Practical Information
A. What to Bring
 |
Luggage Restrictions A common question among students is how much to take when they are traveling overseas. The answer is simple: half as much as you think, but items that you will not get too bored with. It is important to be aware of luggage restrictions when packing, as you will be limited in the weight and number of bags that you will be able to bring with you on the plane to Costa Rica. |
Carry-on Baggage
On all routes and classes of service you are entitled to one piece of carry-on baggage:
Maximum weight: 22 lbs./10 kg.
Maximum size: 45 linear inches/114 cm. (length + height + width).
In addition, you are permitted to carry with you in the cabin the following items:
• A lady’s handbag, purse
• An umbrella or walking stick
• An overcoat, wrap or blanket
• A small camera and/or a pair of binoculars
• A fully collapsible invalid’s wheelchair or any other orthopedic device of passenger’s use provided that passenger is dependent upon them.
• A Laptop computer
NOTE: You may be required to check-in your carry-on bag in case of limited space in the passenger cabin. If this happens it is your responsibility to remove all items not suitable for transportation as checked baggage.
Checked Baggage |
||
 |
Economy
|
|
 |
Business Class
|
|
The airline will accept baggage that is larger and heavier: |
||
    |
||
|
||
The airline won’t limit the number of pieces of additional baggage that you can check. |
||
 |
US $100* surcharge for each extra piece in addition to your free baggage allowance |
|
It is required you bring:
Packing Checklist:
Checked Luggage
Student I.D.
Seasonal Clothes for rain and heat
Comfortable shoes and sandals
Towel
Mini alarm clock
One nice outfit
Books and school supplies
Spanish-English/ English-Spanish Dictionary
Photocopies of all important documents (Passport, Health Insurance, etc.)
Any liquid cosmetics, prescriptions, or toiletries
Home stay gifts
Fully completed medical history sheet
Portable First-aid kit
Carry-on Luggage
Non-liquid prescriptions with your name on the prescription
Airline Ticket (including your return ticket
Insurance Policy
Identification card
Global College Handbook and this document, the Costa Rica Center Guidebook
Travelers checks and credit or debit card
Towel
Change of underwear
Camera and film
Passport
Emergency contact information
3. It is recommended you bring:
Name-brand cosmetics (that you can’t live without), though many are
available at supermarkets
Laptop computer with integrated wireless
Photographs of your family to share with your host family
International Student Identification card
Camera and film (film is very expensive in Costa Rica)
A Costa Rican Guidebook (i.e. Lonely Planet), though the center has many
International Youth Hostel Association Card (optional)
Money belt or pouch
Your favorite snacks
Research books
Non-prescription medicine
Vitamins
Flashlight and batteries (for night hikes)
Zip-lock baggies (to keep things dry)
Insect Repellent
International phone card to call the United States, though many use Skype.
Clothing
Please keep in mind that Costa Ricans take a lot of pride in their appearance. Shorts are generally not worn for outings in urban areas, or in more formal situations. Feel free to wear your own style. Ladies be aware that revealing clothing may lead to verbal and other forms of attention you may not desire.
Shorts and Tank-tops for the beach
Long pants/jeans for the city
Plenty of short-sleeved t-shirts, several long-sleeved as well
Lots of socks and underwear
A sweatshirt or jacket for chilly nights
One nice outfit for fiestas or cultural events
Bathing suit
Hat to shield against tropical sun
Comfortable water or hiking shoes; strap-on “Teva” style sandals, nice shoes
Umbrella and rain poncho
Pajamas, light-weight robe and slippers
Towel and washcloth
If convenient, the following will also be useful:
Lightweight binoculars, tweezers (for handling small critters), small pocketknife (pack in your checked luggage when flying), anti-itch ointment, altitude sickness medication, a good book or two to read and leave behind (handy while waiting in line at the bank, etc.), a tape recorder (for interviews), some recreational toys.
Temperature: Costa Rica has a tropical climate. The average temperature for Costa Rica lies between 71 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit, although the weather is much cooler in the mountain areas above 2000 meters. Costa Rica is usually humid, with some areas such as the cloud forests reaching 100% humidity. Costa Rica's coolest weather is from November through January, whereas its warmest weather is from March through May. In San Jose (the country's capital, with an elevation of 1170 meters above sea level), the average temperature is 69 degrees Fahrenheit.
Additional Information for Required Items
• Airline Ticket (tiquete de avion). Students traveling to the Costa Rica Center will reserve their seats through Global College and will depart New York together following orientation. Tickets should be kept in a safe and accessible place. Information about purchasing airline tickets will be sent to students in June 2007.
• Passport. If your passport is nearing expiration, it is essential that you renew it before you depart for Costa Rica. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your return to America.
• Identification card (Identificacion personal). An official driver’s license or photo-identification card will be needed for travel.
• Photocopies of all important documents. In a large envelope students should place photocopies of their passport, phone numbers, travel documents, Identification card, and health insurance information. Upon arrival, Costa Rica Center staff should be informed of the location of this envelope in case of an emergency.
• Health Insurance Policy. Please refer to section XIV.A for details.
• Travelers Checks (los cheques) Please refer to section VIII.B.1 for details.
• ATM card or Credit Card. In case of emergencies, all students should have an international credit card and/or an international bank ATM credit card (with a Visa or similar credit card logo).
• Phone numbers (los numeros de telefono). All home contact numbers in case of an emergency.
• Fully completed medical history sheet, permission for emergency treatment and the emergency contact information form. Copies of these should be provided to the Academic Director on the first day of orientation.
• Previous academic records. Continuing Global College Students should bring copies of all previous academic records, including narrative evaluations, to their first advising session. If you do not have copies of narrative evaluations please request these from World Headquarters well in advance of your departure. Freshman students who continue applying for scholarships may want to bring copies of their high school transcript, letters of recommendation, etc.
• Prescription medications. Although many of the prescription medications available in the U.S. and other countries are now readily available in Costa Rica, students should assume they are not and are requested to bring all essential medications, both for daily use and emergency use, including but not limited to asthmatic inhalers, stomach medicine and birth control pills.
• First aid kit. A properly stocked and portable personal first aid kit, including but not limited to: a digital thermometer that displays in both Fahrenheit and Celsius, water resistant Band-Aids© of various sizes, individually packaged alcohol swabs, ibuprofen, antihistamine, broad-spectrum insect repellent that contains between 23.8 to 30% DEET (N, N'-Diethyl-m-toluamide), topical antibiotic cream, such as Neosporin,© hypoallergenic instant hand sanitizer with isopropyl, such as Purell© (we recommend one large bottle with a pump cap and one pocketsize refillable bottle), and water resistant sunscreen with complete UVA/UVB protection (SPF 40+).
• Research Books. Do not assume that you can always find the books you will need in local bookstores and libraries. Students interested in conducting an Independent Study Project in a specialized field should bring any books necessary to complete the project and any current research on topics of special interest to them.
• Costa Rica or Central America Guidebook. If you plan to travel independently, a current edition of a Costa Rica travel guide is strongly recommended. We suggest the Lonely Planet Costa Rica. Do not settle for older editions as most information is quickly outdated.
• Home stay gifts. All students should bring one or more home stay gifts for their Costa Rican hosts, host siblings or children. Generally speaking, the home stay gift should be something that is meaningful and yet not overly expensive. It would be appropriate to give one or more members of your host family a gift that is either personal or somehow indicative of the United States, such as a framed picture of you and your family, a University sweatshirt, or large-format picture book of your state, etc. It is up to you to be creative. Gifts for small children are always appreciated and fun to give, such as candies, bubbles, whoopee cushions, Nerf balls, three-person jump ropes, etc. It is also suggested that you bring several small gifts for others who may help you along the way, such as your field placement leader or Costa Rican peers.
Additional Information for Recommended Items
• Laptop computer with integrated wireless. While the Costa Rica Center is fully equipped with student desktop computers, we recommend that students who have the means bring a laptop computer, since it will be much more convenient to be able to work on your own in your room or apartment when you have a big project like a Learning Portfolio due.
• Photographs of your family. We recommend that you bring a collection of photographs in a small album that you can easily show to people you meet. Pictures of you and your family and home are a great way to meet people and to practice a new language.
• Name-brand cosmetics and toiletries. While Heredia City and San Jose have a wide variety of domestic and imported products, some products to which we are accustomed are difficult to purchase or are limited in variety. If there is a product which you just can’t live without, that should be purchased in America before your departure. (Note: if you leave shampoo, etc over the winter break; know that your host family may use it…)
• Money belt or pouch. Because they will be traveling through tourist destinations, students must take precautions so that they are not subject to pickpockets, as these have been known to occur. Fanny packs are not always the best option, because they can still be reached into by strangers. We suggest money pouches or belts which sit on the inside of the clothing, and can be purchased at most luggage or travel stores.
• Vitamins. We recommend that you bring any natural remedies and vitamin supplements you use regularly and that you will need during the course of your stay, such as natural sleep aids like Melatonin, which can be useful for recovering from jetlag.
• Non-prescription medicines. Any non-prescription drugs you typically use to control cold, flu, cough, allergies, and indigestion. While some of the brands to which you are accustomed may be available, others are not, and often your host family will use alternative remedies.
• Insect Repellent. A DEET based insect repellent (avoid aerosols, however, OFF is a good brand and can be bought in Costa Rica) Be advised that DEET dissolves backpacks if it leaks and most plastic equipment, including personal stereos.
Information Regarding Health Items
If you take prescription medications, bring what you need in their original containers. Be careful about airline restrictions; if the prescription is in liquid form, it is essential that you pack this in your checked luggage as liquids are often confiscated by airport security.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some prescribed drugs in the US may be controlled in other countries. Please check with your personal doctor and the Costa Rican embassy to see what drugs are controlled. If controlled, you will require special authorization to bring them into Costa Rica. Authorization can be provided by the Costa Rican embassy in the United States. Please note: If caught with controlled drugs in your possession, you may be subject to severe penalties.
Health Tips:
• Take a spare set of glasses or contact lenses plus cleansing solutions
• Soap and shampoo in containers that won’t leak
• Sunscreen with at least a good SPF15 with PABA (The sun is very intense in Costa Rica, even when you don’t see it)
• Band-Aids or moleskin to prevent blisters
• Personal health kit containing your vitamins, cold medication, personal hygienic care, etc. The Costa Rica Center recommends that you put Imodium AD in your kit…yes- diarrhea can happen!
• Water bottle (screw-top pop bottle is OK).
IMPORTANT NOTE: There will be a lot of wear and tear on your luggage, your clothing and your shoes. Be practical and plan for it.
Do NOT bring:
• Illicit drugs or drug paraphernalia.
• Firearms or explosives.
• Pornographic material of any kind.
• Excessive amounts of cash.
• Anything too valuable to lose, such as expensive jewelry or electronics.
We also recommend leaving behind items that will distract you from the multitude of interesting experiences waiting for you in Costa Rica. These may include your college sweatshirt that marks you as an outsider, and may alienate you from Costa Rican peers, or anything that may be construed as an obvious US American cultural item that bars the participation of Costa Ricans. You might also keep in mind that too many things that remind you of home might only contribute to acute homesickness and prolonged culture shock.
Predeparture Checklist
Before you leave home:
• Contact your credit card company for emergency phone numbers to use while abroad. If your credit card is lost or stolen, you can telephone toll-free to have an immediate hold put on the account.
• Ask your bank for a list of corresponding banks in Costa Rica in case you need to have funds transferred to you. Double check that your PIN number will work in a foreign country. Get the phone number of your local bank for any emergencies. You may want to ask about the cost of withdrawing dollars from foreign ATMs. Some banks may charge a high fee.
• Purchase $50-$100 in colones to take with you to handle any costs until you can get to a foreign bank.
• Make sure your ATM or credit card has been activated before you leave the USA, as it will be nearly impossible to do this once you have reached Costa Rica. It is important to notify your bank of your itinerary because some will turn it off if used in a foreign country for security reasons.
Before You Travel
Assure that your luggage meets airline restrictions
Get passport: ensure that it will not expire until 6 months after program
Order travel supplies; medication, money belt, etc.
Order phone card (optional)
Send home stay application to the Costa Rica Center
If traveling separately, ensure that the Costa Rica Center is informed of your travel plans
Pack thoroughly, reviewing your checklists
Call airlines for special meal requests 28 hours before departure
Day of Flight
Review luggage
Leave early for airport
Wear comfortable and loose clothes
Rest as much as possible
Eat lightly
Drink lots of water
Do not drink alcohol before or during the flight
Sleep on the plane, stretch, wash your hands.
Keep passport, photo I.D. and money in a safe and accessible place
