The Trip Over to Birmingham

The following narrative gives you some idea of what to expect on the trip to England and an explanation of how to proceed through customs when you arrive.

On the day of departure, a representative of our programme will meet you at the airport in Minneapolis to give you your tickets, go over any last minute changes, and see you to the security gate. Be at the airport AT LEAST TWO HOURS IN ADVANCE OF YOUR SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIME. You will receive more information about this in a later mailing. Because of heightened security issues, you will be asked to place your laptop in a separate container, and you may wish to take off your shoes, because some footwear has a metal shank or buckles. First, KEEP TRACK of that laptop...when it appears on the other end of the x-ray machine, get it immediately. Laptop thieves are known to take advantage of travelers’ distraction. Second, you may want to wear some shoes that are easy to slip on and off so it is easier to get through security.

You must have the following with you: all luggage, entry clearance, and second form of ID with picture on it. At the airport you will be given a round trip airline ticket and a letter from us indicating that you are part of the programme. Keep these items in a safe, accessible place on your person or carry-on as you will need to show your passport at the gate and you will need your passport and informational letter for British Customs officials upon arrival. In England the Programme Director will be collecting return tickets for safekeeping.

Note about passports: you MUST carry it with you at all times when traveling. DO NOT put it in your checked baggage. It is advisable to have three to four photocopies of the information page of your passport with you. Put one in your luggage, another in your carry-on, and one in your wallet or purse. You need not carry your passport with you when doing everyday things in England. Keep it in a SAFE place.

We suggest that you dress comfortably, but somewhat conservatively on the way over. Anything militaristic, political, or anarchist will assure you of being stopped, interrogated, searched, and possibly detained. Decent blue jeans or slacks and a shirt, blouse and/or sweater will make life much easier for you.

Airplane travel fatigue and jetlag are real. A typical flight might have you leaving Minneapolis at 2:00 p.m., followed by a three-hour layover in Chicago, and an overnight flight to Birmingham. This might put you into Birmingham at 8:00 a.m. Birmingham time, which would be 2:00 a.m. Minneapolis time. You will probably be TIRED! Some suggestions to minimize the fatigue and jet lag are:

ARRIVAL

After deplaning you will first go through passport control. Follow the signs for non-EU citizens. You will need your passport, the informational letter, and a customs declaration form that you will get from the airline on the flight over. You must have filled out the declaration form before going through passport control, so make sure you do it on the plane. They will ask you how long you’re staying in Britain and some personal questions. The best advice for you in going through passport control is to be honest and polite. They can make life miserable for you if you wise off; they also have the authority to refuse you entry into their country.

NOTE: INTERNATIONAL LAW PROHIBITS US FROM MEETING YOU UNTIL YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH CUSTOMS, SO THE PROGRAMME DIRECTOR WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CUSTOMS AREA.

After passport control, go directly to the baggage claims area and find your luggage as it comes in from the plane. There are FREE baggage carts in the area. Use them for your convenience. After claiming your luggage, go through customs. There will be signs leading to two areas: a red one for those who have something to declare beyond the legal duty-free limits, and a green one for all others. Assuming you are smart (that is, you have no live plants, haven’t brought the family cat with you, etc.), GO THROUGH THE GREEN LINE.

Customs is a little unpredictable, but you just keep walking through unless someone tells you to stop. If that happens, don’t panic! They stop hundreds of people every day on spot checks. It is likely that at least one of you will be selected for a check. Just be polite and do what they ask. They will probably ask you to open some or all of your bags. Then they will allow you to proceed on through the customs hall. The programme director will be waiting for you just outside the doors.

One final word of caution: customs takes very seriously any attempt to bring illegal drugs or substances into their country. They will prosecute you in every instance. Don’t try it!

WELCOME TO ENGLAND!