INTRODUCTORY NOTES FOR PARTICIPANTS

Transcription

1 GMU SCHAR Vietnam Study Abroad Programme Held at The International School - Vietnam National University, Hanoi 14 th 20 th January 2018 INTRODUCTORY NOTES FOR PARTICIPANTS Faculty Coordinator Programme Director Academic Director Dr. Stuart Kewley Michal McElwain Malur Robert Deitz

2 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI Vietnam National University is one of two national universities and is the most prestigious university in Vietnam. Throughout its over 100 years of development, being aware of responsibilities toward global issues, VNU has affirmed its position as Vietnam s top comprehensive multidisciplinary academic and research center of excellence based on international standards. With modern comprehensive higher education management, VNU has been striving to establish itself as a leading institution in Vietnam and in the region based on the philosophy Excellent through Knowledge and by promoting six core values: high quality, creativity, innovation, integration, responsibility to society, and sustainable development. An important task of VNU is to provide the country with high quality human resources to meet the developmental needs of the society, thus making important contributions to the progress of Vietnam and within this region and the world. Eurasia Educational Dynamics 2

3 ACCOMMODATION: ESALEN HOTEL Programme participants will be accommodated at the Esalen Hotel. The Esalen Hotel is a chain of hotels and apartments managed and operated by AAA Hotel & Management. Esalen Hotel is a harmonious combination of traditional and modern styles with a team of welltrained staff to ensure the exceptional value of the service. Participants who have special dietary requirements should inform the programme coordinators before arrival. For example, if you suffer from food-related allergies, follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, or observe dietary restrictions such as not eating certain meats, please let us know by . Michal McElwain Malur: mmcelwai@gmu.edu Ms Sofia Zulkifli: sofia.zulkifli@eurasia-eu.com Please be advised that you should avoid drinking tap water in Vietnam Participants are advised to keep the doors of their rooms locked at all times when they are absent, and should take care that money and articles of value are not left casually in their rooms or anywhere else. MONEY The programme fee includes the full academic programme, accommodation, and most meals. Please note that all other expenses are the responsibility of the individual, e.g. telephone calls, extra food and drinks, newspapers, etc. You will also need to carry enough cash for shopping. Banks and banking hours: In Vietnam, banking hours are generally from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, with some banks closing at midday for lunch. Most private currency exchanges set their own hours. Changing money: Money can be changed at any bank or private exchange but the easiest way is to withdraw money from ATMs. All ATMs provide instructions in Vietnamese and English, and are available 24 hours a day. Money is issued only in the Vietnamese currency, calculating Eurasia Educational Dynamics 3

4 dollar withdrawals at the daily official rate of exchange. Unlimited number of withdrawals may be made in a day, but each is limited to 2,000,000 dong, with a fee for each withdrawal, usually between US$ 2 and US$ 5. Currency: The Dong, abbreviated to VND or d, is the Vietnamese unit of currency. The current rate of is approx 20,000d to US$ 1. Though it is not official, US dollars are now accepted everywhere, especially in tourists zones. Always ensure that these notes are in mint condition. It is also advisable to keep some dong notes and coins at hand for day-to-day expenditure. Vietnamese banknotes are circulated in denominations of 200d, 500d, 1,000d, 2,000d, 5,000d, 10,000d, 20,000d, 50,000d, 100,000d and 500,000d. Please be advised that Dong cannot be converted outside Vietnam. HEALTH AND SAFETY Participants have a statutory duty to take reasonable precautions for their own health and safety and for that of others who may be affected by their actions. Please report any unsafe practices observed to the Programme coordinators. BASIC VIETNAMESE PHRASES Thank you. Good morning. Hello. Good evening. See you again. Yes. No. Excuse me. I m sorry. cam on chào buổi sáng chào bạn chào buổi tối hẹn gặp lại Vâng Không xin lỗi tôi xin lỗi Eurasia Educational Dynamics 4

5 I don t understand Vietnamese. Do you speak English? What s your name? Where is the subway station? How much does it cost? Where is the restroom? tôi không hiểu tiếng việt Bạn có nói tiếng Anh không Bạn tên là gì mà là ga tàu điện ngầm bao nhiêu nó chi phí đâu là nhà vệ sinh USEFUL WEBSITES Hanoi travel guide: Here you can find more information about transportation in the city, hotels, shopping centres and everything else you need to know about Hanoi. The program will begin with an orientation, introduction lecture, and dinner on Sunday, 14 th January Meet in the Esalen Hotel lobby at 5:30 pm. In case of emergency, please contact Dr Stuart Kewley on mobile at: or Michal Mcelwain Malur at Eurasia Educational Dynamics 5