Volunteer Orientation Pack 2018
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Volunteer Orientation Pack 2018 Table of contents Practical advice ....................................................................................................................... 3 The essentials to take before leaving ................................................................................ 3 Getting to and from Riberalta ............................................................................................ 4 Health ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Tips on staying safe around town ...................................................................................... 6 About Bolivia ............................................................................................................................. 7 2 Riberalta, the gates of the Amazon ...................................................................................... 8 Typical food ....................................................................................................................... 9 Food.................................................................................................................................... 9 To move around ............................................................................................................. 10 Fauna ............................................................................................................................... 10 Flora .................................................................................................................................. 10 Climate ............................................................................................................................. 10 Tourism in and around Riberalta .......................................................................................... 11 Visiting around Riberalta ................................................................................................... 11 Useful places ....................................................................................................................... 12 To eat ................................................................................................................................... 12 Activities ............................................................................................................................... 13 Activities and tourist attractions ....................................................................................... 14 Tourism around Riberalta .................................................................................................. 15 Practical advice The essentials to take before leaving Useful Medical Administrative . Earplugs . Anti-diarrheal medication . Two credit cards . Mosquitoes repellent (for the skin but also for . Hand sanitizer . Photocopy of passport clothes) . Blister and other Band-Aids . International vaccine . Sun protection . Painkiller book 3 . Water bottle . Disinfectant . Think about putting your . Covering and ample clothes rather dark color . Anti-itch and anti-allergy scanned documents on but not black (black attracts mosquitoes and cream your cloud or your inbox white scares animals) . Contact lenses and (photocopy of the . Hiking shoes solutions (it’s expensive in passport, certificates of . Camera and/or binoculars Bolivia) insurance, ...) . (Head)lamp . Spare set of glasses or a . International driving . Pair of flip flops prescription license . Rain jacket . Prescribed medication . Scarf (to protect your face from dust while . Health Insurance traveling) . Good sunglasses . Money belt . Sportswear . Swimsuit . Winter jacket if you’re planning to travel to the Salar de Uyuni or anywhere in the Altiplano (La Paz, Potosí, etc.) . Adaptor for your electronic plugs (In Bolivia it’s a 220v at 50Hz. The outlets are of the 2-pin variety with round prongs. Most modern electronics are now compatible with 110v or 220v) Getting to and from Riberalta Bus: Even if the distance between Riberalta and La Paz may seem short, the condition of Bolivian roads often increases the transport time. It’s possible to come by bus -even though the trip is beautiful it takes a lot of time, so we recommend flying. If all goes well it takes about 30h by bus from La Paz to Riberalta during the dry season (April to November). However, it could easily last 10 hours more if you encounter issues on the road (which is all very common in Bolivia). This trip costs about 180 Bs (26$). Airplane: This is still the easiest way, even though the connection between cities is not direct. The plane will probably stop at Trinidad before getting to Riberalta. For 4 a flight from La Paz it costs on average 900 Bs (130$) with Ecojet and 700 Bs (100$) with Amazonas, but with a change at Santa Cruz for the latter. From Cochabamba it costs about 750 Bs (110$) with Ecojet and with Amazonas around 700 Bs (100$). Health Recommended Vaccinations (Those that are essential are red – please check with your GP) Hepatitis A, or immune globulin (IG) contracted through food Hepatitis B, if you might be exposed to blood (for example, health-care workers, medical treatment), have sexual contact with the local population or stay 6 months or more in the region. Rabies, if you might be exposed to wild or domestic animals through your work or recreation. Typhoid, particularly if you are working with children. As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles. Yellow Fever vaccination. Mosquitoes Riberalta is a low risk area, but you recommend to take a preventive treatment for malaria, especially if you intend to stay long in the reserve. Even though the city hasn’t had cases of malaria for years, it is in an area at risk for malaria as well as Zika, Chikungunya and Dengue. Don’t not forget to take cover clothes and a good mosquito repellent. In the house or in our host families, almost all windows are screened, so it is not obligatory to bring a mosquito net. Stomach issues: Whether it’s from something you eat or drink, volunteers need to be wise about hygiene and health-care here in Bolivia. The fact is, sanitation and hygiene practices here in Bolivia can differ quite a lot from the standards set in other countries and because of this, foreigners are more susceptible to sickness. Stomach-related problems are not uncommon. The following information is provided to help you avoid potential problems: Food Preparation: If you are preparing your own food, be sure to thoroughly wash every item of food and the utensils you use in clean water. Avoid tap water unless it has been well-boiled. Then it is drinkable and is an affordable option for washing food and for drinking it. Do not eat food that looks or smells bad. Food prepared by Host Families: Eating with your host family is a great experience as it is tasty and a great way to practice your Spanish! Host families are aware that volunteers can be susceptible to sickness and prepare food and drinks in a safe manner. If you have concerns regarding your host family´s food, speak to Sustainable Bolivia staff first. Eating at restaurants or street food: The risks of getting a food-borne illness increases when you eat outside of your home. Expensive restaurants generally provide high-quality 5 service including good hygiene standards. Street food is very risky, but some would say the price and taste are worth the risk. Try to avoid the temptation of street food until you are well-acclimatized to Bolivian food. Much of the street food is stored unrefrigerated and may be unwashed before cooking and sauces or salsa may be mixed with tap water. Avoid anything that is made with (tap) water outside of home such as fruit juices, some ice-creams, ice cubes in drinks, salsas. If you ever happen to fall sick, medicine, rest and plenty of hydration will be enough to get you back on your feet. But of course, if you are still sick after 24 hours it’s highly recommended to go to a local clinic. Symptoms of getting sick from food or drink may include, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever. Causes may be due to contracting some type of parasite, or some form of amoebic or bacterial dysentery, or giardia. Headlice Please be careful with headlice in the daily life and especially if you are going to work with children, so please make sure your hair is tied back. In addition, lavender essential oil is a good repellent. Handwashing It is very important for volunteers to make sure their hands are washed with soap thoroughly and frequently to keep you healthy. We suggest you use hand sanitizer frequently. Animals Be careful with the dogs around the city, even though there are less dogs in Riberalta than in other bigger cities in Bolivia. Stay away as much as possible. Helpful Websites World Health Organisation: www.who.int/ith MD Travel Health: www.mdtravelhealth.com UK: www.doh.gov.uk/traveladvice US: www.cdc.gov/travel Canada: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/index.html Tips on staying safe around town Riberalta is generally a safe place for local, tourists and volunteers. But like many cities, there can be risky areas to walk around, especially at night. Some good tips to remember while living in Riberalta are: It is always a good idea to be aware of your surroundings when walking around the city. If something is looking unusual or dodgy it may be best to avoid. Try to always walk on main roads. DO NOT take unlicensed moto taxis 6 When walking around the city at night, try to be with a