A Fresh Chapter

South Africa Odyssey: Program

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Program

Participants

Our South Africa program is open to both caregivers and patient/survivors. The program will have 12-14 participants, women and men who have been impacted by some type of cancer as a patient/survivor or caregiver. Program participants typically range in age from mid-20s through late-60s. We’ve found this diversity creates a more enriched experience for everyone.

Flights
  • You will fly in and out of Cape Town International Airport (CPT).
  • You will likely have a layover in Europe, another major African city, or in Johannesburg. If connecting through Johannesburg, give yourself at least 2 hours between flights in order to clear customs & make your way to the domestic terminal.
  • You will likely be taking a red-eye flight. Consider the following items to make yourself more comfortable: compression socks; neck pillow; sturdy earplus like Max (silly putty); eye mask; ear buds/headphones for movies.
  • You can fly any airline you like but please plan to arrive anytime before 9:00pm on October 6, 2018. Airport transfers will be arranged by one of our local partners to take you from CPT to our starting hotel. You can depart anytime on or after October 20, 2018. We will arrange airport transfer for anyone departing on October 20. If you plan to stay longer in Cape Town, you will need to book and pay for your own airport transfer.
  • The typical participant will need approximately $800 to $1500 for the round trip flight to Cape Town, South Africa.
  • Many previous participants have been donated airline miles to help offset flight costs.
Passport & Visa
  • Citizens of the United States and Canada do not require a Visa to travel to South Africa
    • However, please check the visa requirements for any countries you are connecting/transferring through or visiting before/after South Africa, as some African countries have different requirements
  • You must have a valid passport and South African law requires that you have at least (2) two blank visa pages in your passport to enter the country.
  • You should also ensure that your passport does not expire within the six (6) months following your return.
Medical

All participants are responsible for informing FCAF/SEE of any physical or medical conditions through the mandatory Medical Form and Addendum. You will receive this form shortly and it must be completed by your oncologist or primary health care provider and submitted back to us by August 6, 2018.

  • Unless you plan to travel to game parks in the north of the country, no malaria medication is required for travel to South Africa.
  • We recommend checking out the CDC travel page for South Africa to see what is advised and making an appointment with a personal physician or travel doctor to see what they recommend for you specifically. The CDC recommends Typhoid and Hepatitis A vaccines for most travelers, although these are not required.
Travel Medical Insurance

In order to standardize our processes, adhere with HIPPA regulations, and protect your privacy, each participant is responsible for contacting travel insurance provider(s) for quotes and purchasing your own travel medical insurance. AFC wants each of you to feel comfortable with the plan/coverage you choose, and we encourage you to have a 1-1 conversation with the insurance provider to confirm coverage levels, discuss pre-existing conditions, etc.

We have suggested two companies below, but we also know that some of you may already have coverage through your employer and/or credit card service.

  • Travel Guard (U.S. only)
  • World Nomads (Worldwide)

AFC has allocated a maximum of $125 USD to reimburse participants for the cost of travel medical insurance. However, you may want to also get additional insurance for cancellation, baggage, etc, The only mandatory insurance is travel medical insurance.

Please submit proof of insurance and a receipt to Manisha at manisha@afreshchapter.com in order to qualify for your reimbursement of up to $125 USD. No one will be permitted to join the program without proof of travel medical insurance.

Accommodations, Meals, and Transportation
  • Program participants will spend the first week in the area of Tamboerskloof, at Parker Cottage – an urban retreat in the creative heart of Cape Town. You can expect to have 1 roommate and an en-suite bathroom (each person will have his/her own bed). Both men and women will be housed in the same building, but will not share rooms. We will eat most, but not all, of our meals at Parker Cottage. There is Wi-Fi and cafes and restaurants within walking distance that also have access to high-speed connections.
  • Program participants will spend the second week in the area of Noordhoek, a beautiful rural setting outside of the city center. You can expect to have 1-3 roommates and shared bathrooms (each person will have his/her own bed). We will be housed in separate cottages and buildings on the same secured property. We will eat most, but not all, of our meals at our guest accommodation.
  • All meals will consist of delicious, healthy, and nutritious options freshly prepared by a chef/food expert partner of AFC.
  • Food allergies can be accommodated with advance notice (vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy free, etc.).
  • All transportation to and from our volunteer placements and to cultural activities will be provided. Transportation for optional activities and excursions is the participants’ responsibility.
Packing Guide
  • October is the tail end of winter in Cape Town. They say Cape Town can have 4 seasons in one day, so layers are important.
  • Clothes:
    • Layers! Comfortable, conservative, lightweight clothing – t-shirts, knee-length skirts, long pants (linen or cotton)
    • Active wear – clothes you can easily move in and good walking shoes!
    • A few nicer outfits for evenings out to dinner or exploring Cape Town nightlife (live music!)
    • Closed toed shoes to wear for volunteering and city-exploring
    • Some long pants and sweaters for possibly chiller evenings
    • Raincoat just in case
    • Swimsuit
    • Hat
  • Things:
    • Journal
    • Refillable water bottle
    • Sun Screen
    • Hand sanitizer & travel pack of tissues
    • Granola bars or other snacks
    • Camera
    • Sunglasses
    • Personal hygiene items
    • Luggage lock
    • Backpack/sling purse to carry water bottle, tissues, and hand sanitizer to work assignment
    • Medications (please make sure they are in their original prescription bottles)
    • Adapter/Converter – the South African plug is very unique and many universal adapters will not work. You can easily buy and adapter on amazon.com. The South African adapter is 110v and 220/240 volts.
    • Copy of passport, kept in a separate location from your actual passport
  • What NOT to bring:
    • Valuables – only bring a laptop if you have a true need
    • Linens

 

Itinerary

The international volunteer component of the South Africa Odyssey program runs from October 6-20, 2018 in Cape Town. Selected participants are expected to arrive in Cape Town, South Africa on Saturday, October 6, 2018 (before 9 p.m.) and to depart from Cape Town anytime on Saturday, October 20, 2017.

· Saturday – arrival

· Sunday – AFC orientation, area tour

· Monday – Friday: volunteering & a combination of cultural and A Fresh Chapter activities

· Saturday/Sunday – Transfer to Noordhoek and Once-In-A-Lifetime experience

· Monday – Friday: volunteering & a combination of cultural and A Fresh Chapter activities

· Saturday: Departures at any time

While there will be some pockets of free time for rest and reflection, we recommend you arrive early or stay later after the program if you want free time for exploration in South Africa.

Our activities are designed to address the deeper emotional scars of cancer – the emotions around the shared struggles of cancer. This is not a traditional support group and so there are no organized activities around sharing your specific story of cancer (e.g. on May 5, 2000, I was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, etc.) Instead, through volunteering, travel and a variety of activities – such as journaling prompts, individual and group exercises, and opportunities to share pieces of your story – our program will help you to uncover the emotional scars of cancer, start to process and deal with them, and begin to guide you toward a new chapter in your life. While our programs do not follow the typical support model, there are some elements that may be familiar to those who have attended support groups.

All A Fresh Chapter activities are required, as is volunteering each morning. There are some cultural activities that can be optional but are recommended in order to have the full experience of the program. Accommodations can be made for those who need more time to rest such as individuals in active treatment or those suffering from post-treatment fatigue.

Please Note: If you have a vision of experiencing a safari, we definitely recommend that you extend your stay in South Africa. You can work with a travel company like African Twist Travel – info@africantwisttravel.com to plan your additional travel.

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