Orientation Guide RSTEP – Basel, Switzerland

27Nov – 3 Dec 2011

About Basel• Switzerland’s third largest city• Population = 166,000• Located on the river Rhine• Languages spoken:

German, French, andsome English

• Currency is the Swiss Franc• Exchange rate is 1 CHF = 4.16 AED

Flights• Flight departure: Swiss Air, Sat Nov 26 at 2:15am

(Friday, after midnight)• Meeting point: unless you have airport transfer,

12am in front of check in desk, Terminal 1 Dubai Airport

• Ticket: We will check you in online, but please bring a soft copy of your ticket with you.

• Baggage allowance: 1 suitcase (max 23 kgs) + 1 laptop bag.

• Excess baggage is expensive. The Foundation will not cover any additional costs.

Daily ScheduleDate Itinerary

Saturday 26th 6:20 - Arrival in Zurich7:30 - Departure to Basel9:00 - Arrival in Basel9:30 - Check in at Hotel Basilisk

PM – Free evening

Sunday 27th 10:00 – Meeting at PZ.BS10:30 – Welcoming words11:00 – Introductory session on Switzerland school system12:30 – Lunch4:00 – Book Boat

PM – Evening program (dinner)

Monday 28th AM (TBC) - Visit to Insel Schulhaus (Lower Secondary)Welcome words from Director Tove SpeckerLunch with teachers and staff (cookout)Afternoon (TBC) – Base for recap

PM – Free evening

Date Itinerary

Tuesday 29th AM (TBC) - Visit to Baumlihof (Gymnasium)Welcome words from Director Anna-Katharina SchmidLunch at school with teachers and staffAfternoon – Base for recapCoffee break – Information session about RAK and UAE for Swiss teachers

PM – Evening program (Dinner)Wednesday 30th AM (TBC) - Visit to Allgemeine Gewerbeschule Basel-AGS (Vocational

School)Welcome words from Director Hans-Rudolf HartmannLunch at school with teachers and staffAfternoon – Base for recap

4:30 – Guided tour of Fondation Beyler6:30 – Dinner at Han Monoglien Restaurant

Thursday 1st 9:30 – Cultural Sightseeing11:15 – Welcome in City Hall12:30 – LunchAfternoon – Consolidation, reflection, presentations

Evening – Apero Award Ceremony at ULEF

Friday 2nd Free Day

Saturday 3rd 7:30 – Departure to Zurich

City map - Basel

Hotel Basilisk

Accommodation

• We will be staying at Hotel Basilisk on a room sharing basis

• The Foundation will cover the cost of the room, breakfast, and taxes. All other costs (telephone, minibar, room service) are not included.

• Breakfast will be available at the hotel every morning

• For more details about the hotel log onto the website at: http://www.hotel-basilisk.ch/

Food• Dinner will be provided along with evening

activities on scheduled days. There will always be a vegetarian option.

• Please let us know if you have any food allergies.• Dinner will not be provided on Saturday 26th,

Monday 28th, and Friday 2nd. On those days you will have to arrange your own meals.

• Before accepting any chocolate, please be sure to ask if it contains alcohol.

Transportation• The hotel will provide everyone with a free weekly

pass for public transportation (bus, tram). Please do not lose it.

• Taxis are expensive, it is always better to use public transport.

• If you plan to be out late at night, please check the bus/tram timetable as they do not run very late.

• If you need directions to places on your free days, you may ask the hotel lobby for help.

Money

• Switzerland is expensive so make sure you bring extra money (cash or credit card) for your free days.

• Exchanging money: It is best to exchange money in the UAE as it is more expensive at the airport. If you prefer to exchange money there, take either US dollars or Euros. You will not be able to exchange Dirhams to Swiss Francs there.

• Using cards: If you want to use your cards, please take credit cards. Debit cards are usually not accepted and you may not be able to take out cash.

Communication

• Wasel (prepaid cards) will work without placing a deposit. Phones with postpaid plans will also work.

• Roaming rates are very high (5-10dhs/min, 2dhs/text msg)

• There may be no internet access at the hotel, but it will be available at the center where we will spend the afternoons.

Dress Code• Average temperature: 2°C to -2°CPlease pack the following:1. Thermal underwear (Marks & Spencer, Dubai)

2. A warm winter jacket

3. Wool scarf, hat, gloves/mittens

4. Boots (preferably waterproof)

5. Umbrella (there may be some rain)• We encourage you to wear traditional dress only at the

Award Ceremony on December 1st as the fabric is too thin for cold weather and the length may keep you from staying dry.

• To stay warm, it is best to wear many layers of clothing

Free Day Activities

Some things to do:1. Museums & Art Galleries 2. Shopping & Restaurants3. Food & Christmas Markets

Useful websites:www.basel.comhttp://wikitravel.org/en/Basel

Safety Policies• Everyone will have travel insurance, which covers

emergency medical expenses. Please keep a copy of it with you at all times.

• Please inform us if you have any medical conditions that we should know about.

• Please do not leave any electrical equipment unattended in the hotel. This includes cookers, water heaters, clothing irons, flat irons, etc.

• You are expected to be with the group at all times (except in your free time) during scheduled activities. If you need to leave at any point, please inform someone as there is no way for us to get in touch with you.

Additional Details

• Converters: although the electrical voltage is the same in Switzerland (220V), the plugs are different. If you need to use the electricity, please buy a converter in any electronic shop in the UAE or at the airport.

• Although Basel is considered to be a safe city, please do not leave any of your belongings unattended and always be attentive in busy or crowded areas.

Groups• Although we will be together all the time, we will be

split up into two groups for coordination purposes. • Please remember which group you are in:

Rania – Group 1 Samar – Group 2

Ahmad Al Dahmani Faten Abul Leil

Badria Al Yassi Al Muhairi Yousef Al Shehhi

Mohammed Ata Sumaya Al Shehhi

Lotfi Ben Abderrahmen Mohamed Elabasery

Saadah Konbar Ahmad Metwally

AlSayed Qutb Nasef

Questions & Concerns

• Your group leader will be your guide during the whole trip. Consider them your main contact person and please let them know should you have any questions, concerns, or need any help at any point.

• Cultural sensitivity: please be aware that we will be visiting people of a different culture so keep an open mind and be respectful of their behavior, country, and traditions. But if you have any issues, please speak to your group leader and they will do their best to address them.

If you have any other questions about the trip please email us at:rania@alqasimifoundation.ae

samar@alqasimifoundation.ae

or call us at:Rania: 050 2700311Samar: 050 7741997

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in 2 weeks!