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travel study |
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Europe
2009
Venice, Salzburg, Vienna, Prague News story about the trip The International Travel Study Program focused on Venice, Salzburg, Vienna and Prague during the 2008-2009 school year. Students enrolled in this two-credit course learned about the history, culture, economy and customs of Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic. The trip is coordinated by the American Council for International Studies,and the company provides college professors to guide the group. Anyone who wishes to learn more about the trip is encouraged to email Johnson at esj4176@aol.com, call her at Oliver Ames, 508-230-3210. THE ITINERARY
Updated August 1, 2009
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or call the high school at 508-230-3210 to get more information. |
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One of the greatest experiences of your life awaits! For
some of you, this will be the first time you have been so far away from
home
without your families, and you need to understand some basic
guidelines. |
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We''ll update this link after our 2008 trip. |
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1.
Thou shalt not expect to find things as thou hast them at home, for
thou hast left home to find things different. |
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The basic unit of
currency in
Italy and Austria is the euro. The Czech Republic has its own currency,
the koruna (or koruny). As of January 24, 2009, one US dollar
was
worth 77 Euro cents or 21 koruna.
Many web sites will convert dollars
into other currencies and other currencies into dollars. (For one
example, click here.)
The good news is the dollar is 22 percent stronger this year than it was a year ago. There's no predicting what the exchange rate will be in April, but a big change is unlikely. (See the trend over the past year.) It's important to understand that the rates you see quoted are for banks. Unless you plan to convert millions of dollars, expect a slightly lower rate. You will also pay a small commission, sometimes a flat fee and sometime a commission. You don't want to change back and forth more often than necessary, because every time you change you lose a little. It's best just to change what you think you will need. You can convert your dollars into local currency at the airport and at change offices (also called exchange bureaus) that you see on the street. They charge a commission, which means you might pay a $5 fee no matter how much money you change. Obviously it doesn't make sense to change a small amount and pay a commission. But don't waste a lot of time looking for the best rate. The purpose of this trip isn't to see how much time we can spend saving a few pennies. Never change money with a person on the street, no matter how nice and friendly they seem. Just don't. If you change money before you leave, save the receipt because they will change your euros back to dollars (up to the amount you originally changed) without charging you for it. Don't worry too much about the currency. A few percent here or there doesn't amount to much in the long run, because most of your big expenses (hotel, airfare, breakfast and dinner) are already covered. Some shops will gladly accept US dollars. That's fine, as long as you make sure you're getting a fair exchange rate. A credit card or debit card is a good way to make major purchases, because they are accepted just about everywhere and they get the best exchange rate. You can also use traveller's checks, but we don't recommend them. They can be very inconvenient. |
| Getting
Ready to Travel Passports & Visas Travel Insurance Payments Your Account Travel Websites Books, CDs, Etc. Things to
Know Before You Go |
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1. Photocopy your passport, and bring the copy to our meeting. 2. Complete the medical form, and have mom or dad SIGN IT. 3. Go over the behavior guidelines with your parents, and bring the permission slip to the meeting with you. 4.Check out some of the awesome sites on Greece that I have listed. 5. Start getting really excited about this trip ... because it will be time to pack before you know it!!!!! |
| CLICK FOR
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR 2008 trip to COSTA RICA Return to top Return to home page |
| E-mail me at esj4176@aol.com if you
have any questions...... :-) MrsJ |