EAST TIMOR SERVICE LEARNING TOUR 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS ɦ Introduction Page 2 Destination Information Page 3 Draft Schedule Page 4 Staff Page 5 Language Page 5 Transportation and Guide Page 5 Money Page 5 Accommodation Page 6 Food and Water Page 7 Mobile Phones Page 7 Security Page7 Road Safety Page 8 Out and About Page 8 Clothing and Etiquette Page 8 Getting Lost Page 9 Packing and Medical Kit Page 9-12 Contact Numbers Page 13 Page 1 | PLC Sydney East Timor Service Learning Trip 2019 INTRODUCTIONɦ The untouched natural beauty of Timor-Leste (also known as East Timor) combined with its unique built heritage will captivate and inspire you. East Timor offers crystal clear waters framed by luxurious vegetation and coral reefs, as well as charming Portuguese architecture and monuments. The country’s biggest asset is perhaps the people of East Timor. Visitors to the country are made to feel truly welcome wherever they go. Becora and Comoro, the two schools you will be visiting, are no exception. You will be greeted with warm smiles and greetings by all staff and students. This Service Learning Tour will challenge you and transform your very heart and soul. Most of you are probably feeling a mix of excitement and fear as you embark on the opportunities presented by the upcoming trip. Hopefully the excitement will increase and the fear will subside as you read the following information. The information in this booklet should be read by both parents and students. Page 2 | PLC Sydney East Timor Service Learning Trip 2019 DESTINATION INFORMATIONɦ Diliɦɦ Dili is the capital city of Timor-Leste. It is a charming little seaside city that lies in the northern coast of east Timor. It’s unique and diverse landscape offers reefs that are home to an array of marine creatures including turtles, whales and colourful tropical fish. Dili has an interesting heritage and the large Cristo Rei de Dili statue is on a hilltop east of the city, offering views of its crystal clear bay. ɦ The greatest challenge for the students on this trip will come from confronting real poverty and hardship in a developing country and offering genuine support to the community. Students will be volunteering in two schools, Becora and Comoro. At each school, students will have the opportunity to teach art and craft lessons in the morning and paint the walls of the school in the afternoon. Becora Kindergarten Schoolɦɦ Becora School is a small local school which has approximately 90 students ranging from 3 to 6 years old. At this school students will be teaching a lesson or two in the morning followed by painting in the afternoon. Students will return to the Hotel for lunch. ɦ Comoro Schoolɦ Comoro School is a larger school with approximately 150 students ranging from 5 to 12 year olds. At this school students will be teaching a lesson or two in the morning followed by painting in the afternoon. Students will return to the Hotel for lunch. Please visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website for up to date information on travel to East Timor www.smartraveller.gov.au Page 3 | PLC Sydney East Timor Service Learning Trip 2019 DRAFT SCHEDULEɦ Date AM PM Accommodation Friday 5 July Fly Arrive – Darwin Arrive Qantas Airlines Desk 6.00am Friday 5 July Depart for Dili Airport Arrive Dili Airport at 5pm Hotel Esplanada, Dili Saturday 6 July Dili – Breakfast at Hotel Painting at Becora Hotel Esplanada, Dili Esplanada Debrief and dinner at Hotel School visit to Becora Esplanada Kindergarten Lunch a Sunday 7 July Cooking Class at Agora Food Visit to the Tai Market Hotel Esplanada, Dili Studio, Dilli Debrief and dinner at Esplanada Monday 8 July Visit to Comoro School Painting at Comoro Hotel Esplanada, Dili Debrief and dinner at Esplanada Tuesday 9 July Visit to Comoro School Painting at Comoro Hotel Esplanada, Dili Debrief and dinner at Esplanada Wednesday 10 July Visit to the Museum Lunch by the beach or at Hotel Esplanada, Dili Hotel Esplanada Beach / Kayaking Dinner at Esplanada Thursday 11 July Visit to Motael Church Cristo Rei Of Dili Statue walk Hotel Esplanada, Dili Visit to the Fruit Market Friday 12 July Visit to the Art Gallery Visit to the Tai Market Hotel Esplanada, Dili Guided Sunset Walk Saturday 13 July Arrive in Darwin at 10am Home Home Arrive in Sydney 2.45pm ɦ Page 4 | PLC Sydney East Timor Service Learning Trip 2019 STAFFɦ Students will be accompanied by the following members of staff from PLC Sydney: Miss Vanessa Romero (East Timor Service Learning Coordinator), Miss Zoe Coyte (English and History Teacher), Ms Mary Mitchell (Junior School Teacher), Mr Fred Zayat and Mrs Marian Zayat (Maintenance Staff) LANGUAGEɦ The main language is Tetum/Tetun (traditional Timorese language) , although English, Portuguese and Indonesian are prevalent. During our weekly briefings Miss Romero will teach students some basic Tetun such as hello, good bye, thank you.bb TRANSPORTATION AND GUIDEɦ Upon arrival to Dili, Fred who has been working in Maintenance for PLC for the last 20 years, will hire a bus and escort the group to and from the schools and Hotel Esplanada. Fred has been visiting East Timor since 2003 and is very familiar with Dili. He will be acting as driver and guide on this tour. MONEYɦ East Timor uses US Dollars. You will need to change money in Australia before you leave. Money for food and recreational activities will be provided by PLC so you will just need to bring spending money. $50 - $100 will be sufficient. When changing money ask for small denominations as getting change from small traders in East Timor can be a problem. You also need to remember how poor East Timor is. For that reason, it is unwise to carry large amounts of money or wear expensive jewelry. Street crime is rare but there are a few tourists currently visiting East Timor. Keep money and valuables locked away at the hotel. All rooms in the hotel offer safety deposit boxes. Carry small amounts of money in a money belt under your clothing. Students will have the opportunity to buy some food and snacks. There will be some brief opportunities for shopping. This amount of money required is at parental discretion. Page 5 | PLC Sydney East Timor Service Learning Trip 2019 ACCOMMODATIONɦɦ ɦ ɦ Contact details forɦɦ Hotel Esplanadaɦ Avenida da Portugal Beach Road Dili, Timor Wschodni PH: (670) 723 7110 One of the premiere boutique hotels in Timor-Leste. With panoramic views across the expansive Dili bay area from the upstairs restaurant and its smart modern interiors, this small hotel offers you the best accomodation in the city of Dili. The restaurant offers fresh, innovative cuisine and balmy onshore breezes from the beach directly in front of the hotel. Situated on the Avenida da Portugal, alongside many international embassies, this premium location offers the best views and aspects in the city. Hotel Esplanada will be the group’s accommodation in Dili. Students will be at this hotel for 7 nights. Page 6 | PLC Sydney East Timor Service Learning Trip 2019 FOOD AND WATERɦ Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided by the hotel and are included as part of the cost. You will need to take the usual precautions when travelling in poor countries. Avoid consuming drinks with ice cubes and drink only bottled water. Well cooked meat and vegetables are generally safer than salads and other raw food. Please advise staff on the health form if your daughter has any allergies. MOBILE PHONESɦɦ While there is reception for mobile phones, calls are very costly. There will be wifi at the hotel. Students are encouraged to take advantage of ifi rather than global roaming. It is recommended that students download viber or whatsapp to make phone calls more economical. Staff will have a mobiles in the case of an emergency. Students may also use staff phone to contact home in the event that their mobile is not working. If a student takes a mobile phone its security is entirely her own responsibility. SECURITYɦ As a developing nation, Timor-Leste has segments of its population that are very poor. While begging is discouraged by the government, it is a reality of everyday life in Timor-Leste. It is advisable to be polite but firm when responding to beggars. Each individual will need to decide how best to respond to a request. At times the staff and students may be approached by people attempting to sell small souvenirs at often very inflated prices. Be polite but aware. Bargaining and banter is generally all very good natured and part of the experience, but everyone should maintain a friendly smile and patience when conducting transactions. Becoming angry and aggressive is viewed as very bad manners in Timor-Leste. It is important to be aware of belongings at all times. When in the street keep all spending money in a money belt or purse under the clothes. Larger amounts of cash and passports should be left in the hotel safe where they will be secure. Leaving cash or valuable documents out in rooms is unwise. Students’ main bags should also be left padlockedin the hotel room. They are highly unlikely to be touched, but as the wages are very low it is better to be safe than sorry. When in transit, passports must be kept in a bag or money belt worn under the clothes. They should only be brought out in a secure environment. Page 7 | PLC Sydney East Timor Service Learning Trip 2019 ROAD SAFETYɦ One of the greatest challenges in Timor-Leste is crossing the road.