Entering the United States
Visa Information
Arriving in Gainesville
Emergencies
Weather
Dress
Packing
Finances
Electronics and Computing
Entering the United States
Because of increased security concerns, entering and leaving the United States has become more unpredictable and more complicated. Please keep certain factors in mind:
- Bring this letter and the correspondence with the consulate that announced your appointment to the Institute on the plane where you can easily find it. These documents should speed your arrival and keep Customs delays to a minimum.
- Carry with you any medications you will need for the first few days, in case luggage is misplaced or misdirected. The medications must be packed in their original containers, and you must have a copy of the prescription with you.
- If you are pulled aside for one of the random (and time-consuming) entrance interviews, do not worry. Just present all of your documents and answer the questions completely and honestly. If necessary, please call us on the Institute’s cell phone.
- If you get paperwork from your customs entry, please let us know so we can deal with whatever requirements might be included and minimize your inconvenience later in the Institute or as you are returning home.
Visa Information
You will be entering the United States on an exchange visitor visa, known as a J-1. The dates of your official program are shown in section three of your Form DS-2019. You must present your DS-2019 along with your passport to U.S. immigration officials in order to enter the United States, so be sure to bring it on the plane with you, along with the letters we’ve sent and the material you received from the U.S. consulate in your home country.
More information about J-visas and related matters is available at the U.S. Department of State’s website.
Arriving in Gainesville
Gainesville Regional Airport is very small and easy to navigate. When you arrive, just follow the other passengers through the revolving glass door and look for Institute personnel carrying a sign that reads “State Department Summer Institute.”
We will help you collect your luggage and then we will take you directly to your hotel by private car.
Emergencies
In the case of a travel delay, please call the Institute cell phone at +1 352 283 0752. You can also give this phone number, as well as our e-mail address, to family and friends at home in case of an emergency. You will not be able to use the Institute cell phone for non-emergencies, but you will have your own private phones in your hotel rooms in Gainesville and on the road.
We will provide you with updated hotel addresses and phone numbers for our hotels in Florida, New York City, and Washington D.C. before your arrival.
Weather
Florida has a humid subtropical climate. The Gulf Stream has a moderating effect on the climate, and although much of Florida commonly sees a high summer temperature over 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32° C), the mercury seldom exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit (39° C). That said, most buildings are air conditioned, often to shockingly cold temperatures (around 19.5° C).
Florida’s nickname is the “Sunshine State,” but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the world, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country. Florida also has the highest average precipitation of any state, in large part because afternoon thunderstorms are common in most of the state from late spring until early autumn. A fair day may be interrupted with a storm, only to return to sunshine. Locals say, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes!”
Weather in Miami is even hotter and more humid, and Washington and New York can be unpredictable during the summer months, but will almost certainly be warm and humid.
Before leaving for Florida, you can get up-to-date weather information at Weather.com and current flight delay information for U.S. airports at the Federal Aviation Administration’s website.
Dress
Dress on campus is usually quite casual, so you are free to be comfortable (shorts are acceptable). You will want a sweater or some warmer clothes for air-conditioned rooms (your accommodations and classrooms are air-conditioned). A rain jacket or small umbrella will be useful for the frequent showers and thunderstorms we get every summer.
You will probably want to bring some “business” or “party” attire for a few special occasions. (A “native costume” might prove popular at some of these events.) Because you will walk a great deal, be certain to bring at least one good pair of comfortable walking shoes.
Packing
Not sure what to pack? We’ve compiled a suggested Packing List that you can download and modify to fit your needs.
PLEASE PACK LIGHTLY!
This cannot be emphasized enough. We will be traveling thousands of kilometers, by airplane and coach bus, and staying in various hotels during the tour. The fewer items you bring, the easier you will find the trip.
Laundry facilities are not available in the Gainesville hotel, so Institute staff will be bringing your laundry to a service once a week. The facility charges $1.60 per kilogram to wash, dry and fold your clothes. You should therefore plan to bring a week’s worth of clothing with you, with one additional outfit for laundry day. Your laundry will be picked up in the afternoon and returned to you the next morning and you will each be provided with a laundry bag upon arrival in Gainesville.
Remember that you alone will be responsible for carrying all of your luggage on the tour and to and from all airports. There are no porters or assistants. Please do not bring valuables. They will be especially difficult to deal with on the tour.
Keep in mind that during the tour we will be traveling within the United States by airplane. Every airline enforces strict luggage regulations. Please note that each airline has distinctly different guidelines for the amount of luggage you are permitted to bring on the plane without additional cost. For your flights to and from the United States, please check with your airline to review their unique guidelines for travel restrictions. These restrictions may change once inside the United States.
You will be allowed to ship, at the Institute’s expense, educational books and materials to your home before departing on tour. You will be limited to one box measuring approximately 30.5 cubic cm. The box can contain nothing but educational materials. Additional boxes may be shipped at your expense.
Please take note of the following additional suggestions as you pack for your trip:
- Pack a small bag or “carry on” to be kept with you through your travels containing any essential items such as a change of clothing, toothbrush, medications, and anything else you may need to carry you through a day or two in case your luggage is delayed en route. Remember this bag should neither be more than 114 cm nor exceed 18 kgs.
- According to new security regulations, all liquids or gels in carry-on luggage must be 3 ounces or smaller and be placed in a single 1 quart-size clear plastic, zip-top bag. More information about this and other luggage restrictions can be found at the Transportation Security Administration’s website. You will have the opportunity to buy full-size and travel-size toiletries early in your stay here, so you can leave most of your toiletries at home.
- Bring any prescription medication that you will need for the duration of your stay in the United States. Do not be stingy with your medications; many prescriptions that are familiar to you are not available here in the U.S. or can only be obtained at great expense. Remember that any medication should be kept in its original container clearly stating what it is. You should also obtain a note, if possible, from your doctor or pharmacist in your home country stating what the medication is for. Pack your medication in your “carry on” bag.
- Bring an extra pair of prescription glasses or contacts just in case the ones you have get lost or broken. Replacing them here could be expensive.
- When you check your luggage at the airport in your home country, please make sure that it is checked all the way through to Gainesville Regional Airport (the listing is GNV), your final destination. The process is a little confusing, so here is a breakdown of it:
1. Check your luggage in your home country through to Gainesville (the airport code is GNV)
2. Upon arrival in your first U.S. city (Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, etc.) you will need to pick up your bag from the airline.
3. You will go through U.S. Customs and Immigration with your suitcases.
4. You will recheck your luggage with the airline immediately after you clear Customs and Immigration.
5. Your bag will now follow you all the way to Gainesville.
6. You will pick up your luggage again in Gainesville with the assistance of Institute staff.
Finances
Your housing and most fixed travel costs are paid for directly through the U.S. government. Housing, your travel costs on the tour, some group meals and the like, are already arranged. Your daily meals, your minor daily expenses (from shampoo to laundry) will come out of your incidental allowances, a fund of money that will be given to you upon arrival to spend at your own discretion. Remember that you will be responsible for managing your accounts for minor expenses not covered by the Institute. You will receive your incidental allowances during the Institute orientation. If you have long layovers en route to Florida, we recommend you obtain a small amount of U.S. currency to cover expenses such as meals, toiletries, etc. Approximately $30 U.S. should be sufficient.
As a security measure, it’s a good idea to purchase travelers checks in $100 and $200 U.S. denominations. ATMs are common in the United States, but may not be compatible with your home bank. Machines generally accept credit cards with the Visa or MasterCard logo. To draw money from your card you will either need your PIN for a machine, or your passport for a bank teller.
Expenses such as housing, tour travel, working meals, cultural activities admissions, and required books will be paid for by the Institute. We will also provide you with a meal card which will cover most of your meals on campus.
Electronics and Computing
We encourage you to bring cameras to help you record your experiences here. In the U.S., a 36-exposure roll of color film for prints costs approximately $5 U.S. and about $9 U.S. to develop. A 36-exposure roll of film for slides costs about $9 U.S. and $5 U.S. to develop. It takes one or two days for print processing and a bit longer for slides.
Digital cameras are commonplace here in the States, and you can use the University’s computers to download and even send back your digital files. CDs can be “burned” on the university’s computers. Once you have your official university access codes, you’ll be able to use the University’s computers at nearly any hour of the day or night. Video cameras are wonderful additions, but remember that your video system may be different from that found in the United States. If planning to bring either your digital camera or camcorder, please also pack your battery charger and any cables you’ll need. These are sometimes not compatible with American equipment.
A short walk from your hotel, you will have access to a computer lab with internet access, all common software packages, and laser printers. You may wish to bring your own laptop, but keep in mind that internet access will be difficult without a wireless network card. The campus and most of our hotels are equipped with wireless broadband internet access, but finding a cable connection for your computer could be very difficult. The University of Florida campus uses the IEEE 802.11b standard for wireless access.
Laptops, digital cameras, shavers, and other electronic devices require a power adapter and/or U.S. plug to work properly, so please plan accordingly. Blow dryers for hair and electric razors may not work at all. You may wish to consult a website that explains possible complications. See, for example,http://www.kropla.com/electric.htm