Safety

General Recommendations

In-Country Health/Safety Orientation. Upon arrival in each country, all participants are given an extensive health and safety orientation by one of CGEE’s staff members.  This orientation covers topics from drinking water and insects to how to deal with catcalls on the street, withdrawing money from ATMs and emergency response.  At the end of the orientation, students are asked to read and sign a “Health and Safety Agreement” form.

Emergency Contact Information. In each country you will be given emergency contact information to carry at all times.  This information includes phone numbers for the guesthouse or hotel, as well as phone numbers for CGEE staff members and emergency numbers (U.S. Embassy, hospital, etc.) and  phone numbers for local authorized taxi companies.

It is very important that our staff be able to reach you in case of an emergency. Therefore, you are required to complete a Travel Information Form and give it to the CGEE staff if you travel away from the program facilities or outside the country during the program.

On-Call System. Every evening and weekend there is a designated “on call” staff member who carries with her/him our “on-call cell phone.” This staff member can be reached at any time of the night to assist in any urgent situation. The phone number for the “on-call cell phone” is widely distributed (listed on participants schedule and emergency contact information, taught at orientation).  You also have all staff’s personal phone numbers in case the emergency cell phone does not work.

We urge all program participants to follow the following risk reduction measures:

• Carry the telephone list at all times, so that you or your host family can reach us in case of emergency. It also provides other important contact numbers, such as radio taxis and the U.S. Embassy.  Students who don’t have their own cell phone will have access to one when they go out.

• Taxis - When taking taxis, always take radio taxis as they are much less risky than flagging taxis down off the street.  Radio Taxis have to report to base every time they pick up and drop off passengers, whereas there is no control of taxis you flag on the street. Telephone numbers for radio taxis in each country are included on the Contacts List. Do not flag down taxis on the street.

• After dark and before sunlight, do not walk or take buses. Rather, take radio taxis or Uber when it is dark out!  After calling the radio taxi or Uber to pick you up, wait inside until your ride arrives before going out to the street and immediately getting in the vehicle. We will reimburse any radio taxi expenses related to the program, while you are responsible for expenses in going out on your own when it's not program-related.

• Ask CGEE faculty and staff and other local people about the safety of places you intend to visit.

• Avoid going to the bars and nightspots unless you have consulted with CGEE personnel.

• At the guesthouse or hotel, do not leave the front doors open, and do not let people in or open the front door without first looking or asking. It would be better to let employees do that task.

• Do not give out our addresses or phone numbers to people you meet. Get their numbers instead if you want to contact them.

• Do not buy, sell, or use illegal drugs. If you do so, you not only put yourself and Augsburg University at risk, but you will be sent home from the program. If you get caught, you will go to jail and CGEE cannot bail you out.  ALTHOUGH CANNIBIS PRODUCTS ARE NOW LEGAL IN MANY STATES THE U.S., IT IS STILL STRICTLY ILLEGAL IN GUATEMALA AND COSTA RICA. DO NOT USE MARIJUANA WHILE ON THE PROGRAM. 

• Do not associate with anyone you think may be involved in selling, buying, and/or consuming drugs. Do not go to their homes or businesses.  Avoid all contact with them.

• Do not drink to excess. Excessive drinking puts you at greater risk. While the drinking age in Guatemala and Costa Rica is 18, if you drink, be very careful about how much you drink. Recent studies have demonstrated that students abroad tend to drink far more than they do at home. For your own safety, please be the exception to that rule!

• We do not travel after dark. Road conditions and streetlights are poor in rural areas.

• Walking. During the day you can walk with at least one other person. Make sure that you let CGEE people know where you are going and when you are planning to come back. Do not walk at night; if you need to leave the guesthouse or hotel you must use radio taxis.

• Theft: if someone does try to forcibly take your valuables, do not resist.  The potential harm to you is not worth the value of any stolen goods.  Exercise caution in taking anything of value with you in public. Keep a low profile with anything of value such as electronics, cash, and jewelry.  We work as much as possible to minimize the risk of theft, but we can’t guarantee complete safety for any valuables, just as would be the case anywhere in the world.

Despite this long list of “DO NOTs,” please know that students, staff, and faculty regularly go out to safe places and have a wonderful time! You are not going to be locked into your houses; you just need to be careful about what you do and where you go so that you can reduce risks as you make friends and explore.

Personal Travel

Some of you may have relatives in one or more of the countries we travel to, and want to visit them while you are in the region. Please be aware that some areas in Guatemala, Mexico and Costa Rica may have a Level 4 (Do not travel) U.S. Department of State (USDOS) travel advisory due to violence and/or crime. CGEE does not allow students to travel to areas with a Level 4 advisory status, even with a waiver. We understand that this might be disappointing, but we suggest that you consider alternatives, such as having your relatives visit you during breaks or after the program ends.

The program reserves the right to prohibit travel to any location due to safety concerns regardless of USDOS travel advisory level. For example, there are times when it is not safe to travel independently to certain cities (e.g., Cancun in Mexico, Playa Tamarindo in Costa Rica).  Therefore, do not make reservations without referencing with program staff. 

The same applies to fall/spring break and travel on long weekends. You may not travel to Level 4 areas.

You will be asked to submit an independent travel form anytime you travel overnight outside of the program location at the time of travel. 

More information about U.S. State Department travel advisories. 

Emergency Contact Cards.  You will be given emergency contact information to carry with you at all times.  This will include the phone numbers for lodgings, as well as phone numbers for CGEE staff members and emergency numbers (police, hospitals, ambulance, etc).  

Earthquakes

Central America is a seismically active region, and minor tremors are common, although major quakes are less so. However, we are providing this information in the event a strong tremor or earthquake occurs during the program.

Cell phone and landline communication are the first to be lost.  For this reason, it is important to follow the instructions of the local communities.

Stay calm!!!

• Know how to react. Drop-Cover-Roll

• Follow instructions from local communities. Please follow the instructions of the community, including the instructions from any governmental offices that provide disaster response.  Radios will also give instructions about natural disasters.

• Be in touch. If you are not with your CGEE group, as soon as communication is reestablished, CGEE will be in touch with you and you should also try to get in touch with CGEE (numbers of program coordinators and on-call staff will provided on-site).  If it is a very strong earthquake, also try to be in touch with your family. Otherwise, CGEE will also be in communication with them.

• Wherever you are, do not leave the front doors open and do not buzz people in or open the front doors without first looking at the security camera monitor to see who is there.

• DO NOT give out your addresses or phone numbers to people you meet. Get their numbers instead if you want to contact them. Please, be extremely responsible in this matter.

• Do not buy, sell or use illegal drugs or hang out with people who do. In all countries, you will travel, marijuana is treated as if it were cocaine, so do not buy or smoke it, even if it is legal in your home state.  If you do so, you not only put yourself and Augsburg University at risk, you will also be sent home from the program. If you get caught, you will face consequences with local authorities; CGEE cannot bail you out if you are arrested.

• Do not associate with anyone you think may be involved in selling, buying, and/or consuming drugs. Do not go to their homes or businesses.  Avoid all contact with them.

• Do not drink to excess.  Excessive drinking puts you at greater risk. While the drinking age in all three countries is 18, IF you drink, be very careful about how much you drink. Recent studies have demonstrated that students abroad tend to drink far more than they do at home. For your own safety, please be the exception to that rule!

• Do not travel to any locations under a U.S. State Department Level 4 Advisory (do not travel). you should always check the U.S. State Department website before travelling. Also email your travel contact information to CGEE staff.

Although in some states in the U.S. it is legal to purchase and use cannabis products, 

Marijuana is still an illegal drug in Guatemala and Costa Rica, and is strictly forbidden.  

Any students who use it or any other illegal drug while in Guatemala or Costa Rica will be sent home at their own expense, as illegal drug use can jeopardize the university’s legal status in this country and the student’s own safety.

Despite this long list of “DO NOTs,” please know that students, staff and faculty regularly go out to safe places and have a wonderful time! You are not going to be locked into your houses; you just need to be careful about what you do and where you go, so that you can reduce risks as you make friends and explore.