01. Is Indonesia safe?

Northern Sulawesi is safe and friendly, as always when travelling you must take the usual precautions to make sure you stay safe. Common sense and knowledge is the key phrase, and on arrival you will have an orientation meeting to advise you of any precautions you need to take. Most visits to Northern Sulawesi are completely trouble free. If travelling around Indonesia then please check your governments up to date travel advise such as the FCO in the UK - www.fco.gov.uk

02. What languages do I need?

You need to be able to speak English as this will be the common language at the project. English does not need to be your first language but you will need to be proficient in English to be able to understand instructions on how to care for the animals.

03. What are the living conditions at the project?

The accommodation in the centre is of a decent standard, set on a small peak overlooking the animals, fishing villages and beach. There are six bungalows which compose the volunteer block. Rooms are large but divided into male and female dorms of no more than five people. All rooms have air-con, a kitchenette and a western style en-suite bathroom.

There is also a large balcony in each room where volunteer’s can relax, watch the sunset or keep an eye out for passing Cassowary or Babirusa in the enclosure below. The volunteer block also contains a communal area, kitchen, self-service laundry and common room as well as an observation tower. Indonesian meals are cooked Mon-Sat by a local Chef and offer vegetarian and vegan options. On Sunday the cook takes a well earned day off and the volunteers are free to cook up some western favourites.

04. What type of food will I be eating?

All food & drink supplies will be provided for by the project, bought on a weekly shopping trip to Manado with a strict budget. There is a cook on site who prepares Indonesian style meals for breakfast lunch and dinner but volunteers can also prepare their own meals and snacks. On Sundays the cook takes a well earned day off so volunteers prepare their own food, usually western style. For animal welfare ethical reasons (as well as budget reasons), the project intends to only buy vegetarian food. But there will be regular fish dishes along with occasional pork and chicken meals. If volunteers would like to buy any extra food for themselves, this can be done on the weekly shopping trip.

05. Will I have time for extra activities?

The rescue centre is situated on a volcanic beach next to a coral reef so many volunteers choose to spend their day relaxing and snorkelling. Diving equipment is available for volunteers to use as long as they have their PADI certificate or equivalent. Sulawesi is a beautiful island that volunteers may wish to explore and they have the ability to hire a car for 35 USD per day if they wish to do so. Please note that you should obtain an international driving licence in your own country if you wish to drive in Indonesia.

The centre is situated next to a natural lagoon that boat trips can be organised into for $5-10 USD per person. Tankoko National Park is 60-80 minutes from PPST and trips can be arranged with a local guide at a discounted price for all volunteers, (approximately $5 USD). Many volunteers choose to spend a night at one of the many hotels in the local city of Manado. Alternately, you can spend the day there shopping, sight-seeing or getting a well-earned massage. There are many western style facilities, shopping malls, restaurants etc.

06. Do I need to be qualified to work with animals?

No, you will be given guidance and training and will initially work with experienced volunteers. A certain amount of independence is required to volunteer.

07. Is there access to telephone?

Even if you are only staying a few weeks, the best option is to bring your own mobile phone and buy a cheap Indonesian SIM-card here (e.g. SIM-Pati), so you can receive calls/sms for free and make calls at a reasonable cost. The mobile wavebands in Indonesia are the same as Europe, Australia, New Zealand, etc. so a mobile phone from these regions will work fine here.

Cellphones from North America will need to be multi-band to be able to work here, however it is also possible to buy new phones here for less than 300,000 IDR (30 USD). If you do not have your own phone with you, it is not possible to make international calls from the rescue centre. If you need to make an overseas call you can do so at one of the nearby towns such as Bitung. In case of an emergency, you can receive incoming calls at the rescue centre.

08. Do I need travel Insurance?

We require all volunteers to have adequate travel insurance arranged before arrival.

09. Is there access to E-mail?

There is internet access locally but use is infrequent so volunteers are advised to use one of several internet cafes in Manado city. In the nearby city of Bitung (30-40 minutes drive) there is infrequent internet access via internet café but this is still more reliable in Manado. The fee is approximately 10,000 ($1 USD), IDR per hour.

10. Who usually volunteers at your projects?

The Wildlife Rescue Centre will typically have between 4-8 volunteers, although there is capacity for about 10. We have volunteers from various countries and various backgrounds. Typically Anglophones (Brits, Irish, Americans, Canadians, Kiwis and Aussies), Dutch speakers (Belgians and Dutch), Francophones (French, Swiss, Belgian, Quebecois), German speakers (Germans, Austrians, Swiss), Scandinavians and a few others. Ages range from 18-70+, with the majority split between 18-30 year olds and 30-50 year olds. Many gap-year students, some animal/conservation related science students, many careerbreakers and some retirees.

11. What vaccinations will I need for Indonesia?

We require that all volunteers have their vaccinations for DTP (Diphtheria/Tetanus/Polio) up to date. This is mandatory. Other vaccinations you should consider are: • Hepatitis A/B. • Rabies. • Japanese Encephalitis (JE). • Tuberculosis. • Typhoid. Some travel doctors recommend vaccination against Hep-A for travellers to Indonesia, but not Hep-B. Hep-B can occur in apes and therefore there is a potential risk, although no cases have been recorded so far at the centre. Mention this to your travel doctor. A vaccination is available that combines Hep-A and Hep-B.

Rabies pre-exposure vaccination is not essentially required for stay at the centre, but you may want to consider it to protect yourself from infection from stray dogs in other areas outside the centre. There are medical facilities within 1 hour reach of the rescue centre. Many consider Northern Sulawesi to be non malarial although as it is in a tropical region, malaria cannot be ignored. Outbreaks of Chikungunya Fever – known in Indonesia as “Cikamunia“ can occur in Sulawesi.

In tropical regions, many diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes, we therefore strongly recommend using some form of mosquito repellent. Chikungunya Facts: Is a viral disease, able to catch only once. Currently there are no vaccines or specific medicines. Transmission is through mosquito bite. Direct human to human transmission is not possible. Mosquito control is the only effective prevention technique. Is usually nonfatal, symptoms pass after a few days. Main symptom is fatigue with persistent joint pain and fever, can be coupled with a skin rash. Symptom treatment includes anti-inflammatory (e.g. ibuprofen) against joint pain, and paracetomol against fever. Patients are advised to drink plenty of fluids, eat well to maintain immune response, and remain active as soon as physically able to get out of bed. Too long resting in bed will prolong the recovery.

Please consult your travel doctor for the latest health advice. Some information can be found online on the following websites: World Health Organisation: www.who.int/ith/countries/idn MASTA (Travel Clinic Network in the UK): www.masta.org Please note that some of the above-mentioned vaccinations require a course of injections over a period of 3-4 weeks and may be expensive depending on your health service. Therefore you are advised to organise this in plenty of time before you travel and include it in your budget.

12. Do I need a visa?

Visas - Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months after you enter Indonesia, please check and make sure your passport will not expire soon, or otherwise organise a new one plenty of time in advance of your departure date. If your stay in Indonesia is no longer than 30 days, then the VOA (visa on arrival) should cover you, no problem. If you are staying longer, then a 60-day tourist visa is sufficient. Tourist visas must be obtained before arrival in Indonesia at an Indonesian Consulate in your country (or the country you are residing in during the 3 months before travelling to Indonesia).

You will need to complete an application form and submit your passport, some photos and a fee (check your consulate for the current rates). You will also require some form of proof that you will be leaving Indonesia after the specified date, e.g. flight itinerary or letter from employer or student body stating you are expected to return. Note: As visa requirements can change and are different for nationalities, it is the volunteers responsibility to arrange entry visas.

13. What cultural differences must I consider?

Indonesia is such a friendly place that there are generally no major cultural issues, but to really fit in here are a few pointers:

• When Indonesians meet, they touch their heart after shaking hands. If meeting a Indonesian, do the same. This will really impress them!
• Do not point the soles of your feet at anyone, or step over anyone’s head.
• Remove shoes when entering Indonesian houses.
• Physical expression of love (eg. hugging, kissing) is not very common among the conservative Indonesians. You are strongly asked to avoid such actions in public.
• Indonesians are non-confrontational, if they are upset about something you do, they will just walk away. Instead of denying any request with a direct no, they will say “maybe later”. You will cause a lot of trouble for the project if behave in a confrontational manner towards the Indonesians, including shouting or making tempered or stern remarks towards them or anyone else.
• Smile and speak a little Indonesian and you will be loved by the locals. Do not take offence if they call you ‘bule’ – this translates as white person and is just used to describe westerners. Indonesian people are very proud of their country and culture and we would encourage you to read through the culture section of a guidebook (e.g. lonely planet) and make a real effort to understand and respect the Indonesian culture. You will find this really enhances your experience of Indonesia.

14. Can I drink alcohol and smoke?

Of course, but we request that you use common sense. Please note that alcohol is allowed but restricted to a social drink between the hours of 17.00- 22.00. We ask that volunteers respect the project and do not get drunk, disrupting others and being unable to work the next day. Volunteers can go to the local towns to visit bars during down time.