Assignments & Tasks February Meeting

• Civics Assignment
• Journal - 3 Questions for Official Visitor
• Complete - Online Learning - "Explore Before You Go" chapters on Italy
• Complete Chapters 1-5 on Student Ambassador Certification
• Begin thinking about what project you might like to present at the "Project Fair". The first decision would be "PowerPt VS Tri-Fold Display". Then the next would be "Topic". Topics can be anything from food to culture to government to ..... on any of the countries we will journey to in June.
• Two passport pictures
• Start passport process
• Enter shirt sizes and passport info on the website, if you have your passport.
• Emergency sheet
• Read "Destination Information" on Italy
• Success Contract, signed
• Service Hours Project that have been done during this month, if any
  
  Congrats on the number of ambassadors that have completed online learning modules.

Packing Suggestions: #4

Swimwear

Appropriate one-and two-piece swimsuits may be worn while on the beach or in a pool area. All swimwear should be covered with a T-shirt or wrap when going to and from the beach or pool. It is the etiquette of the European countries.

Nightwear

At times, Ambassadors may attend nightly meetings after they have changed into pajamas or other nightwear. Appropriate, modest dress standards also apply here. For girls, that means that pajamas should cover the four Bs (bellies, buttocks, breats, and backs) and shoulders. Boys should wear shirts with pajama bottoms when outside the hotel room.

What Not To Wear

As a Student Ambassador, you're expected to wear tidy clothing that is respectful of your surroundings and suited to your activity. The following are considered inappropriate:

• Ripped or torn clothing
• Exposed undergarments
• Clothing with rude expressions or logos or that promote illegal activities
• Excessively short skirts or shorts (follow the fingertip rule for length)
• Spaghetti-strap or halter tops
• Baseball caps when worn indoors or any other hat as far as that is concerned
• Sweatpants when worn in public places

A shirt, top, or swimsuit (bikini) exposed a bare midriff is not appropriate for wear in hotels, on the street, or in public areas.

Students must always avoid exposing the four Bs (bellies, buttocks, breasts, and backs). Leaders will ask anyone dressed inappropriately to change.

Note: To adhere to cultural protocols of particular sites, students may be required to cover their shoulders, wear head coverings, or wear pants or skirts that cover the knees.

Pack Like A Pro

Keep It Close

Pack valuables, medication, gifts, journals, and items that cannot be replaced easily in the carry-on bag and keep it close at all times. Checked luggage is not theft-proof, and occasionally items in checked luggage are lost at airports. It is very important that everything of value is labeled with your name and delegate ID#.

Luggage Identification

All delegates receive luggage tags. Make sure to place them on each piece of luggage where they are easy to see. (I believe you will receive (2) and my advice is to put one on your checked baggage and one on your carry-on. You can then move it to the other checked bag on your return.)

It is a good idea to tape a friendship card, found on the OnBoard website, inside your suitcase in case the outside tag is lost. Make sure it has your name, address, and travel group number on it.

Tiny Bottles

Leave the BIG containers at home and transfer facial cleansers, shampoos, and other liquids into small, inexpensive, plastic twist-top bottles from the drug-store. Seal each small bottle inside a zip-top baggie to avoid leaks.

Leave Home Without It

To avoid losing anything precious, please leave items of extreme value at home.

Other Thoughts:

• Consider luggage with wheels
• Airlines will enforce carry-on size and weight restrictions, and may require you to check your carry-on as an extra piece of luggage if you do not comply with the guidelines. Excess luggage fees may apply. (In reality, we have had some delegates and some leaders that have had to move items around, but never have had to pay extra fees, where there is a will there is a way, particularly with 40 delegates and 4 leaders. Room can be found somewhere. :)
• Place your zip-top bag containing your liquid items in a side pocket or other easily-accessible place in your carry-on. Don't pack it on the bottom.
• Make sure your carry-on is big enough for at least one complete change of clothing in case your checked baggage is lost or delayed.
• Roll your clothes to reduce wrinkling and to make more space in your luggage, or pack them in reusable vacuum bags to reduce bulk. Such bags do not require a vacuum cleaner to remove the air, and can be found in most department store travel sections. (We will bring one along to the February meeting for demonstration.)
• Bring plastic bags for wet clothing
• Leave space for souvenirs and gifts
• Put items that may leak in zip-lock bags.

What To Pack

Below are some suggestions on general items to be mindful of when packing. At this time I do not seem to be able to bring up the "Packing List" under Student Protocol in the OnBoard Site. If anyone can bring up that page please forward it on to me. But until then, here are some items you might begin to think about. Just remember that at or next meeting we will be discussing packing more in depth.

With You At All Times

• Wallet/ID
• Cash in small bills/US/Visting Country
• Credit/Debit card
• Clear Photocopy of Passport
• Phone Card
• Emergency Numbers

Checked Baggage

• 1 Pair of khakis
• 2 Pair of walking shorts
• 7 Tops to wear with shorts
• 1 Dress shirt
• 1 Sweater or sweatshirt
• 1 Other long-sleeved shirt
• At least 10 changes of underwear/socks
• Pajamas
• Travel alarm clock
• Travel umbrella
• Poncho for rain
• Comfortable walking shoes
• 1 jacket
• Soap
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Sunscreen/insect repellent
• Laundry detergent
• Voltage/current adapter
• Swimsuit/towel
• Closed-toed sandals

Girls

• 1 Modest skirt or dress
• Sanitary supplies
• Cosmetics
• 1 Pair comfortable dress shoes

Boys

• Shaving Kit
• Slacks
• 1 Pair comfortable dress shoes

Carry-On Baggage

• Everything valuable
• Book
• Stationary/postcards
• Small address book
• Personal journal/PTP Journal and pen
• Extra pair of contacts/glasses
• Sunglasses
• Comb/brush and small mirror
• Tissues
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Hand Sanitizer
• Personal Medicines
• 1 Change of clothes
• List of suitcase contents (in case of lost luggage)
• Money/US $ and Euros....
• Camera/memory cards, batteries...
• Refill prescriptions signed by your doctor (in case of loss)

Incidentals

• (5) gallon plastic bags
• 1 extra soft, dufflebag type of suitecase for second checked bag on return trip. (Once again, we will verify this.)
• Space saver bags (2), they may come in packs of three.

**Be aware that this list may change and we may be a bit more specific on some things.

**Also, at our April meeting I will bring a scale so you can weigh your suitcase. I have never offered this up but think it might be fun. It can be a trial run for you to pack your suitcase and see what it weighs. I can also bring it to the BonVoyage in May as well if someone want to do it then.

Packing Suggestions: #3

Keep Track of Your Belongings

Your luggage is always your responsibility, except when in the care of the airlines. you must never leave it unattended. You are responsible for making sure it is loaded on the motor coach each day and for carrying it through airports and to and from your hotel room.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Leave anything valuable or irreplaceable at home.
• Label all important belongings (bags, cameras, personal items that could be easily mistaken for someone else's) before departing on the program.
• Each morning when you check out of our accommodations, look around your room to ensure that you have everything. The motor coach will not return to pick up lost items. (Leaders do room checks when we check out of hotels just in case. ) :)
• Make your bag distinct by tying a colored ribbon or handkerchief around the handle, or by marking it with colored tape in a distinctive pattern. (We will have some identifying label of some kind once we get closer to our journey. It is nice if we can co-ordinate this with the other delegations traveling with us. It makes it a log easier to identify bags in the airports.)
• Compile a complete list of the suitcase's contents. Leave one copy at home and carry another in your carry-on bag. In the event that your luggage is lost, this list will help you file a claim with the airline or insurance company. You can also take pictures, much easier today with the advent of the digital cameras.

Lost Luggage

If your luggage is lost by the airline, alert your delegation leader immediately. The leader or a member of the program staff will help you file a lost luggage claim before leaving the customs area of the airport.

Lost luggage, while stressful, is not the end of the world. Regard it as simply another tale to tell when you get back from your adventure. It's a good way for friends to come together to help each other out, and for you to practice your ingenuity in making do while your bags catch up. At the worst, you may get to experience shopping in another country or region to replace some essentials. Is that so bad? (I hesitate to say this but with all the international travel I have done i have not had this happen to any of our ambassadors.) :)

For Your Well-Being

Weather or Not

Prepare to deal with varied temperatures and weather conditions. You will want to dress in layers and to be prepared for different weather conditions. You will want want to have along a light, waterproof jacket with a hood. Be prepared for rain.

Medicine

Keep your medicines in original conaintainers with the labels featuring the doctor's name and prescription information. Bring items you think you may need, such as cough drops, cold and allelrgy tablets, and a pain reliever such as aspirin, ibuprofen or advil. You may also wish to bring items such as Kaopectate and Immodum AD, plus a few bandaids. (It always helps to have a health prfessional in our midst, Tracy, while traveling. She always has an emergency kit.) :)

Clothes Encounters

Keep your joacket handy; you may need it when you arrive. Wear your People to People polo shirt (provided prior to travel) and comfortable pants, such as khakis, on the plane. You'll be able to wear your shorts and other long slacks later.

Shoes

Well broken-in shoes or boots and socks are the key to happy feet. Yo will be doing a lot of walkng, so make sure those new shoes have a few miles on them before your get on the plane. They should provide ankle and arch support as well.

Protect Yourself

Smugglers sometimes try to use innocent victims to transport items. Never accept a package from a stranger, and never lealve your luggage or pure without someone you trust watching it. Also, for your safety, don't wear a lot of jewelry or other expensive items or flash cash around.

Drink to Your Health

Take a water bottle, as you may not be able to find a drinking fountain. Drink as much as you can to avoid dehydration. You will feel better for it.

Packing Suggestions: #2

Checked Luggage and Inspections

The Transportation Security Administration screens checked baggage at U.S. airports. On occasion, the screeners will open bags as part of the process. Locks will be removed and can be damaged if they are not TSA approved. Such locks, which can be opened by screeners, are available in most large department stores.

If TSA screeners open your bag during screening, they will close it with a tamper-evident seal and place a notice in the bag to inform you that it has been opened and inspected.

You may want to consider purchasing standard "cable ties" which can be found at your local hardware store. The four-to-five inch ties generally work best, since they are easiest to remove at the destination and can be used to close almost every bag with zippers. (I will bring some of these to the meeting.)

Locks are recommended for protecting belongings left in the room during excursions.

TIPS TO ENSURE CHECKED BAGGAGE MAKES THE FLIGHT

• Package film in your carry-on (not checked luggage), as the screening equipment may damage it. (I realize that most young people today use digital cameras, which should also be taken in the carry-on.)
• Pack shoes, books, sneakers, and other footwear on top of other contents.
• Leave as much space as possible, as you can afford, so the screener can reseal it after inspection.

Courtesy of the Transportation Security Administration

Carry-On Baggage

Important! New restrictions apply to all liquids, gels, and aerosols you may want to pack in your carry-on luggage. The information here is courtesy of the Transportation Security Administration and can be found along with many other helpful packing tips on its website.

Remember the 3-1-1 Rule

1. All liquids, gels, and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller. (Keep in mind that many of the hotels will have shampoo, etc. offered in the rooms which may help with the amount that you bring with you.)
2. All liquids, gels, and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon-size bags or bags that are not zip-top, such as fold over sandwich bags, are not allowed.
   
3. Each traveller is allowed only quart-size zip-top clear plastic bag. You must remove the bag with these items from your carry-on and place in in the bin or on the conveyor belt for screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.
   

If you need larger amounts of liquids, gels, or aerosols, such as toothpaste or shampoo, place them in your checked luggage. (Inside a plastic bag.)

Remember: 3-1-1 means three ounces or less, in a one-quart zip-top bag, one bag per passenger.

Fundraising Video Conference

Hi All,

I have never done anything like this so not sure how easy it might be to do but just wanted to make everyone aware of this opportunity. Good luck.

Still raising funds for your People to People journey? Then you need to meet one of our fundraising experts, Student Ambassador alum Keiko Kang, who raised her entire program tuition at the age of 12.Join us for her fundraising superstar webinar, where she'll share her secrets and tell you how she capitalized on her talents in a very profitable way.

She'll also be answering your questions live!Don't miss this one-time-only opportunity!

Register today, and get ready to tune in:Sunday, January 23, 20118 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. Mountain, 5 p.m. Pacific)

Don't miss hearing the secrets of her success!

Join us.To participate, you'll need Windows 7, Vista, XP, or 2003 on your PC or Mac OS X 10.4.11 (Tiger) or newer on your Mac.

Packing Suggestions: #1

Well here we go!

Pack Light!

You'll carry your own luggage through airports and hotels and load it onto the motorcoach or take it on the ferry. Luggage restrictions are in place for weight allowances and number of bags. make sure you don't exceed them! We will spend some time discussing this at meetings after we find out the airlines we fly on and double check requirements.

Your luggage needs to conform to the standards outlined below, which are drawn from current regulations as put forth by the Transportation Administrations at http://www.tsa.gov/.

Do a trial run! Pack your luggage and carry it down the block and back. If it is difficult, repack and try again.

International Student Ambassadors

Students are allowed one suitcase and one carry-on bag. Checked luggage cannot measure more than 54 inches (height + depth + width) weigh more than 44 pounds when packed. (We will discuss weight as well when we find out our airlines.) (I also believe that we can have two bags on the return trip, at no cost for international flights but we will confirm that as well.)

Carry-on cannot exceed 39 inches (height + depth + width), and should not weigh more than 11 pounds when packed. Be sure to leave some space for souvenir purchases.

Your carry-on bag should be small enough to fit under a bus seat. A medium-sized backpack is a good choice and easy to carry for day trips. (We will bring an illustration of a small day pack that might work for people.)

Voltage Adapters

In the United States, small household appliances such as hair dryers, curling irons, or alarm clocks operate on 110-volt electric current. Most foreign countries operate on 220 volts of electricity and use different plugs. In some cases, you can find "international" models of appliances to take along, or you can buy an electrical current converter for the ones you have. Most major department stores carry these in their luggage or travel sections. Know how to operate your adaptor before you leave. (It might not be a bad idea to have a couple of extra fuses in case one gets blown that go with the adaptor. Fuses are difficult to find on the road. I will demonstrate this at our meeting.) Remember: When buying adapters, you tend to get what you pay for!)

A helpful website might be: www.franzus.com/voltage_guide.htm for more information.

Explore Before you Go/Certification Quizzes

Congratulations! We have many of our delegates working through the Explore Before You Go and Certification Quizzes. I am not quite ready to post results of those finished yet but it is coming in the not to distant future. Don't forget that next time we will be covering informatin on Italy and information that may be on the Certification Quiz 1, Chapters 1-5.

Have Fun!

Safe Travel 24/7 Blog

This is a blog that might be of interest to everyone. It contains good information on safety while on our journey, personal safety and even being safe with what we eat.

Her is the blog address: http://ptpsafety.blogspot.com/

Enjoy.

Fundraising Videos

This is a friendly reminder that fundraising video # 1 and # 2 can be found on both the fundraising website at http://www.fundingyoureducation.com, as well as the fundraising blog http://payyourway.blogspot.com. Please include these links in your delegate communication and encourage them to watch the videos prior to orientation meetings # 1 and # 2, if needed.

Just a reminder that these videos are available in case anyone might be interested or had not visited either of the spots.

T-Shirt Design

As we heard at the end of our meeting the other day the t-shirt design committee would like designs to be submitted no later than the March 13th meeting. You may bring them to the February meeting if you like. I would assume that then at the March meeting there would be some plan to choose the one that will be used for the t-shirt for our delegation.

Thank you T-Shirt Committee for acting quickly because this gives everyone enough time to create a design if they like. I hesitate to say this but it is not a requirement for everyone to submit a design. With my lack of artistic ability this would probably not be something I would participate in unfortunately.

I am looking forward to all of our designs all of our ambassadors create.

More information will be forthcoming in regards to the cost of the t-shirts.

Facebook Page

I have asked David Mathis and Ryan Cole to share responsibility for our Facebook page since it is apparent that I am a bit technologically challenged these days. Actually I just am in a hurry to get it up and going so these two young men have been gracious to help me.

From my understanding the address below is what you need to need to join the page. Good luck. Hopefully with everyone joining we will get pictures of everyone which will assist me in getting to know everyone.

Thanks David and Ryan.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/People-to-People-Cedar-Rapids/175121802525255

Three Uploaded Files

Guten Tag,

I think that is right. The PowerPt that was run yesterday has been uploaded to the Google Sites location. From my end I opened it and it looks like runs fine. At the same time there were a couple of other documents that I uploaded: Health Information and Rules of the Road.

The Rules of the Road is quite a long document and contains an enormous amount of just good advice for traveling. You will notice that at the bottom there is a place for a signature. At your convenience please print this document, read it and sign it. It is worth your time reading.

The Health Info is just some general things to be aware of and I believe that most of you are already aware of what it contains. Of course we are willing to help in this area as much as we can so do not be afraid to discuss any concerns you may have via a phone call or in a meeting.

More Fundraising Ideas From The Home Office

Ideas for Group Fundraising

Events: Many of these are ideas that would make it possible for more than one to participate in. Have fun!

Hold a dance or a dance-a-thon - Kids and teens love to dance! Find a school or community center willing to provide dance space for free. Have the delegates invite all their friends from school, church, etc. Find a great DJ (again, you may be able to find someone to donate their talents) and decorate the space to make it festive and fun. Charge a small fee for admission to the dance. Delegates could also sell snacks or drinks at the event. There could be a small fee for song dedications or “shout-outs” to friends from the DJ. Get creative with the extras. Once the dance begins, the kids will be having so much fun, it won’t even feel like work!

Talent Show- Do your delegates have special talents? I bet they do! Host a talent show to showcase their skills. Talents could include musical instruments, voice, acting, joke-telling, juggling, dance, skits, and more. Some family members and friends may also want to participate. Promote the event at school, church, and in the community. Charge a fee for attendance. You could also run a snack bar during the event for extra cash. Is there a class-clown on your delegation? See if he or she would be willing to MC the event to keep things moving and keep your audience laughing.

Rummage Sale - We all have a few items we have been meaning to get rid of, but it can be hard to come up with enough items to make a traditional yard sale worthwhile. A group yard sale or rummage sale is a great solution! Delegates and their families can bring items to sell and share the task of assisting customers, collecting cash, set up and clean up. Don’t forget to ask neighbors, relatives, and friends if they would also like to donate items. You may be able to get a local store, church, or school to let you use their parking lot for free.

Spaghetti Feed or Pancake Breakfast - Find out if your school, church, or community center will donate space for this event. Everyone involved should chip in to purchase the initial supplies (or ask your local supermarket if they will donate some of the food items!). The delegates themselves should promote the event, help with cooking or service at the event, and provide information to attendees about all the great things they will be doing on their People to People adventure. You can set an admission fee or just ask for donations. In our experience, we find that most delegations report greater success from just asking for donations.

Silent Auction - This group fundraising event could easily be coupled with the Spaghetti Feed or Pancake Breakfast event. Have delegates contact local businesses to ask for donated items and services. Smaller items can be combined to make themed baskets. For each item you are auctioning off, you will want to list the approximate value and a starting bid. As a variation, you could hold a live auction. In that case, you will need to have a parent act as auctioneer. The students can help spot and track bids.

Parent’s Night Out Babysitting Event - This event is best scheduled around a holiday such as Valentine’s Day, but can be successful on just about any Friday or Saturday night. Find a school, church, or community center willing to donate their space for the evening. Prior to the event, have the students brainstorm fun games and activities to keep the children occupied and happy. Delegates may also want to bring in storybooks and games from home. At least one adult should be on hand to supervise the event, but the students themselves should be the ones interacting with the children. You may want to have TV and DVD player on hand to watch movies towards the end of the night as things calm down. Make sure you have contact information for every parent whose child is at the event. Set a clear end time for the event, so parents know when they need to pick up their children.

Other Options:

Raffle - Many delegations have had a lot of success with a group raffle. Does anyone on the delegation know of a business or individual that could donate a high-priced item to be raffled off? Electronic items such as I-pads or flat-screen TVs are often a good bet for a successful raffle. Hotel rooms or event tickets have also worked well. You may raffle off more than one item in the raffle. Set a price for the raffle tickets. Keeping the price low will help delegates sell more tickets. Each delegate should have as many tickets as they think they can sell. If you run out of tickets, print or purchase more! This is a fundraiser in which each delegate would get to keep the cash that they themselves gathered. Remember to set a clear deadline for selling tickets and a specific date to hold the drawing. Please note some cities/towns may require a permit, so be sure to check with your local officials.

Create a cookbook or calendar to sell - To create a cookbook, have delegates and parents provide their favorite recipes for the collection. You may be able to find a local business willing to donate the printing and binding or provide a discount. As an added treat, include a section with traditional recipes from the country or countries your group will be visiting.

Creating a calendar is a similar process. You could have delegates submit photos they have taken (the group could vote on the ones to use in the calendar), or you could find stock photos of the country or countries you will be visiting and use those to create a theme. Some delegations have also had success selling note card sets they have created.

No matter what fundraiser your group chooses, remember to always be gracious when asking for donations. It’s always a great idea to send a thank you card to every business that donates items or services. And have fun!

New Safety Note From Home Office

Please take a look at this note, there is some useful information that is worth reading. http://p2psafety.com

Ambassador Grams

I believe that all of you should have received a series of Ambassador Grams over the last couple of months. They are listed below. If you did not receive them you might look on the OnBoard Site and see if they are posted. If you cannot find them let me know and I can make them available in some format. There will be a number of these coming your way as we move towards June and our departure date.

9/25/2010 Welcome!

10/22/2010 Fundraising, Scholarships, E-Gift Cards

11/10/2010 Applying for Passport

Explore Before You Go - Quizzes

Well here we go! I took a look at the Quiz Report for the first time today. I was impressed with the number of delegates that have started going through the information on line in Explore Before You Go and Certification Information. Great Work!!! Kudos. The information will be useful on Sunday.

I have a record sheet that contains all paperwork, tests, etc. that will be due over the course of our meetings. A master copy will be in your folder and once in a while I will send it out electronically so you will be able to keep track of progress made. The amount of things that need to be taken care of between now and June amounts to quite a list and it is easy to loose track of items.

Hopefully all this will help with your organization.

Agenda 1st Meeting - General

Orientation Meeting #1 will be a lot of shared information that will set the tone for our other three meetings as we prepare for our journey. Below is a tentative Agenda for the 1st meeting just to give you and idea of how the meeting will flow.

• Opening
• Activity
• Discussions
• Jeopardy Game
• Break/Video
• Discussions
• Journal Activity/Parent Meeting
• Closing

You might want to bring a pencil and paper with you for notes that you may want to take. :)

Google Sites Web Address

My apologies for getting the "Background of People to People" posted before I assigned it as a reading. I meant to get it done right after I posted in on the blog but was pulled away and didn't get back to it. It is there now. Also, here is the address for the google sit address that has a few documents and will continue to grow: https:sites.google.com/site/austriatoswitzerland/documents.

This will also be the site where I will post PowerPts in case anyone misses a meeting. They can then be viewed at a later time or if for some reason you would like to go back and access information already covered. I will post them after each meeting.

Watch for a note from Face Book, I would like to get that moving tomorrow, 1/2/2011. We will see.