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NYU PragueFall2011NYUin PragueNYU IN PRAGUEPre-departure Orientation

AgendaLearnLiveExplore Facilities Staff Calendar Internships Registration FAQs Billing Getting There Arrival Orientation Housing & Meals The City Culture & Customs Health & Safety Staff Student Life NYU Excursions Things to Do Local / Regional Travel Budget Tips

Learn: Intro Learn Facilities Staff Calendar Internships & CommunityService Registration FAQs Billing

Facilities 2 Academic Buildings locatedin the heart of Prague’s OldTown, a stone’s throw from theOld Town Square! Classes take place on campus Community events andacademic conferences Computer labs on campus Small reading room/library withEnglish books and magazines

PIDEC Prague Institute for Democracy,Economy and Culture Wide array of actors – academics,politicians, business leaders, andother public intellectuals – cometogether to discuss some of the mostvexing and urgent policy questions inthe U.S. and Europe Works closely with partner researchinstitutions at NYU and Czechacademic institutions and think tanks,such as Charles University and theForum 2000 foundation Past panel topics include: The state of Czech Political CultureEcological Economics and theFinancial CrisisLiterature in East-Central Europeand Russia since 1989

Academic Staff Hired LocallyLeaders in their field - academics,politicians, journalists, artists andmusiciansMany were intimately involved inthe Velvet Revolution and thesubsequent transition as studentleaders, journalists, and politicalactorsProfessors include Vaclav Bartuska, Ambassador atLarge for Energy SecurityJan Urban, founder and leader ofCivic Forum, instrumental inbringing down communismFormer Editor of Respekt (thenewsweekly for the thinkingpublic), Tomas NemecekAnd more

CalendarAugust 22DepartureAugust 23Group ArrivalAug. 24-Sept. 3OrientationSeptember 5First Day of ClassesSeptember 28National Holiday(No classes)November 14-18Spring BreakDecember 8Last Day of ClassesDecember 12-15Final ExamsDecember 16Student DepartureDo not make travel plans on 10/7, 11/4, 12/2These dates are reserved for makeup classes

Internships & Community Service Plentiful Internship Opportunities Journalism (Radio Free Europe) Business Politics & Economics Fashion (InStyle) Internship Fair during Orientationweek! Most Internships are NOT forcredit Community Service Amnesty International Teach English Questions? Contact Jitka Kalasova(jk1007@nyu.edu)

Registration FAQ’s Students must register for 12-18credits. No language requirements – butconsider taking one (Czech,Russian, Polish, or German; pleasenote that it CANNOT be takenPass/Fail)! Waitlists are not a guarantee. Justin case, create a list of alternateclasses. Attendance is expected andrequired. Absences will negativelyaffect your grade. All course textbooks are availablein the library or at local bookstores. Free course packets!

Billing As with any semester, you willreceive an Ebill for your tuition,registration fees and an estimatedhousing charge.Estimated housing charge. Thisestimate is used as a “placeholdercharge” until we place students intheir final housing assignment; theinitial charge is unrelated to thefinal housing charge.Once the actual housing placementhas been made, the E-bill isadjusted, resulting in either acredit or an additional charge. Thefinal charge will appear on your Ebill within 2-3 weeks followingthe start of the program.

Live: Intro Live Getting There Arrival Orientation Housing & Meals The City Culture & Customs Health & Safety Staff

Getting There: Pre-departure Submit Paper Forms (by 6/30) Submit Online Forms (by 6/30) Apply soon (Have all your docs?Go now!)Workshops end of April!The consulate needs your actualpassport to affix the visaConsulate lists approved visas – byapplication # – on web site. Neat!Banking HousingFlight InfoEmergency ContactVisa (by 5/6) Health FormsTravel ReleaseContact your bank about feesPacking Do’s and Don’ts - see flash drive inyour acceptance packet

Arrival Information Arrival Cheat Sheet will be posted toBlackboard the week before arrival! Mandatory Check- in: the first day of theprogram (Aug. 23). No earlier and nolater! Staff will meet students outside ofcustoms to direct them to shuttles or taxito housing Students arriving at other airports, bytrain, or outside of set times are on theirown, including transportation to theirhousing (roughly 500 Kc, or 25) – cashin Czech Crowns only Contact your parents when you get in!

Orientation Orientation is a MANDATORY 2week-long session. 2-credit Global Course: CzechHistory and Culture Intensive Czech language Information on Health & Safety Academic Advising Housing Info & NeighborhoodTours Historical and Getting AroundPrague Tours Internship Fair Fun Events: Bowling, Opera, IceHockey and More!

Housing & Meals NYU Housing is mandatory!Assignments are based oninformation submitted in onlineforms (more info to come)We will try to accommodateRoommate requestsDoubles, Triples, Quads, andlimited singlesNo meal plan!Housing estimate is the same for allstudents & does not reflect finalcost. Final housing bill will be sentafter start of program.Housing assignments will be sent toyour NYU email account about 2weeks before check-in.

Housing Linens provided (sheets, towels,blankets, and pillows)Fully equipped kitchensLaundry facilities, study room andstudent lounge, computer with internet Phone in each room Wireless internet No smoking and no alcohol allowed inresidence buildings Don’t forget an adapter/converter! 24/7 housing security guards RAs are local Czech students

Machova Located in Vinohrady, fashionableresidential area with cafes andshopsSingles, Doubles, Triples andQuads60 person occupancyShared bathrooms and kitchens oneach floor15 minutes to the NYU center

Slezska Newest dorm!Located in Vinohrady, fashionableresidential area with cafes andshopsSingles, Doubles, Triples andQuads35 person occupancyShared bathrooms among suitesand kitchens on top and bottomfloors15 minutes to the NYU center5-10 minute walk from Machova

Jaurisova Located in Nusle, a slightly grittierarea with a real Czech flavorSingles, Doubles, and Triples30 person occupancyApartment style, with kitchens andbathrooms in each suiteGood for those who prefer quieterliving25 minutes to the NYU center15-20 minute walk from Machovaand Slezska

Osadni Located in Holesovice, formerindustrial area now with galleriesand clubsSingles, Doubles, Triples andQuadsLargest dorm: 70 person occupancyApartment Style, with kitchens andbathrooms in each suite25 minutes to the NYU centerAll Music students live here (Practicerooms with pianos on top floor and inbasement)

The City Pronounced Pra-ha in Czech Capital of the Czech Republic 20 million tourists per year; as wellas many study abroad students Very walkable city, centeredaround the Old Town Square Tram and subway system very easyto use (run like clockwork!) Subways stop running at midnightTrams run all night, every 30 minsHome of Prague Castle, WenceslasSquare (site of the VelvetRevolution) and the Clock Tower

Culture & Customs Czechs are reserved Ethnically homogenous Traditional! (role of women,celebrations) Society is changing at a rapid pace The customer isn’t always right Not much is open 24/7 (except thestands on Wenceslas Square) Czechs tend to be early to bed,early to rise, although they areincreasingly switching to a 9 to 5(not 7 to 3) schedule Beer is a way of life! And good foryou, too

Culture & Customs cont’d Tips: just round up to the nearest 10Kc (e.g., 54 Kc to 60 kc)Many young people live at homeRemember you aren’t living inNYC and that’s a good thing!Living conditions are not the sameas in the United States so beflexible, patient and enjoy thedifferences!Internet access can be a bit erraticas compared to USFun, safe but quiet city!

Health & Safety Bring a full supply of daily prescriptionswith you. Medications cannot beshipped internationally and may not beavailable locally Students with special needs, academicor other, must inform the Moses Centerfor Students with Disabilities in advance Bring copies of your prescriptions(generic name and dosage), eyeglassprescription, etc. Learn the Czech word/phrases for anyfood or medical allergies. Ask our sitestaff! Pre-departure referrals, includingdoctors: martina@nyu.edu. Please let usknow if you require regular medicalattention!

Health & Safety Allstudents attending NYU in Praguewill use HTH Worldwide Global HealthInsurance. Free of charge for students (SHC willpay) No advance out-of-pocket payment forstudents to see a doctor or counselor 24/7 hotline for emergencies and toassist in making appointments Students should consult site staff if theyneed help making a doctor’sappointment Do NOT cancel your domestic healthinsurance!!!!! REMEMBER to register with HTHwhen you receive the email print a copyof the card and bring with you.

Student Life Staff Info MartinaFaltova – Student AffairsCoordinator, Housing SarahCoffey – Student Affairs Building Market Helebrantova (Slezska)Honza Horkova (Machova)Maria Dzurnakova (Osadni)Darima Batorova (Jaurisova) Czech TwoManagersRAsEmergency Phones: Staff and RA

Explore: Intro Explore Student Life NYU Excursions Things to Do Local / Regional Travel Budget Tips

Student Life Activities & Programming Health and Wellness Dinners, Sport Events, Concerts,Drama & Musical Events, Open MicNights, City Tours, Museum Visits,Theater, Hiking, Skating, FilmScreeningsYoga, Swimming, Gym, WeeklyCity Practice Counseling sessionsNYU Prague Student Council Meetings once a weekSome events organized by thecouncil: NYU Prague Master Chef!NYU Prague club night (pics atright!)Stop by a meeting – or join thecouncil - and tell us what YOU wantto do!

NYU Excursions NYU Prague organized day andweekend trips to nearby cities andtowns Included in the cost of your tuition One overnight and two day trips –signup during orientation! Sample Excursions: Head to the Pearl of Central Europe,Cesky Krumlov: home of a RenaissanceCastle with a moat and bears! Take the waters and munch on spawafers in Karlovy Vary Visit Terezin, a World War II Transitand Concentration Camp

Things to do Museums Sightseeing Prague CastleCharles BridgePetrin Hill – great views!Music National Museum (History)Veletrzni Palac, DOX (near Osadni) –Modern ArtOperaClassical Concerts at RudolfinumJazz ConcertsSports Hockey and Soccer matches!Zlute Lazne (September)

Local / Regional TravelPrague is very centrally locatedin both the Czech Republicand Europe, so there are greatopportunities to travel!Within Czech Republic: Cesky Krumlov (left)Karlovy VaryBrnoKarlstejn CastlePlzenTerezinKutna Hora (bone church)Lots more – Explore!

Budget Tips Figure out how much money you willhave. Consider that you can’t work abroadbecause of visa restrictions (unlessyou are an EU citizen!). How muchcan you realistically save beforegoing?Think carefully about what you plan todo while you’re away. How much do you plan to travel?How do you plan to get there?Where do you plan to stay? Are youcomfortable staying in hostels? Youget the idea.Consider everyday expenses. Prague is relatively inexpensive, butthings can add up quickly – ask sitestaff for advice on where to shop/eat

Budget Tips Ask for student discounts Get an ISIC card before youleave New York for discounts onconcert tickets and moreBuy groceries Groceries are cheaper than eatingin restaurants. Cook any chanceyou get!Watch out for Tourist Traps! Restaurants with English menusposted outside; Many places inthe center, especially where theytry to entice you!Take local transport Local public transportation isalways cheaper - 100 for 3months and one free month fromNYU Prague (But take a taxi atnight! It’s much safer)