Riga SURVIVAL GUIDE

01.08. - 09.08. 2014

Welcome Word 3

Welcome to Latvia 4

Riga - the Capital City of Latvia 5

Latvian Cuisine 6

Prices in Latvia 7

How to Get to Riga 8

Public Transportation 9

Useful Words & Phrases 10

Do not Forget 11

Travel Refunds 12

Schedule 13

Writting CV 14

About BEST 15

About EBEC 16

Contact 17

Can’t Wait to Meet YOU ! 18

CONTENT

WELCOME WORD

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Dear participant,

We are proud to welcome you to the sixth European BEST Engineering Competition that is being held in Riga.

In this booklet we gathered information which can be useful for you during planning and preparing your trip to Riga. We hope that you will enjoy the event as much as we do.

This guide contains a short description about everything you need to keep in mind during the Final. We recommend you famous places in Riga what to see and enjoy. Take a walk in Old Riga to catch a city spirit or spend relaxing time in green area as Bastejkalns. Riga, the European Capital of Culture 2014 ,will bring a lot of cultural events to explore. We wish you to get a huge inspiration and have a wonderful time with us!

Keep this guide close to you - it will help you to enjoy EBEC Final 2014 in Riga!If you have any questions, feel free to ask us!

EBEC 2014 Organising Team

Latvia is a Baltic country, a Baltic Sea coun-try, a European country. In 2004 it became a NATO and EU country and is actively devel-oping its special role in a rapidly changing, in-creasingly globalised world community.

For travellers, the best thing about Latvia is that it is so compact. Its 500 km of san-

dy beaches are easily reached from histori-cal towns, where medieval hanseatic foun-dations support baroque and art nouveau buildings, that become venues for cultural festivals during the summer. With such a va-riety, Latvia is best enjoyed slowly.

WELCOME TO LATVIA

Founded: November 18, 1918Area: 64,589 sq kmPopulation: 2,03 millionLanguage: LatvianGovernment: Parliamentary democracy Currency: EUR International code: LVTime: GMT +2International telephone code: +371Emergency phone numbers: 112

• The coolest gadget of 20th century, the spy photocam Minox was invented in Lat-via.

• The story goes that first decorated Christ-mas tree comes from Latvia in 1510. Mar-tin Luther did it to show his children how the stars twinkled through the dark night.

• Māris Štrombergs in the 2008 Sum-mer Olympics became the first Olympic champion in BMX cycling.

SOME FACTS

• The Latvian Song and Dance Festival is one of the largest amateur choral events in the world. Approximately 30,000 per-formers altogether participate in the event.

• Latvia has the most women per men in Eastern and Western Europe (1,139 women per 1,000 men).

DID YOU KNOW ?

FLAG OF LATVIA

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Latvia’s political, economic and culture cen-tre is in Rīga, where more than one third of Latvia’s population (644 thousand) lives and works. Rīga’s elegant Old Town and dis-tinctive Art Nouveau architecture serve as a stimulating setting for a vibrant modern business and cultural life.

Founded in 1201, this former Hanseatic League member is one of the oldest medi-eval cities in Europe and has been listed by UNESCO as one of the world’s most import-ant cultural and natural sites.

Since olden times Riga has been a city with rich cultural life, so no wonder, it has earned the honour to become the European Capital of Culture 2014.

Guests of the city will be able to enjoy pearls of music performed by the world-renowned Latvian choirs, magnificent opera staging, modern art performances, popular music concerts, art exhibitions, grand national cel-ebrations and many more events, which the guests can take part in.

For more information please visit: www.riga2014.org/eng/

• Freedom Monument, 1 Brivibas iela. Monument is one of Latvia's national symbols. The statue of a woman holding three stars at the top of the monument represents Freedom embracing Latvia's regions.

• Old Riga - Of course, the Old Town of Riga, its heart, is its pearl! While wander-ing in the Old Town or in the blocks of Art Nouveau architecture, you will find nu-merous restaurants and cafés.

• Spīķeri creative quarter and promenade - A 25-minute walk from the Old Town southward along the Daugava river takes

PLACES TO VISIT

The largest Tourist Information Centre is located in Melngalvju nams House of Blackheads, Rātslaukums 6 in Old Riga.

you to a place with a creative and histor-ic atmosphere. Together with the Central market, the place provides for a rather different experience from that of the Old Town.

• Bastejkalns, Between Raina Bulvaris and Basteja Bulvaris. A small, pleasant park surrounding Brivibas Bulvaris. Sites in the Bastejkalns include the Bridge of Love over the Pilsetas Canal.

• The smallest Art Nouveau restaurant in the world Coffe Tower, Tērbatas iela 2f.

RIGA

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LATVIAN CUISINE

Latvian foods are characteristically bland, without a use of strong spices, and have a reasonably high fat content.

Among Latvia's traditionally most popular national foods are caraway cheese, grey peas with bacon and a special rye bread prepared to ancient recipes. We also enjoy jellied meat (also known as galerts), potato salad rasols ,

bacon rolls pīrāgi, potato pancakes, quickly salted cucumbers and wind cakes Old Riga (Latvian version of cupcakes filled with cot-tage cheese). Yummmmmy!

Latvian rye bread is a staple for most of the population and is one of Latvia's most popu-lar food souvenirs.

CUSINE

Many Latvians drink innumerable cups of tea or coffee during the day, usually without milk. Other popular traditional drinks include kvass (a non-alcoholic drink made from yeast), fresh or fermented birch juice and beer.

Beer is a traditional Latvian beverage - it is the most commonly mentioned drink in Lat-

DRINKSvian folklore, and has innumerable folksongs dedicated to it.

Another special strong alcoholic beverage made in Latvia is Rīga Black Balsam, first made in the 18th century and based on an ancient recipe of various herbs used by Rigan pharmacists.

Take a stroll through Vermānes park to this Latvian themed restaurant. Take your pick of Latvian delicacies from the buffet selection, grab something fresh from the salad bar and wash it down with a glass of ‘kefirs’ or ‘kvass’ whilst your ears are ca-ressed by tradtional folk music and Latvi-an conversation. Cheap, quick and always delicious.Address: Elizabetes iela 65

LIDO VĒRMANĪTIS

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PRICES IN LATVIACombo Meal at McDonalds or Similar 4.98 €

Cappuccino (regular) 1.76 €

Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) 0.86 €

Water (0.33 liter bottle) 0.67 €

Apples (1kg) 0.91 €

Potato (1kg) 0.42 €

Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 5.74 €

Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 0.88 €

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) 1.21 €

Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) 3.13 €

An old Zaparozhetc (a Soviet era car) 72.00 €

Latvia replaced its previous currency, the lats, with the euro on 1 January 2014.

Major credit cards such as Eurocard, MasterCard, Diners Club, Visa, JCB, American Express, are accepted by most hotels, restaurants, shops and gas stations. Credit cards can be used in banks or in ATMs to get a cash advance. Outside of Riga the acceptance of credit cards is lower.

RIGA CENTRAL MARKET

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BY PLANERiga International Airport (Starptautiskā Lidosta Rīga in Latvian) (RIX) is located 10km southwest of Riga. The following airlines of-fer service from/to Riga International Airport: Aeroflot, airBaltic, Belavia, Czech Airlines, Finnair, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Nor-wegian Air Shuttle, Ryanair, Turkish Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways, Wizz Air.

To travel between the airport to the city:

• Bus 22 runs between the airport and the old town, with a stop near the central bus and railway stations. The journey to the old town takes 40 minutes. The bus stop is lo-cated opposite the entrance of the terminal. There is a ticket machine at the bus stop. • Taxis can be expensive if a meter is used and a fixed price is not negotiated. Charges are as follows: €2.10 for embarka-tion plus €0.70/km; waiting costs €8.5/hour. The ride to the center takes 15 minutes.

HOW TO GET TO RIGABY BUSThere are international bus connections to anywhere in Europe, • Ecolines • Simple Express • Eurolines Lux Express • Flybus - Service between Riga and Kaunas and Vilnius

BY FERRYTallink operates a daily ferry service between Stockholm and Riga. Prices start at €28.

BY TRAINLatvian Railways operates service to many cities in Latvia as well as a few cities in Rus-sia, Belarus, and Estonia.Trains depart for Moscow daily at 16:20 ('Latvijas Express') with an additional train departing at 18:10 from May to September ('Jurmala'). One overnight train bound for St. Petersburg ('Baltija Express') departs Riga daily at 18:50.

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We will pick you up!Let us know as soon as possible the exact date and time of your arrival to Riga.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

We suggest to choose a Yellow e-ticket• for a certain number of trips;• it can be bought in ticket vending ma-

chines, kiosks of "Narvesen", "Latvia Post" offices in Riga and ticket trade outlets of "Rīgas satiksme" ;

• it is convenient for passengers who do not use Riga public transport on a regular basis, including Riga guests;

• tickets are to be used within 12 months upon the moment of purchase.

Other opportunity: Paper ticket • sold in public transport and in night trans-

port only;• valid for the trip only – during which it has

been bought;• Price EUR 1 trip 1.20.

HOW TO USE E-TICKET?When entering public transport – bus, trol-leybus or tram, a passenger has to apply a yellow or a blue e-ticket to an electronic vali-dator. Thus the trip is registered and the pas-senger pays for the trip.

Electronic validators are located in public transport vehicles – buses, trolleybuses and trams and register passengers paying for the trip.

When entering public transport, a passenger has to apply an e-ticket to an electronic val-idator.

E-TICKET (e talons)

1 trip 0.60

2 trips 1.20

4 trips 2.40

5 trips 3.00

10 trips 5.70

20 trips 10.80

For more information about etalons: www.rigassatiksme.lv/en/tickets-and-e-ticket/Routes and schedules: www.rigassatiksme.lv/en/

Price EUR:

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CHAVINJAAAS! Hey, hello! (in local BEST group Riga) Paldies! Thank you!Lūdzu! Welcome/please!Piedodiet Excuse meJā YesNē NoMani sauc … My name is...Tev is skaistas acis! You have beautiful eyes!Veikals ShopLabu apetīti! Bon appetit!Ūdens WaterAlus BeerAr labu nakti Good night!Priekā! Cheers!Es runāju latviski! I speak Latvian!Es esmu maza zemene, apēd mani! I'm a little strawberry, eat me!Inženieris EngineerVeiksmi! Good luck!

USEFUL WORDS & PHRASES

THE BIGGEST STRRET GRAFFITI IN BALTICS Tallinas street 46

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• Your passport/ID card• ISIC card • MEDICAL AND TRAVEL INSURANCE• Medication (if you need any more special)• Personal hygiene: toothbrush, towel and other important stuff• Water-proof jacket - sometimes it may be raining• Some comfortable shoes to walk• Summer hat and suncream• Official clothes for the Opening/Closing Day• Sport clothes• Typical food and drinks from your country for The International Evening*• Your possitive and cheerful spirit

Being such a huge event, EBEC will have great media coverage, so don’t forget to let your family and friends know where they can find out cool stuff about the competition!

All the information regarding EBEC can be found on our website www.ebec.best.eu.org. There will be pictures, movies, interviews, live streaming and many others updates on the EBEC website during competition.

DO NOT FORGETWhen we are going for a trip, no matter how long or short it may be, we are all thinking about the useful things that we need, but sometimes we can forget the essential at home. To help you, here is a list of important things to bring:

* The idea is to bring culture, traditions and integration between countries taking part in the event. Important things to bring are traditional food and drinks of your country, a song to sing in your native language and typical clothes of your country.

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As we already agreed with every participant about the travel arrangements and refund amount, here are the deadlines you have to take into consideration:

- 15.08.2014 – you will receive a refund form that needs to be filled out with your bank ac-count data, personal details and travel details;

- 19.10.2014 – Deadline for filling in the event evaluation form you will receive;

- 15.12.2014 – Deadline for filling out and sending the refund form together with the re-required proof to lasma.stanka@best.eu.org;

- january 2015 – confirmation of refund (we will send you the information);

- payment after January 2015.

Other things that should be taken into consideration:

- The refunds will be given unless there will occur problems with your participation accord-ing to Document on Regulations for EBEC participants;

- you will only receive refund on the arrangement and amount we arranged upon;

- the refund is conditioned by participating at EBEC and filling out the EBEC evaluation form, the refund form and will only be done after presenting all required proof that will demon-strate that the journey took place.

In order to do that PLEASE KEEP ALL ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS and scan/make pictures of all tickets on paper you have (the quality has to be good enough that after printing the tick-ets they would be still readable for auditing). This includes plane/bus/train tickets, boarding passes tc., every documents that will prove the arrangements we made before the event.

TRAVEL REFUNDS

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DATE TITLE

1.08. Arrival day

2.08. Openig Day

3.08. 1st Competition day

4.08. 2nd Competition day

5.08. Free day

6.08. 3rd Competition day

7.08. 4th Competition day

8.08. Closing day

9.08. Departure day

SCHEDULE

Official Opening Day will take place in re-cently built National library of Latvia. Its shape is a symbolic expression of the Hill of Glass and the Castle of Light found in Latvian folklore.

During the ceremony there will be speeches of University Authorities, Special Guests and EBEC Organizers. There will be also intro-duction of sponsors and partners of the com-petition.Address: Mukusalas street 3, Riga

Please note: • on Official Opening Ceremony you must

have a formal wear.• more detailed schedule will be sent to

participants mailing list.

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As you know, EBEC 2014 Riga has several partners – companies that are highly interested in you and your background. In order to make the communication easier, we would like to ask you to fill your CV in your www.best.eu.org account with as much information as possible.

We would like to ask you to pay special attention to the following sections of My profile in your profile on best.eu.org:

• Education• Extra-curricular• Work and career

Please note: there is a percentage given for filled in areas on Home section. The account is only finished when the percentage reaches 100%. Therefore it is important that you fill in your account fully in order to have a proper CV that is visible for the partners of EBEC Final.

WRITING CV

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Your CV will be available for all partners throughout the event and moreover you will be able to print it during Job Fair at Closing Day.

BEST - Board of European Students of Tech-nology is a constantly growing non-profit and non-political organisation. Since 1989 we provide communication, co-operation and exchange possibilities for students all over Europe.

95 Local BEST Groups (LBGs) in 33 countries are creating a growing, well organised, pow-erful, young and innovative student network.

BEST strives to help European students of technology to become more internationally minded by reaching a better understanding of European cultures and developing capaci-ties to work on an international basis. There-fore we create opportunities for the students

ABOUT BESTto meet and learn from one another through our academic and non-academic events and educational symposia. "Learning makes the master", but the final goal is a good working place, therefore we offer services like an in-ternational career centre to broaden the hori-zons for the choice on the job market.

Our priority is to offer high quality services for students all over the Europe. Thus, we manage to bring all the partners in the "stu-dent - company - university" triangle closer.

Aveiro

Del�

Izmir

Saint Petersburg

Krakow

Wroclaw

Faro

Podgorica

Vinnytsia

Mostar

Prague

Las Palmas

Valencia

Trento

Erlangen

Aachen

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ABOUT EBECEUROPEAN BEST ENGINEERING COMPE-TITION (EBEC)The largest Engineering Competition in Eu-rope, conducted by students for students. Teams that are composed by 4 students from technology fields, regardless of status of their degree, are challenged to solve the tasks that are provided by BEST in 3 different competition levels. The team which proves to

be the most efficient, creative and successful at the end of competition finale is granted by “BEST Engineers of Europe” title.This year EBEC Final gathers the

• 32 countries• 87 leading technicaluniversities • 6500 participants from all over Europe

TEAMS OF 4 STUDENTS COMPETE IN 2 CATEGORIES:

CASE STUDYCase study (CS) is the category where stu-dents can explore their analytical and eco-nomical skills in the technology shpere. CS category is a more abstract competition which consists of solving a theoretical, tech-nical or managerial problem occuring in real life in industry, using the information avail-able to evaluate creative solutions and pre-senting their outcomes to a panel of a jury in front of the audience.

TEAM DESIGNTeam design (TD) category consists of a cre-ative hands-on work regarding a given en-gineering task. TD category challenges the competitors’ practical skills to design, build and assemble a functional device as a solu-tion to a technical problem in limited amount of time and resources.A demonstration of the prototype will also be presented to a panel of jury.

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LĀSMA STANKA

Participants ResponsibleMobile: +371 29199877lasma.stanka@best.eu.org

GUNTA MELUŠKĀNE

EBEC Final 2014 Main OrganiserMobile: +371 29297519gunta.meluskane@best.eu.org

CONTACT

If there will be any problems that may occur or if you simply have a question do not hesitate to ask. We are here to make your stay as pleasant as possible.

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SEE YOU SOON IN RIGA !!

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