General Information
Languages
The official language for Project TEN – both at the center and in working with local volunteer projects is English. You will be offered lessons in the local language in a non-English speaking country.
Flights
The flights to your target country are your responsibility; please let us know your flight schedule at least a month before, so we can plan the pick-up schedule. In some cases, such as countries in which the airport is far from the TEN center, you might spend the first night in the city closest to the airport; details will be given to you as necessary.
Each TEN cohort has its own Facebook group, and you are welcome to consult with us or with your group mates regarding flights.
Health Insurance
Project TEN will not provide medical coverage of any kind, and the volunteers are responsible for acquiring a full medical and health insurance policy. We recommend including medical evacuation in this policy, and costs shouldn't exceed US$2 per day. The program will require each volunteer to send a copy of his or her insurance policy for its records, and to sign a waiver that releases Project TEN of responsibility for any medical or health-related situations that may occur.
Vaccinations
Check with the nearest consulate or embassy for your target country to find out what health requirements and restrictions are in place for volunteers. It is likely that you will be required to present documentation for some vaccinations at entering points at some of the countires.
While getting used to the local food, you might experience intestinal discomfort digestion in the first couple of weeks of your stay. TEN staff will be on hand to provide comfort and help. All TEN centers are within an hour's drive from a local hospital, and each center has a list of doctors that can be contacted, and you can be accompanied to a medical clinic if you wish.
Important! Common pharmacy items are usually available in the larger cities, and you do not need to stock up on them (please check with the center director which items are available at the specific location). However, if you take medication which is critical or unusual, it is advisable to bring it in its original package (and a copy of the prescription). It can save you from unpleasant situations at the airport, and ensure you can get replacement medicine where brand names may be different, by allowing the pharmacist to see the ingredients. You are required to notify us in advance of any health situation (physical or otherwise) for which you take medication or may impair your ability to volunteer and study with us.
Visa
The volunteers are responsible for obtaining the proper visas for the relevant target country. Project TEN can provide each volunteer with a formal letter that states that he or she has been accepted by Project TEN or a local partner organization.
Security
The safety and security of our participants is always our number one priority. Our centers are approved by the Jewish Agency’s Security Department and are regularly monitored by 24 hour security guards.
In addition, we ensure that all of our directors are first aid trained, with immediate access to a full first aid kit. Hospitals and medical centers are located in the town, and a car is always available for transportation.
Project TEN is committed to continually reviewing and updating our safety procedures in order to protect volunteers and staff from harm.
SECURITY TIPS FOR TOURISTS IN ANY COUNTRY:
- Try to travel in a group and avoid walking on the streets alone at night. Avoid dark/enclosed areas.
- At night, use taxis rather than buses, and call for a taxi company rather than pick up a cab randomly on the street.
- Do not walk around wearing expensive-looking items.
- Carry around only enough cash for your expected purchases, and a credit card only if you expect to use it. Do not keep all of your money in one pocket. Distribute it in different pockets.
- Make a copy of the biographical page of your passport and carry this with you.
- Take extra care when taking out money from an ATM. Beware of suspicious characters lurking nearby. It is best to use the machines located inside banks, buildings, and shopping centers.
- Keep digital cameras in your pocket or in nondescript paper or plastic bags, and don't leave belongings unattended.
Internet and Telephone
Each volunteer is required to purchase a local SIM card and make sure he or she is available via the phone in case staff or group member needs to contact them. The cost of calls is not expensive, and a small sum should tide you over during your stay in our centers.
We will provide free Internet at our center, and you will be able to access email accounts and Skype your friends and family with this connection. Note that power cuts limit this service for several hours most days, and that Internet connections are not as fast as you may be used to. Data plans and SMS packages are usually available.
What to Pack
TEN centers provide one set of bed linens and usually one towel. Insect and mosquito repellent are usually recommended for all centers, mainly those outside of Israel, as well as a good pair of walking shoes and a hat and/or sunblock. You may be able to buy toiletries locally (such as soap, shampoo, etc.), but if you do bring them with you, please choose ecologically friendly brands. It is not customary among most of the local communities to wear revealing or tight-fitting clothes, and we ask you to respect this custom.
Specific suggestions of what to pack will be provided to you based on your choice of center and the time of year.