Arriving
Arrival Time
You should arrive between 2-4:30 p.m. on the beginning Monday of each session. Allow between one and two hours to go through customs and settle into your cabin. Please note that French Voyageurs checks in at the French Language Village, Lac du Bois, on Turtle River Lake near Bemidji, Minn.
Arriving Healthy
You are expected to arrive healthy and able to participate in the program. Call the Village dean if you become ill on the way to the Village. We reserve the right not to admit villagers who arrive ill or who have been exposed to communicable diseases.
Village Passport
If you have been issued a Village Passport for your session, be sure to pack it. U.S. citizens DO NOT need a real U.S. passport to attend the Villages in Minnesota or Georgia.
Customs
In order to simulate and establish an authentic cultural atmosphere, you will go through customs on the first day of your session. During customs, your Village Passport is verified and stamped. You choose a Village name, receive your cabin assignment according to age and gender, and participate in an evaluation intended to determine your proficiency in the language. You will also be screened by our healthcare staff.
Health Screening
A health screening is conducted on Opening Day.
Screening for Contraband
“Contraband” is all items that detract from the immersion experience in the target language or violate Village policies. Counseling staff will check luggage for contraband items for villagers participating in youth sessions. Contraband is held and returned at the end of the session. Perishable items such as food may not be returned.
Currency Exchange
As part of customs, most villagers will exchange their U.S. currency at the Village bank for the currency of the Village. It is policy that villagers deposit all spending money in the bank for safekeeping. Villagers are able to withdraw appropriate amounts from their account daily. Village currency rates are posted at the Village banks.
Because foreign currency is very difficult and expensive to procure, we require villagers to exchange all foreign currency for U.S. dollars at the end of the session and not to take foreign coins home as souvenirs.
