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Houghton
Information for International/TCK's
Airport
shuttles
Houghton College
provides a shuttle service to and from the Buffalo (BUF), and
sometimes Rochester (ROC) airports. There is a regular shuttle service
to the Buffalo airport before and after the college dorms close
for school breaks. The shuttle costs $10 and students must sign up
ahead of time. Click on the
Buffalo Shuttle Service to find out more information on days, times, and other details.
Students may
also schedule a private shuttle to either the Buffalo or Rochester
airports at another time during the school year. To schedule, contact Kim Cockle at
585-567-9220 or
kim.cockle@houghton.edu. The cost is $70
each way and reservations must be made at least 48 hours in
advance, although preferably a week ahead of time.
NOTE: Students arriving from overseas for
the Transitions Program who have not previously arranged
transportation may schedule an airport pickup at the Buffalo
airport. Contact Brian Webb at 585-567-9557 to arrange
a pick-up.
Getting around Houghton
Getting around the city of Houghton is easy. It's small enough
to walk just about anywhere in town. There is a mini-mart/gas
station with basic grocery items, movie rentals, and a few other
odds and ends just a few hundred meters from campus. In addition
Houghton has a Subway restaurant, a Chinese restaurant, a
doctor's office, a dentist's office, and a dance studio.
Getting outside Houghton can be a little more challenging, but
there are plenty of options available to students who arrive here without
a vehicle. The Student Government Association runs a
carpool system for getting to local churches on Sunday morning.
There is also a "ride board" across from the post office where
students can put notes for rides out of town. The ISPO also occasionally
provides transportation to area cities for shopping needs. Other
than these options, it is often easy to find students who are
willing to drive you to where you need to go.
Communication
Post Office/Snail Mail:
All students receive a CPO (Campus Post Office) Box when they arrive at Houghton. The
college post office has all the necessary services for receiving
domestic and international mail (including any packages). The post office
can also send mail through the U.S. Postal
Service or packages via Federal Express.
Phones: Each room in college housing is equipped with one phone jack.
Students will receive an extension and a voice mailbox prior to arriving on
campus, however phones are not provided. Most student simply use
their own mobile phones rather than their campus phone extension. Students can be reached
at their dorm extension from
off-campus by calling 585-567-9500, then enter the student's
extension. Local calls are free, however long distance calls must be made
by using a calling card or a credit card.
Computers & Email: You
can expect to receive your email address and computer
during the Transition Program. Someone will help explain how to
use your new computer and how to access the internet at
Houghton. For more information on
student laptops link to the
Laptop Program Page.
Money matters
International students are allowed to get jobs on campus after
you have received a U.S. Social Security Card. The ISPO will
help set up an appointment with a social security officer at the beginning of the school year.
If you have questions about obtaining a Social Security Card
please contact Brian Webb at 585-567-9557.
Houghton College has a bank, as well as an ATM machine on
campus in the student center. Community Bank, N.A.offers free
checking accounts to all students, including international
students. All you need to open an account is a Social Security
Card, your passport, and an initial deposit of $50. Students who
decide to work on campus can have their paychecks automatically
deposited into their bank account.
If you are arriving directly from a foreign country, we
recommend that you either arrive with a few U.S. Dollars in cash, or
that you exchange some euros, kwacha, lempiras, bhat, or rubles
at the airport.
School breaks
The residence halls are closed during Thanksgiving break,
Christmas break, February break, and Easter break. All students
(including International students, MK's, and TCK's) must vacate
the residence halls during these breaks. Many intercultural
students go home with friends who live in the area, travel,
visit relatives in the U.S., or
sometimes fly home during Christmas break. Click here to see the Houghton calender
for a detailed list of school breaks and other college events.
NOTE: Although host families will sometimes offer to house
students during school breaks, neither your host family nor the ISPO is responsible
for housing you during school breaks. It is YOUR
responsibility to find housing during these breaks. The ISPO
can help you find a place to stay, but this should be used only
when you have exhausted all other options.
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