W.M.U. en

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What to do before you leave for Spain

Leave your affairs in order (e.g. bills, apartment sublet, pets, boyfriend/girlfriend)

Fill out a form for the U.S. Department of State

Plan your trip and length of stay

What to pack (only one check-in piece of luggage recommended)

Passport(s) and IDs

Clothes

Prescription medications, contact lenses

Other indispensable personal items (e.g. purse, sunglasses)

While you are in Spain Spanish manners vs. American manners

Safety

Dress

In class

At home

Money

Telephone

Transportation

Food and water

On the beach

Going out with Spaniards

Luggage You are allowed to check one suitcase and one carry-on bag. You can also carry a small

backpack or bag.

Make sure you include some form of identification (a copy of the itinerary, for instance) inside the suitcase, in case it gets lost.

Don’t pack jewelry or valuable things in your check-in suitcase.

Make sure your luggage is labeled both outside and inside. Never leave your bags unattended.

If your belongings get stolen, report the incident to the police immediately.

Don’t pack anything sharp in the carry-on bag (e.g. scissors, nail clippers, metal file). It will get confiscated at the airport.

You will need to have a pen handy while airport hopping.

If you need to pack any type of liquid (e.g. contact lenses solution, tooth paste, lip gloss) in your carry-on bag, all items must be in containers of less than 4 fl. oz, and must fit in a small Ziploc bag. Pack those items handy because you will have to show them at the airport.

Passports The easiest and safest way to obtain a passport is

through the post office:

You may obtain passport photos at Wallgreen’s.

Make three photocopies of the identification page:

Leave one copy with Dr. Pastrana-Pérez,

another copy with your family in the US,

and take the third one with you and put it in a different place from the original

https://www.usps.com/shop/apply-for-a-passport.htm

Passports When you are in Spain leave your passport in a safe

place and carry the photocopy with you at all times.

When you travel in Europe, you might be required to leave your passport at the reception desk in the hotel; some hotels are required to register all foreign visitors with local police authorities.

You must also show your passport whenever you cash a traveler’s check.

If your passport is lost or stolen while traveling, inform the local police immediately and also the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The U.S. Department of State has a 24-hour traveler’s hotline:(202) 647-5225.

Electrical appliances:

Electricity in Europe runs on 220-volts. All electrical

appliances will require an adapter that changes the

arrangement of the plug prongs, as well as an electrical

voltage converter that will allow normal 110-volt

American appliance to take 220-volt European current.

Adapters/converters can be purchased at hardware stores

(e.g. Hoekstra on Portage and Crosstown Pkwy) or

department stores (e.g. Kohl’s).

Clothes: In almost all ways, Spanish culture is more formal than

the American one. Jeans and tennis shoes are ok, but it is a good idea to plan to dress a bit better and more conservative than you would here. For instance, it is not recommended to wear a baseball cap to class!

Pack casual clothes and comfortable shoes; you will be walking a lot.

Indispensable items: For the beach: a couple of swimsuits, sandals, sunglasses

For our cultural trips: comfortable clothes, good hiking shoes

For rainy days: a light raincoat, at least one sweatshirt

Don’t pack too many clothes. Chances are you will love the stores in Santander and will want to go shopping.

Other items that you will need:

Your Bronco ID card

Your WMU medical insurance card

An ID card for any other insurance you may carry

Spare glasses/contact lenses

If you absolutely need to use a washcloth, pack one because most Spaniards don’t use them.

Camera: You might want to take pictures of your family, your house, your pets, etc. (to show your host family).

Only one towel, because they take up too much space.

No sheets; the family will provide them.

Other items that you will need:

Bring a small gift for the family with whom you will be staying. Things that say “Michigan” in some way are particularly good.

If you are taking medications, bring enough for two months. The same goes for contact lenses.

Alarm clock (battery operated)

Leave your gold and diamonds at home; you don’t want to be the target of a thief.

If you are a member of AAA you can get free maps of Spain

and Europe at the AAA office.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR SPAIN * Leave your affairs in order.

- It is a good idea to arrange for your parents to have your power of attorney so that they can act legally on your behalf, if necessary, while you are away. For example, an issue could arise regarding your security deposit on your apartment.

- Take care of your bills (e.g. cell phone, credit cards, etc.) before you leave for Spain or make arrangements (leave payments with a friend or family member, for instance).

-Driving in Europe can be a challenge for someone from Michigan. However, if you plan to drive while you are there, you will need an International Driver’s License. You can get one at the AAA office for about $22. ALL STUDENTS NEED TO ENROLL IN THE “Smart Traveler Enrollment Program” (STEP) WITHIN U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. You should do this before you leave for Spain.

travel.state.gov/step

Important! You must be in Santander on Sunday, June 29. We will

meet at 8:00 p.m. at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento

Please let me know when and how you plan to get to Santander. You may give me a copy of your itinerary.

I will give you the information about your host family as soon as I receive it.

If you have any questions, feel free to call me at (269) 387-

2955 or email me at pablo.pastrana@wmich.edu

WHILE YOU ARE IN SPAIN You should always carry with you:

A photocopy of your passport

Emergency telephone numbers (family, American Embassy, Pablo), in case you run into some kind of problem

Your health insurance information

Money (in a discreet place)

Find out from your host family where is the nearest medical center and Pharmacy. In case of emergency they will probably send you to Servicio de Urgencias del Hospital Valdecilla (they’ll give you more information about this when you get to Santander)

Spanish Manners vs. American Manners

In Spain people are not as cheerful and overly polite as in the U.S. Don’t be offended if they don’t say “por favor” or “gracias” every time they reply or ask for something.

Spaniards usually look like very serious people; in general, they only smile when there is a good reason to smile. Thus, Americans might think that Spaniards are not happy people or that they are rude. But this is just a first impression; once you get to know them, you will realize that most Spanish people are very polite and helpful.

When you go to a restaurant in Spain, don’t expect the waitress to come to your table, introduce herself with a big smile, tell you about the specials, or come to your table several times to find out if you need anything else. After finishing your restaurant meal, you must request the bill.

Spaniards in general are people who tend to call it the way they see it. For Americans, this can make them seem too straight forward and direct, to the point of bluntness. With Spaniards, you will always know where you stand.

Greeting Kisses and hugs It is common for women to kiss on the cheek

(usually two kisses, one on each cheek) every time they meet and say goodbye. A man and a woman, if they are good friends, will do the same.

A man does not kiss another man, but they will hug each other.

Safety Use common sense while you are in Spain. Remember that you

are in a foreign country. If you do something immoral, socially indiscrete, or just plain stupid, there will surely be negative consequences.

When you go out at night, make sure you don’t go alone. If one of the students is in bad shape, don’t let him/her alone. Make sure he/she gets home or call Pablo.

If you have a problem with drugs or alcohol perhaps you should withdraw from the program now. People who have an addiction to alcohol or drugs need help, and a foreign country is the lasts place they should go to in search of the help they need. Any trouble you get into in Spain because of alcohol or drugs will be ten times worse than anything that would happen to you in a similar situation in this country.

Watch your purse and your wallet, especially when you are in Madrid or Barcelona. People will know immediately that you are tourists by the clothes you wear; you are probably good target for thieves.

In class Do not, under any circumstance, bring food

or drink of any kind into a Spanish classroom. This includes water. One of the things that Europeans cannot understand about Americans is why they have to be carrying a huge jug of water, Coke or coffee with them everywhere they go.

No sitting on floors, no matter how tired you

are. Chairs are for sitting, floors are for walking or standing.

Don’t take your shoes off or put your feet on

any desk or table.

At home

Don’t get too comfortable when you are in the living room: Keep your feet on the floor and don’t lie down on the couch.

Don’t walk barefoot around the house.

The mother in your host family will do your laundry. Do not be surprised to see your underwear hanging on the balcony.

It is not uncommon for Spanish families to enter a room without knocking on the door.

On the beach

Many women go topless. Do

not be surprised, stare, point

or take photos of them.

Remember your sunscreen. It

is common to get burned on

cloudy or cool days.

Money a) Credit cards

American Express, MasterCard and VISA are the most widely accepted credit cards. Check with your credit card company before departure if you have any doubt about its validity abroad.

All cards charge fees for overseas transactions, with the exception of Capital One VISA.

Also inform your credit card company of your trip to Spain so that they allow you to make charges from another country.

Scan or make copies of all your important cards (Visa, MC,…) and leave a copy with your parents in case they get stolen.

Keep a record of your card number in a separate place and note the international phone number to report card loses in case yours is misplaced or stolen.

Money

b) Cash

While in Spain, don’t carry a lot of cash with you.

It’s better to use your ATM card whenever you need money. Remember that banks (both in Spain and in U.S.) will charge a fee for each transaction. Therefore, maximize your transactions by withdrawing the maximum amount every time (i.e. 400 eur.)

• Investigate the option of having a U.S.-base international voice plan with your cell-phone company.

• In the past, students have bought a pre-paid cell phone in Santander for about 40 euros.

• Students who have been to Spain say that the Euro Card was good too. Do not call from homes in which you are staying. Your family will get nervous about long distance phone bills.

• Another cheap way to call from Spain is through AT&T. To access AT&T within Spain, dial 0-900-99-00. These calls can be made collect (“una llamada a cobro revertido”), or paid for by credit card. But exercise caution because they are expensive.

Food & water

Try to stay away from McDonalds while you are in Spain and learn to appreciate Spanish food. It will be a whole new experience.

Drink only bottled water, at least the first two weeks. Tap water is safe only if you are used to it.

If you have an upset stomach, a sore throat or any other minor health problem, you might want to go to a pharmacy first. They are everywhere and usually a sensible first step before going to the doctor.

Going out with Spaniards

Spaniards spend, by comparison with Americans, a large amount of money on food and drink consumed in social situations.

In Spain, when groups of friends go around together, the custom is that one person picks up the tab one time, somebody else the next time, etc. Spaniards do not figure out what they owe and kick in to a general fund, the way people do in this country. And if you start going around with a regular group of Spanish friends, every now and then you should do this. Say “esta vez invito yo” or “esto lo pago yo,” or something like that.

Tips are not expected. Coin change is enough.

Spanish people typically don’t go to bars to get drunk. They go there to be with their friends and family (even their children), to relax, to enjoy a good glass of wine, to have some tapas, or to play cards or domino. Going to the bar in Spain is a social event and people are expected to behave accordingly (it’s not common to see people drunk in a bar or pub, for instance).

You will see people your age or younger gathered in a park or around a bench drinking home-made cocktails. This is referred to as “botellón”. Each person brings a different drink and they mix it on the spot and spend the evening and a good part of the night drinking in public spaces.

Going out

Be discreet when talking with the Spaniards

about these topics (at least at the beginning)

1. Religion. Most young Spaniards are not

very religious.

2. Politics. Most Spaniards oppose the

invasion of Iraq or the war in Afghanistan.

YOUR SCHEDULE WHILE YOU ARE IN SPAIN

• 8:00-8:30 Breakfast

Most Spaniards have a light breakfast: café con leche o Cola-Cao con galletas.

• 9:00-1:30 (Monday through Thursday) Classes

• 2:00-3:00 Lunch

Stores, offices, churches, museums, etc. are closed from 1:00 or 2:00 to 5:00. Most Spaniards go home to have lunch with their families.

Many Spanish families have a sobremesa, the time after a meal when people talk about everything (e.g. school, work, religion, the news) at the table. The sobremesa can last for hours, especially on Saturdays and Sundays, and everyone is expected to participate. It is not polite to get up and leave right after you finish your meal.

Some people take a nap after lunch (usually on the couch). Others watch the news at 3:00 and relax.

• 9:00 -10:00 Dinner

• Dinner is around 10:30 p.m. or later. Discuss dinner plans with your family

Remember!!!

Your are going to be an ambassador of

your country in Spain. Behave like such

and make Western Michigan University

proud.

Students choosing not to behave appropriately will be dismissed from the program.