You have been accepted to an AEI program, how exciting!

Remember if you have any questions at all about volunteering, flights, programs or anything in between, reach out! That is what we are here for.

AEI FAQs.

• How do I pay: You can make your payment through Paypal on our website (Paypal accepts all major credit cards), Interac/Online money transfer through your online banking, by cheque, or money order. If you do send a cheque or money order it should be in Canadian dollars and made out to Animal Experience International. For more information about payments and fees please see our page. http://www.animalexperienceinternational.com/paymentandfees.html 
• When is my deposit due? Within two weeks of your interview. Remember, it's in Canadian dollars! 
• When is my final payment due? 60 days before your departure. 
• Can I fax my contract and waiver? We actually need your original autograph so your contract and waiver need to be send in the mail to our office: Animal Experience International, 30 Owen Street, Barrie, Ontario, Canada, L4M 3G7
• What about my doctors note? The rest of your paperwork (doctors notes, vaccination records, transcripts, etc) can all be emailed to us! Pro tip: Don't have a scanner because it's not the 90s? Just take a picture with your phone and email it to us that way. :)
• Do I need a specific form for the doctor to fill out? Nope! Just anything that shows you went to the doctor and they think you are healthy to travel.
• How do I call my parents when I am away? Or update my Facebook to make everyone jealous... err I mean educate people? There are a few different options, we wrote a sweet note about this: Connectivity While Traveling!  
• Can I take pictures? Oh yes please! We love when our clients take pictures to help spread the word to their friends and family! Just make sure your flash is off. 
• Do other clients and alumni have advice for me? Yes they do! We actually have a whole page of advice for you to check out. Spoiler alert: bring a rain jacket, extra diarrhea medication and mosquito repellent. 
• Real Talk: Am I going to be safe while I volunteer? Don't worry, we get this question a lot. It can be really overwhelming to travel and volunteer, that is why you should read our Guide to Safety. 
• Is Guatemala safe? My parents have expressed some concerns. It's so nice that our parents care so much about us! We work in small and friendly areas in Guatemala and have never had any safety concerns, nor have our clients! We wrote more about Guatemala though, just for you and your loved ones. You can read more about safety in Guatemala: here. 

Practical experience is invaluable, and AEI provides the opportunity for clients to gain this experience while contributing to important animal projects. Benefits to the participants are many fold:

Flight discounts: 

We have two partnerships with two different flight booking companies to get you the best prices on your flights. Both Fly for Good and Flight Centre have years of experience and fantastic people working for them that want to help you get to your adventure safe (and for discounted rates). Feel free to request a quote from Fly For Good or Flight Centre, they would love to help you out!

Travel product discounts: 

All of our clients are automatically signed up for the International Volunteer Card. An AEI membership get's you: Travel Insurance, 24/7 Assistance, Discounts at Target, Hyatt, eBags, Hertz and 100,000 more! This partnership means our clients are fully supported before, during and after their Experience.

We partnered with a woman in Michigan who makes beautiful and fun luggage tags on the B Corp, Etsy! She has a whole line just for AEI volunteers and everything in her store is 25% off for you! Check out Wanderlust Leather.

At LENA, they want to spread awareness on the personal and environmental benefits of reusable menstrual products, inspiring women to improve their periods while loving and respecting our planet. When North American clients are placing their order on Amazon, they can enter an AEI discount code to get 20% off the LENA Large or Small cups. We love LENA because it makes travelling easier for women while also making their environmental footprint smaller. 

Kitts is a B Corp that makes premium, high quality mens 'and womens' casual underwear, and for each pair sold they donate a pair to charities in North America. Underwear is one of the most requested, yet undersupplied items at clothing charities and homeless shelters in North America. Kitts underwear are premium quality, using only superior extra-soft and eco-friendly fabric, and are ultra comfortable! Each pair of Kitts is also carbon-neutral so you can feel good knowing you're doing your part for others and the environment! All our North American clients get 20% off their Kitts!

 There's nothing more natural to wear in nature. New Zealand Merino Wool Clothing for Outdoor activities, Performance Sports and AEI clients! All Canadian and American clients get 50% Icebreaker clothing when they sign up for their Experience! Natural fibre clothing that is comfortable, functional, beautiful AND affordable.

SoapBox Soaps is a mission-based personal care company. For every product sold, they give back a bar of soap, month of clean water, or year of vitamins to someone who needs it, both abroad and in the USA! All of their products are all natural, free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or petrochemicals. They are full of organic shea butter, olive oil, coconut oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and lots of good, clean hope! Our American clients will get 15% off their purchase because AEI experiences will get you dirty and Soapbox Soaps will help you get clean.

beyondBeanie is our new love. They hire local artisans to make (for an ethical wage) amazing travel accessories that not only help the individual artisan, also give back to the community. Scarves that help with student meal programs, bracelets that help with dentist aid, ponchos that help provide school supplies and toques that help fund school uniforms. We always recommend our clients pack a scarf and a toque (beanie, woolly hat, winter cap) no matter where they are going, for fashion, modesty and warmth. Why not pack fashionable, practical, ethical and beneficial accessories in your bag? Travelling can be done ethically, we are making sure by partnering with all the most ethical and awesome groups we can! 

Launched in 2015, PACK aims to give travellers more time to explore and enjoy their trip by shortening packing and unpacking cycles. As a member of the Fair Labour Association, they make sure that their entire supply chain is ethical and fair. We support global equality and transparency, just like we do! All AEI clients get 15% off their very own Back Pack Organiser. Not sure if it would be perfect for your travels? Read what Nora has to say about her experience with her own Pack Gear Organizer.