Dear Parents and Students Participating in CAS India, The purpose of this email is to update you with information

regarding preparation for the CAS India Trip. 1) Please apply immediately for an INDIAN TOURIST VISA. This is the individual responsibility of parents and guardians. AIS cannot do this on your behalf. The process can be quite lengthy (especially for anyone travelling on a UK passport) so do not delay aim to have the necessary travel documents ready by the end of the Autumn trimester (14th December). Kindly bear in mind that your son/daughter may also be involved in other international trips between now and departure day for India (Saturday 9 February 2013) so allow sufficient time for the application to suit your own needs. 2) Kindly consult your huisarts (family doctor, General Practitioner) or the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp for TRAVEL HEALTH ADVICE AND VACCINES. AIS cannot advise on travel health issues. It would be a good idea to have all the necessary medical preparations completed before the January mock exams (Monday 14 January 2013). 3) Parents are strongly advised on behalf of their sons/daughters to take out individual HEALTH, TRAVEL AND CANCELLATION INSURANCE for the trip. It is school policy that once a student is confirmed as participating in a trip, parents and guardians must bear the associated full costs of the trip. 4) Students will require a separate parental permission to allow me to take them overseas. This is the so called TOESTEMMING VOR VERBLIJF IN HET BUITENLAND available from your local Gemeentehuis. A group permission is not sufficient. 5) As you already know, CAS is an integral part of the IB Diploma Programme. The school CAS Coordinator, Mr G. Elst, has spoken to the HS students on the subject of CAS, and what students must do to demonstrate they have reached the set objectives of the CAS program. The CAS India trip offers your son/daughter an unparalleled opportunity to fund raise (and therefore be used in CAS reflections) for the orphanage, Vatsalya Foundation http://www.thevatsalyafoundation.org/ where we will be visiting and interacting with the orphans in Mumbai. In addition, there are lots of other meaningful CAS activities such as making a short video about the trip, doing pre-trip research on some of the places that we will be visiting, creating a trip BLOG, or diary of personal reflections etc that can and will (if implemented) provide your son/daughter opportunities to demonstrate they have gained an understanding of the CAS objectives. Encourage your son/daughter to be independent and active about these CAS opportunities. Pre- and post-trip publicity would also qualify for CAS reflections, and students can always consult me or Mr Elst if they want to discuss any CAS ideas/project in connection with this trip.

6) A gentle reminder, please be prompt in paying the invoice for the CAS India trip. Upfront costs are always heavy on a school trip such as this. The AIS Business Office will be getting in touch with parents who may have, in the rush of other activities, overlooked this matter. 7) A final note, the school calendar is particularly full over the next three months (sports, London IB Arts Trip, winter vacation, wedding season, Model United Nations, High School Exams etc) so your early attention to these matters is strongly recommended. With kind regards and growing anticipation of another excellent educational trip to India. Dr Penelope J. Law & Mr Michael Laird.