Pre-Trip Information

Documentation and Essential Carry-On Items

You will need to have your boarding pass, passport, and visa in hand when you board the plane. Bring photocopies of your credit cards, passport, and visa, and other important personal information. Leave copies with your family or emergency contact. It’s also recommended to have UNO’s emergency contact information with you, and leave a copy at home with your family or emergency contacts. Lastly, pack any prescription medicine in your carry-on bag. Consider bringing a sweater/jacket on the trip as the airplane(s) may have cold air conditioning.

Arrival and Orientation in the U.S.

Upon arrival at the Epply airport in Omaha, you will be welcomed by a member of UNO’s YSEALI team. You’ll need to claim your baggage and escort you to the hotel. Orientation will be on the first day of the program. It will include an introduction to key staff, an overview of the program and detailed schedule, a campus tour, and other fun activities.

More About UNO and Omaha

The University of Nebraska Omaha is Nebraska's metropolitan university with strong academic values and significant relationships with our community. UNO consists of two campuses: Dodge Campus and Scott Campus. You can orient yourself to UNO through this webpage with campus maps. You will receive a tour of the campus and have many opportunities to see different parts of Omaha.

Omaha is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It's a special place in the Midwest full of history, culture, and opportunity. Learn about ongoing events on the City of Omaha website.

Housing

You will be staying at Home2Suites by Hilton Omaha UN Medical Center Area, located within a 10-15 minute bus ride from UNO Dodge campus. Fellows will be paired and placed in a shared room including two separate beds, one bathroom, a fully-equipped kitchenette, and a common room with a flat-screen television with cable. View a full list of amenities on the website under the "2 Queen beds 1 bedroom suite" listing.

Common area and kitchenette

Common area and kitchenette

Shared bedroom

Shared bathroom - ADA example

Photos courtesy of Home2Suites website.

Your address will be:

(Your Name Here)
Home2Suites
4440 Douglas Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68131
USA

You will also stay in a variety of hotels during field study overnight trips. Please be prepared to share a room with one other fellow for the duration of the program.

Meals

Home2Suites offers a complimentary breakfast buffet each morning. Times vary from Monday-Friday and Saturday and Sunday.

Your hotel room will be equipped with kitchen supplies and cooking appliances, including a refrigerator, microwave, stove, some pots and pans, and serving utensils. Program staff and student ambassadors will assist with grocery shopping. There is also shopping within walking distance of the hotel. The hotel also offers a grocery shopping service, which allows you to order groceries and have them delivered to your room.

There will be designated group meals that we will have together, which are written on the schedule as a program-provided group meal. Some meals will be independent or on-your-own, meaning you will use per diem funds to pay for your meal. Per diem funds can be used to buy groceries to prepare meals at the hotel or to pay for a cooked meal at a restaurant. Omaha has a wide variety of cuisines. View Omaha restaurants

The Milo Bail Student Center, located on the UNO campus, is available for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. We will also host catered meals and enjoy local restaurants when touring Omaha and attending events off-campus.

Money

You will also receive a cash stipend called per diem to pay for meals. Additionally, there will be other small funds to use for books. Full details on financial arrangements will be provided during the program orientation.

If you have an ATM card or credit card you plan to use in the U.S., contact the company in advance to alert them of your card use internationally. Western Union is not always accessible, so you should not plan on having family send you money during the program.

Transportation

Many of your sessions will be held on the UNO campus, less than a 10-15 minute city bus from the hotel. For program sessions held off campus, we will use a variety of transportation including city bus, private bus, van, and car.

You will be given an Omaha Orbt bus pass to use for travel to and from campus as well as some inner city travel. For a list of routes, you can use Google Maps or view the bus routes and schedules here.

UNO Shuttle Bus between Dodge and Scott Campuses - Free

Omaha Metro Bus - Check website for pricing

Omaha Orbt Bus - Pass included in the program

Suggested Packing List

The UNO Canvas course has a detailed packing list. This is an abbreviated version:

Official Documents. Your passport and visa information, as well as two copies in case the original is lost (we suggest you also leave a copy at home). Prescriptions for medications, glasses, contacts, etc. In addition to your passport, bring a national identification card or university student ID. You will receive a UNO ID during orientation.

Weather. You'll find in Nebraska that the temperature can range widely from highs of 7 degrees Celsius to 21 degrees Celsius during the day, and lows of -5 degrees Celsius to 5 degrees Celsius at night. View a daily forecast (though subject to change).

Clothing. More information about packing on Canvas. In general, you should pack casual clothing for classroom activities and most visits, swimwear, one outfit that can get dirty for messy volunteer activities, and formal wear for more official sessions, such as the visit with officials. Please bring dress shoes, casual shoes, and athletic shoes.

You will be able to wash your clothes regularly at your hotel in Omaha. Laundry services will NOT be available at hotels outside of Omaha.

Above all, pack lightly!

Representing Your Country. Please bring your traditional clothing for activities in which you will be presenting your culture. Also, you might consider bringing a few photos of your family and your home to show people where you are from. This program is not only an introduction of the U.S. to you, but also an introduction of your country to people here in the U.S. who may know very little about your part of the world.

You may also want to bring a very small souvenir for your homestay family and others who may host you in their home, recognizing that you have very little space in your suitcase!

Daily Necessities. Any medication you take and personal items such as toothbrush/toothpaste, favorite shampoo, etc. You will have the opportunity to visit a store to purchase anything you need upon arrival in Omaha.

Web Resources

Here are some sites you may want to visit to learn more about UNO and Omaha:

University of Nebraska Omaha
City of Omaha
Omaha World-Herald Newspaper
Omaha Visitors Bureau
Omaha Chamber of Commerce

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government, administered by the University of Nebraska at Omaha.