Plans for Spring 2008
Okay, so I am looking at the general information for my semester in the Netherlands and everything seems so complicated. The trip may be eight months away, but I need to start figuring things out now so I'm not confused too late. While I am very excited to go, I'm also rather nervous. Other than Canada, I've never lived in a foreign country, and now I'm going to live in one. Anyways, I thought I should write down some details about my semester at the Castle, to clear my own head and also inform anyone who is interested. Perhaps you Europeans or Americans who haved traveled to Europe can give me some advice.
About the Castle:
"Kasteel Well is a restored medieval structure surrounded by beautiful gardens and two moats. The original foundations date from the 12th Century, and the castle was renovated in the early 19th century to its present state. Recent renovations have added all modern conveniences while maintaining the original architecture and ambience. The bedrooms are furnished simply, for students, but the castle’s public rooms are large and lovely. There is a small resource center and computer lab within the castle."
The Location:
"Well is located midway between the Dutch cities of Nijmegen and Venlo, close to the border of Germany. Well is a small, quaint village of about 2,800 people, dotted with brick homes, lace curtains, flowers, cafés and shops and friendly people, most of whom speak English. There is bus service from Well to Venlo and Nijmegen; trains depart from Venlo and Nijmegen with connections to all over Europe."
Doing a little research, I discovered that Well is not only close to the border of Germany, but practically on top of it. Using mapquest, I found the most direct route to Germany and found out it is only about 5.5km away, which is about an 8 minute drive past the border (okay, Rikae...please don't hate me... ;) ). I don't know how useful that actually is, but I like the idea of living close to a border...makes it even easier to travel from country to country. And then I discovered Belgium is only a couple hours away or so...man, it's weird how small these countries are, especially for a girl who is used to living in a large state in a large country (it takes two hours just to get out of Idaho!)
Anyways, here's a picture from mapquest:
Language:
Of course, it's recommended we learn a few Dutch phrases before going. And I think it's smart to try to learn just out of common courtesy. Which is why I plan to get a Learn Dutch kit, hopefully for my birthday, or with my birthday money.
Passport/Visa:
I'm currently in the processing of filling out my passport application. I got the photos done and half of it filled out. I probably should finish and turn it in by the end of this week. As for the visa, I kind of get how we obtain one, but not really. Though I definitely need to figure this out so I can stay behind, I won't worry about it until I get my passport.
Schedule:
I kind of went through this already, but here it is in more detail:
January 17: Depart from Boston
January 18-20: Orientation
January 21: Classes Begin
February 14: Depart for London
February 15-19: Required Excursion
February 19-24: Independent Travel
March 24: Easter Monday - No Classes (now, would everything be closed that weekend, or would I be able to travel and play tourist as normal?)
March 27: Depart for Prague
March 28-31: Required Excursion
March 31- April 6: Independent Travel
April 17: Classes End
April 19-21: Final Exams
April 23: Depart for London
April 24: Required Excursion
April 25: Depart for Boston (of course, I'm hoping to stay behind, so I don't plan to participate in this)
Also, we don't have classes on Fridays, so we have three days to travel on the weekends. In fact, I think they actually expect us to travel on our own on the weekends...
Mobile/Cell Phones:
It's actually recommended for students to buy local mobile phones, and it's actually something I wanted to do in the first place. Phones are important to have, especially when your in a completely foreign place. Of course, I don't know anything about providers in the Netherlands...hopefully I'll get this figured out later. I wonder if there is some sort of plan or whatever where I could call internationally for cheap rates, as I think a lot of my calls would be international...
Internet:
The internet access is not 24 hours, but lasts from 8am -1am. This sucks since I'm a late-nighter whether it's doing homework, chatting/skyping, or blogging/on the BD. Of course, my internet time will already be limited with all the traveling I'll do. For example, there is no way I could possibly RPG or WW during the time I'm in Europe, sadly enough. Without internet, I'm just going to have to force myself to go to bed earlier.
This part does suck, but the fact that I will be in Europe will compensate. Anyways, I hope to be to distracted with excitement and traveling to even care about internet (of course, I'll still blog to keep everyone updated).
Packing:
Eep! This is one thing I'm really concerned about. I have this bad habit of completely overpacking. How do I take everything with me without shipping anything? This includes shoes, clothes, sheets, towel, school supplies, heavy textbooks. I'm not sure, but it's something I'll definitely have to figure out. This is probably going to be one of the most stressful parts of my trip. At least my mom said she'd pay to ship my souvenirs I buy overseas, so I won't have to worry about that.
ISIC:
"All participants are required to have an International Student Identification Card (ISIC). These cards will be provided as part of the travel package and should not be purchased individually. With the ISIC card you receive reductions on inter-European charter flights; on all forms of transportation; in hotels and hostels; at museums, movies, galleries, and special events; and in many shops. You will also receive some sickness and accident insurance, and access to a toll-free 24-hour traveler’s assistance hotline."
Hmm....what can I say? That's a pretty nice deal.
Train Travel:
"Participants who are U.S. Citizens or who have a green card or permanent resident status will purchase a 2-month Youthrail Pass as part of their European Travel Package. The pass gives unlimited 2nd-class train travel in 17 countries; however some express trains do require an additional fee. There are additional costs to reserve a seat or couchette (sleeping berth). Seat reservations are €4 and couchettes are €20. Participants will also spend approximately €110 for the term on bus tickets between Well and the Venlo and Nijmegen train stations."
Another nice deal we get. Though, it sounds like we have to pay for our own traveling once the third month hits.
Hostels:
"Those who intend to take advantage of youth hostels may wish to purchase a Hosteling International membership card here in the US for $28. Some participants have found the pass to be a good investment. In general, youth hotels and budget hotels are €20-€30 per night, and youth hostels range in price from €5-€20."
Interesting...I did not know about the membership card. I think I will pursue that...
Money:
Another one of my main concerns. Not only do I need to make sure I don't lack it, but I need to know how to access it in Europe. My mom already said she's getting me a credit card and she'd take care of the bill each month, so I will have that. As for accessing money via ATM, I have a Bank of America account, so I'm not sure how I will do that.
As far as currency goes, apparently they want us to have euros on hand before we leave the country. Understandable. Now I have a question. Is it fairly easy to exchange currency? Where can you get it done? I know it's something I'm going to have to deal with, so I'm just wondering...
Electricity:
I have to get adapters and converters for both Europe and Great Britain. I don't think this should be too difficult. Anyways, it's a good thing I stopped blow drying my hair because apparently American hairdryers tend to explode in Europe...heh.
And some pictures of my future temporary home:
(the dining hall)
No pictures of the rooms unfortunately; I wonder what they look like.
I'm still a little worried about scheduling my traveling...of course I'm planning to with school friends, but I don't see how that can be planned very far ahead of time. I also want to go on my own agenda, mostly to meet you BDers, but I'll have to coordinate that with my other travel. Ehh...it's probably not something I should worry about just yet. And there's no official info session until October, which is a little late, in my opinion. Oh well...
Ack! As you can see, I just can't wait to do this! Time does not move fast enough. The semester abroad is one of the things that keeps me going. :)
Geez, this is long. I probably put everyone to sleep with this entry. Sorry...
About the Castle:
"Kasteel Well is a restored medieval structure surrounded by beautiful gardens and two moats. The original foundations date from the 12th Century, and the castle was renovated in the early 19th century to its present state. Recent renovations have added all modern conveniences while maintaining the original architecture and ambience. The bedrooms are furnished simply, for students, but the castle’s public rooms are large and lovely. There is a small resource center and computer lab within the castle."
The Location:
"Well is located midway between the Dutch cities of Nijmegen and Venlo, close to the border of Germany. Well is a small, quaint village of about 2,800 people, dotted with brick homes, lace curtains, flowers, cafés and shops and friendly people, most of whom speak English. There is bus service from Well to Venlo and Nijmegen; trains depart from Venlo and Nijmegen with connections to all over Europe."
Doing a little research, I discovered that Well is not only close to the border of Germany, but practically on top of it. Using mapquest, I found the most direct route to Germany and found out it is only about 5.5km away, which is about an 8 minute drive past the border (okay, Rikae...please don't hate me... ;) ). I don't know how useful that actually is, but I like the idea of living close to a border...makes it even easier to travel from country to country. And then I discovered Belgium is only a couple hours away or so...man, it's weird how small these countries are, especially for a girl who is used to living in a large state in a large country (it takes two hours just to get out of Idaho!)
Anyways, here's a picture from mapquest:
Language:
Of course, it's recommended we learn a few Dutch phrases before going. And I think it's smart to try to learn just out of common courtesy. Which is why I plan to get a Learn Dutch kit, hopefully for my birthday, or with my birthday money.
Passport/Visa:
I'm currently in the processing of filling out my passport application. I got the photos done and half of it filled out. I probably should finish and turn it in by the end of this week. As for the visa, I kind of get how we obtain one, but not really. Though I definitely need to figure this out so I can stay behind, I won't worry about it until I get my passport.
Schedule:
I kind of went through this already, but here it is in more detail:
January 17: Depart from Boston
January 18-20: Orientation
January 21: Classes Begin
February 14: Depart for London
February 15-19: Required Excursion
February 19-24: Independent Travel
March 24: Easter Monday - No Classes (now, would everything be closed that weekend, or would I be able to travel and play tourist as normal?)
March 27: Depart for Prague
March 28-31: Required Excursion
March 31- April 6: Independent Travel
April 17: Classes End
April 19-21: Final Exams
April 23: Depart for London
April 24: Required Excursion
April 25: Depart for Boston (of course, I'm hoping to stay behind, so I don't plan to participate in this)
Also, we don't have classes on Fridays, so we have three days to travel on the weekends. In fact, I think they actually expect us to travel on our own on the weekends...
Mobile/Cell Phones:
It's actually recommended for students to buy local mobile phones, and it's actually something I wanted to do in the first place. Phones are important to have, especially when your in a completely foreign place. Of course, I don't know anything about providers in the Netherlands...hopefully I'll get this figured out later. I wonder if there is some sort of plan or whatever where I could call internationally for cheap rates, as I think a lot of my calls would be international...
Internet:
The internet access is not 24 hours, but lasts from 8am -1am. This sucks since I'm a late-nighter whether it's doing homework, chatting/skyping, or blogging/on the BD. Of course, my internet time will already be limited with all the traveling I'll do. For example, there is no way I could possibly RPG or WW during the time I'm in Europe, sadly enough. Without internet, I'm just going to have to force myself to go to bed earlier.
This part does suck, but the fact that I will be in Europe will compensate. Anyways, I hope to be to distracted with excitement and traveling to even care about internet (of course, I'll still blog to keep everyone updated).
Packing:
Eep! This is one thing I'm really concerned about. I have this bad habit of completely overpacking. How do I take everything with me without shipping anything? This includes shoes, clothes, sheets, towel, school supplies, heavy textbooks. I'm not sure, but it's something I'll definitely have to figure out. This is probably going to be one of the most stressful parts of my trip. At least my mom said she'd pay to ship my souvenirs I buy overseas, so I won't have to worry about that.
ISIC:
"All participants are required to have an International Student Identification Card (ISIC). These cards will be provided as part of the travel package and should not be purchased individually. With the ISIC card you receive reductions on inter-European charter flights; on all forms of transportation; in hotels and hostels; at museums, movies, galleries, and special events; and in many shops. You will also receive some sickness and accident insurance, and access to a toll-free 24-hour traveler’s assistance hotline."
Hmm....what can I say? That's a pretty nice deal.
Train Travel:
"Participants who are U.S. Citizens or who have a green card or permanent resident status will purchase a 2-month Youthrail Pass as part of their European Travel Package. The pass gives unlimited 2nd-class train travel in 17 countries; however some express trains do require an additional fee. There are additional costs to reserve a seat or couchette (sleeping berth). Seat reservations are €4 and couchettes are €20. Participants will also spend approximately €110 for the term on bus tickets between Well and the Venlo and Nijmegen train stations."
Another nice deal we get. Though, it sounds like we have to pay for our own traveling once the third month hits.
Hostels:
"Those who intend to take advantage of youth hostels may wish to purchase a Hosteling International membership card here in the US for $28. Some participants have found the pass to be a good investment. In general, youth hotels and budget hotels are €20-€30 per night, and youth hostels range in price from €5-€20."
Interesting...I did not know about the membership card. I think I will pursue that...
Money:
Another one of my main concerns. Not only do I need to make sure I don't lack it, but I need to know how to access it in Europe. My mom already said she's getting me a credit card and she'd take care of the bill each month, so I will have that. As for accessing money via ATM, I have a Bank of America account, so I'm not sure how I will do that.
As far as currency goes, apparently they want us to have euros on hand before we leave the country. Understandable. Now I have a question. Is it fairly easy to exchange currency? Where can you get it done? I know it's something I'm going to have to deal with, so I'm just wondering...
Electricity:
I have to get adapters and converters for both Europe and Great Britain. I don't think this should be too difficult. Anyways, it's a good thing I stopped blow drying my hair because apparently American hairdryers tend to explode in Europe...heh.
And some pictures of my future temporary home:
(the dining hall)
No pictures of the rooms unfortunately; I wonder what they look like.
I'm still a little worried about scheduling my traveling...of course I'm planning to with school friends, but I don't see how that can be planned very far ahead of time. I also want to go on my own agenda, mostly to meet you BDers, but I'll have to coordinate that with my other travel. Ehh...it's probably not something I should worry about just yet. And there's no official info session until October, which is a little late, in my opinion. Oh well...
Ack! As you can see, I just can't wait to do this! Time does not move fast enough. The semester abroad is one of the things that keeps me going. :)
Geez, this is long. I probably put everyone to sleep with this entry. Sorry...