Dates: July 8 to August 14, 2015

Transcription

1 Belgium 1 st Pre-departure Meeting Dates: July 8 to August 14, 2015 We have 23 students from Texas A&M We have 2 students from the Biosystems Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee We have 1 student from the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department at the University of Kentucky Welcome to the Study Abroad program!

2 Dates: July 8 to August 14, 2015 We have 2 faculty members Dr. Cady Engler Dr. Clyde Munster Belgium 1 st Pre-departure Meeting We have 1 Teaching Assistant Sonia Zamarripa (MS student / BAEN Dept)

3 1 st Pre-departure Meeting Topics Photos Paper work Travel plans Living arrangements Meals Typical weekly schedule Course requirements Ground rules 1 st couple of days What to bring / what not to bring FERPA waiver Meet students from past Belgium programs

4 Photos Print name on photo list in-order that photos are taken Provide info needed for: K.U. Leuven cards Belgium Environmental Science and Engineering K.U. Leuven health insurance UT / UK students send me a passport type photo

5 Travel Plans #1: A passport is required!! Takes approximately 4-6 weeks to get Needed: Belgium Environmental Science and Engineering Your birth certificate 2 passport photos Kinkos / Office Max / lots of places Can get passports at: Study Abroad office in Bizzell Hall Post offices in Bryan and College Station If you have a passport, check the expiration date Important Make a copy of your passport and take it with you to Belgium

6 Travel Plans Fly into Brussels, Belgium, on July 8, 2015 Must depart on July 7! Fly out of Brussels on August 14, 2015 Travel in groups of 2 or 3 (if possible) Buy a roundtrip ticket! Give yourself a 1 to 2 hour layover to change planes Start looking for cheap tickets on-line Make sure your tickets are priced in U.S. Dollars (USD)!!!

7 Travel Plans At the Brussels Airport 1 st you go through immigration where you show your passport (so have it ready) Next you pick up your luggage (hopefully!) Look for TV monitors and find your flight number to find out which carrousel your luggage will come out on Go through customs where they check your baggage Generally, no one is ever stopped! Come out the passenger exit into the Arrival Hall There will be a sea of people standing beyond the barriers We will meet you in the Arrival Hall If we are not there when you come out STAY THERE

8 Travel Plans If your luggage is not there File a lost baggage claim immediately before you go through customs Give the following contact information: Ludo Engelen Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Celestijnenlaan 200 E (room ) B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium Phone: 32-(0) Phone: 32-(0) ludo.engelen@ees.kuleuven.be Carry on at least one change of clothes with you just in case!

9 Living Arrangements You will be living in a large Townhouse International students from other countries will be there also

10 Living Arrangements There will be 12 double rooms and 5 single rooms We will have a lottery for the rooms You can chose a roommate Or we can assign you a roommate It s up to you

11 Living Arrangements There will be 2 internet connections per room plus WiFi is available Bring your laptop if you have one You will need a 2-prong adapter for the electrical connection

12 Living Arrangements There will be bathrooms with showers on each floor to share A sink in your room as well Each floor will have a kitchen There is a large community kitchen on the ground floor Washer and dryer in the house Living room area with a TV BBC in English Belgium Environmental Science and Engineering French / Dutch / German / Spanish programs Movies are generally in English

13 Living Arrangements Pillows, blankets and sheets will be provided You need to bring towels Dr. Engler and Dr. Munster will be staying in a different location about 1 km away We will be in K.U. Leuven housing for guess professors Sonia Zamarripa (TA) will be staying at the International House

14 Student House in Leuven

15 Meals Students are responsible for their own meals Students have to have money for meals It will cost about $20 - $25 per day for meals There are lots and lots of places to eat!! Even McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Subway!! Or you can buy food at the grocery and eat at the house A student cafeterias are available One is near the classroom for lunch Some are open for dinner as well Cheap meals with a student card

16 Meals There will be 2 group meals in Leuven One group meal will be on the day we arrive in Leuven The other group meal will be in the 2 nd week after we arrive KUL students and staff will be invited as well

17 Typical Weekly Schedule Tuesday class day Wednesday class day Belgium Environmental Science and Engineering Thursday field trip day There will be 8 field trips One will be to the new museum exhibit in Bastogne Texas Aggies Go to War!

18 Typical Weekly Schedule Friday Monday free time! Belgium National Holiday is July 21 We will have a 5-day weekend July We will have a 3-day weekend July If traveling out of town Travel in groups Notify faculty of travel plans in advance Be back in time for class on Tuesday Check out Eurail passes Must buy in the U.S. All weekend travel is at the student s expense

19 Typical Class Day (Tuesday / Wednesday) 8:30 10:00 Lecture for AGSM 335 / BAEN 460 class 10:30 12:00 Lecture for AGSM 337 / BAEN 465 class 12:00 13:30 Lunch Belgium Environmental Science and Engineering 13:30-15:00 Problem session for AGSM335/BAEN :30-17:00 Problem session for AGSM 337/BAEN seminars are planned Environmental Officials from the EU and Belgium Environmental Consultants Seminars are generally one hour long Problem sessions are 30 minutes shorter on seminar days

20 Typical Field Trip Day (Thursday) 7:30 8:00 Depart Leuven on tour bus 8:00 10:00 Travel to field trip site 10:00 15:00 Visit 2 field trip sites 15:00-17:00 Travel back to Leuven 17:00 Field trip is over

21 Course Requirements These courses are regular A&M classes!! Sign-up for these classes during the up-coming pre-registration period Second Summer Session Engineering students BAEN 460 BsE 416 (UT) BAEN 465 BsE 480 (UT) Non-engineering students AGSM 335 AGSM 337 Belgium Environmental Science and Engineering

22 Course Requirements Same requirements for classes taught in College Station Homework will be assigned/graded Mid-term test Final exam Belgium Environmental Science and Engineering (4) Field trip reports (5-7 double spaced pages) (4) Seminar report (1-2 double spaced pages)

23 Course Requirements There may be KUL students taking these classes KUL students are likely to be international graduate students In previous years we have had students from Kenya / Vietnam / Iran / China / Zimbabwe / others Belgium students start summer holiday July 1 They go home for the summer!

24 Items to Always Remember 1. We are guests in Belgium and the Belgium people are our hosts. 2. We represent Texas A&M UT - UK at all times. 3. Most Belgium speak English, therefore they always know what you are saying!!!

25 Ground Rules 1. You must attend all classes, field trips, seminars and other Study Abroad activities, unless permission is received in advance.

26 Ground Rules 2. Students will be divided into two groups - One group will report to Dr. Engler - The other group reports to Dr. Munster - Any problems, questions or concerns should be reported to your assigned faculty member as soon as possible - If your assigned faculty member is not available for some reason, then seek out the other faculty member immediately.

27 Ground Rules 3. Notify your assigned faculty member in advance by if you leave the town of Leuven. At a minimum, you will need to provide information about: - where you are going - when you are going - how you are getting there - when you will return Note: You must contact your assigned faculty member as soon as possible if you can not return to Leuven as planned.

28 Ground Rules 4. We will be using a buddy system to help keep track of everyone. - Your buddy will be your roommate - It is important that you let your buddy know where you are at all times - Buddies should keep track of each other on weekends, field trips, excursions, etc. 5. Have fun!

29 July 8 (Wednesday) First Couple of Days Get checked into your room Rent bicycles Get KUL student ID cards Go out to eat as a group Recover from jet-lag! July 9 (Thursday) Tour classroom building / computer lab Tour of the town July 10 (Friday) Belgium Environmental Science and Engineering First day of class!! July 11 (Saturday) is a Flemish Holiday

30 What to Bring - Rain gear it will rain - Warm clothes it will be cool - Luggage with wheels - Calculators - Laptop computers - Walking shoes - Towels - Feedback from former students - Bring a stapler and 3 hole punch - Bring one pair of nice cloths - Check out the Eurail passes - Must buy in the U.S.

31 What not to Bring - Dress clothes no coats / ties, dress cloths / shoes, etc. - Too many clothes - Airlines are strict about over-weight bags - Check the weight limit for your airline then weigh your bags before you leave for the airport

32 Next Pre-departure Meeting - The 2 nd meeting will be on April 15 at 5:30 pm (CTZ) in room 305 Scoates - Skype videoconference will be arranged for UTK and UK students - Join the Belgium Study Abroad Facebook page at: Check out blogs at: -

33 Questions???