I didnt book through travelcafe because they are really slow and still havent got back to me with a quote so I just booked my own through Flight Centre
And yes, I'm going to be there from the 8th. Hoping to stay a few night at the camp america hotel in New York then catch the train down to Pittsburgh on either the 11th or 12th!
I feel like there is so much stuff to organise before the camp and I still don't know that much about the camp haha. But it should all come together! Hope I just dont pack to much haha

Oh that's cool Marie, will keep an eye out for it in the mail I think it may take as much as an extra week to get over here!

Oh cool so I take it you've already contacted them and sorted out that arrangement? Ok will see how things go with booking travel Did you get more info about the camp and program with the contract?

Lol I know what you mean Kaitlin! I want to go through travelcafe since they seem well mixed with the CA program, and it seems relatively easy to change flights through them, plus cheaper flight and insurance deals But yea I think this must be their busiest time- I received my quote about mid last week, and an update on the quote today...kinda nerve wracking when it's so close lol! xD

Kaitlin, how long did it take for your visa to be all sorted from the time the papers arrived in the mail?

Oh thats good that you received one! Yeah they seem to know what they are doing! I just booked through flight centre because at the time they were having a really good deal which was better than what travel cafe could do. It means my flights are longer but I don't mind!
Um awhile, but that is because I put it off for ages because I got really busy. Like when you receive your papers in the mail, if you fill out all the stuff on the internet straight away (takes like a good hour and a half) and then you pay your fee through online banking, depending on how busy the embassy is, you could have you visa in like 2 weeks. I only went to the embassy last friday so I only just got mine! Its exciting though

I didn't have to contact them - because I'm coming from the UK, CA sorted out my flights and my onward transport, so they contacted the camp and told them my flight details, then I got a message through my CAD telling me that they're gonna meet me at baggage reclaim or something when I land.

In the envelope was:
- A letter explaining what to do with each form, including the job offer itself (I'm a senior counsellor - I don't even know why I'm supposedly 'senior').
- Two job agreements that we have to sign and return.
- A 'Statement of Application for Employment Involving Work With Children', which we have to sign and return.
- An American tax form thingy.
- An employment eligibility verification (which looks hard to fill out!)
- A random thing about 'Pennsylvania Unemployment', whatever that means. All you do is sign it.
- A 'Policy Against Sexual Harassment', which we have to sign and return.
- A health check form, which we have to get a doctor to fill out and then bring with us to camp.

The letter on the front says we're meant to also get background check and police request forms, but I didn't get either - I assume that's because I'm coming from the UK and CA already have my police check. We're also apparently supposed to get a job description thing - I didn't get that either. If either of you do, let me know!

And... yeah, that's about it. Sorry for how long this is, but I thought I may as well give you all the information!

Mmm on the nz CA fb page lots of ppl have mentioned delays with travel cafe quote, but there's a second person helping with the CA bookings at TC now (previously there was only 1 person!!) so hopefully things will be quicker

Yea fair enough! I would be tempted to book the tickets myself or through another agency but looks like I'll get a better deal through TC well done on finding another primo deal!

Oh ok cool. Yay for getting your visa! Have just paid my fee so will book my appointment soon- hoping they have spaces!

Thanks for the info Marie! Very helpful Oh right, Kaitlin and I may need to contact camp to confirm pick up arrangements.

Just realised it's just over a month til we're due at camp eeeee!!!

I leave my University town exactly four weeks today to go home to London before I fly the following Monday. Now *that* is terrifying!

On that note, can either of you think of anything 'interesting' that I should bring from the UK? I've lived here all my life - everything's boring!

I e-mailed that camp about picking up and Alex said that he can arrange for us to get picked up in Pittsburgh. So I'm going to be catching the Amtrack from New York too Pittsburgh on the 11th of June, arriving at 8.05. Its 9 hour train ride :O But ALOT cheaper than booking a flight! Feel free to join haha.

Oh bring some English candy, like galaxy! So yum! Anything particular form NZ?

So SO excited! Do any of you know how many staff go?

I assume that's 8:05pm? If so, I assume that whoever comes to pick me up will stick around in Pittsburgh then, seeing as I land at like 6:30ish and it's an hour's drive back... 9 hours though?!? WOW. I'll be travelling for 14, but then, I'm going over 4,000 miles!

Right, chocolate. I can do that. Anything else? I'll probably bring a flag or something as well. Maybe something to do with the Olympics if I can track it down...

I don't really know much about NZ to be perfectly honest - I had a biology teacher from there and he taught us a Haka in class once, which was hilarious (and unnecessary) but that's about it!

Oh cool have you booked the train already? I'm not sure whether to book these things from here or wait til am over there lol. Kk still deciding/booking travel but will let you know! Oh and btw you mentioned staying in the CA hotel for a few nights- are you allowed to stay more than one? Would you have to pay or sth after the first night? (I think on the site it says can only stay one night)

Marie- anything chocolatey/candy is good yea and Olympics stuff would be super cool!

Lol atm I'm planning on bringing pineapple lumps and timtams- heard Americans like those maybe other kiwiana stuff...things with nz flag/silver fern on.

I havent booked the train yet as waiting for the hotel to contact me back! Yeah you can stay extra nights, you get one night free then you have to pay $50 for each other extra night which I think is good?

How exciting that we will be in America for the olympics!

Righto lol yea not sure of prices for other places it sounds pretty good to me! I've just confirmed over the past few days that I'll be heading over May 20 (eep next weekend!) to see a friend, then will be staying with a friend of a friend near Milwaukee in Wisconsin, then think I will fly to PA for camp- a train ride that long would be craaazy lol. Will try to arrange flight to arrive around same time as you two

Really hoping that contract comes this week lol!

Oh wow hadn't even thought of that! Super exciting

:O Oh my goodness, you're going next weekend?! That's crazy! And there's me getting excited over flying exactly 4 weeks today...

America for the Olympics? Please. There's an Olympic event happening on my street - I'm going to America to get away from it!

Also, I emailed Alex about some of the stuff in the contracts, by the way. Waiting for a reply, but having gone through it last night, there's a lot of stuff that we can't fill out 'til we get Social Security numbers and stuff, and there's a form that I think should already be covered by police checks in our own countries, so yeah. Waiting for a response on that...

Hey,

You don't need social security numbers, you just leave those parts blank. Just fill in as much as you can with all your details and it'll be fine.

I am so jealous of you guys going to camp Allegheny, but I'll see you there for a couple of days

Yes yes so soooo crazy! And still so much to do lol.

Haha oh yea I guess over where you are Marie everyone will be buzzing about the Olympics xD

Still haven't received my contract- have you Kaitlin? Did you gals get the emails from Alex?

I saw the emails - no idea how I'm gonna get everything to the US by the 1st. I can fill most things out tomorrow, but I'm gonna have to wait a week to see a doctor and it's gonna cost me me £150 to get a health check (that's like $300 NZ!), along with the £50 that I already paid for the Camp America medical form! So unimpressed with my University clinic right now.

And then you guys haven't even got the forms yet. What a 'mare!