Dear ACNM Delegates,
On behalf of the American College of Nurse Midwives, Dr. Cathy Collins-Fulea, your delegation leaders, Kasey McKevitt, Assistant Program Officer, Citizen Ambassador Program, and myself, we want to wish you a rewarding professional and personal experience as part of the Citizen Ambassador Program, ACNM Delegation to the UAE. We are now into the count down to the final preparations for your exchange. As our ground team has been working to finalize the timing and logistics around your program; now is the time for you to prepare for this exciting exchange.
Next Steps:
- Please review the general information regarding travel in the UAE. This information includes meeting attire guidance for the UAE, tipping (all is included except for your Delegation Manager), appropriate professional gifts, hotel contact information, weather, electrical requirements, currency information and a cultural briefing for the region. The Professional Exchange Preparation information will address working with an interpreter, the importance of a bilateral exchange and the need for flexibility as the schedules can become fluid throughout the week.
- Below is an invitation to join the ACNM WhatsApp group. WhatsApp is a free international calling/ texting service. WhatsApp uses your phone’s cellular or Wi-Fi connection to facilitate messaging and voice calling to nearly anyone on the planet, alone or in a group. We will utilize WhatsApp as a means of emergence contact. Your Delegation Manager will be in the group, so you can reach him at any time.
- Final Information-You will receive an email with the following documents:
- A Travel Essentials Sheet, listing the contact information for the ground team member responsible for your arrival airport transfers. Emergency contact information, hotel contact information, and any additional information you may want during your travel to the UAE. We suggest your print this information and carry along with your travel documents.
- Final Schedule of Activities for the professional meetings and the parallel accompanying guest itinerary. Please note that a minute-by-minute schedule, which includes meeting times and locations for morning departures and estimated return times to the hotel will be provided by your Delegation Manager.
- Rooming list with contact information. If you requested a roommate, and one has been assigned, we suggest you introduce yourselves prior to travel.
- Arrival airport transfer information, listing each delegates arrival flight and time. Check out who else may be on your flight or arriving at the same time as you.
- Special requests and arrangements– please review this list and made sure we have your requests as specified.
- Delegation Journal- A journal will be kept documentingthe meetings and site visits. Your Delegation Manager and Leaders would appreciate volunteers to take notes at each of the professional meetings. We ask that each meeting be documented, contact information collected along with hard or electronic copies of presentations. Your Delegation Manager will assist. The documentation will be structured using the Professional Meeting Summary Form. This form can be completed on phone, tablet, or laptop. Your Delegation Manager will also have hard copies to take written notes, which will later be converted to the electronic format. Please support your leadership team by volunteering
- Your Name Badges will be distributed by your delegation manager upon arrival in the UAE. You will be sent two bright orange luggage tags, one for your carry-on bag and one for your checked luggage. Please make sure to attach the luggage tags, with your name and contact information completed. This helps our team more easily collect luggage at the airport and delivery to your room at check-in.
- URGENT-If you have not submitted your Flight Information form, please do so immediately, this information is necessary to coordinate the airport transfers.
- Please make sure that you have provided copies of your Passport and Vaccination Cards, through the links sent earlier this month. As the Hotel check-in will be done in advance, these documentations are required by the Hotels. Your Delegation Manager or a member of the ground team will provide you with your hotel keys upon your arrival.
Thank you for participating in this exciting exchange. If you have any questions, please call Kasey McKevitt, Assistant Program Officer at 202-545-7034 or Dawn Davis at 202-545-6830.
Best Regards,
Kasey McKevitt
Assistant Program Officer, Citizen Ambassadors Program
202-545-7034 (office)