Mr. Robert Hall
Fairview High School
7460 McCray Rd.
Fairview, PA 16415
Phone 814-474-2600 (ext. 9-3124)
e-mail: fhsmonsieur@adelphia.net
www.quia.com/pages/echfairviewcholet.html
TRIP UPDATE - April 16, 2006
STUDENTS, PLEASE BE SURE THIS INFORMATION GETS TO YOUR PARENTS!!!
Dear Travelers and Parents,
These are the items we discussed at the meeting held on March 27. If you were unable to attend, you'll be able to learn a lot here. If you would still like to talk with me, please don't hesitate to contact me. We can arrange a time to get together.
If you did attend the meeting, please take a look. If you can think of anything I am forgetting, let me know. If you still have any unanswered questions, contact me.
I. Welcome - Introductions
II. EF Video (10 minutes) This video had insights from EF travelers and their parents about their travel experiences. If you would like to see it (or see it again) let me know.
III. Miscellaneous items I'd like to discuss
Passports/visas
Visas: Visas are NOT needed for our trip. If you noticed something on the EF website regarding your need for a visa, that was only because of the Morocco option.
Passport Name Verification: It is very important that EF has your name as it appears on your passport. This is true moreso for your first name (no nicknames, for example) and last name (spelled correctly). Whether or not you have your middle name, middle initial, or neither is not important. If you need to check, log on to your info page at eftours.com to see what they have for your name.
Passport Photocopies: I would like to have a photocopy of everyone's passport. There are a few reasons why. One deals with the fact that if your passport is lost or stolen while we are in Europe, the process of getting a new one will go more quickly with the photocopy. I would like you to please do one of the following things. Either bring me a photocopy of your passport. Or bring your passport to me or Madame Lueck so that we can make a copy for you. Merci/Gracias.
EF on iTunes
Through iTunes, EF has a lot of information that you can either hear or download onto your computer or ipod. This information deals with our destinations (Paris, Barcelona, and Madrid) as well as currency, packing suggestions, the overnight train, meals, and more.
To hear or downlaod the information, log on to your info page at eftours.com and look in the right margin near the top for the link.
Ekit (phone cards)
EF does offer a phone card. With it you will be able to easily make calls from your hotel room. At the meeting, I passed out information about the "eKit". If you weren't there, I still have extra copies. Or, you can log on to your info page at eftours.com and look in the right margin not far under Agent Dave's picture.
Fund raising
Roommates (hotels / train)
As we go from hotel to hotel, the rooms capacities will vary. In most cases, you will be in goups of three or four. (On the train, each compartment holds six passengers.) However, we will not know each hotel's situation until we are on the way to that hotel. While en route, the tour director and I will assign rooms.
At the meeting I passed out a piece of paper with the names of all of the travelers. The students then listed the names of people they are willing to room with. From this information, we will determine who stays with whom.
If you have not completed this form yet, please see me.
Tips for Tour Director and Bus Driver
It is customary for travelers to present tips to the Tour Director and to the bus driver as a way of thanking them for all of their hard work.
What is typical for the Tour Director is $4 per person per day ($40 per person).
For the bus driver I will ask for $2 per person per day from each of you. We will not have the same bus driver for 10 days. We will most likely have one in Paris and one in Spain. So I will ask for $14 for the driver tip.
I will collect this money some time before we depart.
In the past I have used funds from the French Club to help subsidize the tips. I will try to do so again this year. When I do, your total will be less that the original $54. As soon as I know, I will let you know how much and when I will collect.
GPS / photos on website
EF has a new feature. The Tour Direct at all times will have a GPS device with him. Anyone interested will be able to log on to a special website and see where we are each day. The TD will upload the info at least once each day.
Also, the TD will take pictures throughout the tour and upload them to a website so that familes back home can get a taste of what is happening. This is something that I had already decided to do myself. I will procede with that plan, so families will have even more picture to see.
Possible Date Changes
This is being addresses in a separate update.
Optional Insurance
Vegetarians (airlines, on tour)
If you are vegetarian, there are two important things you need to remember.
1. Once we know our flight arrangements, it will be your responsibility to contact the airline to make arrangements for vegetarian meals.
2. While we are on the tour, if you are a vegetarian, you will ALWAYS be a vegetarian with regards to the dinners included in your tour package. To clarify, it causes confusion if, for example, we are having chicken one night and a vegetarian says, "I'll have the chicken tonight." The meals will be arranged with the exact count of vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. Please stay consistent.
Post-trip get-together / photo video
After each student tour I have taken, there has traditionally been a get-together a few weeks later. This gives us the opportunity to look at eachother's pictures and reminisce a little. All travelers and families will be invited to attend. This will take place at one of your homes and everyone will be asked to bring something for a pot-luck picnic. If any of you are willing to host this, please let me know. We will decide on a date later.
On these trips, I take lots of pictures. I will put these pictures into a video presentation. You all will be able to have your own copy, if you wish. If you want to contribute any pictures to the show, I'll take them. I'll tell you more about that on the trip and/or after we come back.
Future Meetings. Geared toward students. During tutorial or after school. Agendas will include
1. Information on our destinations
2. Paris Metro
3. Mini French & Spanish Lessons
4. On trip expectations (ex. promptness)
5. I have more in mind. Do you have any suggestions?
Money / ATM Cards / Exchange in advance
In the past I always advised my students to get traveler's checks to take on the trip so you can exchange them into cash while in Europe. That method will still work. However, ATM cards will work even better. If you have any doubts about whether or not your card will work overseas, check with your bank.
It's not a bad idea to obtain some euros before we leave America. Check with your bank to see if they provide that service. Fifty euros should be plenty to start.
Cholet Exchange - Futuroscope, Puy du Fou
This has changed since the meeting.
At the meeting I mentioned that Madame Bouvier had informed me that they would not be able to cover our admittance to
Futuroscope
or to Puy du Fou
. Since the meeting she let me know that their school will cover the admission to Futuroscope
. Therefore, we will only need to pay 20 euros (approx. $24) for the entry to Puy du Fou
.
IV. Any questions or comments?
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