LAST MINUTE TRIP INSTRUCTIONS FOR JAMAICA BIBLE SEMINARY

1. Be sure you have your plane ticket and United States passport.

2. Send a copy of your landing times at Kingston, Jamaica airport to Randal Craig and Richard Geringswald jamchris@cwjamaica.com, number1drrich@juno.com so they can co-ordinate a mission van to pick you up (Taxi cabs are $40-50). If you don't make these arrangements, you are on your own! Thur. arrival and Saturday or Monday departure works best for van scheduling (unless you are a Rally speaker at the Youth Jamboree). Do not go to Montego Bay airport! It is 4 hours away and you're on your own to get yourself to Kingston on the other end of the island.

3. Send $25 per night 4 weeks ahead of time per person in your teaching team to: Jamaica Christian Services, 2025 Bartow Rd, Lakeland, FL 33801. This will cover transportation, 3 meals, and housing. You are on your own for gifts, craft market shopping and meals on your R & R day.  Sometimes the mission will pack sandwiches ahead of time.

4 .Plan a small gift of $5-$10 each to the ones in charge of house duty. (There are 3 ladies on the staff for meals and housekeeping) Your clothes will be washed and ironed daily and your bed made. Meals are served at the mission house on non-school days and the staff eats with the students in the cafeteria during school days.

5. Tickets may be purchased through the airline web sites or Travelocity, Expedia or any Travel Agent.  Current air carriers include Air Jamaica, American Airlines, Delta, Spirit Airlines (not on travelocity or expedia) and  Continental service Kingston (KIN).

6.You may carry 2 suitcases of 50# each and one carry on of 40#. Pack lightly for yourself. You won't need towels, bedding, or hangers but you will need toiletries and personal effects. One suitcase can be song books, reference materials (Strong's Exhausive Concordances especially), KING JAMES BIBLES OR NEW INTERNATIONAL BIBLES, Large print, pocket New Testaments and $3-3.50 Bible Society Editions are most badly needed, good video tapes, plastic or glass communion cups, and toilet paper, toilet seats, and good used shoes (nothing that could be confused with resale (like a large bundle of white T-shirts for V.B.S.) or you will pay a hefty 25% import fee. Used Computers are now duty free. New Computers Expect Duty Fee. Laptop computers and guitars can be taken as personal items and left.  These items are very hard to come by on the island.  Crayons (Crayola and Rose Art hold up best in the heat and humidity)  and coloring books for the children, 35 mm film cost $8-10 a roll on the island. A 5-pack of blank video tapes is welcomed and you will be appreciated. Polyesters and double knits are too hot for Jamaica climate. Cotton breathes. Certain clothes that are immodest or that promote unChristian music and movie stars won't be worn so don't waste suitcase space bringing them down. Don't clean out your rag bag and think you are doing anyone a favor bringing your junk. Make sure the clothes are clean, in good repair and nothing you would be ashamed to wear yourself. Most clothes are purchaseable by Jamaican's at the market inexpensively.  Sneakers and blue jeans are expensive and harder to get.  So think, "Jeans and Sneakers"!

7. Upon entering Jamaica you say, "I am visiting Jamaica Christian Mission" and "I'm bringing a few inexpensive gifts." If you say you are coming to Teach you will be required a teaching permit as the government does not want visitors taking jobs away from the islanders. If you say you are not that kind of teacher, then you will need another permit to say you are not that kind of teacher.

8. Keep it simple! Just say, "I have come to visit." And don't give your life history. Also do not say you have come to work or build or construct as this also takes jobs away from the islanders even though we hire 5-10 local men to work with our labor crews. You are a tourist, visiting the island and spending your American tourist dollars. Keep it simple!

9. You need to submit to Richard a 1-2 page Syllabus of your class plans as this will help in Transcript credit given for transfer students. We are not an accredited college, but because of providing syllabi, our credits have been transferred to accredited colleges. Grade sheets need to be sent to the Mission (Kadian our secretary or Winston our Academic Dean) Richard after completion of course for preparing report cards. Give students a month to get final reports or assignments sent back for grading. Plan on preaching at least once every Sunday you are there. Your wife needs to be prepared to teach a children's or ladies' class.

10. Emergency numbers: The Geringswalds: (863) 859-2984 after 5:30 p.m. EST or (863) 967-0049 (9 a.m.-5 p.m.), Ronnie Criag: (876) 934-1109, Mission House Office: (876) 925-2803, College & Camp (876) 924-2001 Constant Spring Police Station: (876) 925-8991 or 925-8692, JCM FAX: (876) 924-0581. EMAILS: jamchris@cwjamaica.com (Winston Scott), number1drrich@juno.com (Richard Geringswald). NEW VONAGE DIRECT LINE TO KINGSTON COLLEGE:  1-614-543-0491 via Ohio (minimum long distance charge)

11. Bring ear plugs and mosquito repellent. The dogs like to bark under your window and if its rainy, the bugs will be out in force.