SPICE 2017 Arrival Information
[Adapted from directions by Dr. Nick Bowman]  

Leaving the US
You should all have electronic copies of your train tickets with the flight numbers and airlines listed. You'll want to compare these, as many of you will be flying on the same jets. You'll also need to contact your airline in advance to select seats, check baggage fees, and other travel-related information (you can do this online, with the reservation numbers in your e-mail). You'll also need to arrange your own transportation to your airports of choice, and for international flights I would plan on being at the airport a minimum of two hours prior to departure. 

Arriving in Germany
As you can see from the flight schedules, you'll be arriving around 7:30 am - so long as there's no delays. Dr. Dykstra (Singapore Airlines) arrives at 10:40 and Dr. Cohen (Delta) arrives at 8:50. Everyone arrives on Monday June 12. When you get to the airport (map below), your main tasks will be:

•    Claim your bags (all signs are in English and you can simply follow the masses, but you'll be going to the "Gepackausgabe"). 
•    Clear customs, where they will ask you a few questions about your stay and then stamp your passport. Remember, we're in Germany for less than 90 days, so if you are a US citizen then you do not need a student visa (they might ask for one - don't get nervous). Also keep in mind that with enhanced security, be prepared to answer several questions about yourself, your classmates, and your recent travel to other countries. Don't be nervous ... often times, the way you answer a question is more important than the answers themselves. 
•    Make your way to the "Airport City Mall" - part of Terminal 1 (in the basement, actually - or Level 0 in German) where you'll find restaurants and shopping, some German bakeries and even a *HUGE* McDonalds. You'll also find ATMs here, for taking out Euros as needed. 
•    Validate your Eurail passes. This can be done in the DB Travel Center (the Deutsche Bahn ReiseZentrum), which is located near the middle of the Airport City Mall. When you get there, you'll want to present the clerk with your official passport as well as your train ticket. Ask them to help you fill it out (so you do it correctly), and they should "activate" the pass by putting a rubber stamp on it. You'll have to get this stamp before you can continue your journey. 
•    After you've validated the passes, we will meet at the McDonalds in the Airport City Mall at 11:30.  The City Mall is rather comfortable, and there are several places to sit and relax - across from the McDonalds for example are a series of large white benches and tables. You'll also have free wireless at the airport, so you can check up with family and even chat with students incoming. We will all meet up at 11:30 sharp at the McDonalds to head to the long distance train station "Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbahnhof."
Most flights should arrive in Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. Your task? Get to Level 0 ("Ebene 0") of Terminal 1. 
You see the red "DB" on the map at Level 0?
That's the logo for Deutsche-Bahn, and the DB Travel Center (the Deutsche Bahn ReiseZentrum) –
where you validate your train pass. 

Getting to the Trains, and Getting to Erfurt

•    So, everyone has their train tickets validated and the group of 7 students have met up with your faculty leads, Dr. Dykstra and Dr. Cohen. Awesome! We will then travel to the train station together, the "Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbahnhof." Good news? It's attached to the airport. In fact, you can see on the above map (sort of): the "Fernbahnhof" is at the very bottom of the map, and it's attached by a walkway (called Skywalk) to the airport complex. Basically, from Airport City Mall, you'll need to make your way up and around to the Skywalk, and then proceed to the Fernbahnhof (NOTE: Fern = long distance, bahnhof = train station, fernbahnhof = long distance train station). 
•    The train station is gorgeous, and your view on arrival (after walking across the Skywalk) will look something like this:
File source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frankfurt_Flughafen,_Fernbahnhof.jpg
Upon arrival, the Erfurt SPICE team will meet you, either up on Platform 10 or down in the main Erfurt train station terminal (it's much smaller than Frankfurt, so there's no way to get lost, really).

From here, the SPICE folks will take you to your apartments, collect your 200 Euro deposits, give you keys, and ... you can relax. =) 

The First Few Days in Erfurt
From Monday evening and into Tuesday (June 13), you'll largely be left to yourselves to catch up on sleep, get used to the time shift, and get your bearings in Erfurt.

As of now, we've got our first real SPICE social events planned for Wednesday (June 14). That morning (details still to be determined), students from Erfurt will lead a city tour that is highly recommended - it will combine some culture and history as well as a bit of an orientation to the town. Then, that evening will be a reception hosted by Uni Erfurt, with details to be posted later. You'll want to be sure and give us your Wednesday, because this will be your first real chance to meet everyone formally. 


Then, the regular class schedule will launch on Friday (June 16), with classes starting at 4pm. We'll have a class schedule out to everyone soon, but classes generally meet on Fridays from 4pm to 8pm, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am until 4pm.  

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