Practical Information

Practical Information for VT in Rome and Riva

I. Packing

Most important info about packing is that we are taking the train to Rome (actually a short train, a medium train, and then the fast train from Milan to Rome) so students need to pack light. You need to be able to pick up and carry your suitcase up and down stairs and to place your stuff in overhead racks on the train or under your seat.

Europeans tend to dress better and be more formal than us so we would recommend a wardrobe which does not rely completely on jeans or shorts and sneakers. People in cities just do not dress that way. Of course, in the Villa and hanging around you might. Make sure you have some sort of jacket and/or a sweater. A mini umbrella is also a good idea. It’s also useful to have one nice outfit though it’s not required. Women need to have pants or skirts to cover the knee when visiting churches and a sweater or scarf for covering bare shoulders and arms. And men must have pants to enter churches, especially St. Peter’s. Shorts for men won’t work either. I find it easier to just wear skirts or dresses all the time.

Do not over pack. You have to carry it around, and you have to share a room with others and that room might be small in Rome. Bringing more than one suitcase for two weeks is a lot of work for you. When you have several students in the same room with piles of luggage, it’s just not good.

Check your airline on weight restrictions for checked and carryon luggage. Most allow one checked bag of 50 pounds for free. By the way, we hardly ever check a bag—we just pack one carry-on suitcase for two weeks. Do NOT plan to carry onto the plane lots of things. The “one carryon plus a purse/briefcase rule” does not mean a carryon and a purse and a backpack and a bag of stuff you just bought and your giant hat and coat, etc. The planes are crowded enough already, and it will be hard for you to travel on trains.

If you are not checking your bag and only doing a carry-on suitcase, remember that all your liquids must be place in one quart sized clear bag. See TSA for more info.

Things to pack:

• Clothes for about a week. Wear them all twice and you are set. There is a washer and dryer in Riva (but only one or two).
• Bring clothes that are workhorses—eg, pants or a skirt that you can wear with different shirts, and so on.
• Sweater or jacket of some sort. Not going to be freezing cold—but better to be prepared.
• Bathing suit.
• Thin bathrobe for getting to and from the shower in the Villa
• One nice outfit, if you want to go to a nice restaurant. optional.
• Pants, skirt, scarf, etc. for covering when in churches. THIS IS A MUST.
• Notebook for class, pens, pencils; notebook for journal
• Prescription medicine
• Tylenol, cold medicines, allergy stuff, bandaids, etc ( whatever you find that you usually use/need at home; no need to bring a pharmacy!)
• sunscreen
• Glasses and contacts and eye juice
• Small containers of shampoo, soap, other toiletries you need (don’t want to waste your weight allowance on shampoo and you can buy more there or use hotel shampoo)
• camera, if you use one other than your phone
• Adapter and chargers for your items (e.g. computer, phone). Switzerland/Italy uses the southern Europe adapter. You will really only need an adapter (and not a converter) since your smartphones and computers automatically convert the voltage; you just need adapters to plug them in. A converter converts the electrical charge, the adapter is what allows you to plug things into the wall. The villa has hairdryers.
• Shoes that you can walk in for ten hours, seriously
• Addresses of all those aunts and uncles to send postcards to.

II. Money

Generally you get the best rates on conversion and are safer if you use a debit ATM card in Europe and where you travel. That’s what we always do. But to be safe, bring some back ups. We suggest you bring ALL these options.

• ATM Debit card. Make sure you know the pin number. Make sure you also a) notify your bank you will be traveling all sorts of places the whole semester and b) make sure you bring the phone number of the bank in case they put a stop on your card and you need to call them.
• Credit card (for shopping, for backup). You could also consider getting a pin number for your credit card in case you need to get money from it. Again, notify your credit card company that you will be traveling so they won’t stop it.
• Cash. You should have some cash as back up which you can change if necessary,
• plus cash in US dollars for deposits in Riva. This deposit will be returned to you in US dollars when we leave. No need for traveler’s checks. No one uses them and hardly anyone accepts them anymore.

Be safe with your money. There are pickpockets . Do not carry your money in your backpack—anyone can unzip it. Do not put your wallet in your back pocket. Don’t ever put down your bag. Don't dangle your bag off the back of your chair. I usually use a purse that zips completely across the top. Some might feel more comfortable with one of those pouches you wear around your neck under your shirt.

If you feel you need to, you can purchase euro and Swiss francs before you leave at major banks and also at Travelex.com. You have to buy a certain amount.

Switzerland uses Swiss francs (chf) and Italy uses euro. The Swiss franc and the US dollar are essentially worth the same (as of late May) and the euro is about $1.12.

Keep a list somewhere (at home?) of credit card numbers just in case.

III. Communication with Home

Skype or whatsapp or messenger--as long as you are on wifi

Cellphones. You will want to check to see if your cell phone AND plan will work overseas; many offer international plans. Make sure you have a phone that actually will work with these plans and check the price. I generally just use data on wifi. The villa and the hotel in Rome both have wifi.

If you own a smartphone, you need to turn off data roaming and any push notifications and so on once you get to Europe or you will end up with a huge overseas bill!!!!! Use your phone only in a wifi setting and make sure you turn off data roaming after you are done using it.

Facebook etc, obviously, especially for pictures. But if you upload a photo on Facebook using data on your smartphone, you are sunk. It will cost you a fortune.

Reminder—Have with you some important phone numbers (e.g. of your bank or credit cards) in case you need to call home.

IV. Safety

Students will be in areas that the State Department considers safe. Students will be given emergency contact cards in both Switzerland and Rome with numbers for assistance. In addition, all students have been enrolled in CISI travel insurance which includes health care and evacuation, if necessary. Every student has received an individual membership card with details. Further, our program is enrolled in STEP, Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, run by the State Department, which means that the U.S. embassies nearby are aware of us.

Global Education Safety and Risk Management contact at Virginia Tech: 540-750-5747 or VTGlobalSafety@vt.edu.

V. Riva San Vitale, Switzerland Address, and how to get there

(in case you miss our chartered bus at the airport)

Steger Center for International Scholarship Virginia Tech

Villa Maderni, via Settala 8

6826 Riva San Vitale, Switzerland

+41 91 648 36 51

1. There is a train that goes from Milano Malpensa airport to Riva. Take the train to Capolago-Riva San Vitale. It will cost 17 euro one way. It only runs about every two hours. When you get off, walk to the Steger Center (about 10 minutes). Directions below.

2. Or Take Malpensa Express.Ch Shuttle (do not confuse this with the Malpensa Express bus that goes to Milan). This one runs only every two hours or so and can be found outside at banchina (parking spot) # 4or 5. Make sure you are on the right bus!! Ask if it goes to Lugano to make sure. It may say Giosy Tours on the side. Or Luganoservizi.

Then ride this shuttle (which costs about 25 chf ) to Lugano. Although it usually requires a reservation, if you are stuck at the airport, you might as well see if there is space on it for you. You will need to pay the driver. He will take euro instead of chf, so go to the ATM in the airport and get some.

When you arrive in Lugano, you will probably be at train station; if not, make your way there (it should be very close). At train station, go inside and ask for help to buy ticket on next train to Capolago-Riva San Vitale. Ask also which platform the train will come on. Ride this train to Capolago. The train is only 15 minutes long—stay near the door to hop off quickly! At the train station called Capolago-Riva San Vitale you will need to get off the train rather quickly. Plan to be ready at the train doors with your luggage before the train stops. When the train is on full stop push the button to open the train doors.

In either case, walk from train. The Center is located in Riva San Vitale, 15 minutes (on foot) away from the train station in Capolago. The map will help you in locating CESA: http://map.search.ch/riva-s.vitale/via-settala-8.en.html (if you now click on the red circle our name and contact information will pop-up). To locate the train station of Capolago- Riva San Vitale, on that same map, insert for city “Capolago” and for street address “via Carlo Scacchi” then press enter. Now click on the train icon and you will see where the Station is located .

The best way to reach CESA is by walking along the V. dell’Indipendenza street to the main square of Riva San Vitale. From there take the via dell’inglese (to avoid main traffic); if you click to enlarge at maximum the above map, the via dell’inglese will be shown to you. If you still do not find us ask the locals where Virginia Tech or the “Scuola Americana” is located and they will help you out, or if you have a cell phone give us a call at 0041 91 648 36 51.

Contact Information:

Riva address: Villa Maderni, Via Settala 8, Riva San Vitale, Switzerland 6826. phone number: 011 41 91 648 3652.

Rome: Hotel Palatino, www.hotelpalatino.com. phone number: 0113906481492. Via Cavour, Rome.

Becker phone numbers: 1-540-267-6290 or 1-540-267-6295 (available at all times).