OIP ALL STAFF MEETINGS
Final letter
JULY 5- JULY 15, 2011
June 17, 2011
GreetingsOIP All Staff Meetings Participants to Mexico! The time has come to provide you with some final details for the OIP All Staff Meetings.
Contact Information
Casa CEMAL (CGE House)
J.H. Preciado #314
Col. San Anton
Cuernavaca, Morelos
Telephones: 011-52-777-312-3578, : 011-52-777-318-7799 or US number 612-605-7230
The Mexico On Call phone is: 302-0055 Out of Cuernavaca dial (01-777) before the seven digit number.
Minneapolis staff members will monitor an emergency cell phone at 612/817-2830 and have it with them while in Mexico.
Luggage
We encourage you to pack as lightly as possible. This will make travel easier for you, plus luggage space in the local vehicles is limited. Lost or delayed baggage is a possibility, so pack any essential items (like medications) in a carry-on bag. Most Airlines only allow 2 checked bags of up to 50 lbs each (for further size restrictions, please check the airline of your specific flight). If you exceed the weight limit, you will be required to pay a fee. We strongly encourage all participants to keep luggage to one check-in and one carry-on. More than that will grow cumbersome for the entire group.
As I’m sure you are aware, the Transportation Security Administration has restricted the amount of liquid or gels that may be brought abroad the airplane on carry-on luggage. Prior to your departure, please check the TSA website at to be aware of current restrictions for carry-on luggage and international travel.
Please Note: It is becoming more common for airlines to charge additional fees for checked luggage. As many airlines are in the process of making this transition, we have found that luggage fees and policies vary greatly amongst carriers. We recommend checking your air carrier’s website before departure for any checked luggage fees and policies. These fees are in addition to your ticket price and may be paid at the ticketing counter in the airport.
Packing Suggestions
There are a few items we'd like to highlight as you make your final preparations for the seminar:
Purified water will be available during the meetings. We strongly suggest that you bring a small refillable water bottle with a wide mouth (e.g. Nalgene) that allows for easy cleaning and filling.
You are discouraged from bringing t-shirts or other items with U.S. flags or other patriotic symbols on them, as there is heightened sensitivity around the world toward U.S. foreign policy.
Bring one outfit (and just one, as you are only in the country for a short time and you will need the luggage space!) that is on the dressier side for dining out. For women this could mean a skirt, dress or pants (not jeans), and for men a shirt with a collar and pants. See the "What to Pack" section at for more specific information.
You will want one smaller bag or backpack to bring items (water bottle, journal, camera, etc.) with you in the van each day.
In addition to one pair of closed-toed, sturdy walking shoes, you may want to bring a pair of plastic flip-flops for use in the guest houses. As you will learn at your initial health and safety orientation, it is inadvisable to walk around barefoot, even inside.
It is a good idea to pack a cap or hat with a brim to protect your face from the sun, which will be pretty intense at the relatively high altitudes of Mexico City. Use of sunscreen is highly recommended.
Swimming suits for those going to the Hacienda on Sunday, July 10th and/or those who would like to swim at Universal (partner language school) during the week.
Cell Phone
If you would like to use a local Mexican cell phone it can be provided for you. This could come in very handy should you need to make call for a taxi or get in touch with CGE staff or other participants. Each cell phone will have some amount of airtime, if you should need more time you can purchasemore cards. Each cell phone has several phone numbers programmed on them so that participants may quickly call safe radio-taxis from the company with which we work in order to get safe rides home, as well as emergency numbers, such as the police, hospitals, and staff members.
Airport Instructions
Immigration & Customs
First thing you will have to do is gothrough immigration. Those of you who have a valid U.S. visa or passport should not have a problem entering the country. If you do not have one, please contact the Mexican Consulate in your country.When in the immigration counter just tell them you are coming for vacation (and not work !). You could receive 30, 60 or 90 days. Be sure to ask for more than 30 if you are staying more than this time. You will receive a tourist visa card which is very important to keep in a safe place as you will have to give it back when you leave the country. If you lose it you will have to pay a fine of about 50 US dlls and do some paperwork at the airport before you can leave (potentially missing your flight).
Next thing would be to pick up your luggage and go through customs. You will hand in a form and then press a button. Green light which is what most people get means no revision. Red light means your luggage will be checked.
Airport pick-up
Cuernavaca is about a 2 hour drive from the airport in Mexico City. There will two ways that staff can get from the airport to the CGE house:
- With the flight information you have provided the planning team, a few pick-up times have been identified to travel in the CGE vans.
- Regular bus service is available from the airport to Casino de la Selva Terminal in Cuernavaca. From there you would need to take a taxi to the house. You can take a safe taxi buying a ticket at the ticket counter in the terminal.
Pick up Schedule
LN / FN / Arrive / Time / Flight / Ter / Driver / DetailsSalom / Nespect / jun-24 / 8:19pm / DL 351 / 2 / N/A
No CGE
Raven / Linda / jun-29 / N/A / x / N/A / transportation
needed
Acevedo / Cesar / 01-jul / 12:15pm / N/A / x / N/A
Spinosa de Vega / Leah / 02-jul / 12:50pm / N/A / x / N/A
Xinico / Fidel / 02-jul / 1:50pm / LAC 650 / 1 / Moisés picks up Fidel and Ixi
Alburez / Ixi / 02-jul / 1:50pm / LAC 650 / 1 / in T1 at 2:00pm
López / Juan Carlos / 02-jul / 3:15pm / Copa 136 / 2 / Then Moisés, Ixi and
Mc Bride / Kathy / 02-jul / 3:15pm / Copa 136 / 2 / Moisés / Fidel pick up
Baraona / Suyen / 02-jul / 3:15pm / Copa 136 / 2 / rest of CA team in T2
Lester / Mark / 02-jul / 3:15pm / Copa 136 / 2 / about 3:30pm
Connelly / Joe / 02-jul / 3:15pm / Copa 136 / 2
Trelstad-Porter / Jim / 04-jul / 2:28pm / N/A / No CGE
McGoff / Regina / 04-jul / 2:55pm / USair173 / 1 / N/A / transportation
Gingerich / Orv / 04-jul / 2:40pm / AA 675 / 1 / N/A / needed
Shivoro / Romanus / 04-jul / 8:19pm / DL 351 / 2 / Javier / Javier picks up
Romanus in T2 at 8:30pm
Monterrubio / Dulce / 05-jul / 2:28pm / UA 0359 / 1
Tribuno / Emerald / 05-jul / 2:40pm / AA 675 / 1 / Moisés / Moisés picks up Dulce, Emerald, Margaret
Anderson / Margaret / 05-jul / 2:40pm / AA 675 / 1 / and Jesse @ 2:50pmin T1
Haas / Jesse / 05-jul / 2:40pm / AA 675 / 1
Dvorak / Andrea / 05-jul / 4:25pm / AA1111 / 1 / Ismael picks up Andrea in T1 @ 4:30pm
Butwell / Ann / 05-jul / 4:40pm / CO 1090 / 2 / Ismael / then Andrea and Ismael pick up Ann and David in T2 around 5:00pm
Hamilton / David / 05-jul / 4:40pm / CO 1524 / 2
Gort / Amy / 06-jul / 2:25pm / DL 451 / 2 / Ismael / Ismael picks up Amy and Nate
Hallanger / Nathan / 06-jul / 2:25pm / DL 451 / 2 / in T2 at 2:30pm
Airport Instructions for Mexico:
For those arriving to Terminal 1:Once you have gone through customs and immigration, please go upstairs to the second floor of the airport to the food court to meet CGE . There are three international exit gates in the Mexico City airport, and we have found it is not possible to always know from which gate an international flight will exit. We will meet you for pick-up on the second floor food court area, which is easy to find. Please congregate in front of the “Krispy Crème,” which is at the opposite end of the food court from the McDonald’s. A CGE driver will be waiting to greet you there with a sign.
If you come to Terminal 2 - Come out of customs and wait at stone benches across the hall, a CGE driver will be waiting to greet you there with a sign.
Airlines arriving to Terminal 1: American Airlines, United, US Air, Lac ( Guatemala)
Airlines arriving to Terminal 2: Continental, Copa and Delta
Transportation from Mexico City airport to Cuernavaca on your own
It's easy to get to Cuernavaca from the airport in Mexico City
If you are in terminal 1
Use the escalators by the Continental counter to go upstairs to the section called Autobuses Foraneos. On the first floor you will find the Food Court (Area de Comida/Restaurantes). You walk past a wall of fast food places on your right and tables on your left. When you come to the end of the fast food places, you will find Krispy Kreme, turn right to cross the overpass where you will find a counter with 4 or 5 bus services to different parts of Mexico. Look for the one that says Pullman de Morelos and/or Cuernavaca, there you can purchase your ticket to Cuernavaca with the Pullman de Morelos company. The cost is
$ 150 pesos ($ 14 US approx.),cash only and the trip takes about about 2 hours.
After getting your ticket you have to go downstairs to where the buses are parked.
Another option is to get a porter to take you there carrying your bags and tip $ 20 pesos.
If you are in terminal 2
ask were Autobuses Foraneos are or Autobuses para Cuernavaca, it is in the same level you exit but you have to exit the terminal. Find the Pullman de Morelos Company. The cost is $ 150 pesos ($ 14 US approx.), and the trip takes about about 2 hours. They just take cash to pay the bus.
After getting your ticket you have to exit to where the buses are parked.
Another option is to get a porter to take you there carrying your bags and tip $ 20 pesos.
Pullman de Morelos has buses leaving from the airport in Mexico City, from both terminals with a 15 minute difference for Cuernavaca (Casino de la Selva terminal) at approx. the following times:
Monday-Sunday:
Aeropuerto - Cuernavaca Casino
6:40 15:00
7:15 15:30
8:00 16:00
8:30 16:40
9:00 17:20
9:30 18:00
10:00 18:40
10:40 19:20
11:20 20:00
12:00 20:40
12:40 21:20
13:20 22:10
14:00 22:50
14:30 23:30
00:20
You can also check their webpage:
Upon arriving in Cuernavaca to Casino de la Selva Terminal, you can catch a cab, buy a ticket in the taxi ticket counter in the bus terminal. Tell the person at the counter you are going to Colonia San Antón and pay about $35 pesos, you will be given a ticket which you will hand to a taxi driver upon exiting the terminal. Tell him/her you are going to J.H. Preciado # 314, Colonia San Antón., halfway between the San Anton Parish (parroquia de San Anton) and the new bridge (Puente 2000). Expect a 5 pesos increase at nights.
You don't tip taxi drivers in Mexico, but if they carry your luggage you could give them an extra 5 or 10 pesos.
The CGE guest house is located on J.H. Preciado coming from the bridge and going south down the hill, it is on the left hand side of the street, it’s a white, two-story house with blue trim. There is a small tile plaque that says Augsburg College identifying us outside, there is a small store with Coca-Cola propaganda across the street named "La Pequeña" and a new housing unit called Real de San Antón.
If you experience travel problems in the U.S. (cancelled flight, long delay, missed connection) please contact the CGE-Mexico office at between 011-52-777-312-3578, 011-52-777-318-7799 or US number 612-605-7230 8:00am & 5:30pm CST; or after office hours please call our on-call number in Mexico o11-52-777-302-0055. This will assist us in arranging for someone to meet you at the airport if you will be arriving late. Also get in touch with the Mexico site at the following number: 612-605-7230
State Department Registration
We encourage U.S. citizens to register with the U.S. State Department so we can better assist you in an emergency.Register your travel plans with the State Department through a free online service at This will help the government contact you if there is a family emergency in the U.S., or if there is a crisis where you are traveling. In accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare and whereabouts will not be released to others without your express authorization. You will need your passport and one of the hotel/lodging addresses to complete the information.Citizens of other countries can check with their own country.
Meetings information
A welcome packet with a schedule and other information will be provided and session handouts and overviews would be available on the All staff meeting page, which is linked off the intranet :
Please be sure to let us know the materials and/or equipment you’ll need during your sessions or workshops.
There are a couple laundromats up the street that will wash, dry and fold your clothes for a very reasonable price. Most days you can take it in the morning and get it back the same day in the afternoon.
If you need additional information please contactcontact Antonio or Marisela
For more details on travel to Mexico, please visit the CGE Traveller website:
Safe travels and we’ll see you very soon
Marisela and Antonio