-Event guide-
24th April - 2nd may
TABLE OF CONTENTS WELCOME TO ROMANIA
4 A FEW WORDS ABOUT BUCHAREST 5 FACTS ABOUT ROMANIA
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FACTS ABOUT BUCHAREST
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ARRIVAL OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
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CONTACT
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Š Graphics and layout by Flavia Husar
WELCOME to ROMANIA
Romania is one of the largest countries of Europe, with a population of approx. 19 million inhabitants. It is located between Central Europe and Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea. Its capital and largest city is Bucharest, the sixth largest city in the EU. Along with the Romanians, Hungarians, Germans, Serbs, Turks and other national minorities also live in the country. Most of them are of Greek-Orthodox religion, but there are also many Catholics, Protestants, Evangelical, Muslims and others. Romanian is a Romance language spoken by about 24 million people in Romania and Moldova. Romanian retains a number of features of Latin, such as noun cases, which other Romance languages dispensed with a long time ago. Romanian contains also many words taken from the surrounding Slavic languages, and also from French, Old Church Slavonic, German, Greek and Turkish.
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a few words about BUCHAREST
Bucharest is Romania’s capital and largest city, as well as the most important industrial and commercial center of the country. With 2 million inhabitants in the city proper and more than 2.4 million in the urban area, Bucharest is one of the largest cities in Southeastern Europe. Bucharest is the primary entry point into Romania, a booming city with many large infrastructure projects changing the old face of the city. Known in the past as “The Little Paris�, Bucharest has changed a lot lately, and today it has become a very interesting mix of old and new that has little to do with its initial reputation. Finding a 300 year old church, a steel-and-glass office building and Communistera apartment blocks next to one another is a common sight. Bucharest offers some excellent attractions, and has cultivated in recent years a sophisticated, trendy, and modern sensibility that many have come to expect from a European capital. The city has been undergoing major construction and modernization works in recent years, such as the Basarab Overpass and the National Arena. Bucharest has benefited from an economic boom that have helped rebuild neglected parts of the city, such as the historic Lipscani area. Bucharest is also the city in which all participants should arrive on the 24th of April where they will be settled in at Hello Hottel, and where you will attend the Official Opening Day at Willbrook Hotel.
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FACTS about ROMANIA Did you know that… Peles Castle was the first European castle entirely lit by electric power. The electricity was produced by the castle’s own plant. The castle’s central heating system, built in 1888, is still functional and in use today. The legendary vampire Count Dracula, created by Bram Stoker, was inspired by the Romanian prince Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler because he was fond of impaling his enemies and exhibiting their bodies along the roads. The tallest wooden church in the world, and the second tallest wooden structure in Europe, can be found in Sapanta Peri, Maramures of northwestern Romania. It has a 23 feet tall cross that weighs 1,000 lbs, on top of the 257 feet tall church. The modern jet engine was invented by the Bucharest-born inventor Henri Coanda in 1910. The Romanian language is 1,700 years old. The fountain pen was invented by Craiova-born Petrache Poenaru in 17991875, and was patented in May 1827. The Romanian Palace of Parliament in Bucharest is the second largest building in the world, preceded only by the Pentagon in the United States. The Danube-Black Sea Canal in south-east Romania is world’s third longest man-made navigation route, after the Suez and the Panama Canals. The old Constanta has been associated with the legend of Jason and the Argonauts, who embarked on a long voyage from Greece to Kolchis (Georgia) on the Black Sea coast in search of the Golden Fleece.
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The actor who first played the role of Tarzan was born in Romania - Johnny Weissmuller, who starred as the Ape Man in 1932. General Assembly Bucharest 2014
facts about bucharest The Romanian Athenaeum, Bucharest’s most prestigious concert and exhibition hall, was built between 1886-1888 by French architect Albert Galleron. This is the place to listen to classical music; the resident orchestra is the George Enescu Philharmonic. In front of the building there is the statue of the greatest Romanian poet, Mihai Eminescu.
The old National Theatre was next to Telephone Palace. Bombed out during the air-raid of August 24th 1944. The actual National Theatre was built over 1967-1970. The Intercontinental Hotel was built in 1970 by a group of 23 Romanian architects, with 400 rooms, restaurants, swiming pool, casino, garages.
The Triumphal Arch was built in 1922 from wood and it was rebuilt between 1935-1936 in concrete and granite by architect Petre Antonescu. The monument honors the heroism of the Romanian army demonstrated during World War I.
The Cantacuzino Palace was erected in the first decade of the 20th century by architect I.D.Berindei. After 1955 the Composers’ Union of Romania and the “George Enescu” museum began their activity here.
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WELCOME to NEPTUN Neptun is a summer resort located in Romania, 6 km from Mangalia and 38 km from Constanta on the Black Sea Coast. This beach resort is near the edge of a Forest and it is surrounded by an interesting selection of vegetation. It boasts a beautiful 2km white sand beach. Neptun has a large capacity of accommodation with over 20 large hotels and there are also many more: restaurants, bars, cafes, terraces that make the resort pulsate with life during summer. It is an equally frequented place not only by young people but by families with children as well. The variety of options for relaxation or entertainment is what attracts tourists. Among fun activities in Neptun you can also include: water sports (both at sea and on the two lakes of Neptun) watching movies at the outdoor cinema watching performances at the Summer Theater In the resort there are also two small golf courses, an amusement park and a Holiday Village, as well as spaces for different outdoor sports like football, volleyball or tennis. Even with all these choices given for having a great time, the strength of Neptun remains the beach with its fine white sand that sparkles under the sun.
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Arrival The Arrival for the Alumni Meeting will be directly at Hotel Doina in Neptun .Doina resort and Treatment Center is located in the center of Neptun at approximately 100 m from Neptun train station and 300 m from the sea, in an area that’s safe from unwanted noise.
FROM HENRI COANDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT There are many low-cost airlines flying to Bucharest. If you book your flights early you can get very good prices from many places in Europe. You have again several options to travel from the airport to Neptun: Direct shuttle bus to Constanta (biggest city on the seaside). The trip should cost around 50-60 lei (RON). More information here: http://www. autogari.ro/Transport/Otopeni-Constanta?lang=en. After you get to Constanta read the point “From Constanta Train Station”. Direct bus to the main train station in Bucharest, “Gara de Nord”. Just outside from the Arrivals terminal you can find RATB bus no. 780 that will take you directly to the train station. One trip will cost you 3.5 lei (RON), but you will only be able to buy 2-way tickets so that will be 7 lei (RON). Once you get to “Gara de Nord” read the point “From Gara de Nord - the main train station” for further information. You will also see a lot of taxi cars there. We do not advise you to take one of these, as the price could be quite high compared to other means of transportation. www.BEST.eu.org 9
You can also rent a car from the airport. The most trustworthy companies are Europcar and SIXT - they can be found right after the baggage claim area, on the right corridor. If you decide to rent a car go to the point “Traveling by car”.
FROM GARA DE NORD - THE MAIN TRAIN STATION IN BUCHAREST 4 5
Ok, you traveled by train to Bucharest and you are in front of the main train station “Gara de Nord”. What do you have to do now? Take a train to Neptun Station - this should be a direct route. If by any chance a direct route will not be available, you will have to get to Constanta and then take another train from there. The price will be around 45-50 lei (RON) ~10 Euros. More information can be found here: www. infofer.ro. If you managed to arrive in Neptun Station go to the point “From Neptun station”. Take a train to Constanta - the trip will be around 3 hours and it will cost aprox. 40 lei (RON). Check more information regarding the possible connections on www.infofer.ro. Once you get here go to the point “From Constanta train station”.
FROM CONSTANTA TRAIN STATION So you are in Constanta at the train station. Now you are only 1 hour away from Neptun. All you need to do is catch a train to Neptun. There are 7 trains every day that go in that direction, one every 2 hours starting from 6:20 (8:20, 10:20, 12:20 and so on). Neptun will be the 8th stop from Constanta. HURRY UP, the train will stop in Neptun for only 1 minute, so chop-chop. More information here: www.infofer.ro. Now that you are in Neptun, go to the point “From Neptun station”
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General Assembly Bucharest 2014
FROM NEPTUN STATION Congratulations! You arrived in Neptun, the lovely resort where we will spend our awesome chill time in the Alumni Meeting. All you have to do now is get to 4 5 Hotel Doina.
TRAVELING BY CAR You are considering driving by car? Perfect, all you need to do is to get to this address. Strada Crinului, Neptun, Romania GPS Coordinates: 43.873379, 28.597751
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other useful information LEGAL DOCUMENTS Passport / visa / ID card: For EU citizens your ID card is all you need to enter Romania. Having the passport is optional but sometimes it helps to avoid any problems at the border. For non-EU citizens a passport is required. Also please check the visa requirements specific for your country and if you do need a visa please make sure you request it from the Romanian consulate with enough time in advance. LBG Bucharest will send you an invitation letter if you need it to obtain the visa. Sometimes there might be reduced or even no visa fees if you participate to a student or cultural event so check that option as it might save you some money. Also please take into consideration that Romania is not part of the Schengen Agreement. Health insurance: For EU citizens the standard health insurance card is also valid in Romania For non-EU citizens you need to buy travel health insurance for the duration of your stay in Romania Student card (ISIC, Euro<26 or usual student card) - This will give you discounts in many places such as museums.
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WEATHER The climate is transitional between temperate and continental, with relatively low rainfall and large differences in temperature between the four seasons. During Springtime, April - May, the weather can be very shallow. The temperature may vary from 10 C to 30 C. So choose your clothes adequately.
CURRENCY The Romanian currency is leu (singular), lei (plural), (“lei” is pronounced like the English ‘lay’. “leu” means in Romanian “lion”). Please note that sometimes the Leu is also referred to as RON (Romanian New Leu). Coins : 1 ban, 5 bani, 10 bani , 50 bani Bills : 1 leu, 5 lei, 10 lei, 50 lei, 100 lei, 200 lei and 500 lei. The current exchange rates for Euro and USD are: 1 Euro ~ 4,5 lei, 1 USD ~ 3,3 lei. For updated information about exchange rates, you can visit www.cursvalutar.rol.ro There is a slight variation from one Exchange Office to another. You can find Exchange Offices (including traveler checks) almost everywhere opened all the week. The safest exchange offices are the ones inside the banks. Tips & Tricks: Do not exchange money from the people on the street. Always go to an exchange office. Also try to change in Bucharest all the money you need, since in Neptun it might be more difficult to find an open exchange office, considering that the summer season has not begun yet.
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SMALL ENGLISH - ROMANIAN DICTIONARY First of all, in Romanian, you pronounce as you read, there is no special pronunciation rule, you just have to say the letters from a word as they are written (don’t use the English spelling) . Good morning - Bună dimineaţa Good afternoon - Bună ziua Good evening - Bună seara Good night - Noapte bună Hi, Hello - Bună, salut Good bye - La revedere Thank you - Mulţumesc You’re welcome - Cu placere Please - Vă rog Help - Ajutor Yes/no - Da/nu What time is it - Cât este ceasul Where is my luggage - Unde este bagajul meu I don’t know - Nu ştiu I don’t understand - Nu înteleg What /why /how - Cum /de ce /Când My name is - Numele meu este What time is it - Cât este ceasul Where is my luggage - Unde este bagajul meu How much is it - Cât costa Bus/trolley-bus/tram - Autobuz /troleu /tramvai Subway- Metrou I don’t have a ticket, I am a foreigner - Nu am bilet, sunt străin You are cool! - Eşti beton! I will never drink again! - Înca un pahar! Ohh - Ohhhhhhhhhh (Everything is longer in Romania !) Cheers – Noroc You should become BEST member! - Ar trebui să devii membru BEST! One beer please! - O bere vă rog! You drive me crazy! - Mă înnebuneşti! No more Palinka please - Mai vreau o cana, prietene. I’m a strawberry, eat me - Sunt o căpşunica, mănancă-mă.
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General Assembly Bucharest 2014
PRICES Mineral water 3 Lei (2 liters) Coffee 2.5 Lei Soft drinks 2.5 Lei (½ liter) Milk 4.5 Lei (1 liter) Entrance at Disco 10 - 20 Lei Condoms 8 - 10 Lei (3 pieces) Packet of cigarettes 13-15 Lei A Cinema ticke 8-16 Lei Pizza 15 Lei A Big-Mac Menu 15 Lei Beer in stores 3 Lei (½ liter) and 7-8 lei (2 liter) Beer in bars 6 Lei(½ liter)
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STUFF TO BRING WITH YOU
Money for extra food, shopping etc.
A sleeping bag is usually NOT required during the BEST event itself. However if you plan to travel before or after the event the sleeping bag could be useful.
Formal clothes for the classiest anniversary BEST has ever seen
A combo of white clothes. Just trust us, you’ll need it
Leisure wear (for some games or sport activities)
Comfortable shoes or slippers.
Camera and its cable– at the end of the GA there will be a million pictures taken because almost everybody brings a digital photo camera. Bathing suit
A warm sweater (you never know how the weather might turn out).
Computer if you want (we will not be able to provide computers for you). Medicines you need or whatever works for you for a hangover.
Documents (passport/ ID card, insurance/ EHIC card/ ISIC card).
All the energy you can get - It’s going to be a long one
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PHONES AND USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS Emergency Telephone Number :112 You can use your own GSM mobile phone in Romania with the roaming service. Always check the prices for making receiving calls with your home operator. Usually they are quite expensive. You can also use public telephones on the street. They only work with prepaid cards that you can buy from newspaper stands, postal and Romtelecom offices. Tips & Tricks: Remember that while using the roaming service you are also paying for the calls you receive. If you plan to use the phone a lot while in Romania we recommend you to buy a pre-paid SIM card from a Romanian operator. You can make cheaper calls and receive as many calls as you want for free. The SIM cards are quite cheap and they will give you an initial credit for calls. If you run out of credit you can always recharge them. Before you buy make sure your mobile phone is not SIM-locked on your home operator. You can choose from the following Romanian operators: www.cosmote.ro www.vodafone.ro www.orange.ro The phone prefix of Romania is +40, and the phone prefix for Bucharest is 21. The code for Romanian mobile phone numbers starts with a 7. To call them from abroad use: +40 7xx xxx xxx. To call them from within Romania use: 07 xx xxx xxx .
TIME Time in Romania is UTC/GMT +2 hours known as EET.
ELCTRICITY
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Romaniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electrical current is 230 V and sockets take the standard continental European dual round-pronged plugs. A plug adaptor is required for non-European appliances. Please remember that simple adapters do not convert voltage or frequency. A power converter is necessary for appliances requiring 110 V.
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CONTACT
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General General Assembly Assembly Bucharest Bucharest 2014 2014
George Gramescu
Alumni Meeting Responsible for General Assembly 2014 +40 729 116 933 gramescu.george@BEST.eu.org
Alexandra-Madalina Pelmus Social Responsible for General Assembly 2014
+40 724 206 471 alexandra.pelmus@BEST.eu.org
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