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Dependent Frequently Asked Questions and Statements
Frequently Ask Questions
Current and Former Fellow Statements
Each year a number of Fellows have dependents accompany them on their Fellowships. Below are a collection of statements from current and former Fellows regarding their participation in the EL Fellow Program with accompanying family members. The views and information presented are the Fellows’ own and do not represent the EL Fellow Program or the U.S. Department of State. The comments are intended to provide applicants with information to consider and do not reflect actual EL Fellow Program policy.
Can dependents go with the Fellow?
Unless stated otherwise in the project description, spouses and/or dependents may accompany Fellows for all or part of the fellowship period (10 months or less).
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What type of support does the EL Fellow Program offer dependents?
DOS awards one-person Fellowship Agreements and does not cover any dependents’ expenses, including dependents’ travel, insurance, visa, medical expenses, living, schooling, etc. The EL Fellow Program does not offer any logistical support or employment opportunities for spouses or dependents. A spouse or dependent is the sole responsibility of the Fellow. Senior Fellows may request a dependent's allowance of $5,000 for accompanying spouses or dependents. A dependent is defined in this context as a spouse or a relative (child, grandchild, parent, or sibling that is financially dependent) on the EL Fellow and spends at least 80% of the Fellowship period with the EL Fellow abroad.
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What if I decide to take one or more dependents with me on the Fellowship?
You will be required to complete a Dependent Declaration Form (included in the Fellow Acceptance Letter) and submit it to GU/CIED for each dependent. Fellows planning to bring a child with them to the Country of Assignment without the other parent/guardian must submit a notarized letter of permission to travel. This letter should be written by the non-Fellow parent/guardian and should confirm that he/she is aware of and has agreed to the impending travel. Dependents are not required to complete or submit any additional paperwork such as a health form, contract, etc. to the EL Fellow Program. It is the Fellow’s responsibility to determine if a visa or immunizations are required for his/her dependent(s).
The Fellow should also inform the US Embassy in their Country of Assignment that they will be bringing one or more dependents.
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Is housing that will accommodate a family provided during my Fellowship?
The U.S. Embassy is only required to locate housing suitable for one person, but may choose to help locate housing to accommodate dependents. If housing is provided by the Host Institution or larger housing can not be located within the Fellow’s living allowance the Fellow must use his/her stipend to offset the cost of housing that will accommodate dependents.
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Does the dependent need to be a U.S. citizen to accompany the Fellow?
The EL Fellow Program has no citizenship requirements for dependents. It is the Fellow’s responsibility to ensure his/her dependent(s) have the correct visa and paperwork to enter the Country of Assignment. The Fellow must also make PAS aware of the dependent’s citizenship. In the event of an evacuation the U.S. Department of State can only help with the evacuation of U.S. citizens.
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Do I need to do anything if my dependent will only be visiting during the Fellowship?
It is very important that GU/CIED and PAS are aware of which Fellows have dependents staying with them at anytime during the Fellowship. In the event of a political evacuation or instability in the Country of Assignment, PAS needs to be aware of any additional dependents that may need to be evacuated with the Fellow. PAS also needs to be aware of the dependent’s citizenship. The U.S. Department of State can only help with the evacuation of U.S. citizens.
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Bahrain
“1. My first concern with kids overseas would be the health care that is available. Bahrain offered great health care services, but I passed up on Nepal because of this. The second would be schooling. My daughter was 1-2 when were in Bahrain but would not have been allowed to attend public schools had she been school age. I would not have been able to afford the 15,000 tuition for private school. Also, I would tell people to look at the contract on housing. It may be suitable for a family, and it may not- see below.
2. My daughter had a blast! We lived on a compound (I supplemented our housing allowance to do so) and she played with kids from all over the world. I swear she was the most popular kid in town. All of the kids would show up at our house to play with her. She played with kids ages 1-12, with at least 10 different language backgrounds. Amazing.
3. I found myself feeling very stretched. My husband and child both relied heavily on me, and I was not as available, and they did not have the same support system that we had been accustomed to. My husband was not an American citizen, and this caused us some problems with visas, and also would have impacted how we were evacuated if we needed to be. Luckily, it was a quiet year in Bahrain, unlike this year.”
Oman
“I had two children with me in Muscat, Oman. I was a single parent, when I was a fellow.
First, it was a very rewarding experience for both the children; one was in high school, one in elementary school. It is five years later now and they both still talk about their year and a half there with enthusiasm. They enjoyed the time there immensely and loved the experience of being in a new place and culture.
They did get bored from time to time while we were there, but when I found various activities for them to participate in they were happy: horse riding, camping, swimming, etc. Joining the local American club and putting them in the American International School there was essential. It helped them maintain their education for when they returned to the US and also gave them a core group of friends to play with and for the teenager to hang out with.
Don't expect to save money if going with family. The stipend will barely be enough to cover the school cost and additional expenses. It might even be a loss, but the experience for the whole family is worth it.”
West Bank
“I was accompanied by my 4 children: 18, 17, 16, and 6 years of age. They are all of school age and the greatest challenge I had was finding a school that was within my means because most international schools are expensive. Other than that, it has been a very pleasurable experience for them and me. Babysitters are composed of friends and neighbors who are very willing to help out with children. Don't worry about their social lives, they tend to make friends very quickly and most all of the children I have met are very decent. I enjoyed escaping the peer pressure of teen life which is common in the United States, but experienced to a small degree here. As a matter of fact, my children are making much higher grades here than in the U.S. As far as security issues, I haven't experienced any. Just make sure to follow the rules given in your security briefing once you arrive.”
India
“I spent two years in Ahmedabad, India with my son, who was 10 years old when we arrived there. Although it was a challenging place to live, the experience was definitely worth it. I was so impressed when we came back to the US and my son was able to carry on intelligent conversations with university professors about advanced aspects of Eastern culture. He studied at an IB school while we were there. It was a good option for a foreigner. I recommend the IB schools or other international schools because the local schools generally offer a specific curriculum that might not be entirely productive for your child's future. And the international schools offer an opportunity to mix with children from other countries, which can broaden your child's experience abroad and provide more varied opportunities for friendships. It was difficult to find the right school for my child. We had to look around a lot. Be sure that you have time for this when you arrive. It was very difficult to obtain information from PAO or RELO because each state's schools in India are so different in terms of academic calendar, curriculum, and entrance requirements. It was something that really had to be managed once we arrived there.”
Ukraine
“I am the ELF in Sevastopol, Ukraine. I came with my husband and our two daughters, 8 and 10. Luckily we came to a country where the language is similar to one of the languages my daughters speak. That helped.
We are homeschooling them, actually my husband is home schooling them. They've also just started attending a local public school part-time. It is more for socialization and linguistic practice. The hardest thing for them has been to communicate and play with children here. Hopefully going to a local school will help that.”
Kyrgyzstan
“For perspective, I have three very young children and am posted in a country whose language I do not speak. I thought I would be able to learn the language here, but as that is not part of the host agreement and I am extremely busy with my finger in a number of pies, that hasn't happened. I thoroughly enjoy my work here and have gained a deep appreciation for US embassies and other related organizations as a result of this experience.
It has been laughably difficult to find a nanny who could commit to caring for my children for longer than one month. I interviewed and hired more than five in the first three months following our arrival. The biggest problem restricting my selection has been the language barrier. In my host country, English isn't used at all. If I spoke the local language, I would feel more confident hiring someone who didn't speak English. But because I don't, and because my theory on childcare differs so greatly from that of the locals, I am confined to those with a passing understanding of English.
My initial plan was to hire a nanny for this year to provide my children with a basic foundation in the local language and enroll them in a kindergarten next year. Now that none of us has gained much of the language around us, I am forced to reconsider my plans to renew the fellowship. There are a few international schools in the area, but we can't afford tuition there and I didn't uproot my children to surround them with other English speakers. Our experience with nannies this year causes me to think that I won't be able to find anyone more suitable for the next year either. I even considered abandoning the nanny idea and trying immersion with the children for the rest of this year, but health care is practically non-existent here and the children didn't have enough pre-departure injections for me to rest easy about placing them in that environment now.
On the bright side, my colleagues and my contact at the US embassy here have all been very involved in the search for a nanny. I had to bow out of my responsibilities for a full week once when a nanny phoned me Monday morning to say she wasn't coming. Apparently, missing professional obligations for family matters isn't unusual here, so the host institution took it in stride and renewed their efforts to find someone suitable for us.
This is not my first experience abroad, nor is it the first time I've travelled with very young children. So I know that it is possible to have a very positive experience when accompanied by dependents. The difference is that I was always able to communicate with the local people and understood enough of their culture to bridge any gaps. This particular experience though has been very negative for my family and me.”
Sri Lanka
“I am in Sri Lanka with my 4 and 7 year old. It has been a wonderful experience thus far. The kids are thriving and we are all so happy to be having this experience. The only thing I would mention is that it is quite expensive with the kids. The Fellowship money does not go as far as expected. The tickets to Sri Lanka were quite expensive at around $1300.00 each for my husband and two kids (each way for a total of almost $8000.00). The embassy had inquired what tuition was at the local international school and they told them it was around $160.00 US per child per quarter or term but that did not take into account the $500.00 admission fee per child so we were hit with an extra $1000.00 bill upon arrival. In order to travel with our children a private vehicle is required. My husband and I could take the buses and trains if it were just the two of us, but with the kiddos we have to hire a vehicle as the buses are very crowded and getting on can be dangerous. Also, the highways are quite polluted with exhaust so traveling in the three-wheeler is not safe for many reasons. Fortunately, we were able to keep our insurance at home through Blue Cross but if you do have that you would have to pay huge rates for international insurance. We had hopes that my husband would be able to find work in our area, but we are in a rural part of Sri Lanka and it is not possible as he would have to travel three and four hours each way.”
Russia
“I have been in St. Petersburg with my wife and son. It has been a challenge, but certainly a rewarding one.
Issues regarding small children:
1. Riding in cars and taxis when there are often no seatbelts.
2. Paying for extra health/evacuation insurance.
3. Locating and paying for a daycare.
4. Getting around with a stroller when sidewalks are in disrepair and there are no elevators or ramps.
5. Finding a pediatrician you can trust.
Tips or advice
1. Make sure spouse has resources to be able to make friends and get around so they are not stuck at home all day.
2. Look for other families with children.
3. Be in touch early with PAS for help/advice re. children, but be aware that they have more funds and will give advice based on their income level.
4. Bring a sturdy stroller.
5. Budget to take family on trips if you travel.”
Ecuador
“My husband accompanied me on my 2-year fellowship in Ecuador. The main thing that was helpful for us is that he created a "job" for himself. He concentrated on an exercise and health program for himself. Every day he went to the Gym to work out for 2-3 hours. He would walk there (30-40 minutes) and then chat with the guys there (most spoke some English). He would take himself to lunch or meet me sometimes. Then he would do the Grocery shopping, I would write a list of fruits and veggies in Spanish and he would go to the Mercado and get one of the ladies there to help him and have good interaction in Spanish.
Some days he would work with an equestrian foundation that did therapy for young handicapped children. So finding a place to volunteer was another way for him to spend time while I was working.
When I had to do a seminar in other towns he would always go with me. I often invited him to classes in the late afternoon or evening and allowed my students to interact with him in English. It gave them other native speakers to talk to besides me.
Overall we had a great experience for both of us.”
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