Eca.edu.co

ARRIVAL IN BOGOTA!!
Last minute comments on what to bring:

1. Call your airline to confirm your flight and double check any restrictions
on luggage (sometimes boxes are prohibited.) ask what meals will be served so you can pack snacks if needed. Currently, most airlines allow two 50-lb. pieces to check, a carry-on, plus a personal item like a computer, purse or small backpack. Remember to bring snacks for your U.S. travel section since you probably won’t get a meal. 2. Keep handy: passport, tickets, some U.S. dollars for airport food, ATM card, camera, credit card, any phone numbers or addresses you might want to have at layover cities and for Bogotá. Before coming you should receive the name, cell, and email of the person who is picking you up with the ECA sign so that if you are delayed, you can try to contact them. 3. Pack clothes for 60-degree weather (Bogotá) and warm pajamas, some summer clothes (for trips to ―hot country‖), a small compact umbrella, dress shoes, and comfortable walking shoes. Remember, generally speaking, Colombians dress up more than North Americans. 4. Don’t wear or bring expensive jewelry. 5. Try to limit the amount of English writing on the shirts you bring 6. Some prefer to wear a passport pouch instead of using a wallet. If you are more comfortable carrying a wallet, put it in your front pocket or somewhere very inconspicuous. 7. Photocopy your passport and put the copy in a location other than where you keep your passport, in case it is stolen. Some leave a copy of passport and visa with a family member in the States.
What happens on the plane to Bogotá?

1. You will probably get a good meal so enjoy it.
2. Drinking lots of water on the plane may help with altitude adjustment
(many do not have a problem, but some do struggle with the lower level of oxygen here). Also, taking an aspirin on the plane sometimes helps with adjustment. 3. On the plane you will receive a form, usually in English (it may be in English as well as Spanish—if you need help, just ask). It will ask for your name, how long you will be staying, if you have over $10.000 on you, (they mean $10,000US), if you are bringing in live rabid monkeys, or hauling in enough dirt to start your own plantation. HANG ONTO THIS CARD and fill it out. You will need it in the airport after you get your luggage. For the reason for your trip – just say tourist if you are asking for a tourist visa. If not, the exit tax will be higher. If you are coming on a work visa, you can say work. If you do not know the address where you will be staying, you can put down the school address and phone: Calle 221 #52-30 and 676-1339. 4. Pray, read, journal, enjoy the movie…anticipate this adventure that God
What happens in the airport in Bogotá?

All signs are in English as well as Spanish, so you don’t have to worry
about ending up in the wrong place.
You will get off the plane and walk down a zigzag ramp through a hallway
with pictures of Colombian art, past clean restrooms, and end up in an
open area with lines forming in front of booths. There will be many pictures
of Colombia on the walls. Get into what seems to be the shortest line.
When you get to the person say: ―Buenas tardes‖ (good afternoon) or
―Buenas noches‖ (―good evening‖) depending on your arrival time. Have
your passport ready and hand it to them as you greet them. At this point
they will stamp your passport. Smile, be confident, and gracious. It really
should not be a problem. If you are coming for less than 3 months, you will
get your tourist visa at this time. If you are staying longer, you should
already have your visa in your passport. They might ask you for an address
where you will be staying; you should have the school’s address and phone
number handy.
El Camino Academy
Calle 221 #52-30
Next, you will go down a hallway to your right where you will see the baggage pickup. If you have quite a bit of stuff (more than you can carry at once), you may want to motion for one of the guys in the suits with carts to help you. (They will of course want a tip, but we will take care of that when we meet you—it is very inexpensive help if you have more than two bags.) After you have your bags, you will get in line (with the luggage attendant) and someone will want to see your baggage claim tags, stapled onto your ticket folder with your boarding passes that you received in the first check- in at the departing city. Your bags will be checked in at your departing city and you will not see them again until Bogotá.
To leave the luggage pickup area, you will pass through a doorway with a traffic light where you may be asked to punch a button. If the light turns green, you probably won’t need to open anything. If it turns red, you may need to open luggage or pass it through the x-ray machine to your left. They may or may not ask what you are doing during your stay. After walking through the doorway, you will see through the glass walls people waiting for travelers. Just walk out with your luggage attendant (he will stay with you) and we will find you. Walk out of the doors to the outside straight ahead of you and follow the flow to your right. There is also a door to your left that takes you outside, but use the one straight ahead to make it easier for us to find you right away. After following the flow to the right, along the front window, the line will split into 2 and you should go to the left (the right is to ask for a taxi). Someone will be there looking for you, maybe with a sign that says ECA. If for some strange reason you get all the way to the street without being called (maybe they were stuck in traffic, in an accident, etc.), cross the street and wait on the end of the sidewalk area. There will likely be people around selling phone calls on cell phones for about 25 cents ($300-500 [pesos])/minute so if in the very unusual case you don’t see anyone after a bit; you can try calling on one of the cell phones by just giving a one dollar bill. Also, someone may notice you are waiting and offer to allow you to make a call. Information to have and/or leave back home in the States: Phone numbers: 670-3503 Rafael and Beth Afanador’s house 676-1339 School 428-0828 Hans and Liliana Frank 253-2211 Glenn and Glenda Moyer 681-1624 Clara Suarez Home Questions? Please email and ask. We look forward to seeing you soon!!!

Source: http://www.eca.edu.co/getinvolved/potential/Arrival%20in%20Bogota.pdf