EMAIL: ycmes@ycmes.org
TEL: 00967 1 270 200
FAX: 00967 1 270 127
P.O. Box 3671
Sana’a – Republic of Yemen
 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Coming to Yemen
When packing for your trip to Yemen it is better to bring only essential items. Though you may fear you are under-packing, remember that you will want to bring back many souvenirs when you return. Most items needed for daily life can be easily and cheaply purchased in Sana’a. Toiletries, culturally appropriate clothing, power/plug converters, and many small appliances are readily available.
When packing clothing, both men and women should remember to bring layers as Sana’a's weather can vary in temperature, especially day to night. Students should remember to dress more conservatively than they do in their home countries. Women in particular should be prepared to wear loose, non-revealing clothing. If you are concerned that an item may be questionable, it is best to leave it at home. Since Yemenis take pride in their traditional clothing, many students purchase and wear these traditional outfits while staying in Yemen.
Though students may wish to bring a small supply of their favorite toiletries, the vast majority of these items can be purchased in Sana’a. Over-the-counter medicines can be found at most pharmacies, save a few brand names, but students should bring a supply of necessary prescription medicines. Most prescriptions can be found in Yemen, but local supply cannot be guaranteed. Birth control and feminine hygiene products are also available, though tampons cannot be easily found.
The YCMES recommends bringing a laptop computer to take advantage of the wireless system, though campus computers are available for students 24 hours a day. Students may want to bring a small selection of favorite music, movies, and books, as these items are not always easily found in Sana’a.
Click here for a list of recommended items to pack.
Weight restrictions (as of August 2007, subject to change)
With a connection flight from the US: Two checked bags at 50lbs. each, with linear dimensions not to exceed 62 inches
Yemenia From Europe: 30kg Total
Most foreigners find living in Sana’a to be quite inexpensive. The basics of living, food, transportation, clothing, toiletries, etc. are low-cost by Western standards. The amount of money spent by a student depends upon his/her needs and interests. To have an idea of the cost of living in Yemen, the following is a short description of prices for basic items. A regular meal at a normal café runs from 200-500YR (less than $2.50) and at a nicer restaurant up to 2000YR ($10); 0.75cl bottle of water is 35YR (approx. $0.20); clothing items generally run between 500-2000YR ($2.50-10); toiletries such as shampoo between 300-600YR ($1.50-3); a pack of cigarettes 130-200YR (less than $1). There are establishments and stores that stock more expensive or foreign products comparable to Western prices. A student who is cost-conscious and limits him/herself to few indulgences can easily budget for $150-200 a month. These costs are as of August 2007 and do not include buying souvenirs or other gifts.
International Travel
YCMES-Arranged Tickets
The YCMES has a special agreement with Yemenia Airlines and can arrange discounted tickets for its students. During the application process, a student can opt to include the round-trip airfare in his/her study package at the YCMES. After receiving the student request for departure city and dates, the YCMES Travel Office works to match these requests with a reserved itinerary.
Though students can sometimes find a less expensive flight on their own, the YCMES recommends that its students fly on a college-arranged flight. The discounted tickets that the YCMES offers are valid for one year and date changes can be made more easily than other international, discounted tickets. Ticket changes come at little or no extra cost to the student as long as there are seats in the same class available on the selected flights. It should be noted, though, that these tickets are not completely flexible; changes in departure cities or requests for specific layover sites or times will be difficult and mostly likely add a fee. Generally, the cheapest flights through the agreement are from New York, Washington DC, Boston, Dayton, Paris, London, Frankfurt, and Rome. Other cities can be accommodated with additional costs.
Students will receive their itinerary from the YCMES office during the application process. Prior to travel, the YCMES will inform the student about how and when to obtain their ticket. All YCMES-arranged tickets are non-refundable.
List of Air Carriers that Fly into Sana'a International Airport (As of Feb. 2008)
Yemenia Airlines, Egypt Air, Emirates Airlines, Ethiopian Air, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airways, Air Arabia, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Syrian Air, Royal Jordanian, & Gulf Air.
If a student flies on a YCMES-arranged ticket, airport pickup and drop-off is free of charge. Students who fly on their own ticket can arrange for pickup with the YCMES and should inform the Sana’a office of their flight itinerary. At the time of writing, this cost was $25 and includes both airport pickup and drop-off when the student departs Yemen at the end of his/her studies.
A student is met at the airport by a YCMES representative outside of baggage claim. Unless there is a large group of students on the same flight, this representative will have a sign with the student’s name on it. The student is then brought to his/her respective dormitory by YCMES transportation. In case of the unlikely event that a YCMES representative is not present at the airport, a student should carry the phone number and address of the college.
The YCMES offers students visa services prior to and during their studies in Yemen.
Remember: Although the YCMES may arrange your visa, you as a student are ultimately responsible for knowing visa regulations and making sure your visa is current and valid.
For Complete Information on Yemeni Visas, please follow this link.
Students are recommended to register with their embassy or consulate prior to or upon arrival in Yemen. Every embassy has its own set of procedures for registry so students should make sure to research their embassy’s procedures. Most embassies allow online registration, which allows students to receive warden messages or any other emergency information during their stay in Yemen.
For a list of embassies in Yemen, please follow this link.
For vaccine and immunization preparation when traveling to Yemen, it is best to consult your doctor or health-care provider at least one month before departure. He/she will be able to determine specific needs, taking into account your health and immunization history and current risks in Yemen. This time will also allow any necessary vaccines or medications to take effect before arrival in Yemen. If your health-care provider does not specialize in travel medicine, locate a travel clinic near you to get the most updated and concise recommendations.
There are no required vaccinations for entering the country, unless you are coming from areas with risk of yellow fever transmission. In this case, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry.
Though not required for traveling, make sure that all of your routine vaccinations are up-to-date (i.e. influenza, chickenpox, polio, measles/mumps/rubella, and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus). Other general vaccinations recommended for traveling to areas such as Yemen are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, and Rabies. Yellow Fever and Tuberculosis are also mentioned, but just as a precaution.
Yemen does have a malaria risk, highest from September to February and in areas under 2000 meters (does not include Sana’a and is limited on Socotra). Malaria is a serious disease and can be deadly, infecting humans through the bite of a mosquito infected with the parasite. Health officials recommend malaria pills if traveling to these areas. Some anti-malaria drugs include: atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine, most available abroad as well as in some Yemeni pharmacies.
See the Center for Disease Control for more information.