| Course Center 7/7/02 - 7/21/02 Vallergas Super Market (meeting place) 1525 Imola Ave. Napa |
Napa,CA WELCOMES Group ATP62 |
Program Coordinator Teresa McPherson 1135 Pinewood Drive, Napa, CA 94558 Tel 1: (707)258-1378 Tel 2: (707)479-5125 Email: brucemcpherson@telocity.c |
My Name is Terry McPherson. I will be your program coordinator during your stay in Napa California. I really enjoy meeting students from other countries, and especially look forward to spending a summer with young people from Austria. During the summers of 2000 and 2001 we were fortunate enough to have groups from France here in Napa. If you would like to see a few pictures of the great time we had, you can go to our Napa EF web site at: http://www.napa-ef.com. I will plan activities for your stay here, and most importantly, find volunteer host families for you and your group.
My family, which includes my husband Bruce, and Caitlyn and Bridget my two daughters, are very excited to meet you also. Caitlyn and Bridget are the 2 girls with red hair you see on my web site. My involvement with EF is always a family affair. Besides learning about new cultures we enjoy traveling, camping, attending our daughters sporting and dance events, and being involved in community activities.
THE AREA:
While you may not have heard of Napa, it is quite famous here in America. It is in the heart of an area known as .Wine Country.. It is quite beautiful, made up of rolling hills and valleys covered in grapevines. The wine industry and tourism drive our economy. The city of Napa has about 75,000 people and is called the .Gateway to Wine Country.. It is a wonderful place for families. We are about an hour north of San Francisco, half an hour to the ocean, and about three hours to the mountains known as the Sierras. There is a multitude of outdoor activities at our fingertips. Culturally we have symphonies, plays, museums, sporting events, dance, movies, festivals, and so much more.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
It is better if you change your money into US dollars before you arrive. US banks charge a fee to change currency or to cash travelers checks. Bring a jacket, sweatshirt, or a light sweater for the cool California evenings. This is especially important for the day of your arrival, as we will most likely be walking across the famous .Golden Gate Bridge. in San Francisco. It can be quite windy. It should be warm during the day, (20-26 degree C) but the temperatures drop with the sun. Raincoats are not needed. Don.t forget your swimsuit and a pair of comfortable walking shoes! If you wear glasses or take medication, be sure to bring a copy of your prescription. If you have not purchased the EF medical insurance, please bring all information on your medical travel insurance provider, including a US phone number to contact in case of an emergency. It is your responsibility to know this information. Not having this information could delay medical care or make it unnecessarily expensive. In California, you must be 21 years old to drink alcohol or go to clubs where alcohol is served. Smoking is prohibited in public areas and you must be 18 years old to buy cigarettes. Your host family will tell you if smoking is allowed outside of their home or not at all.
YOUR HOST FAMILY:
Evenings and weekends will be time to spend with your host families. This is a perfect time to get to know each other.s culture and to share experiences, which is a very important part of the EF program. The host families in this EF program are not paid. They host students to learn more about you, your family, and your country. They also want to share with you the day to day life of an American family. There are many great ways to bring a little bit of your country along. Your host family will of course be very interested in pictures from your home. Another great way to share your culture is to share a favorite recipe from your home.
YOUR ARRIVAL:
I will be meeting you at the airport. Depending on your arrival time, we may take a short tour of San Francisco. We will then leave the famous .City by the Bay. by way of the .Golden Gate Bridge.. The view of San Francisco fro