The time has come, and summer is almost here! Your trip to camp in the US is just around the corner (or already underway!) We are so excited for you to begin your adventure this summer. You will have the opportunity to work hard, make friends, and make a positive impact on lives this summer!
Before you travel, please make sure you remember to bring the following documents with you in your carry-on, as well as complete the important below tasks:
- Your Passport
- Your DS-2019 Form. This is a very important document! You will not be able to enter the US on your J-1 Visa without your DS-2019, so please do not forget it! (While we told you to bring this in our digital Welcome Packet, we want to stress it again – please bring your DS-2019 with your passport when you travel to America!)
- Your camp contract or job offer letter
- Your SEVIS receipt
- Travel Instructions from your camp- any relevant information on how to travel from the airport to camp, or where your designated pickup area is if camp will collect you at the airport. PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR TRAVEL DETAILS WITH CAMP BEFORE YOU ARRIVE! If upon arrival at the airport you are unsure where to meet your camp or have questions on public transportation, PLEASE CALL YOUR CAMP FIRST. Your camp is in the best position to help with travel advice, as they are local and in your area!
- Important phone numbers or an email contact for your camp
- Your Health Insurance ID Card. This can be accessed by logging into your IENA account and clicking on the insurance icon. If you have not done so yet, please update your insurance dates to match your US arrival & departure dates, so you have health insurance for your entire stay in the US! We recommend you print out your insurance card and leave it in your wallet for the summer.
- Have you logged onto your IENA account and updated your travel and visa information yet? Once you login to your IENA dashboard, there is a travel icon for you to upload your flight information as well as a “Visa” icon for you to officially let us know your visa has been approved by the US Embassy. Please do this before you depart. It’s very important!
Arriving in America: Once you pass through Immigration & Customs, please contact your camp to confirm. You will then begin to make your way to camp. Did you speak to the Camp Director before your arrival to share your flight information and find out how you will get from the airport to camp? This is very important! Do you know the phone number of the camp?
If you find yourself in a situation where you do not know where to go or what to do, you should CALL YOUR CAMP FIRST. The summer camp who has employed you will be able to help you in providing instructions on how to travel to camp from the airport, or if they are picking you up at the airport. Please communicate with your camp directly- this is very important.
The day you arrive in America, please get in touch with your parents and those that care about you to let them know you have arrived safely. Often times, your friends and family are nervous that you are in another country- informing them of your safe arrival will bring them a welcome sense of relief! (and if you do not, they’ll call IENA asking where you are!) Save your loved ones from being concerned and contact them to let them know you are safe as soon as you arrive.
If you find yourself in an emergency and need assistance, IENA has an emergency hotline to help. Our toll free phone number is 888-724-4292 x4 (emergencies only). An emergency constitutes if you have been in an accident, injured, arrested, fired from camp, etc.
You are on your way to an amazing summer experience and we are so happy for you! Please have a happy and safe summer- we will see you soon!