France trip packing notes
Recommend students
obtain an ATM card for major bank, usually can get a limit on daily
cash withdrawal amount. Make sure withdrawal account is the primary
account on the card to ensure ATM card will work in France. The ATM
card is rather than students carrying large amounts of cash or carrying
traveler's cheques and then spend too much time in banks as each
student each time must line up in a bank to convert to cash. For shopping in stores where ATM
not accepted, you can get credit cards with a dollar limit as well.
May want to provide students
with an envelope to collect travel expense receipts and bring home for
reconciling.
Recommend phoning
homestay/exchange family in advance of departure. If an exchange,
in addition to the student letters and e-mails that will have been
exchanged, it helps both students and parents feel more familiar and
comfortable with the exchange family.
Suggest students get flu shot.
Each student is to prepare a
photocopied sheet with both passport and BC Care Card. The student is
then to make 2 additional photocopies.
- 1 is for teachers (this is collected
at the second school meeting to ensure in advance of trip these
items are ready)
- 1 is for the student to carry as ID in France, because the
hotel/hostel will hold the passports
and while at homestay/exchange families the teachers hold the
passports.
- 1 is for parent in Vancouver.
Teachers have a list of travel health insurance numbers purchased for
students. Each student should carry their own travel health insurance
document with number. Each parent in Vancouver should keep a copy of
the travel health insurance number.
Each student is to take their
sheet with their name, airline e-ticket number and flight itinerary and
write on the address with phone number and name of hotel/hostel(s) with
dates staying and address with phone number and name of
homestay/exchange family and dates staying. The student is then to
make 2 additional photocopies.
- 1 is for teachers (teachers have hotel/hostel info and may just keep
the list of homestay/exchange billet (student)
pairings and a list of student names and e-ticket numbers (or add the
e-ticket numbers to the pairings info), but having a sheet for each
student is helpful if a student loses their sheet enroute).
- 1 is for student. Enroute, various customs forms may require this
information.
- 1 is for parent in Vancouver.
Teachers will have the list of homestay/exchange
billet (student) pairings so they have the Vancouver
contact information for each student.
Each student is to prepare 1 photocopy of their sheet with teachers'
hotel/homestay/exchange family names and addresses with phone numbers
(so students and parents can reach
the teachers if needed and one teacher can reach another teacher if
needed):
- 1 is for student.
- 1 is for parent in Vancouver.
- note, each teacher
and the volunteer trip parent is to
have a copy of this
Each student may want to take their own copy of the trip itinerary for
Paris and the
trip itinerary (for the exchange part of the trip) for Provence and the
Riviera. Note,
each teacher and
the volunteer trip parent is to have a copy of these.
If, for example, the trip
itinerary in Paris allows time for students to explore on their
own, students are to explore in groups of at least three - they are not
to explore alone - and they are to let a teacher know their plan. Also,
they are to carry with them, in case they get lost/delayed, the
phone number for the hotel/hostel where the group is staying, so they
can leave a message for the group.
Each student to carry
with them, in case they get lost/delayed, the phone number and
name of their host homestay/exchange family, so they can leave a
message.
Passport.
If your passport is not Canadian, you need your citizenship card to get
back into Canada.
If under 16 years, notarized letter giving your parents
permission for you to travel with the group.
Water bottle for the plane. Water bottle and snack for arrival in
France as may take some time to
get from airport to accommodation. Note water bottles can be filled or
purchased after you pass through airline security at the airport.
Be at the airport three hours before departure time. Meet at the native
jade statue 1 hour before departure time.
50 Euros for first
arrival in France, before finding an ATM machine. If you are comfortable with
your student also carrying an equivalent amount of Canadian cash,
sometimes the France exchange family would like to give your student
Euros for that Canadian cash so their student has Canadian cash on hand
for arrival in Canada and this saves both families exchange fees.
On arrival in France, recommend purchasing a phone card, especially if
on a homestay/exchange trip as
students are not to make calls from the homestay/exchange family's
phone that will be charged to the homestay/exchange family.
May also want to provide student with instructions re long
distance calling with a home calling card number or credit card. Some phone companies
offer a home calling card for students that only permits long distance
calls to the home number.
Suggest might want to
keep
phone calls at the start of the trip to a minimum in case
a call triggers homesickness. A call during the student's morning
sometimes works better than a call during the student's evening, as the
activities of the day are a good distraction from homesickness.
Many of the French homestay/exchange families have
Internet at home, so Kits students can e-mail from there. On an
exchange, for those who do not, Kits students can use the Internet at
the French secondary school for e-mail.
Suggested packing list:
Note: the clothing items listed below
are for March 2005 Paris, Provence and French Riviera trip.
Do not put sharp objects in your carry
on bag, pack anything like nail scissors in your checked bag.
Only very small amounts of liquids are allowed in your carry on bag,
pack larger amounts, ie. shampoo, in your checked bag.
Suitcase, prefer those backpack
(some also have wheels) suitcases (good if wheels not working
on cobblestones or in subway/metro turnstiles and escalators -
students will take subway/metro from hotel/hostel to train station) or
small suitcase with wheels.
It should be small enough where
you could run 1 block to catch a bus with it.
If the suitcase will be checked on the airline, it must have an
identification tag with your name and contact information in case of
loss.
Pack for 5 days for all types of weather and prepare to layer your
clothes.
If it is an exchange trip you can usually do laundry at your host
family's home.
Suggest leave bag 1/3rd empty or bring
small packable bag for return souvenirs/shopping.
Small carry bag/backpack for day to day use.
Moneybelt for ATM card, cash, passport, e-ticket number.
Cheap camera in case of loss. Also, batteries and if not digital, film.
For digital cameras, if memory card is full, student can take to camera
shop to have card copied to a
CD (have shop demonstrate CD working before deleting photos from
camera).
Watch.
Waterless hand wash
for meals on the run.
Tissues
Breath mints
Polar Fleece jacket for
airplane
Small note book, and
pencil/pen
Something to read
COMFORTABLE SHOES bring 1.) high tech runners
2.) sandals - maybe flip flops
as save packing space
3.) optional - comfortable city shoes
Medicines like pain killer, flu remedy, cold remedy, immodium (more
likely to need if weather hot), as these may not be readily available
in pharmacies in France without prescription. Also, bandaids and
polysporin cream.
If a homestay/ exchange trip, carry
20 euros in case need to visit a doctor, so homestay/exchange
family does not have to pay. Re the travel health insurance, the system
is you pay for medical help first and keep receipts, then make
insurance claim.
Rain jacket. Maybe also sm. umbrella
Sunglasses and hat
Maybe gloves if forecast for ie. Paris
is cold
Water bottle for day to day use
Toiletries: shampoo & rinse, tooth
brush & toothpaste (in your carry on in case of delay
enroute), sunscreen, moisturizer,
soap, cosmetics, razor, deodorant etc.
Snacks – Granola bars or nut mix (the best chocolate is in Europe)
Hostess gift, suggest smoked salmon and maple syrup. Do not bring wine
there or here as it is a problem in customs given the age of the
students. May also want to give small softcover (packs well) picture
book of Vancouver.
Maybe a travel alarm clock
Pocket flashlight
Note, synthetics and
blend fabrics work best for travel as they wrinkle less and dry faster
GIRLS
Sanitary supplies to last 24 hours unless you think you will need more.
3 pairs of pants not
including the pants you will wear (at least one pair non jeans in case
need dressier pair to go out ie. with exchange family), 1 of these pairs can be long or
capri
1 pair athletic shorts
optional – a skirt that rolls up small
swim suit
light jacket and/or vest to layer (plus the polar fleece you will wear
on the plane), maybe
another sweater
5 tops: include at least 1
long sleeve shirt, can also add yoga top
bras, underwear and socks for 5 days
PJ’s
BOYS
3 pairs of pants not including the pants you will wear (at
least one pair non jeans in case need dressier pair to go out
ie. with exchange family)
swimsuit, and athletic shorts
socks and underwear for 5 days
5 shirts, include at least 1 long sleeve shirt, can also add singlet
light jacket and/or vest to layer (plus the polar fleece you will
wear on the plane), maybe
another sweater (or sweatshirt)
PJ’s
If you are planning on sending postcards, ie. to a grandmother,
remember to take postal addresses
Please do not bring valuables or electrical appliances. With
electrical appliances there are usually too many problems with electric
current conversion - France and Canada having different electrical
systems.
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/ctry/reportpage-en.asp
Canadian government's
international travel advisories, including a link to health hazard
advisories.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/rc4044/rc4044-e.html#P144_3730
Canadian government's 'A guide for residents of Canada returning to
Canada' re duty free allowances.
Note: when Canadian travelers
make purchases (totaling over a certain amount) in France they can get
a
form and keep receipts to get a tax refund on return home. The same
applies to travelers from France in Canada.
French Immersion Grade 11 Trip to
France