Triton
College
2000
Fifth Ave. RC 215
River
Grove, IL 60171-1995
(708)456-0300 ext.
3449 (Salzman)
salzmana@triton.edu
http://academics.triton.edu/uc/2008_Italy_Greece.html
2008 Undergraduate Center “Study & Travel” Tours Program:
Italy, Greece & Turkey
AGENDA for
the FIRST MEETING of Student
Travelers
WHEN:
7:30 P.M. ON
FEBRUARY 8, 2008
WHERE: COME
TO TRITON COLLEGE, RC 214 (East Campus, Robert Collins
Building--come in
the front door, turn right and go down the hall. RC 214 is on the
left.)
DATES
OF TRAVEL in Italy, Greece & Turkey: March
12--24, 2008. These dates are now confirmed.
EF
EDUCATIONAL TOURS
PHONE NUMBERS:
·
Our
rep is Courtney Wright : 1‑800‑637‑8222.,
Ext.
3659
·
24
hour EMERGENCY number
is same as above, but dial Ext. 9
·
Customer
service : 1-800-665-5364.
Use this to add an optional tour or purchase
insurance (for example).
Our
Tour Number with EF Educational Tours:
950271
PART I:
Things to carry & technical information:
1.
Information needed from you on the night
of the
meeting, if we don't already have it:
a.
PASSPORT
COPIES: 3 copies
of the "face page" of your passport--one for our
records here at
Triton; the second in tour-leader=s
(Dr. Salzman’s) luggage; the third
for your own luggage. On my 2
copies, please have the following written on it:
(1)
Social security
#; address;
home phone
(2)
name & phone
of emergency contact (the same stuff as on Telephone Chain Chart)
(3)
name & phone
of person picking you up, if different from above
(4)
Any medical
information or medications & instructions on meds I would need
to know.
The printed label from off of the bottle would be very helpful. Just
glue it
onto the passport copy you will give me.
(5)
Dietary
restrictions. Put on the passport, but also, for
dietary restrictions call Cust. Svc. : 1-800-665-5364 and let them know.
(6)
To keep your
information private, seal it in an envelope. Envelopes will only be
opened
if absolutely necessary. Give envelope
to Dr. Salzman.
b.
EMAIL
ADDRESSES: This is so we can
send to you a list of links to
travel-related sites that you can bookmark, e.g., a link to a weather
site that
will give you European weather 5 day forecast
2. Registration
for HUM 296—070 UC NET “Italy”: Much of the information I
need to
communicate to you will be through our online
course. So you need to sign up as soon as possible. If you know
how to
register and log in, go ahead and do so.
Here is the location for online registration:
https://ralph.triton.edu/stu_session
Once
you are registered, you go into the course by accessing Triton’s
special
website for teaching classes online. It is
http://online.triton.edu:8900
Follow the instructions once you get there.
3. Let=s
get to know one another !!
a.
Why are you interested in going to Italy,
etc. ?
b.
What have you heard about Italy, etc.?
c.
Have you been there before?
d.
Where else have you been?
e.
Why did you decide to travel to Italy,
etc., with Triton's Study and Travel Program?
4.
Pass out
and get back from students
a.
HOLD HARMLESS & INDEMNITY ---Triton=s
b.
Under--age drinking forms
i.
Must be signed by parents
c.
Telephone Chain Chart
i.
In addition to the telephone contact, make
sure it also
shows a name & number of the person who is picking the traveler up
from the
airport if those are not the same person. Each student
will
receive two copies. Make sure that the person picking you up is on the
chart,
and that he knows he must call the next person in the chain so the
chain won=t be broken.
d.
Registration forms for class, if they haven=t
already registered
Tonight
we
would like to discuss the Tip: $36 : explanation: a tip is customary for local guide and bus
driver; rate for the guide is typically $2 per day,
and the driver is typically $1 per day. Therefore,
the Guide: 12 days x $2/day=$24. The
Driver: 12 days x $1/day=$12. Total = $36.00. I would like for you to be responsible for
tipping the Driver and Tour Guide.
I will do it for you if you are uncomfortable
doing it. But it is my feeling that if you had a good time and learned
a lot,
you should make a personal contact.
5.
Pass
out, either at first meeting or second meeting:
a.
Airline tickets, if we have them (at
discretion of tour
leader)
b.
Airline itinerary, if we have them
c.
Hotel itinerary, if we have them
d.
Handouts that deal with weights and
measures, how to
pack, etc.
6.
Passports:
Carry your passport (original) to
Europe. Keep the original on you at all times. (Travelers not
holding
U.S. passports: Check to see if you should also bring documentation
(student
visa, etc.) for your return into the U.S. You will probably need
whatever you
needed to enter the U.S for the first time to re-enter after the trip.
7.
How
is a Triton trip structured? What is it like to be on one of these
trips?
8.
Money-Related
Issues:
always carry traveler's checks (less popular these days) and a
credit
card, if you have one. American Express and VISA are widely used in
Europe, and
ATMs are everywhere. NOTE: for
your credit card to work in the ATMs, you
must have a PIN number. Contact your
card company.
a.
How much money should I bring? For European travel, E.F. suggests between
$30--$50 per day to cover lunch, local transportation and discretionary
purchases (souvenirs). I always carry the equivalent of $20--$30 in
case I get
lost and need to hail a taxi. (Ok, ok, so what if I got lost one time
in Rome
and had to hail a taxi? Don=t
rub it in, Dr. Wager.)
Important: Always carry the address or card of the
hotel where you are staying, so you can show the taxi driver where to
go.
b.
How do I convert currency? A
"Euro"
which has the symbol of _ is roughly the same as $1.60,
give or take a few cents.
c.
If you have an "ATM" card, bring
it. That is the BEST way to convert U.S. dollars into Euros. You
not only
get the very best conversion rate, you will also not have to pay a
commission
to the change bureau and you won't have to wait in lines as much. The
number of
"ATM" machines in Europe is increasing all the time; they will be in
every airport and in every large city, and even in most smaller towns. NOTE:
European ATM cards require a "four digit" PIN number. If your card
does not use a 4 digit pin number, it will probably not work in Europe.
You can also bring traveler=s
checks and a credit card if you have
one. American Express and Visa are both widely used in Europe. NOTE:
contact
your credit card company to make sure you can use them abroad, and make
sure
you have a PIN number for them that will function outside the US, if
you want
to use your credit card as your ATM card. Over the last few years,
the
number of people using traveler's checks has declined. They are more
secure
than cash and are handy to have as a backup, but the rate you get in
converting
them is not as good as you can get from an ATM card.
d.
Website for currency conversion:
www.1travel.com
e.
Where can I acquire non-U.S. currencies?
The
World Money Exchange, (312) 641-2151. Or, you can just contact your
local bank
or credit union.
f.
One last tip: after you've done a
few financial
operations, such as changed money or bought something, you will
understand the
currency's value, that is, how much it takes to buy something, and what
one
thing is worth relative to something else of greater or lesser value.
It will
soon become intuitive and automatic for you, just like it's automatic
here at
home using dollars. You won't need your calculator.
9.
Show and tell time! What is
the best
luggage? The key: TRAVEL LIGHTLY. You
are responsible for moving baggage from bus to hotel room and from
hotel room
to bus. There is no footman, doorman, bellhop, concierge, or
personal assistant
available for you. (This is why I try to bring one of my kids on these
trips.) ONE MAIN BAG, plus a carry-on bag or
small backpack for access on the airplane or on the bus. A belly pack
for
critical documents.
10.
Carry-on
luggage: Things to carry:
e.
Copy of Telephone Chain Chart which
indicates name & phone number of your
ride home
from O=Hare
(we
will create that in our first meeting).
f.
Copy of your passport face-page (with all
of the information on it as indicated in
No. 1
above.)
g.
Copy
of page of your airline ticket
h.
Copy
of your prescription medications and a prescription (NOTE: If you take
prescription medication, take it in the ORIGINAL BOTTLE showing what
the
contents are and who the prescription is for on the bottle label. Know
the
phone no. of your pharmacy. Its website and email numbers are also a
great
backup.) This is the same information you will put on my copy of your
passport
face-page. Keep your meds in one of
those boxes with the lid that you pop up for each day of the week. Make sure you do your time conversions
properly so that you do not miss your dosage or overdose.
i.
Be
sure to carry an emergency change of socks / underwear / toothbrush
& other
personal necessities you can think of in case your luggage gets lost or
we have
to camp out in an airport for several days. I am sure most of you know
that we
live in the era of flight delays. What if we have to sleep on a cot in
the
Frankfort airport for two days, but
your luggage is already
back in Chicago?
11.
Checked luggage: Things
to carry:
a. tiny
sewing kit b.
Multi-tool or Swiss--army knife (BUT ONLY
IN CHECKED LUGGAGE! DO NOT FORGET AND PUT IT IN YOUR CARRY-ON
BAG; IT
WILL BE CONFISCATED AT THE AIRPORT!!!)
c. extra medications besides what you have in your carry-on d. phone-calling card or international
cell
phone e. Italian, Greek or
Turkish
phrase book or CD f. personal
journal g. little sqeezy light h. air
sickness pills i. travel alarm &
wristwatch j. voltage converters k. calculator
l. address book or list of people to send
postcards m. travel books
n. comfortable shoes and flip flops o.
a money belt p. extra pair of eye-glasses q. camera
r. "wet-ones" wipes
s. dry-cleaning in boxes (so its
pre-folded) t. laundry bag u.
Woolite v. copy of the itinerary and detailed flight
information.
Final tips on checked luggage: If you
bring a small empty expandable bag (such as the complimenatary E.F.
backpack)
you can bring things you buy back in it. Usually the airlines are more
relaxed
about how much stuff you bring back; they know you will probably have
more
carry-on items than you left with, but don't over-do it. Leave extra
empty
space if you really intend to bring back more than a few souvenirs.
12.
“Belly pack” (a.k.a. “bum
bag”—do not call
this a “fanny pack” in Europe): Dr
Salzman always carries a belly-pack for his passport, airline ticket,
and other
critical documents. Not only is this important for your comfort, it is
easier
to watch after a single bag and it will make airport check-in faster.
Never let
this out of your site. Never leave it unzipped.
PART II:
WHILE ON THE TOUR:
The importance of staying alert and close to
the group. (Dr. John Wager has the dubious distinction of being one
of the
only group leaders to actually LOSE a group member. One traveler was
not back
on the ship when it had to leave, so John spent a whole evening running
around
town searching and giving a passport xerox to local police, who found
and
returned the traveler the next morning. John says he won't let this
happen
again.)
Getting lost: some
people like to get lost--its a great way to learn about a town. My
usual policy
in Europe is as long as you know how to find your way to where you need
to be next
at exactly the time when you need to be there, its fine with me. However, if this is your first time,
and you aren=t quite
sure how to work the municipal bus system,
maybe you should stick close to
the tour guides. Getting really, really hopelessly lost is no fun.
a.
To repeat, you should carry enough for taxi fare and your hotel address on you at
all times, just in case.
b.
When
we first get to a city, we will always try to get local free maps of
the place.
Take a few minutes to become familiar with the map before you set off.
c.
In
case one of us loses our seat on the boat/train/airplane because we
have to
stay behind to find you, you will have to pay for your new ticket and
for ours.
d.
What
if the tour leader goes off looking for you as people are
final-boarding the
plane, and he misses the flight, but you jump on just at the last
second. You
made it, but he didn=t.
Are you still responsible for paying for the tour leader=s
flight? Yes. It was your fault he missed the flight, wasn't it? He
missed it making
a noble effort trying to Arescue@
you, and you owe him.
2.
What NOT to take and what not to bring
back: If
anyone not from our group asks you to carry anything either to
Europe or
back to the U.S. for them, do not do it, and please let someone who is
in
charge know immediately.
3.
Recommended reading: Knopf
Guides for Italy,
Greece or Turkey, available at Borders or Amazon.com. The Knopf Guides
are the
Gold Standard for educational travel. More practical touring guides
include
Frommers, Fodors, the Michelin Guides, and the Rough Guides Series.
4.
Optional tours:
Check with Cust. Services at 1.800.665.5364 to purchase the
optional
tour to Florence and the optional Greek evening. Pre-departure purchase
saves
you money. Refer to our tour, No. 950271.
On the
next
two pages you will find a scan of the Hotel & Flight information
sent to me
by the touring company.
Important
Note:
Departures:
Lufthansa Departs
from Terminal 1.
Returns:
Lufthansa Returns in Terminal
5.
|
|
Hotels
& Flight Information
|
|
|
Tour Number
|
950271-G1
|
Group Leader
|
Allen Salzman : Triton College,
2000 N. 5th Ave., River Grove, IL 60171, Ph. 708.456.0300, x3449
email: salzmana@triton.edu
|
|
|
|
|
Tour Name
|
Italy and Greece with Cruise, Wednesday,
March 12-24, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
Departing from Chicago on Wednesday, March
12, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
Returning from Athens, Greece on Monday,
March 24, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
Tour Consultant
|
Courtney Wright:
Ph. 800.637.8222 Ext.
3659
EF emergency
no.: Ph.
800.637.8222 Ext. 9
|
|
|
|
|
EF Cust. Svc
|
800.665.5364
|
|
|
Group Size
|
14
|
Tour Director
|
|
Giuseppe D'Angelo
|
3/12/2008
|
-
|
3/24/2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Itinerary A) (13 Travelers)
|
|
Depart
|
Date
|
Time
|
Airport
City
|
Airline & Flight Number
|
|
|
3/12/2008
3/13/2008
|
3:30 PM
6:10 AM
|
Chicago
Munich
|
Lufthansa
Flight # 435 from Terminal # 1
|
|
|
3/13/2008
3/13/2008
|
8:35 AM
10:05 AM
|
Munich
Rome
|
Lufthansa
Flight # 3856
|
|
Return
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3/24/2008
3/24/2008
|
1:35 PM
3:40 PM
|
Athens, Greece
Frankfurt
|
Lufthansa
Flight # 3381
|
|
|
3/24/2008
3/24/2008
|
5:15 PM
8:55 PM
|
Frankfurt
Chicago
|
Lufthansa
Flight # 432 into
Terminal # 5
|
|
Traveler List
|
|
|
Itinerary
|
Name
|
Status
|
Account Number
|
|
|
|
1.
|
A
|
Chillemi, Katie
|
Actualized
|
1828281
|
|
2.
|
A
|
Cox, Andrew
|
Actualized
|
1828287
|
|
3.
|
A
|
Knox, Deanna
|
Actualized
|
1743005
|
|
4.
|
A
|
La Rosa, Myrna
|
Actualized
|
1842511
|
|
5.
|
A
|
Lescher, Dorothy
|
Actualized
|
1847397
|
|
6.
|
A
|
Lescher Carr, Loretto
|
Actualized
|
1847356
|
|
7.
|
A
|
Lescher Pucci, Elizabeth
|
Actualized
|
1847383
|
|
8.
|
A
|
Minor, John
|
Actualized
|
1835948
|
|
9.
|
A
|
Salzman, Allen
|
Actualized
|
308546
|
|
10.
|
A
|
Salzman, Henry
|
Actualized
|
1627447
|
|
11.
|
A
|
Schiffert, Eric
|
Actualized
|
1770676
|
|
12.
|
A
|
Streckert, Hans
|
Actualized
|
1373580
|
|
13.
|
A
|
Taylor, Norma
|
Actualized
|
670610
|
|
14.
|
LO
|
King, Margaret
|
Actualized
|
1858875
|
Hotels and Cruise Information
|
From
|
To
|
Name and Address
|
City
|
Telephone
|
|
3/13/2008
|
3/16/2008
|
Hotel
Ottava
via Frascati-Colonna 62
Montecompatri 00040
Italy
|
Rome
|
+39.06.947.300.18
|
|
3/16/2008
|
3/17/2008
|
Hotel
Giosue al Mare
Via Caruso, 2
Meta di Sorrento
Naples, IT 80062
Italy
|
Sorrento
|
+390818786685
|
|
3/17/2008
|
3/18/2008
|
Lux
Viaggi
|
Transport
|
|
|
3/18/2008
|
3/19/2008
|
Pan
Hotel
57, Vass. Pavlou & Friderikis Str.
Delphi 33054
Greece
|
Delphi
|
+30 226 508 2294
|
|
3/19/2008
|
3/21/2008
|
Emmantina
Hotel
33 Possidonos Avenue
Glyfada
Athens 166 75
Greece
|
Athens
|
+30 210 8980683
|
|
3/21/2008
|
3/24/2008
|
AQUAMARINE
|
Piraeus
|
|
ROOM-MATE
INFORMATION :
|
| A.
Chillemi & Knox will probably have 1 or possibly 2 other
roommates from other tour groups. |
| B. Cox
& Minor will also probably have 1 or possibly 2 other
roommates from other tour groups. |
| C.
Margaret King (LAND ONLY) & Loretto Lescher Carr |
D.
Elizabeth Lescher Pucci & Dorothy Lescher
|
| E.
Schiffert & Streckert |
| F. La
Rosa (HAS DIETARY RESTRICITON) & Taylor |
G.
SALZMAN (tour leader--single)
|
|
DIETARY
RESTRICTIONS:
|
Myrna La
Rosa --- No Pork and No Shellfish
|
|