Parents.memo.html

Rain Forests and Patagonia

George M. Diggs, Jr.
Department of Biology and Center for Environmental Studies
Austin College, Sherman, Texas
& Research Associate, Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), Fort Worth

To Contact Dr. Diggs:

Austin College Phone: (903) 813-2246, Home Phone (903) 868-1642
Office: 317 Moody Science
Mailing Address: Department of Biology, Austin College, Sherman, TX 75090
AC Suite 61564
e-mail: gdiggs@austinc.edu
Home page: http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/diggs.html
Office Hours: 1:30-2:30 M, Tu; Other times by appointment.

Parents Memo

A hard copy of this material has been mailed to parents at the addresses provided by the students in the course and should arrive the 11th or 12th of December.

8 December 2000

MEMORANDUM

TO: Parents of Students in Rain Forests & Patagonia

FROM: George Diggs, AC Suite 61564; (903) 813-2246 (office); (903) 868-1642 (home);
phone for part of the Christmas break - (817) 332-4441 (Botanical Research Institute of Texas-Fort Worth); email: gdiggs@austinc.edu
http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/diggs3.html

Your daughter or son will soon be traveling with me to South America, and I wanted to give you a little information.

I'm very excited about our itinerary and believe the students will learn a tremendous amount during the month of January. We will be studying a variety of topics ranging from tropical rain forest ecology and Incan archaeology to current day native cultures, Spanish colonial architecture, astronomy, and geology. We will be camping twelve nights in the Patagonian wilderness, one of the most remote and spectacular spots on the planet. The students have received a main memo giving various information about the trip; that memo is attached to this note. In addition, they have received a number of articles and will be reading a book on the discovery of Machu Picchu titled Lost City of the Incas. They will also be reading a book on the rain forest titled Lessons of the Rainforest.

In case you're wondering about the people leading the trip, this is my seventeenth time to take Austin College students out of the country. I've taken groups to more than a dozen countries including, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, England, Kenya, Peru and Tanzania. I did the fieldwork for my Ph.D. in Latin America and have spent nearly two years there. The other trip leader, Dr. Andy Crosthwaite, is an Austin College alumnus, accomplished nature photographer, and dentist. Dr. Crosthwaite has accompanied eight previous JanTerm groups to three continents.

If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me at the numbers or address listed above.

Safety is obviously a primary concern and we are doing everything possible to make this a safe, as well as educational, experience. There are some things that the students can do to help in this regard. We have had three class meetings, and I have talked with the students extensively about these issues. I would appreciate it if you would remind them:

Exercise before the trip. We are going to have a busy itinerary including considerable walking. Walking or some other form of exercise before the trip will prevent exhaustion, sore muscles, and fatigue-caused accidents. It is particularly important to break in any new shoes before the trip. Being in shape will also help with the adjustment to high altitudes.
Pay attention to food and drink. Standards of hygiene are somewhat different in remote areas of South America, and in order to avoid health problems, some precautions are necessary. We've talked about these, and I will be reminding the students again at the beginning of the trip.
Careful consideration should be given to the medical preparation information (vaccinations, etc.) provided on the main memo (attached to this note). Also, insect repellent and long sleeve shirts and long pants should be used in the rain forest to prevent infection from insect borne parasites (for example, malaria). These are only recommendations; each person in the course needs to make their own decisions in consultation with their physician. In case of gastrointestinal problems, I strongly recommend that each student have their physician prescribe an antibiotic to use if it is needed.
Always carry valuables (passport, airline ticket, traveler's checks, money, etc.) in a neck pouch; do not leave bags unattended--we'll use the buddy system.
Trip rule # 1. Any purchase or use of illegal drugs will result in that individual immediately being sent home and failing the course. Drug use could endanger the whole group.
Trip rule # 2. Never be without at least one other member of the group. We will be together as a group for significant periods of time. There will also be periods of unsupervised time where your daughter or son may do activities of their choosing with one or more other members of the group. However, under no circumstances are they to be without another group member.
Trip rule # 3. Behave in a responsible manner (for example, excessive use of alcohol will not be tolerated nor will behavior that inconveniences or shows disrespect to others). Failure to observe these rules could result in the individual being sent back to the U.S.
Each student has signed a Safety Contract. I have attached a copy to this memo.
Your son or daughter should leave a xerox copy of their passport with you and should have a xerox copy with them in a location separate from their passport.
Each student should bring their vaccination card with them.
Students should inform me of any special medical problems or needs that might impact their safety.

While we have never experienced serious medical problems on my past JanTerms, they are possible. If you would like to obtain emergency evacuation insurance for your daughter or son, such insurance is available through a variety of companies. Several examples are:
Travel Assistance International (1-800-821-2828); $77 for the month
Travel Guard (1-800-826-1300) $48 for the month (less coverage)

You son or daughter also has the option of obtaining from our International Education office an International Student Identification Card. These cost $22 and are an excellent bargain. They provide a number of advantages including some emergency evacuation coverage as well as lost baggage coverage.

I have attached to this note a copy of the main memo I sent to the students earlier in the semester. That memo contained detailed information on many aspects of the trip including a suggested packing list. Encourage your son or daughter to pack carefully. Each individual is responsible for his or her own bags; having a back-breaker of a bag can become quite tiresome over the course of four weeks.

Because mail and telephone services from remote areas of South America are not of the same quality as in the U.S., do not expect to hear often, or even at all, from your daughter or son.

EMERGENCY INFORMATION In the event of an EMERGENCY, a message can
be forwarded to us in South America through the TRAVEL DIRECTORY (our travel agency in Sherman, TX).
903/892-0659 - Travel Directory office
800/875-0659 - Travel Directory office 800 number
email: traveldir@texoma.net
903/893-6415 - Vickie White, owner's home

You will also find attached to this memo a list of addresses and phone numbers of other participants in the course (see the hard copy of this memo).

FINAL FLIGHT INFORMATION
DEPARTURE: We leave D/FW on the evening of Wednesday, 3 January, on American Flt.#947 at 4:35 pm.

Please be at the airport 2 hours before flight time. We will check our luggage as a group.
I will have your tickets at the airport.

RETURN to the U.S.: We will return to D/FW the morning of Wednesday, 31 January on American Flt.#946 at 8:00 a.m.

In order to make sure there has been no change in flight number or time, STUDENTS SHOULD CALL THE TRAVEL DIRECTORY at (800) 875-0659 or (903) 892-0659 on January 3th for confirmation.

Before coming to pick up your son or daughter on January 31th, I suggest you call American Airlines to make sure the flight is on time (1-800-433-7300).

Best wishes for the holiday season.

I'm looking forward to meeting a number of you at the airport.

For further information about this course, please contact:

Dr. George Diggs, Professor
Department of Biology
Austin College
900 N. Grand Ave.
Sherman, TX 75090
903-813-2246
Fax: 903-813-3199
gdiggs@austinc.edu

George Diggs Home Page