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How much does
the Summer SAGE Program cost?
The SAGE Educator study tour is 16 days
long and costs $2000, not including airfare
to and from India. International airfare
from Newark, our point of departure, costs
approximately $1500.
Is
financial aid available?
Unfortunately not through SAGE. We try to
make the study tour as affordable as possible
so that it is accessible to as many educators
as possible, but we don’t offer financial
aid. If you need aid, consider seeking a
professional development grant for teachers.
Can I earn
continuing education credit for my participation
on this study tour?
SAGE will provide a certificate of participation
in this educational study tour, detailing
the number of contact hours participants
have had. It is up to each teacher to submit
this for approval to your own school district
for continuing education credit. We will
do all that we can to support you in receiving
this credit.
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Do I have
to teach about India in order to come on
the study tour?
No, you do not have to teach about India
to come on the study tour. You can be a
math teacher, science teacher or US history
teacher, but we would like you to think
about how you are going to integrate your
experience of India into your classroom
once you return.
Is this
study tour open to junior high school teachers?
Since SAGE works primarily with high school
students, priority will be given to high
school teachers. However, this does not
mean that a junior high teacher with a strong
interest in India is not welcome on our
study tour.
Can my spouse
come along on the study tour?
Your spouse can only come along if he or
she is also a high school teacher. This
is not intended to be a family vacation,
but a rigorous study tour requiring the
active engagement of all participants.
Where does
the group meet to begin the study tour?
Participants all meet each other and the
tour leader at the US point of departure,
which is the Newark, NJ airport. From here,
everyone will travel together on their international
flight to India.
Is there
a pre-trip orientation?
There is not an in-person pre-trip orientation
which everyone attends. However, there will
be a virtual pre-trip orientation which
participants will be expected to take part
in on-line. Once you arrive in India, there
will be a more extensive in-country orientation.
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What’s
the weather like in India during the summer?
Generally speaking, the climate in India
is hot and tropical. From June to September
is the monsoon season and you can expect
rainfall with humidity. In July, the weather
is typically not as hot as it is during
the summer months of May and June, and in
the mountains it is cool and rainy. Visit
the following websites for more detailed
information about regional temperatures
and rainfall: http://www.india-weather-guide.com/;
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/120/climate/Indian-Subcontinent/India.html
How
will I communicate with my family during
the study tour?
India has widespread communication facilities,
and both phone and internet are easy to
access and use. We also have a SAGE Blog
site which we encourage you to use so that
family members and friends can follow you
on your travels.
Who
makes airline travel arrangements for SAGE
study tour participants?
SAGE administrative staff members make travel
arrangements for SAGE participants. Through
experience, we have learned that this approach
is the most efficient and effective. Our
travel specialist books all flight reservations,
both domestic and international, for your
journey. SAGE works with each participant
to make convenient and cost-effective travel
arrangements, but you will be responsible
for the purchase of your airline tickets
prior to departure.
Can I
stay on in India after the study tour ends?
Yes you may. We would like to know of your
plans beforehand so that we can plan accordingly,
but we have no problem with participants
staying on in India after the trip.
What kind
of medical care do SAGE participants have
access to in India?
India’s top-rated medical education
system turns out up to 30,000 doctors and
nurses each year, and because of its excellent
medical professionals and facilities, India
is considered the leading country in promoting
international medical tourism. Unlike the
vast majority of India’s poor who
do not have access to health care, foreigners
have access to top-notch health care in
India and can readily receive medical treatment.
SAGE provides each participant with extensive
medical insurance while they are in India
so that they have full access to emergency
care. The insurance is in effect for the
full length of the study tour and is effective
24 hours a day worldwide, once you leave
the US. Some of the insurance plan benefits
include: 100% of routine doctor or hospital
visits, costs incurred for a medical evacuation,
flight costs for a family member to travel
for a bedside visit, etc. SAGE sends participants
a detailed description of the full medical
insurance plan prior to departure.
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Who is the
SAGE Educator study tour leader?
John Alter, chair of the English dept at
the Gunnery School in CT was born and raised
in India, speaks Hindi, and has spent his
career working in education. Please see
John Alter’s bio for more information
about your exceptional study tour leader.
Should
I pack my things in a suitcase?
Whether you pack in a suitcase or something
else, you must be able to easily and comfortably
carry all your own luggage. Please pack
as lightly as possible! We encourage one
roll-on, lockable suitcase, and one day
pack, bag or purse for the airplane.
Should
I pack first-aid items, like antihistamines,
pain killers, or anti-diarrheal medicines?
You should bring your personal preference
of first aid items as well as any prescription
drugs. In addition, your study tour leader
will carry a fully stocked first-aid kit
so you will have easy access to all of these
items. Keep in mind that all of these items
will be readily available in many parts
of India as well.
What is the
procedure for getting an Indian visa?
To apply for a visa, it is standard procedure
to send your passport in the mail to a regional
U.S. Indian Consulate office (do not send
a copy of the passport; send the actual
passport). You can also apply for a visa
in person at 5 different regional Indian
Consulate offices, but it is usually more
convenient and efficient to send your visa
application by mail (unless you live very
close to one of the Consulate offices).
To alleviate any apprehension you have about
sending your passport through the mail,
and to ensure that it arrives safely, send
your documents via a traceable method such
as: FedEx, UPS, DHL, or registered mail.
To access an online Indian visa application
form and to find out where your regional
Indian Consulate office is located, go to:
https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/.
Follow the visa application instructions
on this site, and when you enter your personal
information (i.e.: state of residence, etc),
the site will create a tailor-made application
form for you and will provide you with the
mailing address for the Indian Consulate
office that is nearest to your home state.
Allow sufficient time for processing your
visa application, especially if you are
applying by mail. Visa applications sent
by mail take about 5 business days to process
from the date of receipt.
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How do I
apply for a passport?
To find out how to apply for a passport,
visit the Department of State's Bureau of
Consular Affairs, Office of Passport Services:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html.
Follow the instructions on this site. The
U.S. Department of State has over 9,000
passport acceptance facilities around the
country (post offices, clerks of court,
public libraries and other state, county,
township, and municipal government offices).
To find the passport acceptance facility
nearest to your home, enter your zipcode
and search for a local acceptance facility
on the following Department of State webpage:
http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/.
What expenses
in India are covered by SAGE and what am
I responsible for?
All group expenses will be covered by SAGE
(food, accommodations, transportation, entrance
to monuments, etc), while all personal expenses
are your own responsibility (snacks, phone
calls, gifts, etc). ATM machines are widespread
in Indian cities, so carrying US $ cash
which you can exchange into Rupees as well
as having an ATM card (plus credit card
for emergencies) is probably the best idea.
Which
vaccinations should I get before departure?
The SAGE Program follows vaccination recommendations
that are listed on the U.S. Center for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) website: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationIndia.aspx.
Please visit the CDC website to view a list
of recommended vaccinations for travel to
India. On this website page, you can search
for travel medicine clinics in your area
and read useful health information to prepare
for your study tour. The vaccinations listed
on the CDC website are recommended, but
not required, and you and your doctor will
make the final decision about which vaccinations
you will receive prior to departure. Please
note, however, that anti-malaria medication
is absolutely required for participation
on the SAGE Educators’ study tour.
Malaria is a risk in India, and you should
have an adequate supply of anti-malaria
medication. Malaria medication is usually
taken 2 weeks before departure, so consult
with your doctor and begin taking your medication
at the prescribed pre-departure time. We
recommend the use of the anti-malarial drug
Malarone. We do not recommend the use of
Chloroquine, as it has been shown to be
ineffective, nor do we recommend Mefloquine
(also known as Lariam) as it can have some
very serious side-effects.
How should
Americans dress in India?
Indian males typically dress in a style
that we are used to seeing in the western
hemisphere (i.e.: trousers, with a light-weight,
respectable shirt), while females dress
in a more traditional “Indian”
style. In order to be respectful of Indian
norms and to avoid unwanted attention, women
should dress conservatively. Women should
plan to cover their upper arms and legs,
and wear loose-fit clothing, long skirts,
Capri pants, and light-weight pants. Both
men and women should have light weight but
good walking shoes which can be easily removed
when entering homes, temples, etc.
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