Castle Well, Netherlands

FALL 2009 GENERAL INFORMATION

SPRING 2010 ON-CAMPUS HOUSING / HOUSING DEPOSIT
Applications for Spring 2010 on-campus housing will be emailed during the Fall 2009 term to Emerson students taking a semester at the European or Los Angeles external program sites.  Beginning in Fall 2009 all freshmen, sophomores and juniors are required to live on campus, so you must complete an application and submit it directly to Housing and Residence Life.  The Housing and Residence Life Office makes no guarantees concerning which rooms or residence halls will be available, but they will try to honor requests as best they can.  For more information contact the Office of Housing and Residence Life via email at reslife@emerson.edu, or by phone at 617.824.8620.

HEALTH CONCERNS
You should have a physical exam before you leave; this is a recommendation, not a requirement.  If you are on prescription medications you are advised to bring an adequate supply with you to last for the duration of your time abroad.  Additionally, have your doctor write down the chemical composition of the prescription, as the brand names may not be the same internationally.  If you wear contact lenses, bring an extra pair of contacts plus a spare pair of glasses to wear if you experience an eye problem that necessitates your not wearing contacts for some period of time.  If you wear glasses, bring a second pair.  In addition, be sure that you bring your eye prescription with you.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OR SPECIAL NEEDS
Students who wish to participate in any Emerson sponsored program or activity, including Kasteel Well, must be physically and mentally able, with or without reasonable accommodations, to fully and safely participate in the program or activity. Students who suffer from a physical or mental disability, and wish to request accommodations that might enable them to fully and safely participate should contact Emerson's Disability Services Office via email at dso@emerson.edu, or by phone at 617.824.8415.

Students with a documented disability or special need should discuss any anticipated accommodations well in advance of their semester at the castle with the International Study and External Programs Office and the Disability Services Office.  Your documentation and diagnosis must support your requests for special arrangements or accommodations.  Please be aware that not all disabilities can readily be accommodated at the castle and that the laws are different in other countries.  The Americans With Disabilities Act [ADA] does not extend beyond the boundaries of the U.S.

MEDICAL INSURANCE / HEALTH CLINIC
You are required by Emerson College and by Dutch law to have medical insurance during your stay in the Netherlands. Participants without alternate comparable coverage must purchase the health insurance policy offered by the college.

For those who use the college’s health insurance plan offered by Aetna Student Health, as part of the plan you are entitled to travel assistance services provided by their travel assistance partner, On Call International. On Call International has extensive college student service experience, including medical evacuation and repatriation coverage and 24 hour medical assistance for members while traveling anywhere in the world. Highlights of the program include:

  • Unlimited emergency medical evacuation
  • $2,500 Transportation of family member to join patient
  • Medical monitoring
  • Prescription drug replacement assistance
  • Over 600,000 pre-qualified medical providers
  • Unlimited medical repatriation
  • $2,500 Joining of Ill Family Member Accommodations
  • Coordination of air and ground ambulance
  • Emergency trauma counseling
  • Staffed with multi-lingual personnel
  • Travel Assistance Services:
    • 24/7 Emergency Travel Arrangements
    • Translation Assistance
    • Emergency Travel Funds Assistance
    • $1,000 bail bond benefit by international legal representative
    • Legal Hot Line
    • Lost Travel Documents Assistance
    • Assistance with Replacement of Credit Card/Travelers Checks
    • Operation Centers with worldwide response capabilities
    • Hospital deposit arrangements

These services could be of great benefit to any Kasteel Well participant.  For more detailed information consult the Aetna Student Health or view Emerson's section of their website.

In addition to health insurance, each student pays a health clinic fee.  There is a clinic in the village of Well which provides services roughly comparable to Emerson College’s Health Services clinic in Boston, at no extra charge to you for the first three visits.  However, x-rays, prescriptions, appointments with specialists, etc., are not included in this service and are the responsibility of the individual student.

European doctors and hospitals will not accept American insurance for payment of services.  You must be prepared to pay for services when you use them.  Most American insurance carriers [including Aetna Student Health] will reimburse you for these expenses after you return to the United States, so be sure to keep all receipts.  You should check with your insurance carrier before you leave for Europe on reimbursement procedures.

Please note:  Participants with outstanding bills for medical services in or near Well may have a “hold” placed on their Emerson account until payment is received by the college or the service provider.

PERSONAL SAFETY
Although Emerson College cannot guarantee your safety while abroad, we do make the following suggestions which should help to improve your level of safety while abroad:

  • Do not travel without all necessary prescription medications and a copy of the pharmacist’s prescription for those medications. Remember to follow your physician’s guidelines regarding the proper storage of medications [protection from over-heating, etc.];
  • Inform the Kasteel Well staff of ailments [minor non-life-threatening illness, the aftereffects of minor injuries, minor emotional problems, etc.] that last longer than a few days;
  • Understand that the use, purchase, and/or sale of drugs is prohibited and may lead to automatic dismissal from the program;
  • Carry some cash, but not excessive amounts of cash, with you and use a money belt or concealed money pouch for passports, cash, traveler’s checks, a second different credit card, and other valuables;
  • Use ATM machines during daylight hours and when plenty of people are around.  ATM machines attract thieves and pick pockets who watch for tourists.  Use an ATM inside a bank, if possible, and bring a friend to be your lookout.
  • Avoid moneychangers on the street as they may pass off counterfeit U.S. dollars and local currency. Credit card fraud is growing;
  • Use well-traveled routes when going about your daily business and until you become more familiar with your surroundings; when walking, avoid marginal areas of cities, dark alleys, and crowds [particularly unusually loud or seemingly unruly crowds that could become violent - with the result that you could be caught up in that violence and either be injured or arrested];
  • Try to fit in.  Minimize your “foreignness” in your actions and appearance; and,
  • Obtain and retain a photocopy of all of your credit cards or bank cards and the numbers to call to cancel the card if it is stolen. You should also leave a photocopy of these cards with your parents or other responsible family member, so that they can assist you in canceling the cards and obtaining new credit or bank cards to replace the lost/stolen cards.

TRAVEL POLICY
Students and their families should understand that while Emerson College encourages students to travel during their free time, the College cannot be responsible for students’ safety during independent travel. International security considerations make it more important than in the past for students to keep the Kasteel Well staff informed of their whereabouts when they are traveling independently.  For this reason we require that all students sign out and provide us with their destination and contact information when they are traveling for an extended period of time.

Participants should also practice the following risk avoidance tips:

  • Let your roommate, or other friend not traveling with you, know where and how you will be traveling;
  • Minimize “foreignness” in actions and appearance; do not display provocative luggage tags, overly patriotic displays, or any other indications that you are from the United States;
  • Dress casually and look like a traveler, do not dress like the “flamboyant” U.S. patriot;
  • Participants should educate themselves about the language, religion, customs, and appropriate dress for the countries they are visiting. The more they display their familiarity with the customs of the host country, the more respect they will earn and the easier it will be to dispel stereotypes. Such knowledge also increases confidence and independence, factors important to personal safety;
  • Do not pack anything that could be construed as a weapon, including knives, nail files, razors and other sharp instruments;
  • Do not wear expensive jewelry or watches or carry an expensive purse;
  • Always be prudent in your choice of eating and drinking establishments;
  • Pay attention to body language as cultural differences are often reflected in the way people gesture and carry themselves. Eye contact, a smile, or the distance between two people conversing can have profoundly different interpretations from one culture to another.
  • Avoid political discussions, confrontations, or arguments;
  • Do not reveal personal information to casual acquaintances;
  • Do not stop if strangers, including street vendors and beggars, approach you on the street. Beware of woman and small children, as well as men, as they can be pickpockets or purse snatchers. Keep your billfold in an inner front pocket, carry your purse securely under your arm, and wear the shoulder strap of your camera or bag across your chest. You should also guard against thieves on motorcycle by walking away from the curb and carrying your purse on the side of your body away from the street;
  • Beware of overly friendly or flirtatious persons; participants should trust their intuitions and feelings. If someone offers you a ride and you feel some anxiety, you should thank the person and tell the person firmly that you already have arrangements. If you are in a situation that makes you nervous, you should exit. Do not let fear of offending someone push you to do something your instinct warns against;
  • Never use the excuse of cultural differences to endure or excuse verbal or physical abuse. Participants should remove themselves from uncomfortable situations as quickly as possible or ask for support from others;
  • Always travel in groups of two or more people;
  • Learn to be an organized traveler. Keep documents safe, but readily available when on the move.

DEPARTURE FROM BOSTON / ARRIVAL AT KASTEEL WELL
Due to the large size of the Fall 2009 Kasteel Well group we were unable to secure all 85 seats on the same airline or itinerary.  The group will be split into two, with approximately 70 students traveling on Northwest Airlines and 15 traveling on British Airways.  The September 17th departures from Boston on both itineraries are approximately 1 hour apart, and the arrivals in Amsterdam are just over 1 hour apart.

View the Flight Itineraries.

These tickets are completely non-refundable and may not be changed.

Flight information is always subject to change. For the most up-to-date information please go directly to the Northwest Airlines or British Airways websites. If you have any questions you may contact the International Study and External Programs Office in Boston via e-mail at castle@emerson.edu.

Pre-departure Orientation on September 17th will begin at approximately 9:30 am.  All students on the group flights are required to attend.  A complete itinerary of the day’s activities will be provided at a later date.  [If you will be traveling to Boston from some distance you must plan to arrive in Boston before September 17th.]  You will arrive at Kasteel Well on Friday, September 18th, sometime around noon.

ALTERNATIVE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
You have the option of making alternative travel arrangements.  Those making alternative arrangements must indicate this on the Travel Arrangements form.   Any student who has not submitted this form by the due date [Friday, April 17th] will be ticketed with the group and will be held fully responsible for the cost of the ticket.  Participants making alternative travel arrangements must arrive at Kasteel Well no later than noon on Friday, September 18, 2009.

FALL 2009 CALENDAR (subject to change)

ORIENTATION AT THE CASTLE
The orientation program provided between the time students arrive at the castle and the first day of classes is mandatory. Attendance is required for all participants.

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