LETTER TO ALL CONTESTANTS

AND TEAM LEADERS

This letter contains information, advice and guidelines to make your journey to South Africaand your stay in Durban both enjoyable and trouble free

We hope that every one will honour the code of behavior of ‘respect’

for the week of the competition.

  • respect for yourself
  • respect for others in the competition
  • respect for the others around you
  • respect for the environment

Here are a few guidelines to help you and all contestants have a happy and memorable week.

What to do before you leave home:

  1. Make sure you have your passport (and visa if you need one), money, camera, mobile phone, chargers, batteries etc all ready for packing. It is quite smart to carry all these valuable items in a money belt.
  2. Check your plane tickets – the team leader usually keeps these in a safe place for the whole team.
  3. Make sure your team leader or your parents have taken out travel insurance for you.
  4. The voltage in South Africa is 220V, and we use 15A three or two pronged round plugs.
  5. Make two copies of your passport and visa: one for your Team Leader to hand in when you arrive in Durbanand one for yourself. Keep this copy in a different place from you passport in your luggage.
  6. The currency in South Africa is the Rand. There are 100 cents in one Rand. US$1 = R8 at the moment. A hamburger and chips costs R35 and a coke costs R8. Electronic goods are expensive compared to Eastern countries. Souvenirs will not be too expensive. Pocket money of US$100 should be quite enough for the week.
  7. It is winter in Durban in July but the climate is temperate (warm enough to swim). Days will be between 20˚ and 25˚ and warm and sunny and nights between 13˚ and 18˚. The sea temperature is usually about 20˚. It is the dry season so there is not much chance of rain.
  8. Durban is not a malaria area so there is no need to take malaria medication.
  9. There have been no reported cases of Swine Flu in Durban.
  10. The water in taps is suitable for drinking. Durban is ranked in the top 10 cities in the world for clean tap water.

What to pack in your suitcase:

  1. Your team ‘uniform’. It is wise to have two sets of this.
  2. One smart casual outfit for the Gala Dinner (Civic Reception).
  3. About four sets of casual clothes.
  4. A warm jacket for evenings.
  5. One pair of casual shoes (sandals) and one pair of trainers (closed shoes).
  6. A pair of ‘slops’ to wear on your feet in the shower.
  7. Sleep wear.
  8. If you want to swim, bring a swimming costume and a swimming towel.
  9. Underwear.
  10. Your outfit and anything you need for the cultural evening.
  11. Toiletries such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, soap, deodorant etc.
  12. Mobile phone, camera, watch, passport, pocket money, airline tickets etc and a secure bag for this. Leave other valuables at home! Make copies of important documents, leave one set at home and bring one set with you.
  13. Notes of all your home contact details, medical aid number, travel insurance information, mobile phone pin number etc.
  14. Any medication if you need this. Make sure your team leader knows you have this, it is sensible to give it to your team leader for safe keeping.
  15. You will be given an IWYMIC t-shirt which you will have to wear on two occasions.
  16. Something to read or do on the plane.
  17. Some snack type of food.
  18. Your pen, pencil, ruler, eraser, paper and practice questions.
  19. Some small gifts from your country to exchange with contestants from other countries that you have made friends with.
  20. It is sensible to pack your things in a soft ‘tog’ bag with wheels. Your bag should not weigh more than 15kg. You may have to carry it up stairs at times. Please pack a change of clothes in your hand luggage. Remember, no liquids, gels or aerosols are allowed in hand luggage.

What to do when you arrive in Johannesburg:

  1. When you arrive at O R Tambo international airport you must pass through immigration, collect your luggage and then pass through customs.
  2. When you come out into the arrivals hall there will an IWYMIC team of Kholofelo Hlungwani and Nwabisa Dano waiting to greet you. Look for the IWYMIC logo banner. They will assist you with any problems and direct you to the domestic departures area which is only a very short walk away.
  3. The airport is undergoing extensive renovations in preparation for the 2010 World Cup Soccer Tournament. This has resulted in a temporary problem with the luggage handling. If you do not get your luggage in time to catch your flight to Durban, you must not wait for it. Report it and the bags will be delivered to the Blue Waters Hotel in Durbanas soon as possible, by the airports company.
  4. You may like to exchange money and purchase a sim card and airtime if you have brought a mobile phone. The facilities are all in the airport.
  5. You must check in your luggage and get your boarding pass for the Durban flight.

What to do when you arrive in Durban:

  1. There will be an IWYMIC ‘Meet and Greet’ table in the luggage collection area. Your team host will be there to meet you.
  2. Your team host will escort you to your bus; there will be a photographer to take pictures of your arrival at the bus!

Your team host:

There will be one Team Host allocated for two teams. Your team host is there to help and advise you. You must listen carefully to their instructions and obey them. They will be your friend and guide the whole week.

Registration at the Blue Waters hotel:

  1. The whole team will register at the Blue Waters hotel. After registration, the Team Leaders will be taken to the Garden Court hotel.
  2. The leaders must register for their team. The contestants can wait in the area provided (Cascades room) with the luggage.
  3. The leaders must please have a plastic folder that contains a photocopy of the passport of each person in their team. This must be handed in as the hotel requires this. (ID book copy for SA teams please).
  4. You will be given a name tag, programme, competition bag, IWYMIC T-shirt, meal tickets etc and allocated to your rooms.

Your name tag:

Your name tag must be worn at all times. It has emergency numbers on it and will also help to identify you if you get lost or when you are on excursions etc.

Your accommodation at the hotel:

  1. The rooms accommodate 2, 3 or 4 people. The rooms are not all on the same floor. We will try to keep teams from the same country on the same floor.
  2. All bedding and bathroom towels are provided.
  3. Most of the rooms have balconies. Please be very careful when you go out onto the balcony.
  4. Please keep your room tidy.
  5. The rooms are serviced daily. Please do not leave any valuable items and money lying around.
  6. You must lock your room if no one is in the room.
  7. Each person in the room will be room access card.
  8. Every room has a safe. Please use it for your valuable items.
  9. Rooms also have a TV, wall plugs, kettle (for boiling water), cups, shower cap, shampoo, small soap etc.

How to behave in the hotel:

1. There will be other guests staying in the hotel. Please be courteous and considerate towards them.

2. There is to be no shouting and running in the corridors.

3. Please be dressed properly when you are outside your room.

4. If there is a group of people waiting to use the lift, please use the stairs.

  1. A large room on the 11th floor has been set aside for contestants to meet together, play games and relax. Please use this room when you want to get together.
  2. We hope to have a few computers for contestants to use in this room.
  3. This room has balconies. These are strictly out of bounds for contestants.
  4. Do not stand in large groups in the entrance area of the hotel. Other people may want to use the door.
  5. There is an indoor swimming pool in the hotel. You may swim in this provided you have an adult with you. No shouting or splashing please.

Being on time!

  1. You must always listen to instructions and be on time for all events. Be prepared with your personal items. The buses will not wait for you!

How to behave in the dinning room and at meal times:

  1. All meals in the hotel will be buffet style. Please stand in line and wait to serve yourself. Do not push into the queue.
  2. There will be vegetarian dishes as well as dishes for people who have special dietary requirements. If you are not sure of the content of a dish, please ask one of the attendants.
  3. Do not put more food on your plate than you can eat. Rather go back and get a second helping.
  4. There will be other guests using the dinning room. Please fill up tables before you sit at a new table.
  5. The dinning room is not big enough fro the whole group. You will be divided into two groups and have meals at different times. Your Team Host will tell you which group you are in.
  6. You will not be allowed into the dining room unless you are wearing your name tag and are properly dressed.
  7. On excursions and at some other times you will be given a packed meal. There will always be a vegetarian option as well as Halaal meals. Look for the correct package. They will usually be colour coded.
  8. No one must go hungry. If there is no food you can eat, please always speak to your Team Host.

How to behave at the official functions:

  1. At the official functions in the City Hall, all the seats will be labeled with the name of the countries. Your Team Host will help you find your correct seats. Teams must sit together.
  2. When you arrive and are entering the hall or any other venue, please always stand back and allow adults to go first.
  3. It is not considered polite in South Africa to talk when other people are talking. When speeches are being made, even if you do not understand them, or if people are entertaining you, please keep a respectful silence. This also applies when the awards are being presented. Listen carefully to the awards and applaud the winning individuals and teams.
  4. Do not walk around the hall when a function or ceremony is in progress.
  5. Official photographs will be taken and each team will be given a CD of photographs on the morning you depart as a souvenir of your stay in Durban.
  6. There will also be a Certificate of Participation for each team member to take home.

The Excursions:

  1. Exciting excursions have been provided for you.
  2. On Monday you will visit the largest shopping mall in the southern hemisphere. It has an IMAX theatre, Science Centre, water sports, a big climbing wall and many shops.
  3. Other excursions include trips to Tala game reserve and UShaka Marine World. Your Team Host will give you more details.
  4. At UShaka you will be able to do a tube ride, take your costume and towel! It also has a great aquarium that has many sharks.
  5. At Tala, remember, this is the home of the animals. We stay in our game drive vehicles and are very quiet so as not to disturb the animals – take your camera.

The Beach Party

  1. You will parade from your hotel to the beach party venue. Here you will be joined by local pupils who have written a parallel competition that day.
  2. Make sure you get to know someone new, enjoy the music, the entertainment and the very South African food.
  3. Have fun!

What to wear when:

  1. You must wear you own team outfit for the opening Ceremony on Monday, the competition on Wednesday and the Awards Ceremony on Thursday.
  2. A full group photograph will be taken after the Opening Ceremony.
  3. You must wear the IWYMIC t-shirt that you will be given for the excursions on Tuesday and Wednesday.
  4. We will all wear a smart outfit for the Civic Reception (Gala Dinner) on Wednesday evening.
  5. The rest of the week you may wear your own casual clothes.

Security and safety:

  1. All big cities have a problem with crime. Tourists are often a special target.
  2. Do not hang your camera round your neck or hold your purse or mobile in your hand.
  3. Remember to use the safe in your hotel room and to keep your door locked!
  4. If one team or a small group leaves the hotel, you must have a Team Host and a Deputy Team Leader with you. You must report out to the Help Desk and report back in when you return.
  5. The Durban City Police will be on duty at the hotel and at all events and excursions.
  6. We drive on the left-hand side of the road in South Africa. Remember to look the correct way when you cross a road.

First aid:

  1. There will be a paramedic team (ambulance service) on duty all week.
  2. Some of the Local Organising Teamis trained in first aid. A first aid box will be at the Help Desk.
  3. If you are concerned about contacting Swine Flu, bring masks. The most likely place to catch an infection is on the plane and at airports.

The Help Desk:

  1. There will be a Help Desk open all week. You can collect and leave messages here, look for lost property, collect the daily news sheet and ask for any assistance you may need.
  2. You also sign in and out of the hotel here is you are leaving the hotel in a small group.

Contacting home:

  1. Your parents will want to know that you have arrived safely. Team Deputy Leaders are advised to organise to send an SMS to all parents.
  2. There are a few computers available at the hotel.
  3. We have also arranged for a computer room to be available at a nearby school during your free time during the day.
  4. There are telephones in the hotel rooms. You will only be able to dial other hotel rooms, the reception desk or arrange for a wake up call from these phones.
  5. Making international calls from hotel phones is very expensive.
  6. Make sure you have the correct dialing code for your home country.
  7. To dial out from South Africa, the code is 00 followed by the in-code for your country.
  8. If your parents want to phone you, the code into South Africa is +27

Using GeorgeCampbellTechnicalSchool:

  1. You will be able to use the facilities at a nearby school.
  2. There is a computer room, classrooms and playing fields.
  3. We will have soccer balls and games for you to use – collect these from the Help Desk.
  4. You may not go to the school unless you are accompanied by an adult.
  5. There will be traffic police to help you cross the road.
  6. Security guards will be on duty.

Using the beach:

  1. A beautiful beach is just across the road from the hotel. You may want to enjoy this.
  2. No one may go to the beach unless they are accompanied by their Deputy Team Leader and their Team Host.
  3. Life guards are on duty during the day.
  4. If you want to swim you must swim in the designated areas and you must take great care.
  5. You must listen to any instructions that you are given.
  6. If you cannot swim, stay in the shallow water.

Going shopping:

  1. There are no big shops close to the hotel.
  2. There are however many informal vendors not too far from the hotel who sell curios. We will also have a group selling curios in the hotel.
  3. You will be taken to a shopping centre on Monday afternoon.
  4. If you need any item urgently, go to the Help Desk and we can purchase it for you.
  5. There are also many shops at UShaka. Shaka was a famous king of the Zulu nation.
  6. You will find that everyone speaks English in the shops.

This seems a great deal to remember but most of what has been written is common sense!

We want you all to have a wonderful time in Durban and to enjoy the competition.

The Local Organisng Committee

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