UW Conflict and Culture in Rovinj, Croatia– Summer 2019 IAP Program Handbook UW Conflict and Culture in Rovinj, Croatia is offered by International Academic Programs (IAP) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This IAP Program Handbook supplements the IAP Study Abroad Handbook and provides you with the most up-to-date information and advice available at the time of printing. Changes may occur before your departure or while you are abroad. Questions about your program abroad (housing options, facilities abroad, etc.) as well as questions relating to academics (course credit and equivalents, etc.) can be directed to International Academic Programs at UW-Madison. Contact Information Program Leader Information Your primary contact in Croatia will be Professor Tomislav Longinovic, the UW-Madison Program Leader. You can call him Toma. Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic Languages and Literature (GNS) 1452 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Dr. Madison, WI 53706 USA Phone: (608) 262-3498 Fax: (608) 265-2814 E-mail: [email protected] Croatia Cell Phone Number: +385-91-721-0691 UW-Madison Information International Academic Programs (IAP) University of Wisconsin-Madison 301 Red Gym, 716 Langdon Street Madison, WI 53706 Tel: 608-265-6329 Fax: 608-262-6998 Web: www.studyabroad.wisc.edu Your IAP Study Abroad Advisor (SAA), Enrollment Specialist Advisor (ESA), and Financial Specialist are listed in the Contacts section of your MyStudyAbroad account. Emergency Contact Information Toma will be able to assist you in the case of any emergencies that might come up while you are abroad. IAP can also assist you. In order to contact IAP, call the main IAP number (608) 265-6329 between 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; after-hours or on weekends call the IAP emergency phone at (608) 516-9440. Embassy Registration All program participants who are U.S. citizens must register at the U.S. Embassy before departure as this will help in case of a lost passport or other mishap. You can register online through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). If you are not a U.S. citizen, register at your home country’s embassy or consulate. U.S. Embassy in Croatia Ulica Thomasa Jeffersona 2 10010 Zagreb, Croatia Telephone: 385-1-661-2200 Website: https://hr.usembassy.gov/ Program Addresses and Locations You will spend the most time at the following program locations. Housing will be arranged for you in Villa Barbara, and meals provided at Maslina. Your class will be held at the Center for Historical Research, though some days will take you out of the classroom into Rovinj and beyond. Villa Barbara Michelea Fachinettia 3 Rovinj 52210, Croatia Maslina Restaurant Stjepana Radica 29 Rovinj 52210, Croatia Center for Historical Research - Rovinj (Centro di Ricerche Storiche di Rovigno) Trg Piazza Matteotti, 13 Rovinj 52210, Croatia Program Dates Students arrive in Rovinj, Croatia: Sunday, May 19, 2019 Course begins: Monday, May 20, 2019 Course ends: Friday, June 14, 2019 Students depart from Rovinj, Croatia: Saturday, June 15, 2019 You’ll find more information about your arrival to the program below in Travel and Arrival. You will be required to check out of your lodgings no later than noon on June 15, though you are allowed to leave the program site any time after the end of class on June 14. Preparation Before Leaving Besides reading the rest of your Croatia program handbook, please be sure to read the IAP Study Abroad Handbook. This handbook contains information essential to your success on an IAP study abroad program, as well as answers questions commonly asked on cultural, academic, and health issues. 2 Immigration Documents Passport A passport is required to travel to Croatia. Apply immediately for a passport if you do not already have one. Passport information and application forms can be found on the U.S. State Department website. If you already have your passport, make sure it will be valid for at least 6 months beyond the length of your stay abroad. Visa No visa is required for U.S. passport holders for stay up to 3 months. Students from other countries should check with the Croatian Embassy in the United States about whether a visa is required. International students should contact their Study Abroad Advisor at IAP for guidance. At the present time, no vaccinations are required for entering or leaving Croatia; however, we strongly encourage you to make a travel clinic appointment with your doctor before leaving on the program. Visit the CDC website for the most recent information on vaccinations and health precautions that should be taken for study abroad in Croatia. Handling Money Abroad The Croatian currency is the kuna (plural form is kune, pronounced ‘koo-neh’). For the latest currency exchange rates see http://www.oanda.com . Note that as Croatia receives many visitors from the Eurozone, it’s fairly common to see prices displayed in euro as well. Banks in Rovinj are generally open Monday to Friday from 8:00AM to 1:30PM and 3.30PM to 7.30PM. There is a wide number and variety of ATM terminals available 24/7. ATMs are widely available throughout the country. Check the network symbols on the machine to see that they match the symbols on your card before you start. When using a bank debit card, you will generally receive better exchange rates and lower fees than if you take cash advances from your credit cards. Be sure to check with your ATM/debit card provider for any international transaction fees or transaction limits. All major credit cards are recognized and accepted in most hotels, shops, and restaurants. Stickers in the front windows will advise you as to which cards are accepted. See your IAP Study Abroad Handbook for more suggestions on handling money while abroad. Tipping Hotels and restaurants generally include a 10-15% gratuity on the bill. Ushers in the cinema, theatres and taxi drivers also expect a 10% tip. For drinks at cafes, round the bill up to the nearest kuna amount. Travel and Arrival Information Arrival Information 3 You are responsible for making your own travel arrangements, which includes arranging flights that will allow for appropriate arrival time for the course start date. There are several airports which students can fly into: Trieste (Italy); Zadar, Rijeka, Pula, Zagreb (Croatia); or Ljubljana (Slovenia). Trieste offers a balance between distance from Rovinj and number of flights available per day, though Pula is the closest option (and very small). Although you are welcome to fly to Croatia on your own, we encourage you to arrange flights with other students on the program and travel together. We expect students to arrive on site no later than May 19, which is the day before the start of the course. Prior to May 19, you will need to arrange your own accommodations if you choose to arrive early. Trieste Arrival and Airport Transfer This is our suggested option. The transportation from Trieste to your residence in Rovinj can be handled by our travel agency, Uniline, for a fee of around 25 euro per person (1.5 hour bus ride). The final cost depends on how many students choose to take the group transfer. We will send more information about the optional group airport transfer later in the spring semester, and you will be required to commit to the transfer in April. You will be able to pay the cost of the transfer ahead of time by credit card. This transfer is optional, and therefore separate from your program fee. The Uniline airport bus will take you directly to Villa Barbara. Important! If you plan to use the Uniline group airport transfer, arrange your travel so you will be ready to leave the Trieste airport arrivals area by 5PM on Sunday, May 19. The Trieste Airport is very small. If you have arrived from another airport within the Schengen Area, you will not need to go through customs or immigration. Once you have your bag from the luggage carousel, it’s just a few dozen feet to the arrivals area. The Trieste airport does not have much in the way of shops or services, though there are a few options. We recommend arriving with sufficient time to collect your bags and meet up with the group, but suggest avoiding spending a long period there. Plan accordingly! Other Transportation Options If you choose to arrive at a different time, or through a different airport, it will be your responsibility to make your way to Villa Barbara on your own. Notify Toma as to when you expect to arrive so he can arrange access to your apartment unit. If you plan to arrive through Trieste and make your own way to Rovinj, you will need to take a bus or taxi to central Trieste. Bus Route 51 leaves from right next to the arrivals area at Trieste Airport. You can buy a ticket from the machine in the arrivals area; then follow the walkway and signs to the bus waiting area. Take care to get on Route 51 to Trieste, via Monfalcone, and NOT in the direction of Udine. Route 51 will make many stops on the way to the Trieste Bus Station, but will end in downtown Trieste (Piazza della Libertà). You can catch an intercity bus to Rovinj, which leaves several times each day. It is possible to purchase tickets in advance online. The transportation from Zagreb would be an intercity bus, length of 5-7 hours. You would need to find your way to the Zagreb Bus Station and purchase a ticket to Rovinj. If you choose to fly into any other city, you will usually need to reach the city’s central bus station in order to get an 4 intercity bus.