The University of Akron
Department of Modern Languages
Summer Program in the Alps
April 18, 2005
Bonjour tout le monde,
With the departure date for our trip less than a month away, you must undoubtedly getting
both impatient and nervous! We will go through the whole drill to make sure that everything is
under control.
By this time, you must already have applied for or received your passport, and ordered
and received your airline ticket. If you have not yet done so, it may difficult to get
these documents in time for the beginning of the trip. For those taking the Fr 311 Civ
course, the book will be available in the bookstore in the week prior to departure,
although you can get it off the internet for less. For the conversation course, there will
be no textbook as such, though you are encouraged to have a dictionary available. You
will be able to buy dictionaries in France.
You must provide a signed and witnessed "Statement of Responsibility". This document is
available online on our web page at
http://www.uakron.edu/modlang/05trip/index.html ; copies of the statement will
also be made available at the meeting.
In addition to and quite separately from registration and tuition for the course you will be
taking, you will also have to remit the balance of the Program fee to cover the group’s
expenses in France. Given the current and continued weak performance of the dollar
vis-à-vis foreign currencies, I have figured Program costs at $2000. Since all of you have
already given $250 deposits, the sum due from each and every student is $1750.
Please write a check in this amount, made out to The University of Akron, and get
this check to me no later than NOON on Monday, May 9th. You may leave your check
any time between now and Monday, May 9th, with the Department Secretary, Mrs.
Susan Baker, who will then place your check in my office. I will not deposit the checks
until the afternoon of May 9th.
If you want to "do" e-mail while in France, be sure you have an e-mail service such as
uakron’s webmail. Other such services include (among many) www.hotmail.com,
www.gmail.com, or the French www.caramail.com . Webmail accounts allow you to
get your e-mail easily from any internet-connected computer, such as the one at the
public library in Faverges, without any special programming skills.
Other questions? You can e-mail me at any time; I will answer with all deliberate speed. Please
don’t forget to schedule an OPI (language level interview) between now and the last day of
classes: I’d like to check everyone’s language level prior to the beginning of the trip.
Robert F. Jeantet
Modern Languages
2005 SUMMER PROGRAM IN THE ALPS
 WHAT TO BRING 
Your trip to Faverges will take the better part of a day: Most of you will be leaving on Saturday
(May 14th) mid-day from Cleveland, flying from Detroit or NY (or wherever, depending on your
individual travel arrangements) later that same day, and will arrive in Geneva Sunday morning
around 9am Swiss time ( it will be 3am Sunday American time as far your body is concerned ).
It is important that you wear comfortable clothes and comfortable walking shoes. It is strongly
recommended that you get a few hours' sleep on the plane: you will be spending the night
traveling, and if you want to feel refreshed on Sunday, you probably don't want to be pulling
the equivalent of an all-nighter traveling. You may want to bring a toothbrush in your hand
luggage: after a night's sleep in the plane, a minty mouth in the morning helps to face the day
with enthusiasm. After we collect our bags in Geneva, we will board a chartered bus that will
take us to Faverges, arriving well before noon. Your French family will greet you and take you
to your French home at that time.
If you are not flying with the group and cannot meet the group in Geneva, you will need some
French and/or Swiss money to pay your fare to Annecy and Faverges. (You can change money
at any international airport). We will go together to a bank a day or two following our arrival
(part of the cultural experience!) so you can see how to change money.
 Clothes 
For your stay, be sure to bring comfortable, practical clothes: jeans, T-shirts, shorts, sneakers,
a sweater and a sweatshirt. Please bring one nice pair of lightweight pants or a skirt
appropriate for a ‘nice’ occasion: we will be received in Town Hall, and this year one of the
host families is hosting a wedding, to which you are all invited (Saturday, June 7). The rest of
the time, comfortable walking clothes are a must. You will need something warm in the
evening - a flannel shirt, sweatshirt or sweater; bring clothes that can be "layered." Bring easy
to care for, no-iron clothes that dry fairly quickly. Don't bring too many clothes that must be
dry-cleaned, as this type of cleaning is quite expensive in France.
 Medicines 

If you take prescription medicine, bring enough to last for the duration of your trip, as well as
a copy of your prescription with the generic name(s) of your medication. Carry all medication
in original packaging with labels, in your carry-on bag. If you have allergies, plan to bring
enough medication to keep them under control. First-time travelers usually find that their hay
fever symptoms disappear due to different and unfamiliar strains of pollen, though the
opposite reaction might occur. There is no easy way to predict your allergic reaction.
 READ THIS PARAGRAPH IF YOU WEAR CONTACT LENSES

Bring enough of whatever solutions you use with your lenses! Identical products are often not
available in France. If you use an electric sterilizer for your lenses, you must get a transformer
of sufficient wattage to use with it. Bring a spare pair of lenses; if you lose or damage a lens it
may take your parents back home up to a week to find a replacement. The package then takes
ten more days to arrive, and is then subject to a $30 French customs import tariff. If you wear
glasses, it's a good idea to bring a spare pair.
 Entertainment 
During your free time you are encouraged to explore the area and develop new friendships with
your French hosts. For this reason, you should NOT plan to bring a full complement of
entertainment material such as American books and magazines. Instead, consider activities
which can include other people, such as: small musical instruments, softball (bring wiffle balls
too), frisbees, UNO cards. Remember to bring photographs of your home and family. Your
host families are very interested to learn about your life in the U.S.
 Recipes 
If you like to cook, bring some favorite recipes to show your French family how to prepare such
exotic and unknown fare as brownies, "French" onion dip, Mississippi mud pie, pancake mix and
real Ohio maple syrup, etc. Certain Basic American staples cannot be found in Europe: among
these are Jell-O, Kool-Aid, brownie mix, American cheese, microwavable popcorn, grape jelly,
or ready-made "French" dressing, “Honey Dijon” flavor, though chocolate chips have recently
appeared in French supermarkets. You can also find ketchup as well as dauntingly sticky peanut
butter. If you plan to do any cooking with American recipes bring a cheap plastic measuring cup
marked in both ounces/cups and metric measures (you can't find anything marked in ounces or
cups in Europe!) With a little imagination, it is possible to make a reasonable facsimile of a
hot-dog or Swensen's burger should the craving hit.
 Luggage 
Remember to label your luggage clearly (name, address in US and France, phone) both INSIDE
and OUT.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! You should put a card with name and destination address
information inside your bag in the event that it should be misplaced and the outside tags lost.
Hard-shell suitcases protect delicate objects better than soft-sided luggage. If you bring
breakable items, should you plan to use a soft-sided case, be sure to wrap these items tightly
in clothing to reduce the possibility of breakage, or else carry them in your carry-on luggage.
(It is likely your bag will be treated very roughly, suitcases are often damaged in transit).
 Travelers Checks 
You may find it practical to carry your travelers checks in a security pouch or holster. Be sure
to write down the number of your passport and of your travelers checks, and to keep this
information in a separate place. You may choose to leave your wallet or billfold at home in the
US. Most credit cards (Sears, Discover, Penneys, etc.) are utterly useless in Europe, and your
driver's licence will probably be of little if any use to you in France (it cannot serve for
identification in most places). Your Visa card is probably the most useful, with Mastercard
and American Express both trailing far behind in acceptance. By the way, credit card
purchases in Europe are billed a month late, and the rate of exchange applied by Visa and
Mastercard tends to be very fair, better than what you get when changing money in a bank.
Remember: when you travel, you want to keep all your ID documents, credit cards and checks
and money on your person. DO NOT put any of these things in your checked luggage.
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER IN FRANCE: 011.33.450.60.77.70
THIS NUMBER IS FOR EMERGENCY USE ONLY!
PACKING CHECK-LIST
Past experience has shown that bringing the correct gear will be important to the success of
your trip. Although you may not see the utility of certain items right now, you are strongly
encouraged to pack the following items.
CHECK OFF THE LIST BELOW ON THE MORNING OF YOUR
DEPARTURE
We recommend, from past experience, that you bring two suitcases, one of which should be
partly empty... And a carry-on bag no larger than a bookbag. A backpack serves well as a carryon bag. In your carry-on you should bring any important medicines (prescription medication,
contact lens solution...) that you really cannot live without. Checked luggage is occasionally
misplaced and may take an additional day or two to reach you.
REQUIRED ___ valid passport
___ airplane tickets
___ personal toiletry articles
___ one nice outfit (for receptions, church services)
___ one week's supply of underwear, socks, shirts (AT MOST!)
___ two or three pair of jeans, pants (NO MORE THAN THIS!)
___ two or three sweaters, sweatshirts (NO MORE THAN THIS!)
___ class books (French 311 students must bring their textbooks, Les Français, 3rd edition.)
___ travelers' checks (for your personal expenses)
___ comfortable walking/hiking shoes (We do a lot of walking....)
RECOMMENDED ___ sunglasses
___ sunscreen (can be bought in France)
___ lightweight rainproof jacket (nylon shell)
___ hiking boots (if you like to walk & hike)
___ spare contact lenses or glasses
___ camera with fresh battery and film or, if using a digital camera, some blank CDs or DVDs
___ $50 converted to Euros before departure
___ foldup umbrella or poncho
___ travel alarm clock (to get up in the morning!)
___ credit card for emergency use
___ bathing suit, towel
OPTIONAL ___ insect repellent (there are almost no mosquitoes in the Alps)
___ for photographers: U.V. or polarizing filters for best results
___ moneybelt for documents and traveler's checks while traveling
___ dual-voltage "travel" hair dryer
STRONGLY DISCOURAGED - valuable jewelry or watches, cash in excess of $50
- curling irons or other electrical appliances not specifically "dual-voltage"
EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN - on your person or in your carry-on: anything sharp or pointy, (ice picks!) cigarette lighters,
nail files, etc.
- firearms and knives (except folding pocket knives, packed in checked luggage only)
- illegal substances
 2005 FAVERGES HOST FAMILIES

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------GOLEM Alexandra
sans enfant
VERDERICO Maria
MILLOT, Bernard & Yvette
12 rue des Grandes pièces
74210 Faverges
Non fumeurs, 2 chiens 1 chat,
04.50.44.45.40.
JENCO Kristin
MILLER Casey
LECLERC, Alain & Catherine
30 rue des Grandes Pièces
74210 Faverges
BRUBAKER Jeff
06.84.54.57.80.
BLUZAT, Jacques & Michelle
29, rue des Grandes Pièces
74210 Faverges
LIESZKOVSZKY Michelle BIBOLLET, Michel & Monique
2394, route de Tamié
74210 Faverges
KLEIN Angela
ans ½
Fumeur, 2 chiens, sans enfant
DEGAS, Hubert & Sylvie
39, chemin du Peisant
74210 Faverges
Fumeur, 1 enfant 17ans
04.50.44.44.30
villa, 1 chien, 1 chat, marche à pied
04.50.44.63.86
Morgane 12 ans Thomas 10 ans Victoria 6
04.50.32.54.23
LEIGH Adam
SEMONIN Stephanie
DURET, Roger & Catherine
Non fumeur, sans enfant
2400 Route de Tamié, Frontenex
74210 Faverges
04.50.44.53.15
ROSSI Rénée
MARSURA, Walter & Isabelle
420, chemin de chez Saillet
74210 Faverges
FICHTER Lindsay
& 11 ans
PHILLIPS Kelli
SMOOT Amy
Marie 12 ans, Paul 8ans, et Louise
04.50.32.92.56
MONTCOUDIOL, Guy & Christine
26 impasse Baroni
74210 Faverges
PERRIER, Thérèse
24, Chemin du Perthuiset
74210 Faverges
Non fumeur, 2 enfants 8
04.50.44.44.31
villa, animaux,fumeur, bridge, lecture,
04.50.44.56.62
SCHMID, Jean-Louis & Jany
1 enfant Julien 27 ans
2412, route de Tamié, Frontenex
74210 Faverges
04.50.44.50.55
HALL Michelle
STUMP Nathan
BALLIEU, Agnès
Non fumeur, 2 enfants 19 &11
ans
198 chemin des Rethieux, Frontenex
74210 Faverges
04.50.32.52.38THIS
SHEET IS FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THE US
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER: 011-33-450.60.77.70.
THIS NUMBER IS FOR EMERGENCY USE ONLY!
Remember that there is a six-hour time difference
PLEASE DO NOT CALL FROM THE US TO FRANCE AFTER 4 pm U.S. TIME.
BEST TIME TO CALL FROM THE US: between 3 and 4 pm
PLEASE CONSULT CHART BELOW TO TIME YOUR CALLS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------US TIME
FRENCH TIME
8AM
=
2PM
10AM
=
4PM
Noon
=
6PM
2PM
=
8PM
4PM
=
10PM
 DO NOT CALL BETWEEN 4PM AND 1AM US TIME!
US
1AM
=
7AM
IN FRANCE
3AM
=
9AM
5AM
=
11AM
7AM
=
1PM
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PARTICIPANTS
Host Family
Phone number in France
(from the US, dial the number below)
BRUBAKER
Bluzat
FICHTER, PHILLIPS
Montcoudiol
GOLEM, VERDERICO
Millot
HALL
Schmid
JENCO, MILLER
Leclerc
KLEIN
Degas
LEIGH, SEMONIN
Duret
LIESZKOVSZKY
Bibollet
ROSSI
Marsura
SMOOT
Perrier
STUMP
Ballieu
 011.33.450.44.44.30
 011.33.450.44.44.31
 011.33.450.44.45.40
 011.33.450.44.50.55
 011.33.684.54.57.80
 011.33.450.32.54.23
 011.33.450.44.53.15
 011.33.450.44.63.86
 011.33.450.32.92.56
 011.33.450.44.56.62
 011.33.450.32.52.38
Remind your family & friends of the website for the Program:
http://www.uakron.edu/modlang/05trip