FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

BEFORE DEPARTURE

• The name on your statement is the name we used for your airline reservation.  If it is misspelled, tell the agent at the Air France counter when you arrive at the airport.  If your name is different than the one in your passport or you want to correct a misspelling, let us know and we will redo your eticket.  There is a fee of $25 payable in Spain.
• If your picture does not appear on the top part of the statement, it means we didnt have your picture at the time your statement was printed and therefore, you will have to pay $5 in Spain to get your ID card.  You still need to send us a digital picture of the top part of your body.
• If there is a shortage due on your statement, you must pay the amount due in cash before you get your room assignment in Spain.  You may pay in euros or in dollars; however, we will not take checks.

eticket

You will receive your airline eticket via email about 2 weeks prior to departure.  Print the page and keep the email with your internet provider's incoming saved mail in the event you misplace the letter with your reservation number. 

It is very important that you read the Airline Information (www.foreignstudy.com/Airline.htm ) and on our web site for information regarding arrival/departure and airline restrictions.  Also, browse our other pages as they contain valuable information about your lodging, courses, and tours.

seat assignment

Since these are group reservations, we are unable to make individual seat assignments.  You may request your seat assignment at the ticket counter.

Bring the Statement that is with your luggage tags to Spain.  This will be your last statement.

DAY OF DEPARTURE

Airport Check-in

We recommend the following: 

• Arrive for your flight at the airline counter at least 3 hours before departure.  Show the eticket page to the agent at the Air France counter.  The agent will provide you with the boarding pass.  If you dont have your eticket letter, you can still get your boarding pass by giving the ticket counter agent your name, the flight number or your reservation number.  

• If you have a connecting flight and your flight is late and you miss your international flight, go to the counter of the airline  that caused your delay.  Afterwards, call Elvira Losa (in Spain) at the number below and tell her your status.

Luggage

Due to the limited luggage space on the buses and airline restrictions, you are allowed to bring one checked in luggage and a carry-on.  The limits are as follows:

Checked in Baggage. Checked in baggage is limited to three dimensions of which must not exceed 61 in. and with a maximum baggage weight of 44 lbs.   Any excess on the baggage allowance listed above will be charged at check-in by the airline.

Cabin Baggage.  In addition to an accessory like a purse or laptop, you are allowed a single piece of hand baggage on board.

1 piece of baggage (measuring a maxi of 55 cm, 35 cm, 25 cm *) including a garment bag + 1 accessory (examples: handbag, laptop computer, camera, etc.) weighing a total of 12 kg (26 lbs.).  Cabin baggage or hand baggage refers to any other type of baggage that is not checked into the hold. Note: the following rule is the Air France rule. Some local airport authorities (in USA, UK…) might have stricter rules. Please check before you travel

If you purchased the airline ticket thru Forspro, you are provided with airport transfers.  However, if you exceed these limits, you will not be allowed to load your luggage and you will have to provide your own airport transfers..

There are at least 10 passengers or more departing from each U.S. gateway.  Although there are professors and  teachers departing from most gateways, there are no official Forspro representatives at the gates.  Our representatives will be waiting for you in Spain at your final destination.  Please use the luggage tags you received/will receive in the mail.  Use one luggage tag for your carry-on and the other for the luggage you check through.  Make sure you tell the agent to check the luggage all the way to your final destination.  The luggage tag on the carry-on will help identify you and other participants traveling with the Forspro group at the departure gate.  The luggage tags also helps our representatives identify you upon your arrival in Spain. 

In the event of an emergency during the day of departure at the airport or with your flights, call Elvira Losa at her Spain cell: 646-338816.  If you are calling from the U.S. dial 01134 and then the number.  If you are calling from Paris, dial 0034 and then the number.  When calling from the United States, note that Spain is 6 hours ahead of eastern standard time.  Please do not call this number under any other circumstance.  If you call this number at any other time, Ms. Losa will not entertain your call.  Please do not be upset if she replies "Sorry but call our emergency contact numbers.

ARRIVAL IN Paris / connecting flight

Your international flight from the United States is scheduled to arrive in Terminal 2E.  If you are going on the six week program, your connecting flight to Malaga is scheduled to depart from Terminal 2D.  Although your flight number starts with AF (Air France) the carrier is Air Europa. All other participants are going to Madrid with Air France and the connecting flights are scheduled to depart from Terminal 2F. Follow the airport signs to terminal 2F.  To see a map of terminal section of the airport 2EF, click Paris-CDF 2 EF.  Note: The terminal arrival/departure is subject to change.

Remember that there is a group from Forspro traveling on your flight.  Stay together.  You should check the monitors at the airport or consult with an Air France employee at the gate to make sure the information has not changed.

In the event of an emergency during the day of departure at the airport or with your flights, call Elvira Losa at her Spain cell: 646-338816.  Do not call this number under any other circumstance.

ARRIVAL IN SPAIN

At the Arrival Gate

Upon arrival at your final destination in Spain, after you clear customs and pass through the doors, representatives wearing shirts with a FORSPRO logo and holding a FORSPRO sign will be at the gate to meet you.   If you have lost or damaged luggage, inform another member of the group that you are reporting a lost/damaged luggage so that our representative is aware that you are inside the customs area.  Airport procedures will not allow our representative in the area.  Malaga (6 Week Program) arrivals note luggage area for international flights is at the end of the lobby.

Before boarding your bus at the airport to transfer you to your hotel or residence, please make sure you board the correct bus.  We will post 8x11 signs by the door of each bus to indicate where the bus is headed and where it will unload passengers.  There are 3 signs:

• FORSPRO: If the bus has a Forspro sign, everyone can board the bus.

• MARA: If it says Mara, the bus is for everyone going on the Madrid program and staying in the Mara or Chaminade dorms.  It will unload at the MARA.  Chaminade residents will have to walk one block.

• MONCLOA: If it says Moncloa, the bus is for the Salamanca program participants and for those adults/professors in the Madrid program who elected the hotel Moncloa or the Muralto apartments. It will unload at the hotel MONCLOA.  Apartment residents will have to walk one block to Muralto.

There are rare occasions where our representative may not be at the gate at the time you come out of the customs area.  Flight delays are common during the summer; therefore, your flight may arrive while our representative is helping others at another gate or you arrive on a flight different from the one scheduled.  Regardless of the circumstances, if this occurs, you should do the following:

Ø    Stay with the other Forspro students/teachers on your flight near the arrival gate.

Ø    After waiting 15 minutes, call the dorm/hotel and ask for a Forspro representative. 
 See numbers below. 6 Week program participants call Elvira Losa.

Take with you the address and phone number of your first destination in Spain.  If for some reason you miss your scheduled group international flight and there are no other Forspro persons at the gate, take a taxi to the hotel or dorm.

Note: You are traveling in group flights. In Paris, everyone from Forspro in your U.S. flight is on the same connecting flight from Paris to Madrid or Malaga  

Airport Transfers

Participants traveling on the group’s flight itinerary are provided transportation from and to the airport.  Individuals traveling on their own and not meeting our group transportation are responsible for paying for their own ground transportation arrangements.

• All Malaga arrivals on June 18 will go to Hotel Natali in Torremolinos

• Salamanca Program arrivals on July 3 will go to Hotel Moncloa

• Madrid Program arrivals on July 3 will go to one of the following: Colegio Mayor Mara or Chaminade, Apartamentos Muralto, or Hotel Moncloa.

MISCELLANEOUS

Forspro Office    -  Emergency numbers

The office in Miami is closed from June 28 to August 13.  During this time we will be in Spain preparing your arrival and conducting our study abroad programs.  In the event of an emergency on the day of departure/arrival call Elvira Losa at the number above; otherwise, send us an email.  If your parents need to contact us, they may call the appropriate number below.   Please dont have your parents call us about things we can solve in Spain.  Note that we will not return phone calls unless it is an emergency.   If it is an emergency, your family needs to leave their name, phone number, the type of emergency, and the best time to call them.  Refer to the lodging section and the calendar for the hotel/residence phone numbers in Paris and Malaga.

Office in Madrid - July 3 to 26

Colegio Mayor Mara (university students).  Office hours are from 12:00 to 15:30.
15:45 - Clinic trip.
Ph: 01134915536604

• Dr. Orlando Moreno (Dean of Students)

• Elvira Losa (Program Director)
   

Office in Salamanca - July 5 to July 26

Centro Universitario Marista - Office hours TBA
Ph: 01134923269412

• Sonia Lichtenberg (Resident supervisor)

• Dr. Antonio Madrigal (Dean of Students)

Email communication is a very convenient, inexpensive, and fast way to get in touch with us - and we encourage it.  In matter of fact, it is the way your family should communicate with us while you are in Spain in the event there is a problem. 

As we get closer to departure and while we are in Spain, we too have more things to do.  Please be prudent with the use of emails.  There will be close to 400 students in Spain.  Please don't send us emails asking for addresses, calendars, luggage - we don't have the time to answer them and we probably will not if the answer is on our web site.  Almost everything you need is in our web site.  Of course, if you cannot find the answer to your question, we will gladly answer it for you.  When sending us emails, please provide your full name.