FIFTH ORIENTATION BULLETIN
22 April 2016
To all Vienna Summer School students and parents or guardians:
Oops! Did that tiny "business card" fall on the floor or get stuck in the bottom of the envelope?
This card should be handy for a parent to tuck in a wallet for quick reference. It contains the
mailing address for all participants and the Institute's phone and fax numbers (all mentioned in a
previous bulletin), as well as my email address (same in both countries). “Hope College Vienna
Summer School" should be included in the snail-mail address (on the line after student’s name).
My cell phone numbers (the Austrian one is the important one) are also on the cards. If parents
need a second card, have your child pick one up in my office.
Students will also receive this card plus another card on which to record personal Emergency
Medical Information. Students should have both cards with them at all times. Show the first one to
a taxi driver if you are headed home after your last subway or streetcar has departed; show it to a
police officer if you get lost. Show the second one in the emergency ward of a hospital if you get
there before I do! If you need extra cards, come to my office.
Most of you have settled finances with the Business Office by this time; if not, please do so before
the end of April. To save trees and money, I will soon put the 2016 “Affordable Eating in Vienna"
guide online at www.hope.edu/beyondhope/offcamp/vienna.html. I shall have about six hard
copies for you to read or borrow in Vienna, or you can download relevant pages from your laptop.
IDS/Empires and Theology students will receive course handouts or instructions online or at the
orientation dinner on 24 April.
64. Buses from Hope College to O’Hare Airport and from O’Hare Airport to Hope College:
Most of you signed up for at least one of the bus connections between Hope and O’Hare. For
students departing from Hope to O’Hare on Tuesday 10 May or Thursday 2 June, a Hope College
bus will be ready for loading and boarding in the southwest parking lot of DeVos Fieldhouse by
10:00 a.m. and will depart at 10:30 a.m. For students arriving back at O’Hare on Friday 3 June or
Sunday 26 June, a Hope College bus will pick you up at O’Hare after you have cleared customs
and return you to the parking lot of DeVos Fieldhouse. Witte Travel has supplied me with the list
of bus requests, but some of you have already changed your minds. I will go over the current list at
the orientation dinner.
65. Housing Lists: Every student (except the two studying off-campus) has already received a
housing list with your name and the name (plus address, phone, and email) of your host family.
Please share this information with your parents. I have satisfied those who need animal-free
environments and most (but not all) requests for specific roommates. Remember that all snail
mail should be sent to the Institute address, not to your home address. Additional copies of
this list will be available in Vienna.
66. Cell Phones Revisited: Each student will receive a cell phone in Vienna with 10 Euros worth
of “free” time. You are required to keep at least 5 Euros worth of time on your phone in case of
emergencies, but you can easily purchase extra time for your phone if needed. Most students buy
extra minutes to keep in touch with each other in Vienna and on weekend trips. Families and
friends back home should call your cell phone since this does not use up your minutes. If you call
them, it is an international fee. All cell phones should be accessible no later than Wednesday 11
May and Friday 3 June. Dr. Cunningham will send a more detailed email on cell-phone use.
Dr. Cunningham and I are still working on a finalized list of each student’s Austrian cell phone
number. One company that provided us with cell phones in the past has gone out of business, so
we are working with another Austrian company to get some new phones. I am also working with
Hope’s CIT to learn ways of making faster contact with all of you in emergency situations. We
hope to have this complete list of phone numbers available for you before departure.
67. Email/Computers Revisited: Wireless access (hence, email accessibility for Hope or other
accounts) is available for those who bring laptop computers. Laptops usually have automatically
installed converters for European current; plug adapters can be bought here or in Vienna. One
company called freewave.at has free WiFi hotspots at businesses and coffee houses all over
Vienna. It is a free service with no advertisements and seems compatible with almost all internet
connection devices. The website has an English-language FAQ and a listing of all hotspots by
district number (Vienna has 23 districts; we are living in 17 districts this year). There are 80+ in
the first district alone. Students can go to the district where they live to find hotspots in their area.
The site is http://www.freewave.at/en/hotspots/
68. Sports: Several students have asked about jogging, swimming, basketball, volleyball, soccer,
dancing, track, and tennis opportunities. All are possible if you have lots of spare time (dubious).
Many students jog every morning before classes or swim at the Danube or local pools a few
afternoons a week. Austrians are very sports-minded and welcome Americans in their games;
pick-up basketball, volleyball, and soccer games are common, especially if you live in suburban
areas. Waltz lessons can be fun! You can ride horses in the Prater (spacious green area close to the
central city). Fourteen years ago, one student even joined an Ultimate Frisbee Club and traveled
with the Austrian members on his free weekend. Two years ago, one student joined an Austrian
rugby team, and I even got to see him play in one game. Explore.
Two summers ago, at the request of a few students, the Austro-American Institute sent me a few
possibilities for gyms: (1) http://www.univie.ac.at/USI-Wien/index2.htm (this University of
Vienna connection offers different workout programs and courses; registration is for a whole
semester, but spots are available and not expensive.); (2) www.johnharris.at (expensive but close
to our Institute); (3) www.eurogym (also expensive but with daily or monthly passes).
69. Pre-Vienna Reading Assignments: Dr. Cunningham and Dr. Gibbs have already contacted
students about what to read before arriving in Vienna. They and all of our Austrian teachers will
distribute books in Vienna.
70. Assignment for Second-Session Senior Seminar (Vienna: Values in Transit) Students-Paper No. 1: Second-session Senior Seminar students have one assignment to complete before
boarding the plane. Actually, other students might find this a valuable exercise, too! Please write
an essay or imaginative presentation of at least 1200 words about what you expect to learn this
summer--certainly about yourself and your values, but perhaps about a few other items:
European attitudes towards Americans and American policies, living arrangements, traveling with
a large group, pastries, operas, European student life, or which of your values you expect will be
challenged or reaffirmed. There is no specific format or content for this assignment; its intention is
for you to record your personal assumptions, questions, worries, and hopes about this summer’s
experiences. It should prove enlightening when you re-examine the contents in June before writing
your “Philosophy of Life” paper to see how right or wrong your expectations were. This piece of
writing (to be graded) should be typewritten (double-spaced) and submitted shortly after you arrive
(even if you are coming in the first session) in Vienna.
71. Group Flights on Tuesday, May 10 (Arrival on May 11), and Airline Tickets: If you made
reservations with Witte Travel to fly with the group from Chicago on Tuesday, May 10, you
should soon receive flight documents (not tickets) at your home address. You will receive an
electronic ticket receipt from a Witte Travel representative at the Austrian Airlines counter in
Chicago before 1:30 p.m. If your flight originates in another city, you should receive an electronic
ticket receipt at your home address. Everyone should arrive in Vienna no later than 8:45 a.m.
Chartered buses (Elite Tours) will meet you and set forth for the 90-minute ride to the village of
Mörbisch for the three-day/two-night orientation and classes.
72. Arrival in Vienna for Students Not on Group Flights on Tuesday, May 10 (Arrival on
May 11): Retrieve your baggage, walk through customs (you have nothing to declare; just walk
out) to the arrival area and wait for the rest of us. If your plane’s arrival in Vienna is delayed
beyond 8:45 a.m., I will try to have someone from the Institute wait for you in the arrival area
(outside the baggage area). If no one can be there, please get your airline to help you phone the
Institute (first option) or me (my Austrian cell phone number, second option). That’s why it is
important to have my business card in your wallet. Worst case scenario is that you may have to
spend the night in Vienna if I cannot keep the bus at the airport any longer, but someone from the
Institute will find you a hostel and transport you to our orientation hotel the next morning.
73. Three-Day/Two-Night Orientation in Mörbisch: The quaint village of Mörbisch on the
Neusiedlersee (a short walk from the Hungarian border and about 90 minutes from Vienna) has
been the site of our orientation since 2002, and students have loved the ambience of this area
famous for its storks. We'll be staying in a 4-star hotel; all rooms have full bath, cable TV, radio,
and telephone. In addition to a huge dining room (most meals will be buffet style), the hotel has a
small swimming pool, sauna, fitness room, solarium, billiard room, and rooms for classes. Bike
rentals enable students to get to the public beach and to cross the border into Hungary. For one
evening, I have planned a barbecue-style dinner on a small boat on the Neusiedlersee. Class
sessions on Thursday and Friday will be in Mörbisch. Here is the pertinent information:
May 11-13
Hotel Drescher
Hauer Strasse 1
A-7072 Mörbisch, Austria
Tel. 011-43-2685-8444
Fax: 011-43-2685-844643
74. Group Flight (Students Attending Session Two Only) and Airline Tickets: If you made
reservations with Witte Travel to fly with the group from Chicago on Thursday, June 2, you will
receive flight documents (not tickets) at your home address. You will receive an electronic ticket
receipt from a Witte Travel representative at the Austrian Airlines counter in Chicago before 1:30
p.m. I shall meet you in Vienna at the arrival area (after you leave the baggage area) on Friday,
June 3. You will board a chartered van and head to the Austro-American Institute.
75. Arrival in Vienna for Students Not on Group Flight for Second Session: Three of you
arrive independently a few days before the program begins. I will give you personal directions.
76. Frequent Fliers: Those interested in earning United Frequent Flier mileage for the first time
may sign up at the airport. If you have a Frequent Flier number and did not give it to Witte Travel,
just show it when checking in each way. Even though Austrian Airlines is part of United’s Star
Alliance, the airline has recently stopped awarding full miles to United cards. I have had trouble
getting full mileage credit even from United itself for other flights. Save boarding passes as proof
in case of problems getting miles credited. Do not accept packages or anything else to carry from
anybody in or around an airport. Security everywhere is heightened since September 11, 2001.
77. Weekend Trips: The first weekend (May 13-15) in Vienna features a tour of Schönbrunn
Palace, a musical performance at the Voksoper, and a special dinner in the Vienna Woods as parts
of the continued orientation. The next two weekend trips to Salzburg (May 20-22) and Prague
(May 27-29) begin on Fridays at midday after classes and end on Sunday evenings. The free
weekend for students staying both sessions begins after final exams on Thursday afternoon, June 2,
and ends on Sunday evening, June 5. Second-session only students have orientation in and around
Vienna that weekend of June 3-5. The Budapest trip is the following weekend (June 10-12), and
the Alps trip is on June 18-19. The day trip to Bratislava, Slovakia, on Tuesday, June 9, includes a
guided city your, an excellent dinner, and attendance at the ballet performance of La Bohème. In
case of emergencies, here are the dates, addresses, and phone (or fax) numbers of the hotels where
the group will be staying on weekends. Several of these hotels have web pages.
May 20-22
May 27-29
June 10-12
Hotel Hafnerwirt
Salzachtal Bundestrasse Süd 3
A-5400 Hallein (near Salzburg), Austria
Tel. 011-43-6245-80319
Hotel Olsanka
Taboritska 23
13000 Prague-3 Zizkov, Czech Republic
Tel. 011-420-2-6709-2202
Fax 011-420-2-273386
Hotel Hungaria (Best Western)
Rakoczi ut 90
07. Erzsebetvaros
1074 Budapest, Hungary
Tel. 011-36-1-889-4400
Fax 011-36-1-889-4411
June 18-19 Overnight in JUFA Hotel Bruck an der Mur/Weitental
Stadtwaldstrasse 1, A-8600 Bruck and der Mur
Tel. 011-43-57-083-370
78. Vocalists, Dancers, Instrumentalists, Poets, and Other Performers: One practice room
with a piano is available most afternoons at the Austro-American Institute of Education, but you
need to reserve it. On Wednesday 1 June, I have already rented the downtown Lutheran Church
and reception hall for a gala 60th anniversary concert and party for students, host families, and the
many friends of Hope in Vienna. Several Hope students have already talked with me about
wanting to perform as part of the program. If you are musically talented, think about bringing your
saxophone, bassoon, guitar, djembe, sheet music, ballet shoes, etc. If you would definitely like to
perform, let me know at once. A performance in Vienna will enhance your resume!
79. Resumes: Indeed, overseas experiences can really enhance your resume and are often prime
topics for breaking the ice during interviews. The proper listing for our program is the 60th Annual
Hope College Vienna Summer School, Vienna, Austria (2016). You should not say that you
attended the Austro-American Institute of Education; we only rent that wonderful organization’s
classrooms and housing lists. It also does not hurt to list on your resume the name of a specific
scholarship that you have received to attend the Vienna Summer School.
80. Thirty-Fourth Annual Essay/Poetry Contest: First prize is $100, second prize $50, and
third prize $25. The rules are simple:
a. Write an essay or short story or poem (serious, humorous, political, imaginative, etc.) on
some aspect of your experience in Europe this summer. A polished journal entry is
acceptable. There is no minimum length; up to three items may be submitted.
b. Deadline is Monday, September 12, 2016. Please submit your entry as a Microsoft Word
attachment to my email or bring it to my office in Lubbers Hall 310.
c. Judges are former Vienna Summer School participants with backgrounds in writing.
Some recent and/or memorable Hope winners include: Hannah Ford, Colin Rensch, Chelsea
Steinfeldt, Jourdan Rodammer, Hannah Jacobsma, Huntar Martin, Megan Nawrot, Boyu Wang,
Julie Oosterink, Erin Gilbert, Alex Mouw, Sara Sanchez, Stephanie Browne, Meredith Busman,
Jacob Douma, Emma Lucas, Arin Fisher, Ian Coburn, Michael Dirksen, Peter Jurmu, Matt Baker,
Lauren Eriks, Emily Wilson, Jeremy Benson, Jessica Schmidt, Ashley Boer, Glenn Lester, Rob
Knecht, Chris McGarvey, Katie Budris, Merrie Bannink, Carol Friedrich, Chris Winkler, Bob
Dietz, Erin Selmer, Janelle Coffey, Kristin Zimdahl, Matt Sterenberg, Mantu Joshi, Eric Wolthuis,
Kevin Muiderman, Beth Trembley, Tom Bamborough, and Tom Andrews. Several non-Hope
students have also won prizes. Though the contest is restricted to literary endeavors, I hope others
will submit artwork, songs, love letters, etc., so that we can publish a memorable souvenir booklet
on Vienna 2014. Get your creative juices flowing now! Keep journals and polish them later.
81. Last-Minute Reminders: Check these out! I hope you are as excited as I am! Please reread
the 2016 Vienna Summer School brochure and five orientation bulletins (paper copies or online
versions) for valuable information.
---If you arrive apart from the group, please have my business card with phone numbers for
Institute and me handy. Volcanic ash, storms, and terrorist scares can cause flight delays.
---Students in classes taught by Drs. Cunningham and Gibbs have reading assignments to complete
before arriving in Vienna. Senior Seminar students must type that first paper before boarding the
plane and should consider bringing a stuffed animal for the orphanage (see item 41 in Bull. 3).
---Don't forget to photocopy the information and photo pages in your passport and your
International Student I.D. card and the numbers of your Travelers Cheques (if any).
---Water (especially with ice) is seldom served in Austrian restaurants (I have arranged for icewater in Mörbisch and most weekend hotels), but don't go ballistic in places where it is not served.
Bring your own water container, but drink the water before going into a restaurant. Tap water is
safe almost anywhere. You are usually responsible for purchasing other beverages at group meals.
---Many Alcoholics Anonymous groups (English-speaking) are available in Vienna. I can make
arrangements in advance for anyone in an AA group here. You will not be the first to join.
---Rumor to dispel: You may wear flip-flops—just not at the Opera or other fancy theatres or in
the salt mines or when climbing the Alps.
---I shall finalize pass-fail requests in Vienna after the second day of classes in Vienna. Everyone
is already registered for courses.
---Homesickness is common. Dealing with it maturely will make you a better person. Do you
really need to telephone your parents and/or boy/girl friend twice a day? Do they really need
to phone you every day?
---Arrive with an open mind, a kind heart, a sense of adventure and wonder.
---You are a representative of your country, your school, your family, your religion, and the
Hope College Vienna Summer School. Behave accordingly.
---The December 2010 issue of Travel and Leisure provided an A to Z Guide on “How to Get the
Best Treatment around the Globe.” Here are my favorites:
Appearances do matter.
Be enthusiastic.
Disarm them with a smile.
Exercise the Golden Rule.
Find the freebies.
Just ask.
Travel like your mom (it’s about listening).
Yelling doesn’t work.
Remain Zen.
That's all for now. Please feel free to email me at hemenway@hope.edu or call me at my office
(616-395-7616) or home phone (616-399-1905). Kendra Williams may be reached on weekday
mornings at the Fried International Center (616-395-7605).
Sincerely yours,
Stephen I. Hemenway, Director
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
–St. Augustine of Hippo
Travel like Gandhi, with simple clothing, open eyes, and an uncluttered mind.
–Rick Steves