Greece/Turkey Study Tour 2006

Trip Information for the Greece Turkey Trip Summer 2006 sponsored by Lee University. See Frequently Asked Questions Below for dates, places, prices, etc

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Greetings from Greece

Ancient Corinth, Greece

Hello Everyone

I am in Greece right now. Dr. Hoffman is back home for now in Cleveland. I am here on a grant with the ACA. You can read more if you like on another blog I set up at http://mellon2006.blogspot.com

The weather is great here in Greece, it is warm and sunny. Do not forget your sunscreen and a hat. Also I think you should bring modest shorts for Greece. Only in churches will they not be excepted but on the archaeology sites they will be fine. But be sure to pack some long pants for Turkey esp for the Mosques and churches we will visit.

I hope you are getting packed and ready to go. Email me or Dr Hoffman with any questions.

I would also advise that you pack your toothbrush etc and some clothes in your carry on bag. You might even want to divide your clothes and pack with a friend. In case you bag is lost or delayed you will still have somethings to wear. Remember do not put valuables in your checked bag things like camera and money. Also remember limit yourself to 1 bag and1 carry on. Remember it is NOT a fashion.

I don't want to scare people but my bag is currently lost and I have been without it since I arrived, three days now but who is counting. I am making due.

Ok see you soon in sunny and warm Greece.

John Wineland

Friday, May 26, 2006

A Few More Important Travel Reminders

A view of the Acropolis, Athens Greece

Hello from Grayson,

There are a few more things to remember.

We should have a great trip this year.

1. Showers: Dr. Daniel Hoffman sent me an email and wanted to know if my reminder not to open your mouth in the shower meant no singing in the shower. Well depending on your level of talent that might be good advice!!

2. Snacks: Most if not all of our hotel rooms will have a refrigerator. It will be filled with drinks and snacks. You might be tempted to eat and drink these snacks. Remember that if you do eat these snacks it will be added to your room bill. THESE SNACKS ARE NOT COVERED BY THE COST OF OUR TRIP. YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR ANY OF THESE ITEMS. The cost of these items is usually very expensive. The hotel staff will enter our rooms and count the items and you will be required to pay for these items before we leave the hotel. So please keep this in mind.

I suggest taking some of your favorite snacks with you on the trip and to supplement lunches etc. You will want snacks that travel well. Remember it will be hot where we are traveling so things like chocolate does not travel well. It gets melted and messy. Also remember your bags will be stacked on the buses and in the airplane so fragile items like chips and cookies will be crushed easily. Hard candy like mints and candy like tootsie rolls pack well as does most trail mixes. Chewing gum also packs well.

3. Packing: When you pack be sure that you put anything that might leak into plastic zip lock bags. Zip lock bags come in quite handy to put small items in as we travel. You also might want a small pack of items to make quick repairs, like duct tape, safety pins, nylon cord, thread and needles. You can be quite creative with these items if necessary to help you make it through the trip and back home.

4. Medicine: I failed to mention that you might want to bring along some cold medicine, cough drops, and tissues too. Usually this is not a problem but some people get a bit congested after flying long distances or when they get hot and sleep under an air conditioner or fan.

5. Be sure to bring a notebook with you, something small and handy to keep as a journal and to take notes as we travel, also remember to bring the 4 books we have mentioned before

1. A Traveller's History of Turkey by Richard Stoneman. ISBN 1-56656-620-7 (4th Edition) $14.95.

2. A Traveller's History of Greece by T. Boatswain & C. Nicolson ISBN 1-56656-522-7 (5th edition) $14.95Both of these are very good books which will give you a brief overview of the history of these areas. You can order these books from Interlink Books, http://www.interlinkbooks.com/ and also you can find them at you local bookstore and at Amazon.com

3. Greece, Athens and Mainland. DK Eyewitness Travel Guide, by Dorling Kindersley, ISBN 9780789494269 $25.00 available at local bookstores, Amazon.com, and from www.dk.com

4. Turkey, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide, by Dorling Kindersley, ISBN 9780789483294 $25.00 available at local bookstores, Amazon.com and from http://www.dk.com/These are colorful and helpful guides to history and culture of the Greece and Turkey.

Of course above all else be sure that you that you bring
1. YOUR TICKETS
2. YOUR PASSPORT

See you soon in Athens!

John Wineland, Grayson, Kentucky

Important Books You Should Read and Bring With You








Hello

Are you excited yet? You should be, this will be a trip you will always remember. We will see some amazing and beautiful things on our journey. We will travel by plane, bus, boat and maybe donkey!!! So you can get the most out of our trip you should buy as soon as possible 4 books and begin reading them and looking them over.

I have already told you about 2 of these books.

1. A Traveller's History of Turkey by Richard Stoneman. ISBN 1-56656-620-7 (4th Edition) $14.95.

2. A Traveller's History of Greece by T. Boatswain & C. Nicolson ISBN 1-56656-522-7 (5th edition) $14.95

Both of these are very good books which will give you a brief overview of the history of these areas. You can order these books from Interlink Books, http://www.interlinkbooks.com/ and also you can find them at you local bookstore and at Amazon.com

Here are 2 more books you should get.

1. Greece, Athens and Mainland. DK Eyewitness Travel Guide, by Dorling Kindersley, ISBN 9780789494269 $25.00 available at local bookstores, Amazon.com, and from www.dk.com

2. Turkey, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide, by Dorling Kindersley, ISBN 9780789483294 $25.00 available at local bookstores, Amazon.com and from www.dk.com

These are colorful and helpful guides to history and culture of the Greece and Turkey.

Happy Reading,

John Wineland, Grayson, Kentucky

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Hotel Websites

This is our hotel in Kusadasi, Turkey


Greetings Everyone,

Below please find a list of our hotels for the trip.

1. Websites for the Hotels in Turkey:

HOTEL CARTOON. http://www.cartoonhotel.com/
HOTEL EDEN GARDENS. http://www.assosdengroup.com/
HOTEL FESTIVA. http://www.clubfestivalkusadasi.com/
HOTEL RESORT DEDNAN. http://www.dedman.com/

2. Websites for the Hotels in Greece
HOTEL MARIN. http://www.marinhotel.gr/.
HOTEL BLUE SUITE. http://www.santoriniapartments.com/
HOTEL DELPHI ART. http://www.delphiarthotel.gr/.

Keep watching for more information

John Wineland, Grayson

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Important Travel Tips Important Please Read This

The Large Roman Theater at Pergamum, Turkey


Hello Everyone

We are now just 3 weeks away from departure on a once in lifetime experience. I hope you are getting excited and also beginning to get ready.

I found out today that finally everyone has received their passports. This is good news. It may seem strange to you that I am so concerned about your passports but this is the most important document for your trip.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU TO THE AIRPORT, you will not be allowed to board the plane with out your passport. You should probably also bring along your drivers license or another picture id just in case.

Some important reminders:

1. Pack lightly; Bring only one suitcase to check in and only one carry-on bag. You can also carry on a camera bag or purse. Remember this trip is not a fashion show, bring clothes that are comfortable, cool, and easy to wash out. Remember we have to carry all of own luggage through airports and often times to and from the bus to our rooms. SO PACK LIGHTLY!!! Plan on wearing the same clothes several times on the trip. Leave room in your bags for items you buy to bring home.

2. Washing clothes: You will want to pack a few plastic hangers, a nylon line and clothes pins. Plan on washing out your shirts, socks, and underwear each evening and hang them to dry over night in your room. You will especially want to wash on days we are staying more than one night in a hotel. You should bring a small bottle of liquid soap for your clothes. Remember use very little soap in the sink because the soap is very concentrated and will be hard to rinse out if you use too much. Laundry service in the hotels will be very expensive and often times we will not be staying long enough to get your clothes returned to you. You can count on NOT FINDING any Laundromats in Greece and Turkey. So I suggest bring light clothes, cotton pants and shirts that dry quickly. Jeans take a long time to dry and seldom will dry overnight. You will also want to bring a plastic bag to put dirty clothes in.

3. Shoes: I recommend comfortable and sturdy shoes. Remember we will be doing a great deal of walking on this trip. I hope you have been preparing by getting some exercise, if you have not start now! You will want shoes with solid soles and good support for rocky paths and climbing hills. Bring a few band-aids, anti-biotic cream and moleskin in case you get a blister which can be quite painful. You will want to bring about 2 or 3 pairs of shoes. One pair for walking and a pair of sandals or flip-flops for the evening. It is good to be able to changes shoes in the evening.

4. Attire: You should err on the side of modesty. Remember when we are in Turkey we will be in a country that is primarily Muslim. While Turkey is not as strict about dress as many Muslim countries you will want to wear modest clothing so we do not offend anyone. So I will would recommend that you do not wear shorts while we touring in Turkey. You might bring a pair along for the hotel. Be sure to pack swimming clothes for the hotel pools. You should also avoid tank tops. Capri pants or any pants that go below the knee are fine. When we enter mosques you must have your shoulders covered and if you do not you will be asked to wear a shawl which the mosque provide. You might want to bring one set of nice clothes for special occasions in the evening. Please DO NOT bring clothing that has English words, logos or symbols, such as college names and sports teams, or any clothes which had US flags or logos with the words USA or America. We should as much as possible attempt to NOT draw attention to ourselves nor obviously identify ourselves as Americans. You should bring at least one long sleeve shirt or light jacket for evenings, air conditioning, or if you get sun burnt to protect you.

5. Medicine & shots: There are no special shots required to visit Greece and Turkey. But you should be sure as always that your normal shots are up to date especially Tetanus. If you have special health concerns please consult your physician.

You should bring enough medication with you for the trip. Do not count on finding it in Greece and Turkey. If you bring any medication with you must leave it the original container so it can be identified and verified as a legal drug.

6. Insurance:
Remember that this includes 2 types of insurance

A. Health insurance.

I believe Lee U has required you to purchase trip health insurance. If you have other health insurance coverage it might work overseas. You should check with your insurance agent or work place about your health insurance. Many plans do not cover foreign travel and locations.

B. Trip Insurance:
This covers you if your travel is interrupted for any reason


I do not endorse any particular travel insurance but some students on past trips have used.
http://www.statravel.com/cps/rde/xchg/us_division_web_live/hs.xsl/travelinsurance.htm

Others have used
http://www.travelguard.com/

I have never purchased trip insurance but the above might be options you could consider.

7. Telephones: Your home cell phone will not work in Greece and Turkey so there is no use bringing it. Phone calls from overseas to home from the hotels are very expensive and they will be added to your bill and you will be expected to pay them before we check out. Any calls you make are your responsibility. I would recommend that if you do call home, call and give them your phone number and room number and let them call you back. The cost will be much cheaper overall for this type of service. You can also purchase a calling card in Greece and Turkey. Your home calling cards will probably not work in Turkey.

8. Internet Cafes: Turkey has some internet cafes but the connections can be slow and unreliable. We will try to find internet access when possible but do not count on good internet access.

9. Sun protection: You should bring plenty of sunscreen with you. I also recommend a good hat and sunglasses. We will be out in the sun for several hours each day.

10. Temperatures: You can expect sunny and warm to hot weather with the temperatures reaching 85-95 degrees in the daytime. In the evening temperatures usually cool down to the 70's. We should not encounter much rain on our trip.

11. Electrical Concerns: If you bring electrical devices such as battery chargers, blow driers, etc. You should make sure your device is capable of 220 volts if not you will need a voltage converter. You can find these at Wal-Mart and Radio Shack. You must check the voltage load of these devices to be sure they can handle high demand items like blow-dryers and curling irons. Many electronic devices are now equipped with a switch for 110 to 220 volts and many will automatically change for the other voltage. You will need also a plug adapter to switch from our US style plugs to the Greek and Turkish style plugs. These are also available where they sell the voltage converters often in a set of plugs. They use a 2 pin plug much like most of Europe in Turkey.

12. Money: You need to remember that we have tried to include as many fees as possible in the trip price. However you will be responsible for your lunches and your drinks throughout the trip. Of course you will want to buy a few items to take home with you. Turkey is not an expensive country however Greece is more expensive and remember we will be gone for 2 weeks. If you eat local food (that is not McDonalds and other American food) it should not be expensive to eat lunch. You should count on about $10-15/day for drinks and lunch which would be about $160-$240 for the trip. Also money for gifts and some money for some entrances and events that we did not budget into the trip. So I think about $500 should be enough to bring depending on what you plan to buy.

Remember to bring this money in US bills, I recommend that you DO NOT bring it in TRAVELERS Checks. Travelers checks are usually difficult to cash and normally have a poor exchange rate and extra fees are attached for cashing them. I would bring no bill over $50 and probably us should bring mostly $20's and smaller. We will try to find an exchange place soon after we arrive. Remember there are some ATM's in Greece and Turkey and you can get cash advances on credit cards at local banks. You can also use credit cards to pay for items at hotels and many gift shops.

Dealing with the foreign money can be confusing so be careful. In Greece they are now on the Euro. Today 1 Euro is equal to about $1.29, so if something costs 10 Euro that is about $12.85. So you will need to keep that in mind as you buy and pay for things your US dollars might not go as far as you think

In Turkey they have recently revised their money and now have the Turkish New Lira so as of today 1 Turkish New Lira = 67 cents so 10 Turkish New Lira = $6.65

Do not put all of your money in one spot and only pull out one or 2 bills at a time or you might lose some of your money.

You should plan to carry on you at all times your money and your passport everyday all day. You should plan someway to make it difficult for anyone to pickpocket you or steal your money or passport. You do not want to leave these things in your room on the bus. You can buy special pouches or belts or other means to secure your money, credit cards and passport.

13. Film & Photography: You should plan to bring a camera with you. If you bring a regular camera be sure to bring plenty of film with you because buying film in Greece and Turkey can expensive and some types of film are not easy to find. So estimate how much film you will use and then bring extra film with you. Plan on hand caring your film with you. Be sure to check your camera's battery and bring an extra battery with you just in case.

Digital Photographers should plan on bringing extra batteries and a 220 adaptable battery charger with a plug converter. You also should remember that you will need to store all of your pictures someway. So bring extra memory sticks. You could bring your computer but remember it will difficult to carry it with you and keep it secure. So I do not recommend bringing your laptops with you.

Also remember many museums do not allow flash photography and some charge extra fees for a photo pass. Some places do not allow video recorders.

13. Water: You should plan on drinking a great deal of water. Dehydration is the main reason trip participants get sick on our tours. Drink more water than you ever have before. You can not drink too much water. If you wait until you are thirsty to drink you have waited too long. We will buy bottle water in Greece and Turkey from local stores when possible. To keep your self healthy drink plenty of water and avoid tap water, when brushing your teeth and for drinking. Be sure to keep your mouth closed in the shower. You should also be careful to avoid vegetables that have been washed in local water. Some people are more sensitive than others to the local water.

14. Medicine: You should bring with you some anti-diarrhea medicine like Imodium, also some type of pain reliever and sun burn medicine, also a supply of band-aids, and anti-biotic ointment. Of course bring any special medicine that you might need as your physician requires.

15. Study Materials: Remember this is a Study Tour, You are required to keep a Daily journal which records your experiences each day.

Also bring with you books we have required for the trip.

Be sure to read these books BEFORE we arrive in Greece and Turkey so you will be prepared to make the most of this experience.

We will be having lectures along the way. So you should bring a notebook to write notes and for your journal and also some type of folder to keep your handouts in.

I will post more information on our Blog along the way. I hope to make daily postings to the log so tell your friends and relatives to check it once our trip begins.

Remember that address is:
http://2006leeu.blogspot.com


If you have other questions or if I need to cover some other issues please let me know.


I will send more later but I am sure this is enough for now.

John Wineland

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Important Information Needed Please Help!!

The Oracle of Delphi, Ancient Greece
If you don't tell your home city and state I will have to ask her!!

Greetings Everyone

I hope you are all doing well. Look for more information coming soon but for now I have one urgent request. The airline has requested that I submit a list to them of everyones' City and State, that is the City and State where you live. I do not need your address just your home City and State
Please send this to me as soon as possible to wineland@kcu.edu
Thanks
John Wineland

Thursday, May 04, 2006

The Importance of Passports


(On the right is a picture of the bronze statue of Poseidon, we will see this in the Archaeological museum of Athens)

Greetings,

I hope you are getting excited, in about 6 weeks we will in Greece and Turkey on a trip of a lifetime.

I am writing to remind you of the importance of your passport. You must keep it with you at all times. You will not be allowed to board the airplane to depart on our trip if you do not have your passport. So remember to always know where it is and to keep it handy always. Periodically on the trip we will be asking for you to hold your passport up in the air (usually in the mornings when we get on the bus) This may seem silly but it we know from experience that people sometimes think they know where their passport is but sometimes it is not there. Better to spend a minute finding it and holding it up than hours trying to get from a hotel hundreds of miles away.

I have passport information for almost all of you. I still need information from 3 people:

Kyle Lymberopoulous
Jeremy DeBord
Jerrigayle Benson

Can you three please email me and let me know the status of your passport process?

Also as soon as you get your passports please email with the information. Thanks

John Wineland
wineland@kcu.edu