavior interferes with the positive opportunities for committed delegates to learn and explore on an exciting educational adventure.
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| If you do not find your question here please contact us. |
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