Personal Preparation
[Email from Cathi Smith, 24 August 2014]
Dear Rwanda Trip Delegates,
We have finalized our list of participating delegates who will be going with our group to Rwanda in January 2105.
Here is the list of participants:
1. Cathi Smith
2. Linda Hoeschler
3. Jill Christiansen
4. Beth Fluke
5. Sylvia Sabo
6. Patti Kenyon
7. Jo Van Tiehl
8. Holly Jobe
9. Judy Tiede
10. Kim Harms
11. Kathleen Clarke Anderson
12. Cherie Riesenberg
13. Cecelia Riesenberg
14. Malia Everett who is owner of AltruVistas which is the tour company making our arrangements.
All Rwandan Delegates will be doing the extension including Malia and myself but I will not be doing the gorilla trek. Beth Fluke will be the delegation leader on the actual trek. Beth has suggested that to get an actual feel for what the gorilla trek and sightings will be like that you go onto You Tube and put in Rwanda Gorilla Trek and multiple mostly home videos of persons on the trek are available to view including one from March 2014. It looks very exciting!
All delegates are responsible for making their own flight arrangements to and from Rwanda. Delegates can utilize whatever airlines they wish but the most efficient and affordable flights appear to be either United Airlines via Brussels or Delta Airlines via Amsterdam. When you have your flight booked please forward a copy of your flight itinerary so that we can assure that you will be met and assisted at the airport in Kigali by one of our representatives from AltruVistas to transport you to the hotel. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip insurance. Two of the most commonly utilized trip insurance companies are Travelguard and Access America. There is a good website that compares the various trip insurance providers independently: www.squaremouth.com. Several board members that travel extensively internationally have recommended also obtaining medical evacuation insurance and have recommended MedJet. Delegates should plan to be in Kigali, Rwanda on January 23, 2015; most flights arrive in the evening and at the end of the trip leave in the evening to connect with flights to the United States. Malia, myself and Delegation Treasurer, Jill Christiansen will be going in a day early arriving on January 22, 2015 so that we can meet with our guides in Rwanda to be ready to meet with delegates as they arrive. We plan to leave Rwanda the evening of February 3, 2015.
The Gorilla Trek will be on February 2, 2015. [Gorilla Trek info moved to here.]
Delegates should refer to our website for our reading and viewing list to prepare for our meetings.(On the right side of menu tool bar click more and when members pops up put in password: rwanda2015). Each participant will also be expected to take notes on at least one meeting or event and often two. If there is something specific on the itinerary for which you would like to be responsible for writing a brief synopsis, let me know. Otherwise, we will ask for volunteers for each meeting or event as the trip evolves.
Clothing is expected to be business casual and, of course, what you need for the gorilla trekking as above. We recommend bringing a copy of your passport with you. I recommend that you get a travel book for Rwanda ( I am using the Bradt travel guide) and review information on bringing money vs credit cards and other details pertinent to Rwanda. Visa is evidently a credit card that can be used in Rwanda but mainly in Kigali. You will need money for incidentals, meals that are not covered and for tips at the end for our guides. AltruVistas will provide a small stipend to those nongovernment groups that we meet with and cover tips for the scheduled meals. You will have to purchase any alcoholic drinks yourself and, of course, any souvenir shopping you plan to do.
Usually at the end of the trip we do decide on a voluntary donation from delegates to one of the groups with whom we meet. We will again be doing this to select a group to receive a small donation. Our last trip to Cuba in January 2013 delegates generously donated to 2 or 3 organizations. This year the board of directors of The Delegation for Friendship has aligned itself with a very organized and worthwhile group called Books for Africa. Books are in desperate need in Rwanda for schools and for libraries including a new National Library. For $15,000, Books with Africa can send a full shipping container of about 22,000 books to Rwanda. Books with Africa has agreed to share the cost with us by providing $5000 and Kim Harms who will be traveling with us as a delegate has also agreed to share the cost with our delegation through the Eric Harms Memorial Foundation with a $5000 donation. Our share is $5000 and the books will arrive prior to our visit with acknowledgement of the donation given to The Delegation for Friendship Among Women. I will be sending out a separate appeal to all of our Delegates especially those who are not able to travel to Rwanda themselves to support this effort.
Please refer to the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) for suggestions on health issues and medications to bring to Rwanda. Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B series and typhoid are recommended. Yellow Fever immunization is required to enter Rwanda, however, Yellow Fever immunization is contraindicated in the USA for persons over the age of 65. If you are over the age of 65 and have not been immunized for Yellow Fever, please let me know and I will see what type of waiver/documentation is necessary.
The balance of your trip cost is due by the 15th of November, 2014. The amount should be $4300. This is the cost of the trip with the gorilla trek of $5600 less your deposit of $1300. The balance should be paid by check to The Delegation for Friendship Among Women and sent to: Mary Pomeroy
18926 Latigo Lane
Rio Verde, AZ 85263
480-471-3019
I look forward to seeing you all for this exciting trip together to Rwanda January 23, 2015 through February 3, 2015. Please let me know if you have any questions that I have not answered or clarifications needed.
Cathi Smith
President
The Delegation for Friendship Among Women
Dear Rwanda Trip Delegates,
We have finalized our list of participating delegates who will be going with our group to Rwanda in January 2105.
Here is the list of participants:
1. Cathi Smith
2. Linda Hoeschler
3. Jill Christiansen
4. Beth Fluke
5. Sylvia Sabo
6. Patti Kenyon
7. Jo Van Tiehl
8. Holly Jobe
9. Judy Tiede
10. Kim Harms
11. Kathleen Clarke Anderson
12. Cherie Riesenberg
13. Cecelia Riesenberg
14. Malia Everett who is owner of AltruVistas which is the tour company making our arrangements.
All Rwandan Delegates will be doing the extension including Malia and myself but I will not be doing the gorilla trek. Beth Fluke will be the delegation leader on the actual trek. Beth has suggested that to get an actual feel for what the gorilla trek and sightings will be like that you go onto You Tube and put in Rwanda Gorilla Trek and multiple mostly home videos of persons on the trek are available to view including one from March 2014. It looks very exciting!
All delegates are responsible for making their own flight arrangements to and from Rwanda. Delegates can utilize whatever airlines they wish but the most efficient and affordable flights appear to be either United Airlines via Brussels or Delta Airlines via Amsterdam. When you have your flight booked please forward a copy of your flight itinerary so that we can assure that you will be met and assisted at the airport in Kigali by one of our representatives from AltruVistas to transport you to the hotel. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip insurance. Two of the most commonly utilized trip insurance companies are Travelguard and Access America. There is a good website that compares the various trip insurance providers independently: www.squaremouth.com. Several board members that travel extensively internationally have recommended also obtaining medical evacuation insurance and have recommended MedJet. Delegates should plan to be in Kigali, Rwanda on January 23, 2015; most flights arrive in the evening and at the end of the trip leave in the evening to connect with flights to the United States. Malia, myself and Delegation Treasurer, Jill Christiansen will be going in a day early arriving on January 22, 2015 so that we can meet with our guides in Rwanda to be ready to meet with delegates as they arrive. We plan to leave Rwanda the evening of February 3, 2015.
The Gorilla Trek will be on February 2, 2015. [Gorilla Trek info moved to here.]
Delegates should refer to our website for our reading and viewing list to prepare for our meetings.(On the right side of menu tool bar click more and when members pops up put in password: rwanda2015). Each participant will also be expected to take notes on at least one meeting or event and often two. If there is something specific on the itinerary for which you would like to be responsible for writing a brief synopsis, let me know. Otherwise, we will ask for volunteers for each meeting or event as the trip evolves.
Clothing is expected to be business casual and, of course, what you need for the gorilla trekking as above. We recommend bringing a copy of your passport with you. I recommend that you get a travel book for Rwanda ( I am using the Bradt travel guide) and review information on bringing money vs credit cards and other details pertinent to Rwanda. Visa is evidently a credit card that can be used in Rwanda but mainly in Kigali. You will need money for incidentals, meals that are not covered and for tips at the end for our guides. AltruVistas will provide a small stipend to those nongovernment groups that we meet with and cover tips for the scheduled meals. You will have to purchase any alcoholic drinks yourself and, of course, any souvenir shopping you plan to do.
Usually at the end of the trip we do decide on a voluntary donation from delegates to one of the groups with whom we meet. We will again be doing this to select a group to receive a small donation. Our last trip to Cuba in January 2013 delegates generously donated to 2 or 3 organizations. This year the board of directors of The Delegation for Friendship has aligned itself with a very organized and worthwhile group called Books for Africa. Books are in desperate need in Rwanda for schools and for libraries including a new National Library. For $15,000, Books with Africa can send a full shipping container of about 22,000 books to Rwanda. Books with Africa has agreed to share the cost with us by providing $5000 and Kim Harms who will be traveling with us as a delegate has also agreed to share the cost with our delegation through the Eric Harms Memorial Foundation with a $5000 donation. Our share is $5000 and the books will arrive prior to our visit with acknowledgement of the donation given to The Delegation for Friendship Among Women. I will be sending out a separate appeal to all of our Delegates especially those who are not able to travel to Rwanda themselves to support this effort.
Please refer to the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) for suggestions on health issues and medications to bring to Rwanda. Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B series and typhoid are recommended. Yellow Fever immunization is required to enter Rwanda, however, Yellow Fever immunization is contraindicated in the USA for persons over the age of 65. If you are over the age of 65 and have not been immunized for Yellow Fever, please let me know and I will see what type of waiver/documentation is necessary.
The balance of your trip cost is due by the 15th of November, 2014. The amount should be $4300. This is the cost of the trip with the gorilla trek of $5600 less your deposit of $1300. The balance should be paid by check to The Delegation for Friendship Among Women and sent to: Mary Pomeroy
18926 Latigo Lane
Rio Verde, AZ 85263
480-471-3019
I look forward to seeing you all for this exciting trip together to Rwanda January 23, 2015 through February 3, 2015. Please let me know if you have any questions that I have not answered or clarifications needed.
Cathi Smith
President
The Delegation for Friendship Among Women