Before You Arrive

What do you need to know?

It seems that there are endless details to take care of before you come, and if you’ve never traveled abroad before it can feel overwhelming. This section gives you some important information so that you are more prepared. If you have any unanswered questions such as “Does the dining hall have vegetarian food?” (yes it does), “Should I bring an umbrella?” (not really necessary), or “Can I meet other English teachers in a high school?” (we can probably arrange that!) or any other question big or small, you will have the opportunity to email our student support team.

Travel and Immigration Documents

1. Be sure to carry all of your original travel documents with you in your carryon bag (passport, student visa, and DS2019).
2. You may also want to scan the originals and keep them some place (like google docs or Dropbox), so you or your family can access them in case of emergency. Alternately, you may wish to leave a paper copy of your travel documents with your family at home and put a copy in your luggage.
3. The I-94 Arrival/Departure form is now done automatically and electronically by  Customs and Border Patrol. If needed, you can access it online and request a copy.

Other useful information can be found at Know Before You Go

Immunization Documentation

The University of Oregon requires proof of measles (rubeola) and mumps immunity in order to attend a University of Oregon program.  You may be exempt from immunizations if you have a doctor’s signature stating that

• you have had measles or mumps;
• you have had a special blood test that shows you are immune (this takes 30 days); OR
• you have a medical condition for which a vaccination would be dangerous.
• UPDATE WITH NEW IMMUNIZATIONS

If you have cannot show proof of immunity, then you will receive a vaccination when you arrive on campus. Here is the link to the form required by the University of Oregon Health Center: Proof of Immunity Form.

Special Clothing Instructions

Please pack appropriate clothing. It’s important to remember that during your time on campus you will be walking from various locations, traveling to different sites, and enjoying the outdoors on the weekends. In addition, weather in Eugene is variable and you can expect both sunny and rainy weather with temperatures ranging from  2 to 11 degrees C, so layering is essential.  Here is a list of items we recommend:
☐  Warm pants and long-sleeved shirts

☐  Closed-toed shoes (no sandals or high heels) or winter boots*

☐  Sweater or light jacket/fleece*

☐ Windbreaker or rain jacket (waterproof)*

☐ Hat, gloves, socks, and warm scarf*

☐ One or two nice, professional outfits

* If you don’t have the starred items, it will be possible to get some from a local store.

Luggage

It is very important that you have your name and address on the outside of your luggage and on the inside in case the outside tag falls off. Use two addresses: your home address in your country and the address here in the United States. Please use the address below as your United States address and make sure to also include the phone number. If your bag is lost because of flight changes or delays, it is easier for the airlines to find your bag and deliver it to a United States address. The following will be your U.S. address while you are here with us in Eugene.

Your Name

c/o American English Institute

1787 Agate Hall

University of Oregon

Eugene, Oregon 97403

Airport Pickup

When you arrive at the Eugene (EUG) Airport, if you do not see a representative from UO with a “Welcome Brazilian Teachers” sign in an AEI t-shirt, look for the OMNISHUTTLE desk near the baggage claim.

Go to the OMNISHUTTLE desk in the Eugene airport and give them your name.  They have all of your information and will take you to the dorms. In case you cannot find them, the toll-free (no charge) phone number to OMNISHUTTLE is 1-800-741-5097. The Eugene airport is very small; it is about a 30-minute drive to the UO campus.

If you have a problem, please call XXXX, 541-346-XXXX (office); 541-214-XXXX (cellular phone). You can also give the name and address of Bean Hall at the OmniShuttle desk and you’ll be driven to the residence hall.

Travel Delays/Problems

Please be sure to email any travel delays toXXXX@uoregon.edu, or call XXXX, XXXX, 541-346-XXXX (office); 541-214-XXXX (cellular phone). This is especially important if it will affect your arrival time in Eugene.

If you are calling from outside of the USA, dial:  001 + the 10 digit number. 00 is the international access code; 1 is the country code for the US; 541 is the area code for our city in Oregon. If you are calling within the US, dial 1 + the 10 digit number. Do not worry about the time; just call whenever you are able to. If for some reason, you cannot let us know ahead of time that you have missed your flight, look for OMNISHUTTLE, and they will have your name on their list.

If you miss a connecting flight, ask the airline customer service desk to help you re-book your flight. Another option is the ‘Emergency After Hours Assistance’ number listed on your electronic ticket at the bottom: call 1-800-628-XXXX in the United States, and refer to VIT CODE ASF9. This service can help you re-book your flight, or reserve a hotel room.

You can expedite your terminal-to-terminal transfer time, and help avoid missing a connecting flight by:

• keeping passports and boarding passes readily available
• wearing shoes that are easy to take off and put back on
• wearing as little metal as possible (e.g, jewelry, watches, coins, belt buckles)
• being prepared to take laptops, phones, electronic tablets out of bags and place them in separate bins
• following all baggage guidelines regarding liquids, travel bag dimensions and number of bags

Make sure you have enough money with you (cash or an international credit card) to pay for a hotel room in case you are delayed overnight en route to Eugene. Keep all receipts of travel delay expenses for reimbursement.