Logistics- IIPES 2010

Registration and Housing

Registration for all participants will take place on Saturday, July 24th from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m in the lobby of the dormitory at The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh). Signs placed around the campus will direct you to where you need to go. The address is:

Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania
Alsylio Agrokepion, PO Box 85
Chania 73100
Crete - Greece

Here is the official website of MAICh

Housing: There will be two students assigned to each dorm room. Each room is air conditioned and has a private bathroom. Each room contains 2 single beds and study areas. Towels and bed linens are provided, and there is maid service twice a week. There are also laundry facilities on campus.

The Fund for American Studies will assign your roommates. In order to promote cross-cultural exchange, roommates will be assigned so that students from the same country are not rooming together. If you smoke, please limit your smoking to areas outside your room unless your roommates give you permission to smoke in the room.

Keys: MAICh issues keys to each student. It is imperative that each roommate communicates in case a key is forgotten or lost. If the key is lost you will be charged a fee upon departure from campus.

Mail Delivery: Because of the short duration of the Institute and inconsistency ofinternational mailing, we recommend students receive no mail. However, students expecting mail should check at the reception desk for any incoming mail.

Internet Access: The dorm has wireless computer access in the main lobby. You may bring your wireless adapted computer into the lobby area and connect to the network. You may or may not be able to access it from your dorm room depending on the location of your room in terms of access to the network. There is also a computer room in the dorm lobby that will also be accessible.

Security: As with any dormitory situation, students must take appropriate care of any money or personal valuables and appropriate attention to who enters and leaves the room. Valuables should not be kept in the dorm room while you are not there. All dorms have closets that are suitable for clothing and luggage, but their locking devices tend to be unreliable. As maid service is regular, do not leave any valuables out in plain view. If you have any concerns regarding the storage of any money or valuables, contact the Institute's Program Assistant who will be working as a liaison with the dormitory staff.

Laundry: There are laundry machines on campus. There is a kiosk or multi-purpose store located close to campus where you can purchase soap or you can bring it with you.

EARLY ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE INFORMATION

If your travel plans require that you arrive or depart beyond the Institute dates, please inform us so that we can arrange appropriate accommodations. We encourage students to arrive on July 24th as rooms may not be available at the dormitory prior to the Institute. Your travel form is due by 3 June 2010. TFAS will cover only the nights of 24 July until 8 August. If you arrive before or depart after these dates, the price per night is 52 Euros. If you do not notify us before 3 June 2010, it might not be possible to reserve a room for you.

Here is a link to various accomodations around Chiana.

ENTRY TO GREECE

You may be required to obtain an entry visa to enter Greece. It is necessary that you call your regional Greek embassy or consulate for visa regulations as soon as possible.

An official letter of invitation signed by Mr. Theodossis Georgiou, Chairman of the Greek Association for Atlantic and European Cooperation will be sent to all students needing a visa. You will need this letter to obtain a visa or any other entry documents. We recommend that you carry this letter with you as you travel. Here is the contact information

GAAEC:
160A I. Drossopoulou str.
112 56
Athens
Greece

Phone: +30 210 865 5979

Fax: +30 210 865 4742

Email: info@gaaec.org

Here is a list of countries that will need a visa to enter Greece:

• Albania
• Algeria
• Armenia
• Bosnia/ Herzegovina
• Egypt
• Jordan
• Kosovo UNMIK
• Lebanon
• Libya
• Morocco
• Palestine
• Syria
• Tunisia
• Turkey

These countries do not need a visa to enter Greece:

• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• FYROM (biometric passport)
• Greece
• Israel
• Italy
• Malta
• Montenegro (biometric passport)
• Romania
• Serbia (biometric passport)
• USA

TRAVEL OPTIONS TO ARRIVE AT MAICH

GETTING TO CHANIA IMMEDIATELY

• By air using charter or (a limited number of) scheduled flights directly to Chania from many European cities.
• There may be no direct flights from your country to Chiana. You most likely will have to travel through Athens, the capital of Greece.

GETTING TO CHANIA VIA ATHENS

• By air to Athens and then by boat (Minoan Lines) from Piraeus- the Port of Athens.
• By air to Athens and then by boat (Anek Lines, Blue Stat) to Chania from Piraeus- the Port of Athens.
• By train or by bus to Athens and then by boat to Chania from Piraeus- the Port of Athens.
• By air, train or by bus to Athens and then a flight from Athens to Chania (Olympic Airways or Aegean Airlines)

Arriving in Athens by plane , at Eleftherios Venizelos Airport. The Airport is situated outside Athens ( 33 km ). Unless you travel to Chania by plane again, you will have to use either public buses, suburban railway, metro or a taxi to get to Piraeus, the port of Athens, in order to take a boat to Crete.

To get to Piraeus-the Port of Athens, you can go by bus, train, suburban rail & metro and taxi.

By Bus

The new Athens International Airport is accessible via Attiki Odos, a six-lane motorway constituting the Athens City Ring Road. Public transportation is provided by express airport bus connections with the Athens city center and the Port of Piraeus on a 24 hour basis, ensuring efficient transport of air travellers and facilitating linkage to key tourist attractions. We strongly recommend you using these express airport buses, since it is the cheapest and most convenient way of getting into the center or directly to the harbour.

Six public bus routes serve the airport exclusively connecting to the greater area of Athens and Piraeus.

• Χ 92 Kifisia - Athens Airport Express (24 hour operation)
• Χ 93 Kifisos Coach Station - Athens Airport Express
• Χ 94 Ethniki Amina - Athens Airport Express
• Χ 95 Syntagma - Athens Airport Express ( 24 hour operation)
• Χ 96 Piraeus - Athens Airport Express (recommended) (24 hour operation)
• Χ97 Dafni Metro Station - Athens Airport Express

Ticket price: €3.20 and is valid for 24 hours on all public transport means (buses, trolley-buses and metro), but only for one trip to or from the airport.

All Express Buses disembark their passengers at the Departures Level and they depart from the designated area located at the inner curb side of the Arrivals Level, between Doors 4-5. You should validate your ticket ONLY ONCE, if you start your travel using one of the airport express lines, or TWICE, in case you use one or more public transport lines prior to the use of an airport express line.

• Metro line 3: "Ethniki Amina" station
  - Express bus Χ 94
• Metro line 2 & 3: "Syntagma" station
  -Express bus Χ 95.
• Athens - Piraeus Electric Subway: "Stadium of Peace and Friendship" station
  - Express bus Χ 96

By Suburban Rail

  Athens International Airport is connected via the Suburban Rail to Larissis Station (Athens Central Railway Station). The last suburban rail from the airport is at 23:05.

The railway stations from Athens International Airport to Larissis Station are: Athens International Airport, Koropi, Kantza, Pallini, Doukissis Plakentias (Connection with Metro Line 3), Kifisias, Nerantziotisa (Connection with Metro Line 1), Iraklio, Acharnes Railway Junction (S.K.A), Larissis Station (Connection with Metro Line 2)

The journey time from Athens International Airport to Larissis Station is approximately 38 minutes.

By Metro

The direct Metro connection from the airport to the city center is momentarily closed due to construction. However, you can use the Suburban Rail to Nerantziotisa and take Metro Line 1 to either the city center (Monastiraki or Omonia) or proceed with the same line directly to Piraeus harbour.

Fares
Single fare €6

Metro line 1 is connected to:

• Metro line 2: Ag. Antonios - Agios Dimitrios at Syntagma station
• Suburban Rail: Larissis Station - Athens International Airport at Nerantziotisa Station

  In order to reach Piraeus port you must change from Suburban Rail to Metro at Nerantziotisa and take Metro Line 1, Direction Piraeus.

Combine the Attiko Metro with the public bus express services to the airport.

• Metro line 3: "Ethniki Amina" station
  - Express bus Χ 94
• Metro line 2 & 3: "Syntagma" station
  -Express bus Χ 95.
• Athens - Piraeus Electric Subway: "Stadium of Peace and Friendship" station
  - Express bus Χ 96

By Taxi

The airport is accessible by taxi on a 24-hour basis. Passengers reaching the Airport disembark at the Departures level, where they can proceed directly to the check-in counters. When leaving the airport, please make use of the taxi queue next to Door 3 of the Arrivals Level.

Indicative taxi charges are presented in the following table:

Prebooked Taxis: Prebooked taxis are provided upon request.

• Arriving in Athens by train: International trains arrive at the Stathmós Laríssis in the northwest of the city center; the virtually adjacent Peloponnissou station handles traffic to and from the Peloponnese. Just outside the train station there is a Metro Station which you can use to get to Omonia and from there you change for Piraeus. The yellow trolleybus (#1), which leaves from outside Laríssis, goes to Syntagma and either you will take X 95 to go to the airport or Metro to Monastiraki and from there the train to Piraeus.
• Arriving in Athens by bus : If you're coming into Athens by bus from northern Greece, you'll find yourself at Kifissoú 100, just a ten-minute ride from the middle of town by bus #051. Routes into the city from central Greece arrive rather closer to the centre at Liossíon 260, north of the train stations; from here you take the blue city bus #024 to Syntagma . Most international buses will take you to the train station or to Kifissoú 100; a few drop passengers right in the city centre.

If you want to go from the bus station to the Athens International Airport “El. Venizelos” you can use the bus (24 hour operation) X-93.

• Arriving in Athens by bus : If you're coming into Athensby bus from northern Greece, you'll find yourself at Kifissoú 100, just a ten-minute ride from the middle of town by bus #051. Routes into the city from central Greece arrive rather closer to the centre at Liossíon 260, north of the train stations; from here you take the blue city bus #024 to Syntagma . Most international buses will take you to the train station or to Kifissoú 100; a few drop passengers right in the city centre.

If you want to go from the bus station to the Athens International Airport “El. Venizelos” you can use the bus (24 hour operation) X-93.

PLEASE NOTE: We strongly recommend arranging your travel as early as possible as ferries tend to be booked out fast due to the high peak of season. In addition to this we strongly recommend to book your ferry only directly to Chania port. Although there are other ports on Crete (Heraklion, Rethimnon), the transportation from these ports to the MAICH campus in Chania is extremely complicated, time-consuming (3 hours drive) and expensive (you might need to take a Taxi in order to reach MAICH).

ARRIVING IN CHANIA FROM ATHENS (by plane)

• The best way to reach MAICh from the airport is by taxi. It will cost approximately 15 Euros.

• There are 3 airline companies flying from Athens to Chania.
• Aegean Airlines (www.aegeanair.com)
• Olympic Airlines (www.olympicairlines.com)
• Athens Airways (www.athensairways.com)
• The international code for the Athens Airport is [ATH] & for Chania Airport is [CHQ]

ARRIVING IN CHANIA – FROM ATHENS (by boat)

From the port of Chania you can reach MAICh by taxi, it will cost approximately 5 Euro or by bus No 13.

* Ferry companies tend to announce their schedules on very short notice. Here are some links for you to check on your own to give yourself enough leeway:

Bluestar Ferries: http://www.bluestarferries.gr/

ANEK Lines: www.anek.gr

• From the port of Chania you can reach MAICh by taxi, it will cost approximately 5 Euro or by bus No 13.

GETTING TO CHANIA VIA HERAKLION

If you are flying to Heraklion via Athens, the situation regarding transfers between terminals is the same as described above for Chania (see above).

Please note that the distance between Chania and Heraklion is approximately 140km. Rethminon is about halfway in between the two locations. A taxi from Heraklion costs approximately 125 Euros or more depending on the time of day.

In order to get from Heraklion to Chania, you will have to take a coach or taxi.

1 st Option: BUS . The journey by coach lasts two and a half hours. The coach leaves every hour from 05:30 to 20:30. You can ask the driver to drop you off at MAICh, instead of getting to the coach station in Chania . You can get from Heraklion airport to the Coach Station by bus. The bus departs every 5 min from 06:00 to 23:00. You will also have to walk 200 meters from the Bus stop to the Coach Station. The port of Heraklion is very close (~500 meters) to the Coach Station.

TIMETABLE OF THE BUSES

2 nd Option: TAXI . The other option (more expensive) is to take a taxi from the airport or port of Heraklion to Chania. The cost is approximately $ 99.00 USD (80 Euro), and it will take approximately an hour and a half.

Distances

• Port of Souda in Chania to MAICh: 2 km
• Airport in Chania to MAICh: 15 km

TRANSPORTATION

There is a bus that passes from Souda’s Avenue (MAICh) every 20 minutes and goes to the city of Chania. The ticket costs 0,80 Euro (normal) or 0,60 Euro (student fare). The last bus, No. 13, passes from MAICh for Chania at 22:20 and from the Market to MAICh at 22:40. The route is about 15 minutes.

The taxi route from MAICh to the city costs approximately 4,5 Euro together with the telephone call.

NIGHT TRANSPORTATION

Public transportation does not operate after midnight. You will have to use a taxi. Take note that taxi fares double after midnight. You should tell the taxi driver to use the meter.

HOUSING

There will be two students assigned to each dorm room. Each room is air conditionedand has a private bathroom. Each room contains 2 single beds (usually bunk beds) and study areas. Towels and bed linens are provided, and there is maid service twice a week. There are also laundry facilities on campus.

The Fund for American Studies will assign your roommates. In order to promote cross-cultural exchange, roommates will be assigned so that students from the same country are not rooming together. If you smoke, please limit your smoking to areas outside your room unless your roommates give you permission to smoke in the room.

TELEPHONE CALLS AND EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

It is not possible to call a room in the dormitory. However, there are pay phones throughout MAICh, which operate with calling cards that can be purchased atnewsstands.

In case of an emergency, family or friends can contact The Fund for American Studies in Washington, DC. or the offices of the Greek Association for Atlantic & European Cooperation in Athens. Representatives will immediately inform Institute staff in Chania. The Fund for American Studies can be contacted by phone at 001-202-986-0384 or by fax at 001-202-986-0390 and the Greek Association for Atlantic & European Cooperation can be contacted by phone at 001-30-210-865 5979 or by fax at 001-30-210-865 4742.

DRINKING WATER

The water is perfectly fine to drink. There is also a kiosk close to campus where you canpurchase bottled water and other items.

MEALS

Meals will be provided to all Institute participants at the dining facilities of MAICh. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served each day unless scheduled otherwise (Sunday lunches are not served). For anyone with special dietary requirements (kosher, vegetarian, etc.), you must contact us via email at bmoore@tfas.org no later than June 30th.

WHAT TO BRING

In class, you may dress casually. There will be one or two occasions where you will need to wear business attire (suits and ties for men, dresses or suits for women). Make sureyou have a pair of comfortable walking shoes for tours and sightseeing. You may want to bring a bathing suit and beach towels if you plan on taking any trips to the beach. Although the weather in Crete will be very warm, all dorm rooms and classrooms are air conditioned (so you might want to bring a sweater with you for class).

For the Country Presentations Evening, you may want to bring traditional music, dress or other props for the show. Prior to arriving, a completed list of students from each country will be sent by email to all students based on citizenship. The list will contain email address, and students can coordinate with each other as to what to bring for the Country Presentations Evening.

Students will not need to bring linens for their bed. Towels will be provided but it is highlyrecommended that students bring towels from home.

Students should bring notebooks, paper and writing instruments for classes. Reading materials will be provided through our online website at www.tfasinternational.org. Hard copies of the readings will not be provided at registration.

International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

The International Student Travel Confederation (a service of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) issues the ISIC for students to help in their travels around the world. ISIC holders can receive travel related benefits and services throughout the world, including health insurance. Many travel agencies, airlines, museums and other entertainment and travel related organizations recognize the ISICand offer significant discounts. The ISIC costs approximately $20. To obtain an ISIC, students must have a passport, a passport-sized photograph and proof that you are a full-time student. There are over 5000 organizations worldwide that issue the ISIC. For more information, visit the ISTC website on the Internet at www.istc.org , or you can call collect the ISIC Help Line anywhere in the world at 44-181-666-9205.

MEDICAL INSURANCE

Most countries have bilateral agreements with Greece for recognition of medical insurance. Check with your health insurer to see what their policy is for international travel; insurance may be limited to emergency room coverage only. ISIC holders are offered a helpful travel insurance policy (see International Student Identity Card below ). Have yourlocal insurance agency (or Social Security depending upon the case) provide you with the appropriate forms you should carry with you in case you need medical care.

CHANGING MONEY

Please plan to bring enough money to cover entertainment and transportation costs, incidental expenses and whatever souvenir shopping you might want to do. Students can exchange money at banks located in the airport. You can also use bank machines (ATM’s) located in Chania. Credit cards are frequently accepted at restaurants, bars and shops – but different prices might apply for credit card purchases.

INSTITUTE STAFF

Throughout the Institute, there will be several Institute staff members living on campus who will be available to assist you: Mr. Matthew Kwasiborski, Director of AIPES and IIPES Institutes.

QUESTIONS

If you have additional questions before arriving, please contact the staff at The Greek Association for Atlantic & European Cooperation at telephone number +30-210-865 5979, fax number +30-210-865 4742, or email at info@gaaec.org.