Students will stay in a small, but comfortable hotel in the small community of Zuleta within walking distance of the Hacienda main entrance. Students will generally be required to share a room with one other student, and depending on the number of applicants, the program will occupy a dedicated section of the facility, or possibly the entire hotel. Though blankets will be provided, the hotel is not heated and nighttime temperatures at that time of year can often be quite cold, so sleeping bags are recommended. Laundry facilities will be provided separately by community members; clothes will be hand washed and air-dried as is typical in such small communities. It is recommended that students label their clothes as they are done in large batches and mix-ups occur regularly. Though the washing is done with care, garments that require special treatment can be problematic or might even be damaged, so odd fabrics and special-care clothing should be avoided.

Lunches will consist of sandwiches and field food prepared by students themselves from foods provided at the hotel each morning. Breakfasts and dinners will be eaten as a group at the hotel, prepared by local cooks. Local foods are very heavily potato and rice based but can be accompanied by a variety of fruits, vegetables, and proteins. Some accommodations can be made for vegans, vegetarians, and students with allergies or special dietary restrictions, but other specific dietary restrictions such as kosher or halal meals may not be feasible. All participants in a field school, students and staff, will wear masks while indoors (i.e. during lectures, during labs, in shared residential spaces, etc.). Regular hand washing will be a part of the project’s daily schedule.

The IFR primary concern is with education. Traveling and conducting field research involve risk. Students interested in participating in IFR programs must weigh whether the potential risk is worth the value of education provided. While risk is inherent in everything we do, we do not take risk lightly. The IFR engages in intensive review of each field school location prior to approval. Once a program is accepted, the IFR reviews each program annually to make sure it complies with all our standards and policies, including student safety.

Students attending IFR international programs are covered by a comprehensive Health Insurance policy that includes physical illness or injury, mental or chronic conditions. No deductible and 100% of costs are covered up to $250,000. In addition, we provide Political and Natural Disaster Evacuation policy, which allow us to remove students from field school location if local conditions change. Our field school directors are scholars that know field school locations and cultures well and are plugged in into local communities and state institution structures.