THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Arriving in Antigua
You must hold a valid passport to enter the country as a medical student. Plan to arrive in Antigua at least one day prior to the start of classes. Some students come a little earlier to get settled in. Classes always begin on a Monday and end exactly four weeks later, again on a Monday. Plan to depart fromt he island no earlier than the following Tuesday.

Campus Living
Modest dormitory rooms are available on campus and may be rented as a single or a double. Sheets and pillows are provided, but you must bring your own towels, a light blanket if needed, and toiletries including toilet paper. Contact the school to reserve a room and to obtain the current price. When you arrive on campus you will stop at the security gate where you will exchange your security deposit for your room key. A personal check may be used as a deposit upon arrival and will be returned to you upon departure, providing that no damages has been incurred to the room.

There are no grocery stores in the immediate vicinity of the campus, however, the school provides weekly transportation to a nearby market where most basic food supplies may be purchased. Laundry services are not available at the school, therefore your cloths need to be hand laundered. Cloths lines are available.

For those students who prefer to live off-campus, the internet, local realtors, and current students are a good source of information.

BOOKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Textbooks and school supplies should be purchased prior to coming to Antigua as the school does not have a book store. A complete list of recommended text books is available on the schools web site at www.uhsa.ag

You MUST have a passport.

Where to stay
If you are planning to stay on campus be sure to call down and let Ms. Samuels know that you will need a room. It is usually not a problem, but 11 pm on Sunday night is no time to be told that there is no room. You will have a choice of A/C or no A/C and private or share. The rooms are much like a college dorm room with two beds, two desks, a closet, a bathroom with a shower, and a microwave. They provide a desk lamp and bed sheets. You need to bring everything else. If you do not do well in warm climates, get an air conditioned room. You will need to leave a deposit of $175 at the front gate late at night. Be sure to have it ready.

Some of us stay off campus. There are houses near the beach, houses with pools, and apartments available. E-mail some of us and we'll tell you what life down here could be like.

How much money to bring
In addition to any money you bring for your room and deposits, we recommend that you bring $1000 US. Some of us bring a little more, some of us bring much less.

When you get to the airport
Immigration is just a matter of showing the officer your passport and telling him that you are going to the medical school. Tell him you will be here about 30 days. He will stamp your passport.

Then you pick up your bags. You will have to fight off the guys wearing Jolly Roger shirts who will want to carry your bags for you. Carry them yourself and go through the customs line all the way on the right (nothing to declare). Walk through and tell the officer that you are a medical student. He will almost always just wave you right through.

Turn to the right and go outside to where you will have to fight off the taxi drivers. Go to the taxi stand and tell them you want to go to the medical school. If you are alone it should cost around $21 US. If you share a ride with others plan on about $15 US each. They will give you a coupon that sets the cost of the trip. Take that coupon to one of the taxi drivers.

The ride to school is about 30 minutes long. They drive fast. They drive on the wrong side of the road. And they think nothing of passing on a curve heading up a hill. Try not to look out the front window and you'll be fine.

If you are staying on campus, you will pull up to the front gate. It will probably be late. The guard will look up your name on his list, take your deposit, and give you your room key and class schedule. The taxi driver will then drive you on campus and to your dorm. Tip the driver about $1 per bag.

Don't be alarmed. Everything will look better in the morning.

Other Taxi Services

• Juno 773-8270 (I am told that if you call Juno before you arrive that he will meet you and take you to school for $10 US)
• Donald
• Ivers (near school)

WHAT TO BRING

• Absolute necessities
• mosquito repellant
• sunscreen
• sissors
• stapler
• hole punch
• flash light
• batteries
• alarm clock
• colored pens and pencils
• swimsuit
• toilet paper
• first aid kit
• laundry detergent
• canned foods
• light prepackaged foods
• towels

Other helpful items

• laptop
  

If you are taking Histology plan to bring a good microscope. Dr. Sud as well as other professors likes it if the eyepiece has a pointer.