TSA Travel Tips

Please visit the TSA website at the following link to review their most current information on security checkpoint screening, as well as their restrictions for both carry-on and checked luggage. Preparing for screening before arrival at the airport will allow us to move more quickly and efficiently through the security process! Here is the link:

http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2007/press_release_05242007b.shtm

Please take the time to follow their various links on the page.

Credit and Debit cards

Apparantly many credit and debit card companies have added some hefty charges for using these cards overseas. In addition to selecting the exchange rate most favorable to the company, they are also tacking on "exchange" fees that can be as much as $5.00 per transaction. So before we leave you might want to call your financial institution and find out what their fees are. Then have a discussion with your delegate about how they should spend their money. Perhaps they should get more cash at an ATM and use the card less frequently?

You did remember to call the financial institution and let them know the card would be used overseas, and the dates of travel, didn't you?

During our program

Should you have any questions during our trip, the Delegate Assistance Team is always ready and available to assist you and get your questions answered! You may call them at 1 (800) 669-7882. The team is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, during our trip. If necessary, they will even be able to call me on my cell phone.

Full On Experience Disclosure of Risk

Images of delegates enjoying the Full On Experience in Wales last summer!

This will be the third year our delegates will have the opportunity to participate in the Full On Experience. Each time, it has been one of the highlights of the trip for all involved!

If you can't read it above, here is a reconstructed version:

During the Full On 'self awareness and personal development day', participants will have the opportunity to personally challenge themselves by participating in adventure and educational based activities.

In Assisi, Italy the main activity is rapelling down the side of a restored tower.

Participating in these activivites can be dangerous, risky and result in serious consequences if undertaken by inexpereienced and/or unqualified people. However when underaken by trained professionals using industry approved equipment, the anmount of actual risk is very minimal and manageable, while the "perceived" risk (the risk we think there is) remains high.

One of the great things about 'Adventure Learning' is this perceived risk and the feelings and emotions it evokes can create a very powerful and meaningful learning opportunity, which is why is is included in the Full On Experience.

The staff and management pf Full On have taken all practicable steps to indentfy ana minimise potential dangers. For example some of the things we do include:

• Conducting site specific Risk Assessments for all activities


• Following comprehensive Safety Management Plans


• Using competent and trained instructors


• Conducting pre season training and assessment for all instructors to ensure competence with site specific activities and safety procedures


• Conducting Psychological Risk training


• Regularly reviewing all aspects of our Safety Management Plan


• Inviting external safety auditors on site to assess 'in operation'


• Using only industry checked and approved safety equipment

All participants must follow opur instructions and use the provided safety equipment. We reserve the right to withdraw any person who in our opinion is likely to endanger themselves or others. e also reserve the right to cancel activities on the 'Full On Experience' if we become concerned for any reason for your safety or that of any other person.

Whilst we cannot guarantee the absolute safety of participants, we can guarantee that:

• We will have done all we can to be prepared for any possible accident or emergency


• We have in place and follow best practice operational and safety systems and procedures


• We will use only trained, assessed and competent outdoor instructors and guides

Yours faithfully

Paul Nicholson, Operations Director, Full On New Zealand Limited

One last note: for this activity, please bring comfortable, worn-in athletic shoes

Service Project

We've only heard, so far, from the Humane Society, but they were very appreciative of the donations all of you made to their cause. Kudos to all who donated!

Phone tree

Tracie Norman (Brittani's mom) has volunteered to put our phone tree together. She'll be emailing everyone soon, but we could help her out by emailing to her the following information at: tracie.norman@comcast.net

Delegate's name
Parent's/Guardian's name
Daytime phone number
Evening phone number
Cell phone number

Thank you!

Cameras

As a general rule, delegates should not take anything with them they would be sorry to lose. In other words, no valuables! An exception would be their camera.

There will be so many photo opportunities, delegates will want to take a large number of pictures. Disposable cameras just wouldn't work, because they would need so many of them. The problem with film cameras is they require a lot of film, which can be damaged by airport screening machines. Also, traditional film cameras don't allow you to see the shot you just took until you get home and get it developed.

Digital cameras solve all of these problems. However, as Mrs. Makfinsky pointed out in our meeting Sunday, make sure you have a large storage card, or more than one card. Costco sells 2 GB cards (enough for over 1000 pictures) for about $25. You'll pay up to three times that at a souvenir shop in Europe.

Our Contest

Nancy Zhang is currently in the lead. With school soon out for summer, I know you'll have more time on your hands, so get involved! You'll have fun getting to know the delegates you'll be spending three weeks with this summer.

Baggage limits

This information was forwarded to me by Brittani Norman's mom. Thanks for this useful information!

Here's what I found out from the Lufthansa website regarding the luggage -

Weight limit is 50 lbs. (23kg); cost for overage between 50-70 lb. (23-32kg) = $50 USD

Size limit is 158 cm or 62.2 inches; cost for overage = $105 (website says 1 "unit" so I called and they said 1 unit = $105)

Here is a link to Lufthansa's site:

http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/us/info_and_services/baggage?l=en&nodeid=1769640&cid=1000390

Earthquake update

There was an earthquake earlier today in Greece. I don't think it will impact our program. The closest we'll be to the epicenter is the port where we catch our ferry to Italy. I've searched the news sources and haven't found any reports of damage in Patras, the port city.

That having been said, please know that People to People places our safety above everything else. If there is any damage that would impact our travel plans, those plans will be changed. However, I don't think there will need to be any change in our plans. If there are any changes, we'll let you know immediately!

Our Accommodations

Our accomodations are listed on the People to People web site. Based upon the information presented there, I've tracked down websites for our accomodations. Remember, these are subject to change. They're also subject to the accuracy of my internet search abilities!

Athens, Greece

http://en.venere.com/hotels_athens/glyfada/hotel_london.html

Isthmia, Greece

http://www.hotel-prime.gr/index.php?mylang=english

Overnight ferry to Bari, Italy

Castellamare di Stabia, Italy (south of Naples)

http://www.piccoleancelle.it/

Rome

http://hotels.hotelopia.com/italy/rome/hotel-giotto.html

Cannara, Italy

http://www.onetravelsource.com/21272000.html

Castellare di Pescia, Italy

http://www.rphotels.com/hotels/hotels.php?pg=mappa&lg=EN&tipo=hotel&cont=rose

Creazzo-Vicenza, Italy

http://www.vergilius.it/jspvergilius/hotel.jsp?lang=en

Overnight train Venice to Paris

Guesthouse, Chartres, France

http://blogsperso.orange.fr/web/jsp/blog.jsp?page=2&blogID=516251


Paris Novotel Pont de Sèvres

http://www.accorhotels.com/accorhotels/fichehotel/gb/nov/1979/fiche_touristiques.shtml

Paris update

Part of our time in Paris will be spent meeting with a group of local students who are themselves organinzing a trip to Romania later this summer. They'll be working in a village helping young children in need, and look forward to telling us all about their plans. They even have a website:

http://blogsperso.orange.fr/web/jsp/blog.jsp?page=1&blogID=516251

I'm looking into how we could help them with their project, and will provide updates later.

June Meeting Update

We’re getting close to our June meeting, so I wanted to send everyone this update. There is a lot of information here so please read this carefully, and let me know right away if you have any questions.

The meeting is Sunday, June 8th, from 2:00 to 5:00 P.M. at Goodman Middle School, located at 3701 38th Ave NW, Gig Harbor, WA, 98335. For those of you familiar with the building, we’ll meet upstairs in room 201-202. For those of you unfamiliar with the building, we’ll have volunteers available at the front door to assist you.

What you need to do to be ready for the meeting:

1. We’ll have our project presentations at the meeting, so you need to be ready to present. If you need any technology I’ll have a computer with a projector, plus a document camera we can use. Please arrive early (1:30) if you need to set up for your presentation. Some of you have not yet told me what your topic will be; please let me know right away.

2. We’ll hand out everyone’s bio sheet, but we can only hand out yours if you bring copies for everyone. I already have copies from the Wisconsin delegation, and I’ll send them ours once you turn yours in.

3. I’ve received everyone’s polo shirt, name badge, lanyard, and luggage tags, so we’ll be passing out those items at the meeting. Kelly and Andy, we’ll need to make other arrangements to get yours to you.

4. If there have been any changes to the information on the health form since you turned yours in (new medications, etc.) please bring a revised copy to the meeting. I’ve already received one by email, which is another way to get it to me.

5. At the meeting, parents will be asked to fill out an emergency contact form. It’ll ask for information such as contact numbers for your delegate’s doctor, and alternate emergency phone numbers in case of emergency (a close friend or relative), so please bring that information to the meeting.

6. We need two copies of your passport, just the page with your photo. We need these for two reasons. You’ll have one to use on the program for identification, and the second one will be used in case we need to have an emergency replacement. For that purpose, we also ask you to bring a second set of passport photos. They do NOT need to be identical to the one in your passport.

7. Please read, consider, and sign the “Success Contract” in the protocol handbook, and bring it to the meeting. We’ll have a little ceremony at the end of the meeting, where you’ll be asked to pledge to follow the contract, and receive your People to People pin.

8. For our service project, we’ll be collecting items at the meeting, so please bring them. Just leave them in your car, and after the meeting we’ll transfer them in the parking lot.

This meeting is very important. Your attendance (except for Andy) is, therefore, also very important. If you cannot make it for any reason please let me know right away. Your leadership team will be at a training meeting that morning, so please don’t email me or try to call me at home after 8:00 A.M. Sunday; I’ll not get the message until after the meeting if you do.