THE PRAGUE SUMMER PROGRAM ORIENTATION BOOKLET 2015
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THE PRAGUE SUMMER
PROGRAM
ORIENTATION BOOKLET
2015
1Welcome to Prague
Herein you will find the most essential information. We've tried to present the information
herein clearly and concisely. Please take some time to study this booklet as soon as
possible; the first questions you may wish to ask the PSP staff will very likely already be
answered in this booklet.
We are confident that as so many over the past two decades have expressed joy
at being in Prague in July to study and make art, even as they were learning
about another culture, you will, too. If this is your first visit to Prague, be
prepared for at least a little "culture shock"; it will fade quickly
into unabashed wonder. Also be prepared to learn more in the next two
or four weeks than most diehard expatriates learn in a year.
2Daily Life in Prague: Some Helpful Information
Transportation: With your orientation materials you received a transit pass which will allow
you to use all of Prague's excellent public transportation services (bus, tram, metro)
for the duration of your stay. YOU MUST CARRY YOUR PASS AT ALL TIMES! Checks are
random, occur quite often, and if you are caught on public transport without your pass you will
be charged a hefty fine. Do not use cabs program administrators or their assistants have not
called for you! Cabs on the streets may overcharge you. We recommend Profi Taxi, tel.:
(+420)14-0-15, or AAA: (+420)14-0-14.
Dorms:
Inos Hotel
THE QUIET HOURS FROM 10 p.m. TO 6 a.m. MUST BE OBSERVED.
Internet
All rooms have Internet access via an Ethernet cord.
Phoning home:
If you are from the United States, when you call home be sure to remind your family, friends and
significant others that when they dial the telephone and fax numbers you've given they must
first dial 011-420. All units have phones from which one may receive calls. You will get the
direct number for your room phone together with your room number at check-in. You can
purchase phone cards to make local as well as international calls at the pay phones in the hotel
lobby or elsewhere. You may also use AT&T at 00-800-222-552-88. Or you may simply Skype.
Postal Services:
The central post office (Jindřišská 14 near metro stop Můstek) is open from 2 a.m. to 12 a.m.,
seven days a week. Orange mailboxes on the streets are for stamped post, which is collected
several times a day. Telegrams may be sent from any post office. The most convenient post office
downtown is on Kaprova Street, two blocks from Jana Palacha Square. Postage to the U.S. is 21
CZK for letters up to 20g (20 CZK for Europe). The price is the same for postcards.
Copying and printing:
Copy General has several outlets around Prague:
Prague 1, Senovážné nám. 26, NONSTOP! (open 24 x 7)
Prague 2, Londýnská 57, 7a.m. to 10p.m. Mo-Fri, 8a.m. to 9p.m. on weekends
Prague 5, Na Bělidle 40, 7a.m. to 10p.m. Mo-Fri, 8a.m. to 9p.m. on weekends
Prague 7, Milady Horákové 4, 8a.m. to 7p.m. Mo-Fri, 8a.m. to 4p.m. on Sat, closed on Sun
www.copygeneral.cz
3Medical and Dental: There are several options for medical, dental, or emergency care. English speaking facilities are available at: Doctor – Health Centre Prague, International Clinic. 24 hrs service, Vodičkova 28, Prague 1, 3rd schodiště (Entrance), 2nd floor, tel.: (+420)224-220-040, emergency (+420)603-433-833, (+420)603-481-361, http://www.doctor-prague.cz/; at the Polyclinic at Narodni, 24 hrs service, Narodni 9, 3rd floor, Prague 1, tel.: (+420)222-075- 120(or119), emergency (+420)777-942-270, http://poliklinikanarodni.cz/en/; or at Canadian Medical Care (http://www.cmcpraha.cz/en-US) at Veleslavínská 1, Prague 6, tel.: (+420)235- 360-133, after hours (+420)724-300-301 (312 for dentist). Emergency dental treatment may be also acquired at MILLENIUM dental care (http://www.mdc.cz/en/?en), V Celnici 10, Prague 1, tel.: (+420)221-033-405, (+420)724-222-255, 8 a.m. to 8p.m. Primarily though, you should always use a provider suggested by HTH, your insurance company. A pharmacy open 24 hours a day is in Palackého 5 in the Old Town and at Vítězné náměstí 13, Prague 6. One nearest to the university is at Žatecká 4, two blocks from Jana Palacha square. There are also several pharmacies on Bělohorská, the main street near the dorm and the Pyramida hotel (Bělohorská 54, 118, and 205). Most importantly: A Czech-speaking PSP representative will assist in all emergencies. Money Exchange: Avoid all moneychangers on the streets! Counterfeit notes abound, and they'll always rip you off. Some exchange offices also charge ridiculously high commissions but the eXchange office at Kaprova 14 near the Faculty of Arts offers good rates and doesn’t charge commision. American Express checks can be cashed at Komercni Banka or UniCredit Bank but there’s a rather large fee charged, cash advances on credit cards may be acquired at Živnostenská Bank, and money transfers may be made at Obchodní Banka. All over town are ATM machines; they are the quickest, most efficient means of accessing your funds at home, and give the best conversion rates. Laundry, Groceries, etc.: There are laundry facilities at the Masaryk dorm. Details of its use will be covered at orientation. You may also use the American-style Laundromat Prague Andy's Laundromat (http://www.volny.cz/laundromat/index.htm) near Náměstí Míru Metro stop (3 stops from the Faculty of Arts where your workshops, classes, and lectures will take place). They speak English, and offer student discounts, Internet connection, drinks, and other bonuses. You will find a wide variety of shops, including grocers, health-food stores, pharmacies, clothes stores, pubs and cafes quite near the dorm. Safety Tips: 4
European cities are generally safer than cities in the United States, but one should be vigilant as a
visitor to any city in the world. Women may feel much freer to walk the streets at night, but are
advised to move about in pairs or groups. Violent crime is much more rare in Prague than in any
U.S. city, but crimes of stealth are probably more frequent. Every other year a PSP student or
faculty member is robbed on a tram or the Metro. Pickpockets are extremely clever and effective.
Hold your purse close to you at all times on public transportation, and put your backpacks in
front of you. Keep your wallets in your front pockets, and don't carry any more cash, credit
cards, or identification cards than needed. Make a Xerox copy of your passport before you leave
the U.S., and keep it with you so you may leave your passport in your room! Thieves on public
transport and on the streets work in pairs, or even in groups of as many as five or six. Several
will jostle behind you, pushing you towards the door of the tram or Metro train, and one will
stand in front and make an act of being pushed by you. Either the one in front or one or two of
the individuals in back will get a clear shot at a tiny opening in your purse, your fanny pack, or
your back pocket. Do not put cameras on tables in public places; do not hang cameras and purses
from chairs in restaurants, etc. Also be extremely careful about your bags and other property at
the Faculty of Arts building. It’s in the very heart of Prague, and is occasionally visited by
thieves. Never leave your bag unattended, and sit in front rows at the lecture hall during the
Tuesday lectures. In case of emergency, please contact PSP staff.
The free phone number for the Czech police is (+420)158
The free phone number for the Prague police is (+420)156
The emergency number (for fire dpt., police dpt., and ambulance) is (+420)112
You can also contact the Centrum police station at Jungmannovo náměstí 9 near Můstek, tel.
(+420)947-851-750, where they specialize at helping tourists 24/7.
Vital Academic Information
All matters regarding academic credit will be addressed under
separate cover.
Workshops: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9:30a.m. to 12:30p.m. at Anglo-
American University
Students will be guided to the clasroom venue on Monday, June 30.
5Walking Tours
1. Saturday, June 27, 4 p.m. from the dorm: tour guide Miloš Čuřík
2. Sunday, June 28, 10 a.m. from the dorm: tour guide Miloš Čuřík
FIELD TRIP
Terezín Trip, Friday, July 19, Trip leader: in-country staff; Guest: Tomáš Kraus
Terezín was built in the 1780's by the Habsburgs to defend the northern border against Prussia. It
accommodated 14,500 soldiers and hundreds of prisoners. In 1941, the whole town was turned
into a Jewish ghetto and used as a transit camp for those whose final destination was Auschwitz.
Although the Main Fortress (Hlavní pevnost) has never been put to the test in battle, Terezín
remains a garrison town. Built on the 18th century grid plan, it stands as the "model" Nazi
internment camp, the one the Nazis designed to show the Red Cross as an example of the
humane treatment the Jews were receiving in the benign care of Hitler. The Ghetto Museum was
opened in 1991; children's artwork displayed there will rip your heart out.
Other Important Telephone Numbers (enter 011-420 first if calling from a US phone):
Emergency (police, ambulance, fire dpt.) 112
Police 158
Emergency Medical Service 155
American Embassy 257-022-000
Canadian Embassy 272-101-800
American Express 222-800-111
Train Information 221-111-122
Airport Information 220-113-314
AT&T 00-800-222-552-88
Profi Taxi 14-0-15
Federal Express 241-440-024
DHL 800-103-000
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