Student
Support Fund
Preparing to Travel
This document is important for all first time travellers
| Documents Clothing Contact Money |
Arrangements in destination country Emergencies ID Cards Front page |
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Student
Support Fund Preparing to Travel This document is important for all first time travellers
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| NOTE | You can print this page out and use it as a tick list. The matters raised are common sense but our experience shows that many people overlook these simple rules and some of them end up grossly disadvantaged as a result. If you have any doubt, contact us. We collect information from All Zimbabwean nationals wishing to share their first hand experience. We use that information to update this page regularly. Visit us again. |
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| Documents | There are documents that you will need to have regardless of
what course you are going to study. These include: A valid
passport with at least 8 months validity remaining on it. |
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| Clothing | Check the climate of the country you are going and prepare
appropriate clothes. If you are arriving in the UK or USA northern states between October
and March, you need to understand that temperatures can fall to as low as -15 or less.
Most clothes manufactured in Zimbabwe are not adequate for such temperatures. Be prepared
to buy extra clothes on arrival. You may find open markets a lot cheaper. Pay particular
attention to waterproof shoes, over-coats, gloves, etc. |
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| Contacts | You are advised to invest in a small pocket notebook where you
keep names and addresses of people you meet. This will cost you a fairly small amount but
may save your life in time of need. Collect direct addresses of a few people in
Zimbabwe. These will hopefully write you letters regularly and give you a sense of
belonging when you are so far from home. Also try to have addresses of as many people as
possible in your destination country. Most people in the countries you are likely to go to
have telephones. Keep a record of any contacts you get. You may just need them one day. Specifically, you need a name and address of someone who will show you the ropes soon after your arrival. On arriving, you will soon find that your exicitement evaporates very quickly as you begin to appreciate that you are on your own. Its at this time you require the presence of somebody, anybody at all, but it helps if that person understands how you feel. If you meet someone who looks like they could take an interest in your affairs, take their name and phone number. If you have any money to spare, it would help you to purchase a mobile phone. These are not expensive but if you are on a shoestring budget, they make a dent in your finances. You need a phone for : -Basic contacts with people all over the world. Initially
let them phone you. It is cheaper for you as you assess you finacial position in relation
to costs. |
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| Money | Convert all the extra money you have into travellers' cheques.
These are a lot more secure if stolen since nobody but you can cash them. If you have paid
your fees in advance or you are being sponsored, be advised that your personal monetary
needs may become frantic suddenly. You therefore need to have an immediate supply of cash.
A minimum of £300(US$480) is required as a float. If you have any evidence of registering
for a course, and an address, you will usually be allowed to open a bank account. |
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| Arrangements in Destination Country | You need to find out where you will spend the first few
nights. If you fail to do this, you may impose a very large financial drain on your
reserves by paying for accommodation in guesthouses or hotels. If you can not secure any
accommodation, contact the Student Support Fund for assistance. We are aware how difficult
this can be if you do not have any contacts. You may have to stay in a different town/city
than you will study, for the first few nights. Most of the other requirements are easily available. |
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| Emergencies | A whole range of possibilities can arise and you need to have
some kind of plan in place just in case. The first major problem could be immigration.
Read very carefully any information you can find about the rules governing entry to the
country you are going. The decisions taken by immigration officers are usually not subject
to appeal. Once you are refused entry, you will remain out of that country. Have a phone
number to phone and ask for what to do next. You may want to speak in your mother language
when talking to the contact. It makes you less nervous in front of the officers. Explain
what has happened and tell the contact exactly what you have told the officer and what the
problem is. The contact may help you explain to the officer or may give advice. The next emergency may be injury or illness. Before you leave, take out travel insurance. The Student Support fund is supported by some insurance companies in Zimbabwe. Check our list. Explain that you need travel cover and read very careful what they can offer. Arrange to keep a copy of your policy on your person when you leave Zimbabwe. On arrival in destination country, identify doctors you can go to should you get ill. In the UK you are required to register with a General Practitioner (GP) in order to be treated under the National Health Service (NHS). Do register as soon as you have a student card. Private colleges do not spend money printing you student information. You have to find things out for yourself. You could also be refused the accommodation that you spent so long confirming. There are many reasons for this. If your prospective landlord does not realise that you are black, they may change their mind about accommodating you, when you turn up at the door and you are black. This is the most common problem black people face in the UK. (Always make all the facts available to your contacts). Be prepared to have alternative arrangements. Do not take any chances. |
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| ID Cards: | Before you go to any foreign country, take note of the fact
that you do not have a full understanding of what goes on in that country. You therefore
could easily find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Its at this time you need
to identify yourself, especially if police or emergency services are involved. We advise
our members to always carry an ID card. You can have an ID card made at any printing shop.
On it include your name, your photograph, your address, your blood group, your allergies
if any, the name and phone number of a least one reliable contact. This
contact must be in a position to reach your family if need be. Carrying an ID card makes
your life a lot easier for yourself, your family, your friends. All our members are issued with ID cards similar to these, bearing the member's photograph, and laminated to prevent misuse and to protect from the elements.
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| Conclusion | If you go through tis check list and confirm that you have everything, you are now ready to travel and chances are you will get into your destination country without too much trouble. Remember to be polite at all times. In western countries, black people are viewed with suspicion at all times. Politeness and truthfulness gets you through slightly quicker than any other attitude. You can not improve people's attitudes to you. All you want at this point is to get on your program. |
