ARGENTINA PROJECT DESCRIPTION: POLO EXPERIENCE: TWA624-1005 Change History Issue Date of Issue Initials No. of Pages Changed and Pages Reasons for Change 4 10-Jan-2017 KH 8 Complete re-write 3 10-Jun-2014 KH 8 Your work, accommodation, equipment checklist 2 30-Jan-2014 KH 8 Complete re-write and format change 1 21/05/2010 4 First Issue
Argentina Project Description: Sports: Polo Page 2 of 8 Table of Contents Welcome To Your Travellers Programme!... 2 Brief Summary Of What s Included on Your Project... 2 On Arrival... 2 Your Project: A Background... 3 Project Staff... 3 Dress Code On Your Project... 3 Your Work... 3 Your Accommodation and Food... 3 Your Location... 4 Equipment Checklist... 4 Getting The Most Out Of Your Programme... 5 Language... 5 Donations... 5 Programme Requirements... 5 Qualifications... 6 Help & Guidance... 6 General Rules & Regulations... 6 Volunteer Feedback... 7 Why Your Feedback Is Important To Us... 7 Photos & Videos... 8 Welcome To Your Travellers Programme! I hope you re looking forward to it you re embarking on a wonderful experience that you ll remember for the rest of your life. Your Travellers In-Country Representative is looking forward to welcoming you and so are the people on your project. We all wish you a comfortable and safe journey. Brief Summary Of What s Included on Your Project What s Included: Airport Pickup & Transfer. Please speak to your Project Coordinator for more information on where and when to arrive. Accommodation: The first night you will spend in a hostel in central Buenos Aires before being transferred to the project site the following day where you will stay for the duration of your project. Food: Breakfast at the hostel and 3 meals a day at the Polo centre Project Transportation: You will be transferred to the project site. Training: Orientation & induction. Additional informational material (as appropriate). Support: Pre-departure helpdesk, local in-country team and 24hr emergency support. Return transfer back to the airport What's Not Included: Flights Travel Insurance Visas On Arrival When you arrive you will be welcomed at the airport by Melina, your Travellers In-Country Representative, or Moti Emanuel, our driver, who will then take you to your accommodation. You will stay here for one night and you will be given a general induction, so that you can learn about the local area and useful information such as how to get around etc.
You will also receive an induction at your project when you are picked up and taken to the project site the following day. You will give you a chance to meet the people at the project, familiarise yourself with the project site and get a feel for the project and see the type of work you may undertake. Your Project: A Background Polo is played professionally in England, Pakistan, India and the United States, but Argentina dominates the scene in both the quality of its players and the Raza Polo Argentino, the only purpose bred polo pony of international demand. Lessons are held at Argentina Polo Day, an amazing centre approximately 80km away from downtown Buenos Aires, in the county of Capilla del Señor. This region is known as the World's Polo Capital due to the large number of polo fields that surround it (as many as 300). The Polo club was established in 2009 and they boast 2 Polo clubs with professional Polo fields. The landscape is fantastic with lush vegetation to inspire total relaxation. At the same time, you find yourself living the life of a professional argentine polo player in an unforgettable setting. The combination is tantalizing! You will be picked up from the hostel on your second day after breakfast and taken to the Polo centre where you will be settled into your accommodation which is on site. Project Staff Argentina Project Description: Sports: Polo Page 3 of 8 Your main point of contact is Ruben Jabib; Ruben has been a polo player for more than 12 years. Polo is his passion and he likes to transmit his love for horses and the sport to every one who comes to the Polo centre. His English is basic but there will be an English speaking coordinator on site. Dress Code On Your Project You are required to wear white jeans and leather boots, the typical representation of a Polo player. You will also need to bring riding gloves which you can bring with you or purchase on-site. Your Work Your typical days will be as follows. After breakfast you will spend time with the horses preparing them for the day ahead. You will get involved with mucking them out, cleaning the horses, brushing them and exercising them. You will then have lunch and time to relax before you have your lessons. You'll be taught everyday by professional Polo players and you'll have theoretical and practical lessons. You will normally learn the rules of Polo, how to use the stick, general principles including how to ride your horse. The horses are specially selected and properly kept, assuring enjoyable chukkas! Your lessons will last a maximum of 4 hours and you may have individual or group lessons and then you get to play! At the weekends, more matches take place with Professional Polo Players. If you are lucky, you may get to play with the professionals but this is no guarantee (this also depends on your Polo ability). You will have free time to swim as the ranch has a pool, or just relax on site. The staff will go into the centre of Buenos Aires daily so if you would like to take a day off and explore Buenos Aires, you can go with them. You can book accommodation for the night (this will be at your own expense) and meet up the following day to be taken back to the Polo centre. Please note that you need to be flexible as the schedule is subject to change. Your Accommodation and Food Accommodation is arranged on site in a beautiful building and comprises a large lounge, kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms. You are likely to share a room with other guests attending the centre. The bathroom is shared and there is a shower with hot water, bath tub and toilet with mirror. You will also have access to a wonderful outdoor swimming pool!
In the communal area sofas and table and a CD player is available please note that there is no TV so your evenings will be pretty quiet but you can spend time chatting with any other guests who are there at the same time, teaching the staff English and they can also teach you some Spanish, reading or just relaxing and getting ready for the next day. There isn t a washing machine on site but you can wash you clothes by hand and hang them on the clothes line. The staff can even take you to the nearest town where you can take them to the launderette.. The kitchen is fully equipped and although food is provided, you can use the kitchen to prepare snacks, make coffee etc please make yourself at home! Bed linen and towels are provided and these will be washed weekly. Extra blankets are available during the winter for those colder nights, Please note there is no smoking in the house, however you are allowed to smoke outside. Food - You will have full board which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lunch is an extensive, authentic "asado" barbeque with wine and soft drinks. You will have the unique opportunity to try our delicious regional food (there is also have a vegetarian option). Your Location Argentina Project Description: Sports: Polo Page 4 of 8 You will be located near the Polo capital of Pilar in an area called Capilla del Señor, a remote location, approximately 80 kilometres from Buenos Aires. Old Pilar - This is a place promising for archaeological investigations that houses the adobe chapel where the Treaty of Pilar was signed on February the 23rd of 1820. This treaty meant the birth of national federalism, because its signing marked the ceasefire between the Provinces of Santa Fe and Entre Rios on the one hand, and that of Buenos Aires on the other, which is one of the main events in Argentina's history; hence, Pilar is recognised as the cradle of federalism. Pilar Village Compound this is an amusement and recreational compound that houses last generation multiplexes, a bingo with electronic machines, and shops amongst which we have bookshops, music shops, diverse restaurants, theme bars, pubs, food court and parking area. It is located on the descent leading to Chubut Street, and you can visit it either at day or at night. Arrivata Farm - It has a factory of handmade cheese, a mini zoo, and playgrounds for children and a lot more; it is an ambit suitable for having fun while learning at the same time. Buenos Aires is alive and buzzing and fast becoming one of Latin America's most popular destinations. It is a cosmopolitan and elegant city, renowned for its sophistication. Built by European immigrants, its tree-lined avenues and frequent plazas with their beguiling, faded elegance bear a striking resemblance to the seductive cities of Barcelona, Paris and Rome. In this vibrant city of Buenos Aires, there is plenty to keep you entertained at all times of the day and night. The cafes, smoky tango bars, parks, and street corner football games all help form the essence of this diverse city. Not to mention the nightlife, one of the best in world, thriving with young steers enjoying a variety of different styles of bars and clubs, often open till 7am..or later!! Argentina is a vast country with a dramatically varied landscape, from the subtropical north to the sub-antarctic south, from the magnificent Andes Mountains to the awesome power and beauty of the Iguacu Falls, your placement in this colourful country will be unforgettable. Equipment Checklist The list of items given below is a general list of items and is provided as a guide only. If you are in anyway unsure what you should or shouldn t be taking with you please speak to your Project Coordinator. Remember - be sure to speak to them before going off and spending lots of money on potentially needless equipment. Please remember to also read the Packing List as detailed within your Travellers Country Fact File. Required / Highly Recommended Mobile / Cell Phone this is a requirement
Clothing & Footwear - Suitable for your programme Clothing & Footwear - For the evening/weekends don t forget your SWIMSUIT! Jacket / Raincoat Daypack (Small Rucksack). Sun Hat Sun Cream (at least factor 30+) Powerful Torch Camera, Binoculars (optional) Alarm Clock Adapter Plugs Batteries Toiletries Towels (bath/beach/hand) English/Spanish dictionary Optional Argentina Project Description: Sports: Polo Page 5 of 8 Ipod / MP3 player Games, books, a pack of cards etc. You will be in a remote location with limited facilities Items Better Left At Home Any unnecessary high value items such as expensive Jewellery & watches. If you have a new & expensive smart phone then you should consider taking an older phone out with you instead. Remember to check that it works before you set off! Getting The Most Out Of Your Programme The way of life is very different to that of the UK. It is important to be patient whilst on your programme. Having a positive can do attitude will go a long way. Positivity, perseverance and being pro-active are also key if you want your programme to be a success. Don t be afraid to ask if there is something specific that you d like to get involved in. If you have any doubts at all, please speak to your Project Coordinator, they will be more than happy to assist you in making sure that your project is right for you and that its one that you ll get the most out of! Language If you re not going to a country where English is the home language, this will apply to you: Whilst most projects have already had experience with receiving foreign English speaking volunteers, you may find that many people have a limited knowledge of English. If you are lucky enough to have some knowledge of the local language you will find it very beneficial on your project - but don't be put off if languages aren't your thing! Try to learn at least a few basic phrases before starting your programme it s amazing how much a difference it can make even when it s only please, thank you etc. If you haven t had much success in learning phrases before you go you still shouldn t worry it s often much easier when you are there. You ll soon find that you ve picked up the odd word and phrase and once you know one or two the rest tends to follow. Try to supplement any knowledge you do have with using other forms of communicating - sometimes you may need to think on your feet from and utilise all your initiative to get your point across. You will soon start to find that you re able to muddle through very successfully. Donations Where possible please avoid giving donations direct to individuals. This might seem a strange thing for us to say that but we have found that giving donations can sometimes have unintended consequences, such as creating dependency and/or even causing frictions and disputes etc. If you would like to give a donation it is generally better to give the donation to the project, a group or organisation, the community etc rather than direct to an individual. This will will also help to ensure that as many people as possible benefit from your gift. Please speak to your Project Coordinator for more information. Items that would be very much appreciated include: Old laptops, cameras, mobile phones, printers, scanners etc. Quite simply, if you have room left in your luggage fill it up with anything that might be useful. Some volunteers have contacted their airline, and after explaining the purpose of their trip, they ve been given additional baggage allowance by the airline to allow them to take over equipment. If you are thinking of taking over some items with you why not give your airline a call and see what they can do for you. Please don t give cash donations where ever possible. If you would like to give a donation to a good cause then it is much better if you can purchase something that they will find useful. If you are considering giving money to a good cause, please speak to us first, and if you would like us to, we will be happy to oversee the donation for you to ensure that the money is used as it was intended. Please speak to your Project Coordinator for more information. Programme Requirements On application for this programme we may ask you to provide us with a copy of your CV/Resume. Within your CV/Resume you should list and give details of any qualifications and/or experience relevant to your programme.
Argentina Project Description: Sports: Polo Page 6 of 8 In addition to your CV/Resume, we may also ask you to provide a Letter of Motivation giving explanation as to your reasons for wanting to take part in the programme and what you hope to get out of the experience. The information you will provide to us will go to form the basis on which the project will make their decision as whether or not to accept you. You will therefore need to provide these items to us in good time. You will only receive confirmation of being accepted on to your programme once we have received confirmation from the project that they are willing to take you. Additional Project Specific Requirements Certain projects may have additional requirements that you will be asked to fulfil. Should you be required to fulfil any additional requirements this will be confirmed to you. An example is for journalism placements, where applicants are often required to provide three or four pieces of writing that best demonstrate their writing ability, style and/or areas of interest. For the pieces to be considered suitable they generally need to include a mix of published articles, reviews, essays, arguments, short stories etc. If you are asked to fulfil additional requirements, please don t worry, we are here to offer you help and assistance. Should you have any questions about this please ask your Project Coordinator. Qualifications If you are one of the lucky ones and you already have a qualification, or if you have some prior experience, then it will help and you will certainly be able to put it to good use on your placement. If you have a qualification relevant to your programme please take a copy of your certification with you as proof. If you don t have any qualifications or previous experience then don t worry! If you don t have any qualifications or previous experience then don t worry! The whole idea of Travellers is to provide help and assistance wherever possible. Help & Guidance If you have any problems or, if you need any help or guidance, please don t hesitate to speak to your Supervisor and/or a member of staff at your project. We have had many volunteers over the years and the vast majority have a wonderful experience on their programme we have no doubt that you will also thoroughly enjoy your time on your project and in the country. You can also contact your Travellers In-Country Representative. Contact details are provided in your Country Fact File. Emergency contact details are also provided on the back of your Volunteer ID card. Alternatively please don t hesitate to contact your Project Coordinator in the UK. General Rules & Regulations The following rules and regulations should be read in conjunction with the terms and conditions of your programme. Code of Conduct It is very important that your behaviour and conduct is in keeping with that which is considered to be acceptable. The following list is not exhaustive but is given as a guideline to how you are expected to behave and conduct yourself whilst on your programme. You Should: Behave appropriately, with co-operation and with consideration for one another. Treat everyone equally and with respect regardless of differing culture, ability, race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability or social class. Remain mindful of cultural differences. Act in a manner which does not bring the project and / or Travellers into disrepute. Abide by the rules and regulations of the project. Take responsibility for your own safety and to look after yourself and your belongings, and to never put yourself at risk. Act in accordance with the law of the land. You Must Not: Damage or deliberately misuse any equipment / resources provided to you. This includes using equipment / resources responsibly i.e. avoiding wastage (e.g. turning off lights and water). Be under the influence of drugs or banned substances whilst on your programme. You must not be under the influence of alcohol whilst participating at your project this includes being hung-over from the night before!
Argentina Project Description: Sports: Polo Page 7 of 8 Attendance & Punctuality These are serious programmes, it takes a lot of different people giving their time and energy to arrange each programme, so please don t think that you can treat them casually You will be expected to stick to the schedule that s been arranged for you. You should make every effort to turn up in good time and to attend as scheduled. Naturally this does not apply if you re ill. See the section below on Sickness for more details. Taking Time Off If you would like to take a day off from your project You must first speak to your project and make a request for time off. When requesting time off make your request as early as possible, giving the project plenty of advance notice. This is very important as the project will need to time to reorganize the work, rearrange your schedule, and they may also need to arrange for someone to stand in for you whilst you are off. If your request is turned down you should accept the decision gracefully. The project won t turn down your request without good reason. If your request is turned down you should not continue to pursue the matter. If your request for leave is accepted you should inform your Travellers In-Country Representative. Please Note: You can only take time off from your project when you have received confirmation that your request has been accepted. Taking unauthorized time off and / or failing to turn up when scheduled, may lead to your programme being terminated without appeal and without recompense. Sickness If you are sick and unable to attend your programme Please inform your project as soon as possible. This is very important as the project will need to time to reorganize the work / activity, and they may also need to arrange for someone to stand in for you whilst you are off. And if they can t make alternative arrangements they may be forced to cancel the work / activity in which case they may need to let people know in advance. Please also inform your Travellers In-Country Representative as soon as possible. This is important as they may need to liaise with your project. And of course, they will unable to help in anyway if they don t know that you are ill. As soon as you can, let your project know when you think you will be well-enough to come back this is important as it may take some time for all the necessary arrangements to be made ready for you to return to your project. Please note that if you persistently don t turn up due to illness, you may be asked to see and doctor and / or be required to produce a doctor s certificate confirming. Volunteer Feedback Please remember to keep in touch throughout your programme to let us know how you re getting on. Where we ve asked you for your feedback, please do take some time out to let us know your thoughts whether it s simply an email asking how you are getting on or if it involves filling out one of our feedback forms. When providing your feedback please email your feedback to your Project Coordinator. You can also email your feedback to us at: info@travellersworldwide.com When you ve been on your programme for approximately 2-3 weeks, we would really like to hear from you describing for us what a typical day in the life is like for you whilst on your programme. These reports are invaluable to us in that they enable us to continually expand and improve our projects, as well as being a source of additional information which can be very helpful to future volunteers. Why Your Feedback Is Important To Us Feedback is extremely important to us as it is fundamental in helping us to develop our projects for both the short-term and long-term. Whether you have just arrived at your placement or are on your way to the airport to catch your flight home, if you have any piece of information no matter how small and insignificant it is please get in contact with us whether it s by phone, email or post. It really does help! We really do appreciate hearing from you so thank you very much!
Photos & Videos Argentina Project Description: Sports: Polo Page 8 of 8 If you take any photos and/or videos, and if you are able to email them to us, we d love to see them. We d also be delighted to enter one or two into one of our competitions. The competitions are run throughout the year with regular draws taking place so there s a good chance of winning! ENJOY YOUR TRIP! Copyright 2017. TRAVELQUEST LIMITED. All Rights Reserved. No part of this document may be used, translated into another language, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of TRAVELQUEST LIMITED. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this document, TRAVELQUEST LIMITED assumes no responsibility for omissions and errors. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein. TRAVELQUEST LIMITED reserves the right to revise any information contained in this document without prior notice. Questions or comment regarding this document or the project to which it relates should be directed to: Travellers Worldwide 2A Caravelle House, 17/19 Goring Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN12 4AP, England Tel: +44 (0)1903 502595 - Fax: +44 (0)1903 708179 Email: info@travellersworldwide.com Web: www.travellersworldwide.com