2025 Program Terms and Conditions

BINDING TERMS AND CONDITIONS for

Vive l'expérience 2025 Senegal Educator Programs

These Terms and Conditions are binding for Vive l'expérience 2025 Senegal Educator Programs upon submission of any application fee and/or payment to Vive l’expérience and are subject to change without notice at any time. All dollar amounts are in USD.

Payment and Documentation Deadline Policies for the Senegal Summer #1 (June 22 - July 3, 2025) and Summer #2 (July 6-17, 2025) Programs

The program cost is $4,980 comprised of a non-refundable deposit and automatic monthly payments via bank transfer (ACH) or by credit card due by May 30, 2025:

$100 non-refundable deposit (to be paid before or immediately after completing this form).
Vive will send an invoice for your total amount due, and you will sign up for monthly automatic payments via ACH or credit card, with final payment due by May 30, 2025. You may also pay in full at any time. Here is the monthly payment based on your sign-up month. Participation is dependent on space available at the time of application. A late fee of $20 will be issued for any payment not received on the 30th of each month.

October: $610.00 per month, for 8 months
November: $697.15 per month, for 7 months
December: $813.34 per month, for 6 months
January: $976.00 per month, for 5 months
February: $1220.00 per month, for 4 months
March: $1626.67 per month, for 3 months

To be a Participant and maintain a place on the trip, you must provide:

Photo of your passport data page by March 1, 2025.
Proof of purchase of travel and medical evacuation insurance by March 1, 2025; purchase within 10-14 days of your first payment, if possible.
Payment in full to Vive by May 30, 2025.
Proof of Yellow Fever vaccine, submitted at least 15 days prior to departure date.

If an Applicant has a third party paying via check or purchase order (e.g. school treasurer), the Applicant is responsible for informing the third party of the following:

Contact Vive at katy@vivelexperience.com at least 1 month prior to payment due date to request a W-9 form from Vive l’expérience, LLC.
Ensure that any checks include Applicant’s first and last name on the memo line.
Send payment via Fedex. Late payments jeopardize your place on the Program.

Waitlist Policy

When all spaces on a Program have been reserved, Vive may maintain a waitlist for that Program. Final program cost for someone waitlisted is subject to change depending on when a Program space opens up due to potential changes in airfare and other costs. A non-refundable deposit ($100) and submitted application are required to retain a space on the waitlist. If space opens up on the Program, waitlisted Applicants will be notified by email in order of priority. Applicants must accept the offer and pay the balance due based on the pay schedules above, or the space will be offered to the next Applicant on the waitlist. Vive will invoice you and explain the payment schedule. If a space does not open up, the deposit may be applied to a future Program within 18 months of when it was paid.

To maintain a place on the trip, you must provide:

Passport data and photo of your passport data page by March 1, 2025, if not already submitted in the application.
Proof of purchase of Travel and Medical Evacuation Insurance by March 1, 2025; we highly recommend purchasing this within 10-14 days of your first payment.
Payment in full by May 30, 2025.
Proof of Yellow Fever vaccine, submitted at least 15 days prior to departure date.

Travel and Documentation Policy

To participate in a Vive Program, Applicants must comply with the following policies to maintain eligibility for participation. Vive staff reserve the right to disqualify any accepted Participant from participation if considered medically necessary, or upon discovery that a Participant or their representative has falsely represented the Participant during the Applicant process.

Program Agreement: Applicants are required to read and submit a signed “Program Agreement” (which is part of the Application and includes these terms and conditions) outlining behavioral expectations, limitation of liability, and policies prior to participating in the Program.
COVID-19 Vaccination: Applicants are highly encouraged to have a COVID-19 vaccination and eligible boosters as defined by CDC prior to the start of the Program session. See COVID-19 Travel Guidelines for more information.
Travel Documents (Passport): Participants must be in possession of a valid passport for international travel with adequate usable visa pages (two blank pages are recommended). The date of expiration must be greater than 6 months from the date of Program's return date. It is the Participant’s responsibility to procure the necessary travel documents.
Visas: Participants are responsible for procuring the travel visa(s) necessary for Program participation based on their nationality and the Program country’s visa requirements.
Medical Information: Participants are encouraged to notify Vive of any key medical considerations and allergies.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Card: Participants must have received and provide proof of Yellow Fever vaccination at least 15 days prior to departure date, if required or recommended for entry into the Program country. Participants must travel with their Yellow Fever card.
Other Vaccinations: Participants must consult their doctor for other vaccinations that may be needed for travel.
Anti-Malaria Medicine: Participants are expected to take malarial prophylaxis; they must consult their doctor for a prescription.
Required Travel and Medical Evacuation Insurance: Participants must purchase their own travel and medical insurance for the dates of the Program. Pricing may vary depending on age, state of residence, and dates/location of trip. Insurance should cover trip cancellation of the Program cost, trip interruption, travel delay, emergency medical expenses, emergency medical transportation, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation, baggage loss/damage, and baggage delay. Note that some insurance companies require Travel Insurance to be purchased within 10-14 days of your first program payment to be eligible for Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR), better rates, and/or better coverage. Contact your insurance company for more information. Vive l’expérience is not responsible for costs associated with canceled participation, Programs canceled for reasons beyond our control or due to low enrollment, evacuations, and/or separations from Programs. Vive is not responsible for additional lodging, meal, or transportation costs in the event of Common Carrier delays, interruptions, and/or cancellations. Participants should direct all questions to their Travel Insurance provider.
Additional Required Documents: Vive may request additional required documents to confirm Participant eligibility at any time.

Pre-Departure Program Cancellation Policy

Vive reserves the right to cancel any Program due to insufficient enrollment or health, safety, or security concerns in the host country beyond our control. Refund policies in this event are detailed in the “Cancellation Policies” section below.

Adjustments to Program Itineraries

Program itineraries may change due foul weather, problems with transportation, political unrest, or any other unforeseen problems.

Costs Covered by Program

Program costs include the following expenses during the travel dates of the Program:

Roundtrip airfare to/from US departure airport to Dakar, Senegal airport (DSS). Most Programs will depart from JFK or IAD. If a Participant resides outside of North America, Vive will work with the Participant to identify a an itinerary which may result in a higher price.
All lodging in country, in double-occupancy rooms with your own bed and bathroom
All meals and water in country
All transportation in country
Event entrance fees and guide fees in country

Program costs do NOT include personal expenses such as the cost of obtaining passports, visa fees, laundry, medical fees, evacuation costs, health related costs, or required travel and medical evacuation/travel insurance, vaccinations or medicines, extra baggage fees, data plans, phone calls, gifts, purchases made during the trip, lodging before or after Program date, tips, etc. Vive is not responsible for additional lodging, meal, or transportation costs in the event of Common Carrier delays, interruptions, and/or cancellations.

Medical Treatment and Evacuation

In the event of a medical emergency, Vive will attempt to procure medical treatment; however, we assume no liability regarding the provision and costs associated with emergency medical expenses, emergency medical transportation, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation. All costs associated with medical care and transportation must be borne by the Participant. Participants are urged to check their insurance coverage for its adequacy when outside of their own country and must purchase an additional travel health and medical evacuation insurance for the duration of our Program dates. Participants are responsible for understanding the limits of any medical or evacuation policy, and for providing up-front payment for emergency and/or medical services when required.

Participant Disruption Policy

If a Participant violates any portion of the Vive l’expérience Program Agreement or otherwise acts in a way that is injurious to themself, people of the host country, other Participants on the Program, or violates US or local laws, or generally conducts themself in a way that is disruptive to the Program, Vive reserves the right to send the Participant home without refund. Participants sent home early or who voluntarily choose to depart early for any reason, including but not limited to sickness, personal emergencies, or injury, will be responsible for all associated costs, including medical costs and related travel and logistical costs associated with an early departure.

Reasonable Accommodations Policy

Vive is committed to providing Participants with reasonable accommodations whenever possible. Accommodations are modifications or services that give a Participant with a disability, medical, or religious need the opportunity to benefit from the programmatic experience. All decisions on accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. Accommodations that would require a fundamental alteration in the Program offered or would result in an undue burden or hardship on Vive will not be provided. Fundamental alterations are generally defined as actions that would substantially change the Program because a Participant would not be able to perform the essential requirements of a Program (with or without accommodations) or that the in-country limitations could pose a direct threat to the Participant’s physical health or safety. Undue burden or hardship means accommodations that are unduly costly, extensive, disruptive, or would substantially alter Vive operations.

Cancellation and Refund Policy if Initiated by Participant

Because Vive makes commitments and other financial decisions prior to the Program start based upon enrollment, we offer a tiered refund policy. The following refund policy (if initiated by Participant in writing) applies in all cases, regardless of the reason for Participant cancellation.

Cancellation up to 121 days prior to departure = 100% refund minus your non-refundable deposit
Cancellation from 120 to 90 days or more prior to departure = 75% refund minus your non-refundable deposit
Cancellation from 89 and 31 days prior to departure after paying final balance = 50% refund minus your non-refundable deposit
Cancellation within 30 days of departure after paying final balance = No refund

Cancellation and Refund Policy if Initiated by Vive l’expérience

Vive reserves the right to cancel any Program session prior to the scheduled start of the Program due to insufficient enrollment, entry restrictions, or health, safety, or security concerns in the host country that are beyond our control. In this situation, Vive will refund any Participant payments made to date or at the Participant's request will apply them towards a future program within 18 months. The deposit will not be refunded but may be applied to a future program within 18 months. In all cases, Vive is not responsible for other costs incurred by Applicants and Participants in preparing for the Program.

Vive may need to cancel a Program that is in progress if circumstances arise that, in Vive’s determination, require cancellation of the Program. Circumstances beyond our control that could result in a cancellation may include pandemic, epidemic, natural disaster, political turmoil, government recommendation, war, or other act of God. In such situations, Vive may cancel the Program. If a Program session is canceled after the scheduled start of the Program, no refund will be issued.

Glossary

“Applicant” = Any person who has paid the application fee and completed the application to participate in a Vive Program.
“Common Carrier” = A common carrier is a person or a commercial enterprise that transports passengers or goods for a fee and establishes that their service is open to the general public. Typical examples of common carriers include, a shipowner, railroad, airline, taxi service, etc.
“Participant” = Any Applicant who has submitted passport data and a photo of their passport data page, proof of purchase of travel and medical evacuation insurance, payment in full, and proof of Yellow Fever vaccine by established deadlines
“Vive” or “Vive l’expérience” = Vive l’expérience, LLC
“Program” = The specific trip that a Participant has signed up for e.g. “Senegal 2025 Summer Program" or other. Program.

COVID-19 Travel Guidelines

Vive l’expérience values safety and health during our trip Programs. To that end, all Participants are highly encouraged to have a COVID-19 vaccination and eligible boosters. Vive will continue to adapt COVID-19 guidelines based on recommendations from the CDC and country-specific regulations.

Pre-departure: Any pre-travel testing required for entry to our destination must be completed by each Participant at their own cost. Currently, there are no requirements in place for Senegal.

While traveling on Program: Vive encourages Participants to practice good hygiene including hand-washing and use of hand sanitizer as needed. Mask use is optional unless required by our destination, but may be recommended during indoor visits, crowded locations, and anywhere transmission is potentially high. Participants should inform Vive Trip Leaders of any COVID-related symptoms while traveling. The CDC recommends that individuals with a known or suspected exposure to COVID-19 wear a well-fitting mask.

If a Participant tests positive during the trip Program: Participants who test positive will isolate and/or mask according to local or CDC guidelines if there are no local guidelines in place. Any testing requirements and/or extra costs will be at the Participant’s cost. Vive will assist Participants with contacting their travel insurance policy to arrange any necessary tests, treatment, etc.

Last updated October 30 2024