Brown-in-Czech Republic Handbook 2009-2010
Introduction ............................................................................................................................2 Program Contacts in Prague ..............................................................................................3 Program Calendar ..................................................................................................................4 Passport and Visa ..............................................................................................................5 Pre-Departure Information ...............................................................................................5 Health Issues ......................................................................................................................6 Health Insurance ................................................................................................................7 Pre-Departure Checklist .................................................................................................11 Dismissal Policy....................................................................................................................11 Czech Republic .....................................................................................................................12 Prague .....................................................................................................................................15 Collegium Hieronymi Pragensis ........................................................................................16 Orientation ............................................................................................................................16 Academics at Collegium Hieronymi Pragensis ............................................................17 The Language Course .......................................................................................................18 Housing ...................................................................................................................................19 Money Matters ....................................................................................................................21 Bank Accounts and Banking ............................................................................................21 Budget for Prague ............................................................................................................22 Budget for Tübingen ........................................................................................................22 Telephone ...........................................................................................................................23 A Note on Computers ......................................................................................................24 Snail Mail ............................................................................................................................24 Transportation .....................................................................................................................25 Measurement Conversions ................................................................................................25 Check List: Before Leaving Prague ...............................................................................27
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Introduction
This handbook is designed to assist you with the process of preparing for your journey to Prague and participation in the Brown in the Czech Republic program. It will answer questions about what to expect of the program, but you should also consider purchasing a Czech Republic guidebook, which will offer more specific information about the country and the city of Prague. We at the OIP would like to emphasize that programs abroad require enormous flexibility, openness to change and willingness to expect the unexpected. All returning study abroad students reiterate the importance of these qualities in having a successful sojourn in any other country. Students who opt for the Brown in the Czech Republic program must understand that it is by no stretch of the imagination Brown transplanted in Prague. The experience differs distinctly from the American college experience in many ways – academically, socially and emotionally. As you read this handbook, we urge you to ask yourself if you have taken the necessary steps to prepare for this challenge. Are you excited about the opportunity to develop an awareness of a different culture? An intercultural experience is always an emotionally intense and profoundly challenging experience for the participant. If you have any questions or concerns now or while abroad, please contact our office immediately. We accept collect calls from abroad in emergencies! If you encounter an emergency, and it’s not during normal business hours at Brown, you can call Police & Security at (401) 863-3322. They will reach one of us at all times. Ask them to contact the Director of International Programs, Kendall Brostuen, at home following their emergency procedure directions from our office. Brown University Office of International Programs Box 1973 Providence, RI 02912 Tel. 401-863-3555 Fax. 401-863-3311 Email: OIP@brown.edu Enjoy your time in Prague!!
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Program Contacts & Addresses
Collegium Hieronymi Pragensis Jungmannova 9 110 00 Praha - Nove Mesto Czech Republic
CHP Webpage: http://www.chp.cz/ Program Questions: info@chp.cz Telephone: 011-420-296-245-059 Fax: 011-420-296-245-058
Dr. Zdenek Stary, Program Director E-Mail: zstary@chp.cz
Alzbeta Wranova, Program Coordinator Email: alzbeta@chp.cz
Anna Smetanova, Administrative Associate Manager Email: anna@chp.cz
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Program Calendar and Public Holidays
The arrival dates in Prague are indicated below. You must arrive by LATEST 12:00 (noon) on Saturday, as orientation begins that afternoon. However, if for any reason you need to arrive a few days earlier, you will need to ask Alzbeta about places to stay until the dorm opens. It is important that you check with your travel agent a.s.a.p. in order to get flights for these dates. Fall Semester 2009 Arrival dates:....................................................................................................... August 28 or 29 Orientation begins: ........................................................................ August 29 in the afternoon Core Course begins: ...................................................................................................... August 31 Regular Fall semester classes begin: ................................................................. September 16 Fall break:.............................................................................................................. November 2 - 6 Classes end: ................................................................................................................ December 15 Exams: ................................................................................................................. December 16 - 18 Fall semester ends: .................................................................................................. December 18 Spring Semester 2010 (approximate dates) Arrival dates:...................................................................................................... January 15 or 16 Orientation: ........................................................................................................... January 16 - 17 Core Course begins ...................................................................................................... January 18 Regular Spring semester classes begin: ..................................................................February 3 Spring break: ............................................................................................................ March 15 - 19 Classes end: ............................................................................................................................ May 11 Exams: ............................................................................................................................ May 12 - 14 Spring semester ends: ........................................................................................................ May 14 Public Holidays September 28, October 28, November 17, Easter Monday, April 5, May 1, May 8
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Passport & Visa Information
Your passport MUST be up to date and valid for at least 6 months past the date of your final return to the United States. In order to enter the Czech Republic as a US citizen, you will need to obtain a student visa. For students who are not US citizens: Make sure your necessary US visa documents are up to date with Brown’s Foreign Student and Scholars Office for your re-entry to the US. Students who are not American citizens must also verify the Czech regulations pertaining to their nationalities and secure any special entry documents that may be required. Do this early, as considerable time may be necessary for clearance to be obtained for citizens of certain countries. Consult the OIP if you have questions about the information you receive from the Czech Consulate.
Obtaining a Student Visa
At your Brown in the Czech Republic Pre-Departure Orientation, you will receive a current handout on the visa process. Please read through this handout carefully. All instructions and forms for applying for student visas can also be found on the Czech Consulate website: http://www.mzv.cz/washington/en/consular_information/visa_residency/student_visa/ index.html You must begin the visa application process immediately upon receiving the application instructions. All visas have to be approved by the Czech Immigration Police, therefore the processing time is approximately 70 days from the date the Embassy receives the complete application. Therefore, the Embassy recommends that applicants send their applications at least 3 months before their intended departure from the U.S. There is
absolutely no way to rush the process!
Remember to mail the visa application through registered mail or some form of mail which can be traced. Make sure to note the tracking number on your selfaddressed envelope for your records! After the visa is approved, a Czech Visa sticker will be pasted on your passport and returned to you in the overnight envelope you provided.
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Health Issues: Pre-Departure & Abroad
All students should have a complete physical check-up, including an eye exam, prior to their departure. Also, please make sure to take care of any dental problems that might flare up while away from home for a year or semester. There are no special immunizations required for travel to the Czech Republic. The same holds true for Western Europe. If you plan to travel outside of Western Europe during your stay, please check with the Center for Disease Control (http://www.cdc.gov/), a reputable travel clinic, and the consulate of that country for required entry documents and immunizations. If you take prescription medicine regularly, including contraceptives, take enough with you for the entire time you are away. Medicines differ from country to country, and it may be difficult to obtain the exact formula you need. At customs you might be asked for a doctor’s certificate attesting to any prescriptions you are carrying with you, so you should take this documentation with you. It is important to have your doctor provide you with the generic names of drugs, in case you need to consult a local doctor or get an equivalent prescription while abroad. If you wear contact lenses, consider taking extra solution and a special sterilizing unit with you, as well as a spare set of lenses or glasses. Contact lens solutions, even when under the same brand name, may differ from country to country. Remember to take your solution with you, especially if you have sensitive eyes or rely on a specific solution. Remember to take a copy of your lens prescription as well in case you lose a contact or break your glasses.
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Health Insurance
Be sure to consult your insurance provider for coverage overseas, and remember that most places will ask for payment up front and expect you to get reimbursed from your insurance provider. You can save time getting reimbursed by taking claims forms with you for your insurance. You will need proof of health insurance to obtain your student visa (see your visa handout for details) and to enter the Czech Republic. When entering the country, you will need to provide a Czech translation of the letter in additional to the original letter in English. Staff at CHP can translate the letter for you, but make sure to fax or email it with enough time (see Program Contacts & Addresses section of this handbook for contact information). All students on Brown programs will automatically be billed for Brown Health Insurance. This fee will vary depending on the semester away. Students on Brown programs will receive information in regards to this bill from the Office of Insurance and Risk. The bill will be waived ONLY if students return the "Health Insurance Waiver Form" to the Office of Insurance and Risk. Remember! You must return the "Health Insurance Waiver Form" for the bill to be waived! For more information, contact the Office of Insurance and Risk: 401-863-9481.
If you are carrying Brown student health insurance, medical/prescription claim forms are available at the Office of Insurance and Risk website at: www.brown.edu.insurance.
If you have any questions regarding Brown student insurance, you can call or write to:
Cheryl Moan Brown University Office of Insurance and Risk Box 1848 Providence, RI 02912 Ph# 401-863-9481 Email: Cheryl_Moan@Brown.EDU
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Travel Assistance & Emergency Insurance
All Brown and non-Brown students on Brown programs will be covered by International SOS Travel Insurance. Brown’s group membership number is 11BSGC000031. The services provided by International SOS range from telephone advice and referrals to full-scale evacuation by private air ambulance. The SOS network of multilingual specialists operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year from SOS Alarm Centers around the world. Contact numbers in case of emergency are:
If calling from: U.S. or Canada
Call Alarm Center in: Philadelphia, PA
At this number: 1-800-523-6586 Call collect: 1-215-942-8226 Call collect: 00-215-942-8226 Call collect: 00-215-942-8226 Call collect: 44-208-762-8008 Call collect: 65-6338-7800
Mexico South and Central America Europe, CIS, Africa or the Middle East Asia, Australia or the Pacific Rim
Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA London Singapore
You can access up-to-date reports on more than 170 countries worldwide on health issues, medical care and vaccination requirements via the International SOS website— your home page for travel health and safety information. It is important to understand that, although International SOS will offer you travel, medical and security advice and services, as well as on-line access to information which many insurance companies do not offer, International SOS is NOT health insurance. Requests for reimbursement for medical care received while abroad should be submitted to your health insurance provider. Remember that your first contact should always be your site coordinator. If you are traveling and/or in a situation where you are not able to reach your contact for your
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coordinator, you should contact the Brown University Public Safety Office at 401-8633322 or International SOS, who will work to meet your needs immediately and will contact the University’s on-call staff in the United States while coordinating services with Brown University.
Please be aware that some of International SOS’s services carry additional charges. Should you request a service which has an additional charge, International SOS will inform you in advance and will require a credit card number in order to activate the service. If, in the event of an emergency, Brown University provides the financial guarantee to International SOS on your behalf, the University will bill you for this charge upon receipt of the actual amount by ISOS. Please know that such charges may not be billed until after you return from the trip abroad.
Should you have any questions about the coverage, please call the Office of Insurance and Risk at 401-863-9481 or visit the International SOS website: http://www.internationalsos.com/private/Brownu/. For reference purposes, Brown’s group membership number is 11BSGC000031.
Medical Care in Prague
CHP has made arrangements for students to use the Health Centre, which is about a 2 minute walk from CHP's center: Health Centre Prague, Vodickova 28, Prague 1. You must make an appointment to see a doctor there. The Health Centre accepts credit cards for payment. They offer general practitioner services, laboratory services, ECG, and X-rays, and they can arrange specialist appointments as needed. Remember to keep your receipts for reimbursement by your insurance provider. In case of a medical emergency, students should call the emergency service at the Health Centre. If an ambulance is needed, the dorm receptionist or anyone from CHP can assist you in calling an ambulance (ambulance #155). The closest hospitals are Ke Karlovu or Na Frantisku.
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Pre-Departure Checklist
1. If you do not already have one, apply for a passport a.s.a.p. (you will need the passport in order to obtain your visa). Also, make sure your passport is valid for at least six months past your date of departure from Prague. 2. Obtain a letter from your Health Insurance Provider verifying that you are covered in the Czech Republic and email or fax it to CHP to have it translated into Czech. 3. Apply for your student visa. Make sure you do this early, as it takes a long time to be processed. 4. Make photocopies of important documents – your passport, visa stamp, driver's license, health insurance card and acceptance letter from CHP - and put them in a separate place from the original documents. 5. Have your medical, dental and vision check-ups as recommended. 6. Plan to have financial backup for your entire stay. Traveler’s checks, credit cards and ATM cards are options. See the Money Matters chapter for more information. 7. Meet with your concentration advisor to discuss any credit that you want to have count toward your concentration. General credit for graduation will transfer automatically. 8. Check with the OIP to make sure you have submitted all necessary documents. 9. Prepare yourself. Read this handbook, the FAQs of Study Abroad, the General OIP Study Abroad Handbook, and a guide book on Prague and the Czech Republic. 10. Email or mail the staff at both CHP and the OIP your flight itinerary. 11. Purchase electrical converters and outlet adaptors for all appliances you take with you. The electric supply in the Czech Republic is 220 volts, 50 cycles. Converters can be found at any hardware or electronics store in the U.S. Don’t use a cheap converter, as they have been known to burn out and damage appliances. Ask a reputable computer store for good quality converters. 12. Pack items that are meaningful and will help you relax and in your room in Prague.
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Documents Needed upon Entering the Country
1. Passport. Check that it is valid for 6 months after your departure date from Prague. 2. Visa stamp in passport. Remember to apply for this early! 3. Four passport photos - necessary for dorm IDs, student public transport passes, etc. A convenient and cheap place to have passport photos taken is at CVS on Thayer Street. 3. Health Insurance Letter (English original and Czech translation) verifying that you are covered during your stay in the Czech Republic. 4. Acceptance Letter from Collegium Hieronymi Pragensis. 5. Medication and prescription documentation. Remember to keep all prescriptions in their original packaging so that customs officials know what they are. 6. The equivalent in Euro of about $200 for the first couple of days and secure financial backup for your entire stay (see the section on Money Matters in this handbook).
Dismissal Policy
The Office of International Programs in consultation with the Site Personnel and the Program Faculty Directors at Brown reserves the right to dismiss a student and require that they leave immediately if in our judgment the student behaves in a manner which endangers him/herself, others on the program or the program’s continued operations. Illegal drug use is grounds for immediate dismissal.
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The Czech Republic
The arrival of the Slavs in the 5th and 6th centuries began the Czechs' rich history. Its tribes adopted Christianity and united in the short-lived Great Moravian Empire (830-906), which came to include western Slovakia, Bohemia, Silesia and parts of eastern Germany, south-eastern Poland and northern Hungary. Towards the end of the 9th century, the Czechs seceded to form the independent state of Bohemia. In 950, the German King Otto I conquered Bohemia and incorporated it into his Holy Roman Empire. In 1212, the pope granted the prince Otakar I the right to rule as king. His son and successor Otakar II tried to claim the title of Holy Roman Emperor as well as king of the Czechs, but the crown went to Rudolph Hapsburg. Strong rule under the Hapsburgs brought with it Bohemia's Golden Age. Prague grew into one of Europe's largest and most important cities and was ornamented with fine Gothic landmarks. The late 14th and early 15th centuries witnessed an influential Church-reform movement, the Hussite Revolution, led by the Czech Jan Zizka who was inspired by the teachings of Jan Hus. The spread of Hussitism had threatened the Catholic status quo all over Europe. In 1420 combined Hussite forces defended Prague against the first of a series of anti-Hussite crusades, which the pope launched. Though they were up against larger and better equipped forces, the Hussites repeatedly raided deep into Germany, Poland and Austria.
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In 1526 the Czech kingdom again came under control of the Catholic Hapsburgs. In 1618, the Bohemian Estates, protesting against both the Hapsburgs' failure to deliver on promises of religious tolerance and the loss of their own privileges, threw two Hapsburg councilors from an upper window of Prague Castle (they survived with minor injuries). This famous defenestration sparked the Thirty Years' War. The Czechs lost their rights, property and almost their national identity, through forced Catholicization and Germanisation, and their fate was sealed for the next three centuries.
In the 19th century, the Czech lands joined in the 1848 revolutions sweeping Europe, and Prague was the first city in the Austrian Empire to rise in favor of reform. The dream of an independent state began to be realized during WW I. Eventually Czechs and Slovaks agreed to form a single nation of two equal republics. The First Republic initially experienced an industrial boom; however, slow development, the Great Depression, an influx of Czech bureaucrats and the breaking of a promise of a Slovak state, generated calls for Slovak autonomy. Czechoslovakia was not left to solve its problems in peace. Most of Bohemia's threemillion German speakers fell for the dream of a greater Germany, Hitler demanded (and got) the Sudetenland in 1938 and the Czechs prepared for war. Although Bohemia and Moravia suffered little material damage in the war, much of the Czech intelligentsia was killed, and the Germans wiped out most of the Czech underground. Tens of thousands of Czech and Slovak Jews perished in concentration camps. On May 5, 1945, the population of Prague rose against the German forces as the Red Army approached from the east. The Germans, granted passage out of the city by the victorious Czech resistance, began pulling out on May 8th. Most of Prague was thus liberated before Soviet forces arrived the next day.
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Czechoslovakia was re-established, and in the 1946 elections, the Communists became the largest party, with 36% of the popular vote. The 1950s was an era of harsh repression and decline as the Communist economic policies nearly bankrupted the country. Many people were imprisoned, and hundreds were executed or died in labor camps, often for little more than a belief in democracy. In the 1960s, Czechoslovakia enjoyed a gradual liberalization. A new president, the former Slovak party leader Alexander Dubcek, represented a popular desire for full democracy and an end to censorship - 'socialism with a human face'. Soviet leaders crushed the short-lived 'Prague Spring' of 1968 with an invasion of Warsaw Pact troops on the night of 20-21 August. By the end of the next day, 58 people had died. In 1969, Dubcek was replaced and exiled to the Slovak forestry department. Around 14,000 party functionaries and 500,000 members who refused to renounce their belief in 'socialism with a human face' were expelled from the Party and lost their jobs. Totalitarian rule was reestablished and dissidents were routinely imprisoned. The Communist regime remained in control after the fall of the Berlin Wall in late 1989. But on November 7th, Prague's Communist youth movement held a demonstration in memory of nine students executed by Nazis in 1939. A peaceful crowd of 50,000 were cornered, some 500 were beaten by the police and about 100 were arrested. The following days leading dissidents, with Vaclav Havel at the forefront, formed an antiCommunist coalition which negotiated the government's resignation on 3 December. A 'Government of National Understanding' was formed, with the Communists as minority members. Havel was elected president on 29 December and Dubcek was elected speaker of the national assembly. The days after the demonstration have become known as the 'Velvet Revolution' because there were no casualties. Voices for autonomy in Slovakia were getting stronger, and a vocal minority was demanding independence. Finally, it was decided by prime ministers of both republics and other leading politicians that splitting the country was the best solution. Many people, including President Havel, called for a referendum, but even a petition signed by a million Czechoslovaks was not enough for the federal parliament to agree on how to arrange it. In the end Havel resigned from his post, and on 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia ceased to exist for the second time this century. Prague became the capital of the new Czech Republic, and Havel was promptly elected its first president. Thanks to stringent economic policies, booming tourism and a solid industrial base, the Czech Republic is seeing a strong recovery. Unemployment is negligible, shops are full and many cities are getting facelifts. The picture is not all rosy, however: there is an acute shortage of affordable housing, steeply rising crime, severe pollution and a deteriorating health system. But the newly founded democracy and its radical economic transformation seem to be working.
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Prague
Prague, capital of the Czech Republic and of central Bohemia, stretches along the banks of the River Vltava in the middle-western part of the country.
Modern Prague is a tourist’s delight. It can literally be called one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Since the ninth century, when it became the capital of Bohemia, Prague has passed through several distinct transformations which have inscribed it with its unique character. The original Romanesque city core was expanded considerably in Gothic style, especially during the reign of Charles IV, who also established a university in Prague in 1348. The Counter-Reformation of the seventeenth century and the eighteenth century added a thick Baroque layer to the physiognomy of the city. Finally, around the turn of the century, Prague was made into a modern European metropolis, adding many Art Nouveau elements. But beyond the tourists and the recent renovations lies a city rich in stories of the human experience. Prague has been the site of conflicts between the East and West, religious wars, a victim of the Holocaust and more recently the struggle for freedom and democracy. While walking through the different neighborhoods you may come across a special shrine in remembrance of fallen heroes of a past war, or the Jewish cemetery containing the remains of a once rich and prosperous community. This is the Prague we hope you will discover during your stay.
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Arrival at CHP
Arrival in Prague
Upon your arrival in Prague (assuming you arrive on one of the two pre-planned arrival dates – see the Program Calendar section of this handbook for dates), you will be met at the airport by the program staff. Remember to inform CHP and the OIP about your travel plans so these arrangements can be made.
For airport arrivals:
Inform CHP and the OIP of arrival time, airline, and flight number. The coordinator will meet you in the airport after you have gone through customs and baggage claim. She/he will then take you to Jerome House and introduce you briefly to your new neighborhood. In the case of a flight delay, please notify CHP.
and time of your arrival in Prague. The coordinator will meet you on the platform. Please do not leave the platform - wait there for someone to meet you.
For train or bus arrivals: The OIP needs to know the train or bus number and the date
If you don't arrive at the scheduled meeting date, you will need to take a taxi to Jerome House (which is relatively expensive). Please make sure you check with CHP about early arrivals, as your rooms may not yet be available. If they are not, you will be responsible for making alternate hotel arrangements until program housing becomes available. Please note that shops have more limited hours than in the United States but generally the department store/supermarket, Tesco, is open 7 days per week.
Orientation
The orientation is designed to help you find your way in the new environment. It begins just after you've checked in at your dorm and will assist you in matters such as registering with the police in Prague, settling financial matters, getting your first transport pass, and familiarizing you with local shops, health centers and areas of interest.
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Academics at CHP
Collegium Hieronymi Pragensis
Collegium Hieronymi Pragensis (CHP) is named after a Czech medieval philosopher, preacher, and religious reformer Hieronymus Pragensis (Jeronym Prazsky or Jerome of Prague). Jerome of Prague led universities in Paris, Prague, Heidelberg, and Koln am Rhein. He brought the writings of John Wyckliffe from Oxford to Prague in 1409. The Council of Constance sentenced him along with Jan Hus to death because of his views and had them burned at the stake in Constance in 1416.
Overview of Academics The CHP program draws internationally recognized faculty with excellent research and teaching records from academic and research institutions, including Charles University in Prague and Czech Academy of Sciences, Central European University. Many professors have experience teaching in U.S. and European colleges and universities. Although many courses deal with topics related to the Czech Republic and Central Europe, the research interests of many faculty members go beyond these areas. The courses in the CHP program therefore have an exciting comparative dimension. They also allow students to look at European and Czech cultures from varying perspectives, including the viewpoint of a Central European nation on the threshold of West and East. The program also organizes several one-day field trips to important historical sites outside Prague and reimburses limited costs connected with individual travel to recommended destinations in the Czech Republic.
Courses
CHP offers a variety of courses in history, philosophy, psychology, ethnography, economics, political science, urban studies, literary criticism, art history, film studies, religious studies, macro-geography of Europe, and gender studies, along with a number of courses focusing primarily on Prague and Central Europe.
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The courses meet from Monday morning through Friday morning. Students must take the Core Course on Czech History and Civilization and 4 regular courses in order to receive 4 Brown credits (total of 5 courses). Czech language is required for all students as one of the 4 regular courses. Following the orientation, you will begin a two-week mandatory core session that consists of a Czech Culture and Civilization course and an intensive conversational course of Czech language Let’s Talk Czech. After the two-week core session, you enroll in four regular courses (to be selected from the relevant semester’s course listings), one of which must be a Czech language course. Check the www site at: http://www.chp.cz/curriculum.htm for more details.
The Language Course
Although English is the language of instruction, all students on the Brown in the Czech Republic program must take intensive Czech language as one of their courses. Students who have had previous Czech language will be placed according to their level. Students without any or with very little previous language study take Elementary Czech. This course focuses on the ability to handle everyday situations in Czech. Professors emphasize listening comprehension, speaking, beginning reading and writing, as well as offering an introduction to Czech grammar. Students returning from the CHP program who wish to continue their language study at Brown are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of Slavic Studies.
Independent Studies
Subject to approval by the Academic Director of CHP and availability of faculty supervision, you may choose a topic of particular interest, perhaps related to your concentration, for a full-length research project. The project will be directed and supervised by a faculty member who guides you to pertinent information and works collaboratively with you to structure the data into a full-length paper. In order to do this, you need to develop a proposal, which must be submitted prior to departure (May 1st for fall semester and Nov. 30th for spring) to the OIP.
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Housing
You will live in Jerome House, located in a quiet area of the New Town, a 14th century historical quarter of downtown Prague. Jerome House is a student hotel/dorm in a newly renovated historical building, a five minute walk from CHP. Jerome House has 24-hour reception service seven days a week. Address and phone number: Dum Jeronyma Prazskeho/Jerome House V Jircharich 13 110 00 Praha 1 Czech Republic Reception desk telephone: 011-420-224 933 207 Students stay in suites of four or five single rooms with two bathrooms and a kitchenette. Some students stay in double rooms with one bathroom. Rooms are fully furnished, including all linens, though towels are not provided. Each room has a phone, which can receive incoming calls. Outgoing calls can be made using a phone calling card (see the Communications section of this handbook for more details). You can request to share a suite with a particular person if you know someone going on the program. This must be done, in writing, before you leave for Prague. Otherwise, rooms will be assigned by a housing lottery done in Prague when you arrive. Upon arrival, you must pay a $400 damage deposit for your room. You may pay this in traveler's checks ($50 or $100 checks preferred), with a credit card, or in U.S. cash. Assuming there is no damage to your room, this deposit will be refunded to you in the original currency in which you paid upon your departure. Credit card charges are always in Czech crowns.
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Dorm room at Jerome House
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Money Matters
Czech Currency and Recommended Payment Methods
The Czech currency is the Crown (approximate value of 100 CZK is 4 EUR or 5 USD). We recommend that you take approximately $200-$300 with you in traveler’s checks (American Express works well) to get you through the first few days and pay for any set-up costs you might encounter. For the remainder of your stay, we suggest using either traveler’s checks, credit cards, or ATM cards.
of obtaining spending money for Prague. They can be cashed in banks and at the local American Express office. Traveler's checks cannot usually be used directly in stores or restaurants - you need to exchange them into Crowns first, and the minimum charge for that is 5%. You can clear personal checks of up to $1,000 every month.
Traveler’s Checks: In general, American Express traveler's checks are a good method
Credit and ATM Cards: In addition to traveler’s checks, it’s a good idea to ha ve an
American credit card from which you can get cash advances, in case of emergencies. All common American cards are accepted (Visa, Master Card, American Express, etc.). Items in stores are generally paid for with cash or credit cards. ATM cards which also function as credit cards can be used as well. Shops will usually have signs on the door telling you which credit cards they accept.
Also, Cirrus and Plus system ATM cards can be used at certain banks in Prague to withdraw money from your U.S. bank account. Check with your bank how much they charge per international withdrawal. Some banks charge an international withdrawal fee large enough that you might not want to make this your regular source of cash.
Czech Bank Accounts
It is difficult to open a Czech bank account but can be done. We generally do not recommend opening an account since traveler's checks, credit cards and ATM cards are more convenient. Wiring funds from the US costs between $30-50 US dollars per transaction so doing this on a regular basis is also not cost effective.
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Budget for Prague
Please consult www.brown.edu/OIP/costs for complete and current budget information. Refund Policy Withdrawal Prior to the Start of the Program: Any expenses that have been incurred by Brown on behalf of the student once the student has made a commitment to the program (in writing and/or by submitting the program deposit), will be the responsibility of the student (i.e., host institution fees, pre-payment of orientation housing, etc.) and charged to the student account. Withdrawal After the Start of the Program: If a student withdraws from a study abroad program during the first five weeks of the program, he or she is eligible for a refund of Brown tuition payments based on the schedule below. Brown is not responsible for indirect costs paid directly by the student, including, but not limited to, passport fees, vaccinations, and transportation costs. Withdrawal prior to program start in the first 14 days in days 15-21 in days 22-28 in days 29-35 after day 35 Refund 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% no refund
For students who leave because of a medical or family emergency, the same refund policy applies. A student who is suspended, dismissed, or withdraws while under investigation for misconduct, will not have tuition payments refunded. Students who choose to withdraw from a program abroad and, subsequently, enroll at Brown during the semester that corresponds to their semester abroad will be responsible for all costs incurred by Brown up to the time they withdrew from the program. If a student withdraws from a program, the deposit paid to confirm his or her place on the program is not refundable.
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Communications
Telephone: U.S.
Czech Republic
When calling the Czech Republic from the US, friends and family will need to use the country code: 011 – 420. You can receive phone calls in your rooms at Jerome House. There are two numbers which can be dialed to reach rooms: (from US): 011-420-224 933 217 or 011-420-224 933 218 + 2 + your room number. You can also dial the main number for Jerome House (see housing section) and ask to be transferred to the appropriate room.
Telephone: Czech Republic
U.S.
It is advisable to have an American calling card for making international calls. This is cheaper than using a Czech phone card, as the Czech rate to the US is about 40 Crowns per minute. AT&T, MCI and Sprint cards all work from the Czech Republic. You can also dial their phone service operators from public phones without having a Czech phone card to dial.
Telephone: Local Calls within the Czech Republic
Local calls are not free in the Czech Republic, nor is there a flat fee for local calls. You pay for each call at a rate based on the time of day you call. You can buy phone cards for public phones at newsstands, post offices and department stores. There are many more public phones that operate with these types of cards than with coins. If you want to bring your cell phone, make sure it’s tri-band and open for other service providers. All O2, Vodafone and T-Mobile offer non-contractual deals where you recharge Crowns/minutes when needed.
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Computers & Internet
We recommend that you bring your own laptop computer. There are 12 PCs and a printer at CHP, but having your own comes is handy during exam time. Remember that, although you might not need a transformer if your computer can take a 220 V power supply, you should bring the appropriate adapter plug for Czech outlets and a good surge protector – you can’t get one in Prague! You will get an account through CHP and can use the computer facilities at the center during open hours. You will have internet access in the dorm, yet you need to bring the 10/100 ethernet card and a cable. There are also many internet cafes in Prague. Your CHP user name will be the initial of your first name and then up to the first seven letters of your last name (8 letters is the total limit). For instance, if your name is John Green your user name would be jgreen.
Snail Mail
You can receive mail at Jerome House. Make sure it clearly indicates your name and room number. Outgoing airmail must be sent from a post office. The closest one is the Main Post Office on Jindrisska Street. International postage is 10 Crowns to anywhere in Europe and 17 Crowns to countries outside Europe.
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Transportation
Prague has a very developed system of public transportation. The program will help you sign up for monthly passes the first month. After that you will do this on your own each month. The pass costs about $30.00 equivalent per month. Public transportation includes street cars, buses, and subways. They run very frequently, and schedules are posted at each stop. Buses and trains are the most common ways to travel around the Czech Republic. They often offer student or group discounts.
Metric Conversion Factors (Approximate)
Symbol When You Know Number Multiply By To Find Number of of 2.54 (exact) 30 0.9 1.6 6.5 0.8 2.6 28 0.45 5 15 16 30 0.24 0.47 0.95 3.8 Symbol
LENGTH
In Ft Yd Mi inches feet yards miles square inches square yards square miles ounces pounds teaspoon tablespoons cubic inches fluid ounces cups pint quarts gallons Centimeter Centimeter Meter Kilometer Quadratzentimeter Quadratmeter Quadratkilometer Gramm Kilogramm Milliliter Milliliter Milliliter Milliliter Liter Liter Liter Liter cm cm m km cm2 m2 km2 g kg ml ml ml ml l l l l
AREA
in2 yd2 mi2 oz lb
WEIGHT (mass)
VOLUME
tsp Tbsp in c pt qt gal
3
fl oz
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Temperature
[5/9 (after subtracting 32)]
Shoes and Clothing Sizes
Shoes
Women’s Europe Women’s US Men’s Europe Men’s US
Clothing
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
5
38
6
39
6.5
40
7
41
8
42
9
43
10
44 45
7
36
7.5
38
8
40
9
42
10
44
10.5
46
11
48
12
Women’s Europe Women’s US Men’s Europe (pants) Men’s US (pants) Men’s Europe (shirts) Men’s US (shirts)
6
40
8
42
10
44
12
46
14
48
16
50
18
30
37
32
38
34
39
36
40
38
41
40
42 43
14.5
15
15.5
15.75 16
16.5
17
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Check List: Before Leaving Prague
1. Don’t forget to bring personal items: photos of new friends you’ve made, souvenirs of places you’ll miss, that exhibit you’ve been meaning to get to.... 2. Let the program staff know your departure date and say goodbye! 3. One week before you leave, make sure you've finished all paperwork (academic, police notification, etc) that needs to be done, return checked-out books, chip card, etc. 4. During the last few days, clean your suite and leave it in the condition you found it in. 5. On the last day/evening: meet with friends at your favorite place, have your favorite dish/pastry/beverage, maybe have excess luggage shipped home!
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