THE JOHN BELK INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM AT QUEENS UNIVERSITY

SAFETY; SECURITY, AND BEHAVIOR ON STUDY TOURS

The John Belk International Program provides a unique opportunity for students to experience and enjoy another culture. A study tour can be a remarkably successful and pleasurable experience, but it requires students to act in a responsible, mature, and cooperative way. The following principles govern activities on the study tour:

(1) A study tour is not a private vacation. It is a university program, for which you receive academic credit.

(2) A study tour is a group program, in which participants must adjust their individual wishes to the needs of the group.

(3) Everyone's behavior on a study tour is governed by the Queens Honor Code; personal responsibility and honesty at all times are essential.

(4) The personal security and safety of everyone on the study tour is a primary concern of the faculty tour leaders. Security and safety are directly related to individuals' behavior.

(5) It is absolutely not acceptable for any participant to spoil the experience for others. Period. Study tour leaders and the Queens administration expect all participants to behave in a considerate, responsible, and mature manner. Respect for others, cooperation with other participants and the faculty leaders, and fulfillment of the study tour's requirements are essential. Perhaps the single most important factor in the success of each individual, and of the group as a whole, is the attitude of each of the participants.

With the above in mind, it is important for all to acknowledge that if a student's attitude or behavior becomes so disruptive that it significantly degrades the experience of other members of the tour group, then the student may be sent home by the faculty leaders. Such behavior includes but is not limited to an uncooperative attitude, frequent complaining, serious on-going homesickness, engaging in risky behavior,creating confrontations, showing disrespect for local people and customs of the host country, defacing or otherwise damaging property, and making unreasonable demands on the time, energy, or understanding of other membes of the study tour. In these situations, students will be given notice that their behavior is unacceptable, and that an immediate change in behavior will be necessary if they are to stay on the tour. If problems exist for the student, there will be an attempt to resolve them if it is feasible to do so given the circumstances of traveling with a group in a foreign country. A student who is dismissed from a tour must pay his or her return expenses and all expenses incurred by the John Belk International Program in arranging the student’s return.

VERY IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR A LARGE GROUP LIVING TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME

Although we may be nice people of good will who like and enjoy each other, it is worth noting that weeks of togetherness, sometimes in confined spaces, produce stresses and strains and irritations among the most gentle and loving of creatures. Years of traveling with students have suggested some conclusions about the perspectives, behavior, and interactions that promote successful travel experiences. We ask that you consider these carefully and be guided by them during our journey together.

(1) Cooperation and Civility. It takes only one uncooperative person to make everyone's life difficult. When you travel with a group, it's essential that you consider the group's needs as well as your own. It will be very important for each of us to make a conscious effort to cooperate with each other as individuals and with the group as a whole in almost everything that we do, from eating and sleeping, to catching trains and visiting historic sights.

Be considerate of the leaders who depend upon you to pay attention and to take responsibility for your behavior. Bear with one another. Be considerate of your roommates and other fellow travelers, even if they seem not to deserve it. This may be especially important when we are tired, giddy, and anxious, or too-much and too-long together; we must make a conscious effort to avoid behavior that is irritating, deflating, or embarrassing. Even then --especially then --look for ways in which you can help each other. Take care of each other. Let tour leaders know if someone has a real problem. Practice civility. Obnoxious behavior is unacceptable.

(2) Punctuality. Basic to your being cooperative and considerate is punctuality.BE ON TIME, every time. Planes and trains--and the group--cannot and will not wait for you if you are late.

(3) Effective Group Traveling. When we're waiting to catch trains and buses, it will be important for us to stay together and pay attention to the study tour leaders. Funny things happen --buses show up in the "wrong" places, or it might be necessary suddenly to switch train platforms --so it is important not to wander off or get lost. When we travel, please stay together and stay alert-

(4) Calmness and Confidence. Even the most well-organized tour has moments of confusion; even the most experienced can get lost; even the finest airlines, rail systems, and hotels can have delays and other disorders. When problems occur, as they will, have confidence that they will eventually be sorted out; remain unperturbed; if you must get hysterical, do so calmly.

(5) Enthusiasm and Pleasantness. Everyone has disappointments. There will be things which you don't like on the study tour: you may not always be able to room with the person of your choice; you may have a bad meal; your feet may hurt; you may not like the hotel. Everyone gets weary and cranky at times, but we must all make an extra effort to be pleasant. Even if we don't feel like it. Even if we have to fake it. Few things have a worse impact on a group's morale than whining, complaining, and bickering. Whining and complaining don't solve problems. If you have a real problem, please solve it. If you cannot solve it, ask someone for help. If it can't be helped, try to grin and bear it. Whining is irritating, destructive, and intolerable. Everyone despises whiners. If you are going to spend your time whining, stay home. Please read the last sentence again.

(6) Respect for Others. Respect for Differences. It is important for us to show unfailing respect for and patience with the customs of our host countries. Remember that we are guests in others' lands. No matter how "odd" their ways may seem, it is essential that we respect them and not behave like "ugly Americans. Recognize the locals' pride in their own culture. Be open-minded, absorb, accept, learn. In Continental Europe they are doing us a big favor to speak English when we cannot speak their languages. And language is only one of the differences that you will encounter. Remember travel philosopher Rick Steves's question: why travel all the way to Europe and expect things to be the way they are at home? Enjoy the differences. Sometimes they're frustrating, but that is part of the experience. Viva la difference!

(7) Unfailing Politeness. Sometimes on tours students will say, "These people are so rude!" Undoubtedly, some people in the host country say exactly the same thing about us. You certainly will meet people who are rude; there are bigots and idiots everywhere. But often --in fact, very often --people simply misunderstand each other, and each thinks the other terribly "rude." One way to minimize this problem is to use "please" and "thank you" and "excuse me" at all times. That way, even if there is a misunderstanding, it occurs within a context of politeness and respect. Take Rick Steves's advice: doggedly look for friendliness. Give the natives the benefit of the doubt. Have patience. Wherever you are traveling, learn and use the basic vocabulary of politeness.

(8) Participation in Group Activities. Everyone is expected to participate in scheduled group activities. These are not optional, they are required. Failure to participate in scheduled activities will result in the student's receiving an "F" for the course and/or being removed from the study tour.

(9) Controlling Noise. A large group inevitably makes noise, and there is nothing wrong with ordinary conversation and laughter in ordinary situations. But we need to remember, especially in hotels and restaurants, that we are not the only guests. Business travelers and other tourists may not keep the same hours that we keep. We must respect others' need for quiet and privacy, especially in the evenings. Hotels are in the business of selling quiet and comfortable accommodations to travelers. They are not dormitories; most hotel rooms are not soundproof. At night, other guests will want peace and quiet, and they do not want to hear people shouting, running about in the halls, playing loud music, slamming doors. etc. This is not a minor issue. Hotels wil1 not tolerate noisy and disruptive behavior. Nor will your tour leaders. Our students often do not realize how loud they become when they visit in the halls, gather in rooms with the door open, carry on a conversation with someone at the other end of the hall, or shout from room to room. We must be conscious of these situations. We need to respect others in hotels, on trains, and in other public places, and avoid imposing our noise on them. This is very important. Please help by being especially sensitive to this and reminding each other.

(10) Responsibility. We'll all have fun on the study tour, but we're all adults and we should act like adults. Immature behavior causes, at the very least, embarrassment for us all; at its worst, serious financial and even legal problems. We expect you to obey our rules, the rules of the airlines and hotels, and the laws of the countries we visit. We cannot tolerate behavior that is irresponsible, obnoxious, or injurious to the group's welfare or to the future of the program. Please re-read the last sentence.

(11) Personal Safety. Don't be casual about your personal safety. Each person is primarily responsible for her or his own security. The areas that we are visiting are generally safer than many places in the United States, but remember that you will be in places you do not know, in different cultures whose languages you may not speak. Caution and common sense are essential for everyone's safety and security. You'll receive much more specific information on the matter of safety and security.

(12) Avoiding Oliver Twist. We also need to be conscious of the need to keep our wallets, passports, and airplane tickets safe and secure. We should not be careless or casual about this. There are thieves in every country, and foreign tourists are ideal targets. Be careful in train stations and airports and on buses; be wary if a group of people, even a group of children, suddenly gathers around you. If you're in a crowd (for instance, on a crowded public bus), be sure to hold wallets and cameras securely. On almost every Queens study tour, someone loses a wallet and passport, and to say that it is very unpleasant is an understatement.

HERE ARE A FEW "DON'TS." SOME POTENTIAL PROBLEMS ARE MORE SERIOUS THAN OTHERS, BUT ALL OF THEM CAN CAUSE SERIOUS

Don't get into conflicts. Every country has its share of obnoxious people looking for trouble. You will encounter people you do not like, and you may encounter people who, for no good reason, decide that they do not like you. Nothing is gained by clashing with such people. You need not tolerate abuse, but it is foolish to battle people on their own turf. If you feel a conflict coming on, walk away.

Don't go out alone at night. Let someone know where you are going. If someone seems to have disappeared, immediately alert the tour leaders. Do not, under any circumstances, spend a night away from the group without discussing the situation with the study tour leaders beforehand.

Don't steal souvenirs. Some students assume that it's all right to take decorations, glasses, ashtrays, placemats, etc., from restaurants or hotels. It isn't. It may be regarded by restaurants and hotels as theft, which can get you into big trouble -even locked up.

Don't get drunk or do drugs. The great majority of problems on trips are directly related to alcohol abuse. People get drunk and get lost; they get in :fights; they damage property; they make noise that disrupts the hotel; and in all of these they may do serious damage to the program. There is nothing comic about drunkenness. It is childish, dangerous, and obnoxious. It can threaten your personal safety and cloud your judgment, and drunken behavior often causes serious trouble in hotels. Drunkenness on the tour is undesirable behavior. Binge drinking will be grounds for dismissal from the study tour. There are other activities --for example, the use or possession of drugs -that are obviously illegal and unacceptable. Anyone who gets busted abroad may stay busted for a long time. If you do, you're on your own.

Don't initiate sudden romances. Making friends is a fine thing to do. But be very cautious about your friendly behavior while traveling. Don't go off with people you do not know. Do not assume that you can trust any attractive stranger who seems nice. Do not take foolish chances that could put you in jeopardy in an environment that is foreign to you. And, don't impose yourself on people whom you do know. Don't force your friendship on people who aren't interested. Behavior that is stupid, dangerous, and obnoxious at home is doubly stupid, dangerous, and obnoxious abroad.

Don't be foolish. Things which are foolish at home are foolish abroad. Theft, the use of illegal drugs, and other such behaviors are all things which are sure to get you in serious trouble. Wandering around alone in the middle of the night in a place you do not know is simply to ask for trouble. To engage in such activities is foolish in the extreme.

The John BeIk International Program cannot afford to have students damage its relationship with hotels, host organizations, or other groups on whose respect and good will we depend. We have lost some of our best accommodations because of the behavior of a few of our students. This has resulted in increased expenses for subsequent groups, the wasting of staff time and energy, and the loss by subsequent groups of the opportunity to stay at remarkable, memorable locations. All administrators and faculty involved in this program agree that we cannot tolerate behavior that is destructive to the program. Study tour leaders are not in the punishing business, and no tour leader takes pleasure in disciplining participants. However, you must understand that study tour leaders cannot permit disruptive, destructive, dangerous, uncooperative, or obnoxious behavior. For anyone so inclined, consider this sentence a first warning: if such behavior occurs, study tour leaders may impose any or all of the following penalties:

dismissal from the study tour, with consequent imposition of an "F" grade; penalties imposed through university disciplinary policies under the Honor Code.

Please note that in addition to the above, offending students will also be subject to college disciplinary policies when they return to Queens; and further, the cost of any damage to property will be charged to those responsible. We assume that it is clear that certain kinds of behavior --theft, destruction of property, drug use, bingeing, having a person who is not a member of the study tour in the hotel room, flouting the rules of the program, anything leading to arrest by local authorities --will result in dismissal from the program, with the dismissed party bearing the cost of the transportation home and all additional costs incurred by the program as a result of the student's unacceptable behavior.

No one wishes to impose these penalties, but study tour leaders are obligated to control unacceptable behavior. Participants must understand the consequences of unacceptable behavior.

All of these considerations should not obscure the central point of the program: a study tour can be a remarkable experience, for everyone involved. Participants who behave in a responsible, mature way, who respect the needs and rights of others, can expect to enjoy a unique and exciting international experience!

BEHAVIOR IN HOTELS

The John Belk International Program provides a unique opportunity for students to experience and enjoy another culture. A study tour can be a remarkably fruitful experience, but it requires that students act in a mature and responsible way that is considerate of others. We have earlier, in another document, discussed your safety, security, and general behavior. This memorandum specifically addresses the important matter of our behavior in hotels.

There is a clear rationale for the Belk Program policies on behavior in hotels. The hotels in which our groups stay are often very important to the continued success of the program. We work very hard to maintain good relations with these hotels, and we count on your cooperation to continue the good relations. On occasions in the past, as a result of immaturity, stupidity, and thoughtlessness, we have had unpleasant situations --involving excessive noise, rudeness, grossly offensive behavior, and destruction of hotel property --which have resulted in our being told that our groups cannot return to some hotels with which we had long-standing and important relationships. Specifically, in recent years we lost three of our best accommodations in Italy and one in Munich because of our students' behavior -- more precisely, because of the behavior of a few of our students. The consequences for the program have been increased expenses for subsequent groups, the wasting of staff time, and the loss by subsequent groups of the opportunity to stay in some remarkable, memorable hotels that were the best available to us. All those involved in the John Belk International Program agree that we will not tolerate behavior which will jeopardize our current arrangements and relationships or any part of the program. It is important for all participants to take this very seriously.

You have heard some of this before, but in this case redundancy is a virtue. You will help your study tour leaders and fellow travelers and the university if you will keep the following in mind:

» The members of our group will ordinarily not be the sole occupants of the hotel. Business travelers and other tourists may not keep the same hours as you. Please respect others' need for quiet and privacy, especially in the evenings.

>>Your hotel is absolutely not like your campus residence hall, and you must adjust your behavior accordingly. It is disruptive to other guests for groups of students to camp out in the halls to visit, or to have groups of students gathered in rooms with the doors open. Please keep the door to your room closed, and please do not shout down the halls or from room to room. Excessive noise in the hotel is probably our most frequent problem. This is not a minor issue. Please be conscious of your noise level at all times and especially when you are gathered in groups in the evening.

>>You may not take to your room persons who are not members of the study tour group. Hotels do not permit their guests to bring non-guests onto the floors. This is dictated by the local legal code and by European hotel practice. If you would like to visit with someone who is not part of the group, plan to do so in the hotel lobby .The hotels are stringent on this point and will raise a ruckus with you and the study tour leaders over any violation of this policy. The rule on this is clear. Any participant who violates this policy will be dismissed from the program.

>>We encourage you to take full advantage of the breakfast provided by the hotel, but please do not take extra items from the breakfast buffet to eat later in the day. Some students have used bad judgment and have created serious problems with our hotels by loading up on buffet food and drink to consume for later meals. The breakfast buffet is not a take-out service and it is most certainly not to be used as a source of other meals.

>>Another matter of obvious importance is our need to be respectful toward hotel property. For damaging a hotel room or common area, there are substantial penalties --including severe financial penalties. .

The Consequences?

The John Belk International Program cannot afford to have students damage its relationship with hotels, host organizations, or other groups on whose respect and good will we depend. All administrators and faculty involved in this program agree that we cannot tolerate behavior that iv destructive to the program. Study tour leaders are not in the punishing business, and no tour leader takes pleasure in disciplining participants. However, you must understand that study tour leaders cannot permit disruptive, destructive, dangerous, or publicly obnoxious behavior. For anyone so inclined, consider this sentence a first warning: if such behavior occurs, study tour leaders may impose any or all of the following penalties:

forfeiture of the $250 program deposit;

imposition of an “F” grade for the study tour;

dismissal from the study tour, with consequent imposition of an “F” grade;

penalties imposed through college disciplinary policies under the Honor Code.

Please note that in addition to the above, the cost of any damage to property will be charged to those responsible. We assume that it is clear that certain kinds of behavior -- theft, destruction of property, drug use, bingeing, flouting the rules of the program, anything leading to arrest by local authorities --will result in dismissal from the program, with the dismissed party bearing the cost of the transportation home and all additional costs incurred by the program as a result of the unacceptable behavior. No one wishes to impose these penalties, but- study tour leaders have an obligation to prevent and control behavior that is injurious to the participants and/or to the program.

1/17/03

RULES WHILE TRAVELING

1. DO NOT talk to tour leaders while assigning rooms. If you have a problem or need something, we’ll deal with it after check-in. Mail, etc. can wait.

3. If there is a problem with your room, deal directly with the hotel. Do not call the tour leaders about it unless you cannot get the problem resolved. We are not your mamas and daddies.

11. Go to the bathroom at every opportunity. Bathrooms are sometimes not available when you need them. Do not wait until just before the group is leaving since public restrooms have lines and you may be late. Be prepared to pay to pee.