Karen and Pavlina will be responsible for day-to-day running of the Institute and will be staying in the Przegorzaly Castle hotel, so you can contact them anytime. They will both arrive in Krakow a few days before the Institute begins.

Karen Underhill - Massolit Books and Café, Krakow alumna

Pavlina Majorosova - The New School, TCDS Program Associate
E-mail: pavlinamajoros@gmail.com

The name and address of where we are staying is:
PRZEGORZALY CASTLE
Address: ul Jodlowa 13, 30-252 Krakow
Tel: (+48 12) 429 76 32

We highly recommend taking a taxi up to Przegorzaly as it is at the top of a very steep hill, and will be difficult to climb with all your luggage! You can show the taxi driver the name if you have trouble pronouncing it, and ask for the hotel (which is just yards/meters away form the castle). The taxi drivers will know the place.

ARRIVAL: We ask that you arrive in Krakow during the early afternoon on Tuesday, July 8. There will be Registration held on–site in the afternoon, where you will receive your institute materials. There will be a welcoming supper arranged for you that evening, and the classes will start in the morning of Wednesday, July 9 (when also your thrice-daily meals will commence). (If you have problems making this date, please contact us.) If you are a Lang student from New School, we will arrange to have you picked up from the airport. All other participants are expected to arrive at Pzegorzaly on their own.

DEPARTURE: You are expected to depart on Friday, July 25. The final party will be held on the night of July 24th, and breakfast will be served on the morning of Friday, July 25th. This will be the last meal provided for the Institute participants. We will not be able to provide accommodations beyond this day. If you are planning to leave later than this date we can assist you in finding alternative accommodations in Krakow.

ROOM & BOARD: As described in the program announcement, the Democracy & Diversity Institute takes place at Przegorzaly Castle, a few minutes outside of Krakow. The Institute provides all students with three free meals a day in the dining hall of the Castle, though you also have the option to eat in town if you wish. If you have special dietary needs, be sure to indicate them on the questionnaire that is distributed. The restaurant will provide vegetarian meals, for example, but only for those who have signed up for this option before the Institute. During your stay at Przegorzaly Castle, you will be sharing your room and the bathroom & shower with a roommate. The dormitory has laundry facilities, and there is a kitchenette with a stove and a small refrigerator on each floor. Sheets and towels are provided by the dormitory. Each room also has a phone, and there is a pay phone on the premises as well. Please remember that you are responsible for all charges incurred on your room phone.

QUESTIONNAIRE, HEALTH, AND MEDICINE: We are assuming that you will take care of your own health insurance for the duration of your stay in Krakow (the program accepts no responsibility for this). We strongly suggest that you bring along any medication you may need during your stay in Poland. Prescription medicine, such as asthma inhalers and other allergy medicine, might not be readily available in Poland. Please fill out the attached questionnaire and return it to us by May 30 so that we can consider any special needs you may have regarding food, lodging, and your health. We also ask that you sign the two enclosed forms required by the New School for all University-sponsored excursions.

MONEY: We suggest that you bring a little spending money for the time that you are in Krakow. There are many small cafes to lounge in and many sites to see. The Polish currency is the zloty (PLN). The exchange rate at the moment (April 8, 2008) is approx. 2.20 Polish zloty to 1.00 US dollar. US dollars are relatively easy to exchange in Krakow. Major credit cards can be used in most places (restaurants, pubs, major shopping). There is usually a fee for cashing traveler’s checks. Universal ATM cards are very useful and cash machines are numerous and easily accessible in the city center.

VISA: US citizens and citizens of European Union (and other Western European) countries will not need a visa to travel into Poland. Canadians, however, do need a visa. So, please check with the Polish Embassy or Consulate as to whether you will need a visa. If you are from a country requiring a visa we would be happy to assist you by writing a letter confirming your participation in the Institute.

PHONE AND FAX: The phone numbers to Przegorzaly Castle are: (+48 12) 429 76 32, 429 76 51, 429 74 81. Your relatives can call these numbers to reach you in Poland, but warn them that the receptionists do not speak much English. The fax number at the Castle is (+48 12) 429 93 51. If you will be expecting mail or faxes, please note that correspondence addressed to you should be c/o Elzbieta Matynia, Democracy & Diversity.

DIRECTIONS TO PRZEGORZALY CASTLE IN KRAKOW

FROM WARSAW TO KRAKOW BY TRAIN: There are several train stations in Warsaw. The times indicated below are only for trains leaving from Warszawa Centralna (Central Station), located across from the Marriot Hotel.

FROM THE WARSZAWA AIRPORT TO WARSZAWA CENTRALNA STATION: This is a 15 minute taxi trip, which can cost anywhere from around $20 to $40. We suggest instead that you take bus number 175 (a red city bus) directly to the train station. You will get off the bus at the Marriot Hotel and take the underpass to the station. There is also now an airport bus which is quick and very nice. It costs around 4.00 zloty (in 2005) and will take you directly to the Marriot Hotel with fewer stops. Please note that if your take the public bus number 175, you may need to punch two tickets, one for yourself, and one for your luggage.

NOTE: There is an ORBIS office (Polish Tourist Agency) at the airport, and we have been informed that you may be able to purchase your train tickets there. You can change money at the airport. This would be a very easy solution. In the event this is not possible, or in the event you are not arriving by plane, then proceed to the next instructions.

FROM THE WARSZAWA CENTRALNA STATION TO KRAKOW: Ticket windows are located above ground on the street level. Go to windows numbered 1—16. The ticket should cost around $20 for first class on the express train. Second class is about two-thirds this price. The trains leave from the tracks located below the street level. The number of the track (peron) you will need will be indicated on a big board opposite the ticket windows. NOTE: if you for some reason will already be at the Warszawa Wschodnia (Eastern) Station, the departure times will be 15 minutes before the times from Warszawa Centralna.

Trains leave from Warszawa Centralna on the hour at every hour up until 7:00 p.m. We recommend that you request an express or inter-city train.

FROM KRAKOW TRAIN STATION TO PRZEGORZALY CASTLE (Psheh-gor-ZHAH-weh ZAH-meck): From the train station you can take either the Number 1, 2, 6, or 21 trams. Trams leave about two blocks southwest of the station. Buy tickets for the tram or the bus at the newsstands (kiosks). Take the tram to the last stop. Then take bus number 259, 109, 229, 239, or 249 to Przegorzaly/Collegium Polonijne. Walk ahead to the corner of the small street, Jodlowa ul, and follow this street for about two minutes. You will see on your left a large sign: Collegium Polonicum. Turn into the entrance and follow the road up the hill. The Castle is a 5—10 minute walk up the hill. Taxies from the train station should cost around 20—25 zloty. The best taxi to take is the Radio Taxi. Avoid taxies that do not have company signs with phone numbers.

In the event of a problem, the exact address of the castle is: ul Jodlowa 13, 30-252 Krakow. The telephone number at the Castle is 429 76 32.

FROM KRAKOW AIRPORT TO PRZEGORZALY: Przegorzaly Castle and Hotel are relatively close to Krakow airport (approx. 10 min. driving). It is strongly recommended, and not terribly expensive, to take a taxi - particularly as the 10 minute hike uphill to the castle with baggage can be overwhelming. Local buses may also be used. Prices are given below. Note that all prices below are from 2002; the US dollar has considerably weakened since and in many cases the prices have gone up after Poland joined the European Union.

• By Taxi: There are two ways to get a taxi. The first way is to order it by phone—which usually will give you a discount on the fare. The second way is to hail a taxi from a taxi stand.

1) Taxi ordered by phone from airport - phone # 422 22 22:

It is recommended to call a taxi from the reliable and inexpensive company "422 22 22." (Automatic 4 zl reduction for phone orders, subtracted at the end of the ride). To use the public phones you will need to purchase an automatic phone card on arrival in the airport. It will come in handy for calling taxis throughout your stay in Krakow. These cards, called "KARTA TELEFONICZA", are sold at kiosks and many shops, in denominations of 25, 50, or 100 units (50 calls about $3).

Call the taxi at 422 22 22 from an automatic card phone (blue) and request simply "Lotnisko, prosze." They deal with a lot of foreigners, and should understand. Stand out front and wait for a taxi with their number on top to pull up.

Ask to be dropped at "pod Hotel," rather than at the "Zamek." Or show the driver the following: "Institute Polonijny, ul. Jodlowa 13, pod hotel."

2) Taxi taken from taxi stand: There is a taxi stand at the airport. Taxi prices will vary depending on the driver. You may want to agree on the price before riding, by showing the address and offering 20 zloty. The taxi to Przegorzaly should not cost more than 25 zloty (though rarely, taxis at public stands may ask 50 zloty or more).

• By Bus: The way to Przegorzaly by bus and foot will take you approximately one hour. It should cost you 2.40 zl (2 tickets).

1) Buy 2 full-fare tickets. You can buy them at kiosks or on the bus: "Billet" cost 1.20 new zloty each. 1 ticket per ride; you will need to "punch" your ticket when you board, by sliding it into the slot on the small punching machines throughout the bus.

2) Take bus #152, which leaves the airport heading south. As soon as bus 152 exits the airport grounds and turns right on the main road, get off and wait at the bus stop for bus #209, heading in the same direction.

3) Bus #209 (don't forget to punch another ticket) goes all the way to Przegorzaly. (South for a bit and then straight east along Ksiecia Jozefa street, through the village Bielany, on to Przegorzaly.) Be sure to ask the bus driver or a passenger to indicate the correct stop for you, at Jodlowa street, as it is difficult to know where to get off the first time. It is pronounced (in English spelling) "OO-lee-tsa yo-DWOH-va" (ul. Jodlowa.)

4) At the ul. Jodlowa stop, cross the street and walk up ul. Jodlowa (it only heads one direction, to the left): past a grocery store on your right, until you see a sign on your left: Kolegium Polonijny. Turn left here and follow the driveway up to the top of the hill. It will wind to the left and reach Przegorzaly Castle. In order to reach the dormitory keep walking up the hill.