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Frequently Asked Questions
This section will give you an idea of what to expect and
what not to expect from the IISE, should you be selected as a course
participant.
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- What happens after I
send my application?
As soon as your application has been accepted you will be asked to
participate in two interviews conducted via telephone. These interviews
will help us get an understanding of your personality and skill level.
Once you have been interviewed further e-mail exchange will take place
before a final decision will be made.
- What kind of
qualification will I get when completing the course?
A certificate will be issued to participants who complete the course
successfully. There are no exams and no passing or failing marks.
However, we will reward those who show a proactive attitude, who
participate in all activities, who are committed and keep deadlines
etc. If participants fail to engage in a proactive, respectful, social
and responsible manner, they will not receive a certificate.
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- I am on regular
medication. Will I be able to obtain the prescribed drugs locally?
If it is impossible for you to bring enough drugs for a year, please
inform us in advance. exactly which medication and amounts you require.
We will then enquire if the medicine can be obtained locally. (These
medicine will at own cost)
- Does the institute
require any information on my
medical condition?
You are required to provide a medical report on your dental health, as
well as the following test results:
- Tuberculosis Skin Test
- Hepatitis A and B
- Malaria
- Feces Worms Test
- Yellow Fever (if you come from a region where
this disease is common)
There are two reasons why we need you to provide us with this
information: In the unlucky event that you become sick during your stay
in Kerala, we must be in a position to prove to our health insurance
company that you are not suffering from a preexisting condition. This
way we can be sure the cost of your medical treatment will be covered
by the insurance. The dental check is particularly important in this
respect. Should you suffer from a disease that requires quarantine,
such as TB or hepatitis, naturally we would want you to be cured before
joining the course. Therefore, if the test result for any of the above
should be positive, it is in your responsibility to get sufficient
medical treatment first before applying to the course.
- What does the
institute's health insurance cover?
The IISE provides health insurance for every IISE participant, up to
three hundred thousand rupees coverage. Costs above this maximum
coverage have to be taken care of by the IISE participant. The
insurance covers hospitalisation but it does not cover medicine and
regular visits to the doctor. The costs of these have to be
covered by the participant, therefore please be aware that own private
funds are required.
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Financial Matters
- Does the institute make provisions for the
financial needs of dependent family members?
It is not possible for the Institute to support any financial
needs of relatives. As much as we would love to help, our project would
not be sustainable if we were to support your families in addition to
training, transportation and living costs for all participants.
- Do I need to
bring any financial means?
Yes, we expect you to bring enough money to cover personal
expenses such as clothes, toothpaste etc and also basic medical
expenses such as a check up or basic medicine. Please know that
hospitalisation will be covered by the health insurance.
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- Shall we be wearing uniforms during classes?
We value diversity, so there will be no uniforms. You can wear your own
casual clothes, however since we are guests in a rather conservative
society, we should not provoke or offend our surrounding by wearing
mini skirts, shorts or sleeveless tops. Minimal dress code therefore
is: T-shirts, long trousers or long dresses. For swimming this means
swimming shorts for men and bathing suits for women, no bikinis.
- What is the schedule on a normal day?
- 06:30 - 07:00, Breakfast (for those who
like early breakfast)
- 07:00 - 08:30, block 1
- 08:30 - 09:00, Breakfast (for those who
like breakfast later)
- 09:00 - 10:30, block 2
- 10:30 - 11:00, Tea and Coffee break
- 11:00 - 12:30, block 3
- 12:30 - 13:30, Lunch
- 13:30 - 16:30, Flexible Time
- 16:30 - 17:00, Tea and Coffee break
- 17:00 - 18:30, block 4
- 18:30 - 19:00, BBC News
- 19:00 - 20:00, Dinner
This schedule is flexible - although we have a time table pattern for
the year, it can change to suit the activities planned for a particular
day or week.
- Will there be any holidays ?
The curriculum will be interrupted for 10 days in April. During that
time participants are free to do what they please however staying
within India.
- How should I protect myself from insect bites?
We prefer to avoid any chemical insecticides on campus. There are some
herbal ones which can be bought locally. All rooms are fitted with
mosquito mesh doors and windows. In this area of Kerala there is no
Malaria nor Dengue.
The IISE has installed an eco-friendly anti ant/termite system around
the buildings, which must be maintained properly in order to work.
Please help with the maintenance so that everyone can enjoy ant-and
termite-free rooms. Allergies against certain insects should be
announced to the IISE staff.
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- How are our rooms furnished?
There will be 2 participants to every room. Each participant has their
own desk, wardrobe, shelves and bed. A fan is fixed to the wall over
each bed. Each room has its own balcony and bathroom with shower, eco
san toilet and sink.
- How will room mates be paired?
We would like to promote cross-cultural communication as much as
possible, which is why we will try to pair you up with someone from a
different country or continent. We are also striving to make good
matches by taking into account the personal interests mentioned in your
essays.
- Do male and female participants share one
dormitory building?
Yes, however they will not share the same rooms.
- Will I be able to practice my religion on Campus?
Yes, however please bear in mind that there will be participants with
different religions from your own. To avoid tensions we would ask you
to practice your religion in private or in the specially designed area.
the IISE is a non religious institute that welcomes everyone with or
without a certain religion. To protect the project, no religious
symbols or activities can be presented inside the campus in a visible
or audible way.
the only place of worship within walking distance of the campus is a
Hindu temple. Churches, Synagogues and Mosques are not close at hand.
They will have to be accessed by bus or rickshaw at your own expense.
- Are there sports facilities?
There will be a gym, paddle boats and a place to swim. You should bring
your own sports clothes and footwear.
- Does the Institute have orientation and mobility
instructors to show us how to move about in the school and in town?
Orientation training will be provided if needed in the campus only.
There will be an organised tour to town where you will be shown where
to do shopping, where to find bus stops etc.
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- What will be our computer equipment?
The campus is equipped with a computerroom with 10 desktops.
- Which operating system will we use?
We will work almost exclusively with Linux / Ubuntu.
- Which screen reader will we use?
We will use Orca, a free-of-charge screen reader, which is part of the
Ubuntu package.
- Will we use any Microsoft applications?
We want to avoid commercial software and work primarily with Linux
applications such as Open Office. The idea is to familiarise you with
free distribution software. Only then will you be able to use it for
your future projects and make information technology available to
disadvantaged communities in your countries.
- Will there be internet access on campus?
There is wireless internet access throughout the dcampus. The internet
should mainly be used for project purposes. Private e-mail exchange and
internet use can be done during leisure time and during weekends. To
protect project computers against spy ware and viruses, downloads of
any kind of entertainment content for private use is not allowed. If
such downloads are still made and they are proved to be the cause of
damages or loss of data, repair and recovery costs will be charged to
the person responsible for these downloads. Websites that are
restricted in India should not be opened. The internet system in the
IISE project may not be used to spread religious or party political
messages.
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- Is public transport available to get into town or
to the beach?
Buses to Trivandrum run every 30 minutes during week days and the bus
stop is at walking distance from the campus. The bus ride takes about
40 minutes and costs 7 rupees one way. The same journey in a rickshaw
may cost between 120 and 170 rupees. The nearest beach resort, Kovalam,
is accessible only by rickshaw. A one-way journey costs between 150 and
180 rupees, depending on your bargaining skills. A Rickshaw is a
3-wheeled vehicle which can hold up to 3 passengers at a time. it is
commonly used for taxi services. The price should be agreed prior to
the journey.
- Will it be possible to travel to other parts of
India?
India is a very large country and the course is too intense to allow
time for long distance trips. Also, traveling and sightseeing is not
the scope of the programme. Day trips may be organized in the local
area for team building purposes. Of course you are free to travel
during your 10-day vacation, however the Institute will not organize or
fund personal trips.
- What type of electric socket is used on campus?
Throughout the campus you will find the Indian 3-pin socket. UK and
European continental plugs will usually fit. For other norms an adaptor
can be bought locally.
- What drinks will be available on campus?
Coffee and tea will be served in the morning and afternoon breaks.
Drinking water will be available at all times. Twice a day all IISE
members will be offered fresh lime water. Sodas and other soft drinks
can be purchased at own costs. Since alcohol consumption in public is
forbidden in Kerala, the IISE doesn’t serve alcohol.
- What food will be served?
Generally we want to offer healthy and tasty fusion meals. It has to be
understood that not all meals will be tasty for everyone. Recipes and
suggestions are very welcome. Lunch will be served at 12:30 and dinner
at 19:00. There will always be a vegetarian and non-vegetarian, as well
as a spicy and none-spicy option.
- May I invite friends or relatives to visit me on
campus?
Relatives, friends or project related guests may visit the IISE, but
only under certain conditions:
- Guests should be announced beforehand
to the administrative manager.
- Guests should always be reported to the
guard when entering the campus.
- Hosts should take over all costs for
food (50 rupees per meal).
- To ensure blind participants to know
who is on campus, all visitors have to introduce themselves to
IISE members at the beginning of their stay.
- Overnight stays for familymembers or friends of
participants are generally not possible.
- Can I bring my guide dog?
If a participant or catalyst wants to bring his or her guide dog, all
papers, vaccinations, medical care, food, transportation and others
have to be financed and arranged by the guide dog holder. The guide dog
holder is responsible for the well being of the dog. The dog has to be
well behaved and human and animal friendly.
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