Dear Colleague,

Thank you for registering for the 7^th OSEAS-Europe Regional Conference, to be held in Nicosia on 18-23 July 2001. Below please find some information to assist in your preparations for attendance. We are expecting 180-200 people to attend the Conference and a full list of delegates and speakers will be included in your conference welcome pack.

Should you have any further questions about your registration please contact Marios Ioannides at Aeolos Travel, who is handling all registration matters on behalf of OSEAS-Europe. Aeolos Travel contact details are:

I hope that this information answers all your pre-arrival needs. I wish you all a safe and pleasant journey to Nicosia, and look forward to welcoming you to the 7^th OSEAS-Europe Regional Conference.

Kind regards,

Janet Galli
OSEAS-Europe Conference Chair

_____________________________________________________________________________

Cyprus enjoys an intense Mediterranean climate, with long dry summers from mid-May to mid-October and with mild winters from December to February. Summer is a season of high temperatures but the sea breeze creates a pleasant atmosphere in the coastal areas.

July and August are the warmest summer months. It’s not unusual for temperatures to reach 42 C (107.6 F). However, evenings are a lot cooler, so you may need a light jacket. It is advisable to bring very light weight summer clothing. All hotels and most indoor places are air conditioned.

The unit of currency of the Republic is the Cyprus Pound (CYP) which is divided into 100 cents. Notes and coins currently in circulation are as follows:

The Cyprus Pound is not traded internationally. Commercial Banks daily quote the exchange rates of the Cyprus Pound against all traded foreign currencies while the Central Bank daily quotes the Cyprus Pound vis-a-vis the ECU (European Currency Unit), the U.S. dollar, the Pound Sterling, the Deutsche Mark and the Greek Drachma.

Exchange rates (selling by Banks) are as follows (these rates were applicable on Sept. 1, 2000 and are given as an indication only): Sterling Pound 1= Cyprus Pound 0,93, USD 1 = 0,64, DM 1 = Cyprus Pound 0,29, F.F 1 = Cyprus Pound 0,09, Cyprus Pound 1 = GDR 586

The changing of hard currency is possible in banks, currency exchange branch offices, hotels and at Larnaca Airport. The same places also accept traveller’s checks and credit cards such as American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club and Carte Blanche.

For those who arrive in the afternoon we recommend changing money either at the airport or at the Hilton Hotel, since banks close at 12:30 p.m. every day.

The Popular Bank has one branch at Eleftherias Square that has afternoon tourist service hours, Monday-Friday 3:00-5:30 p.m. (but NOT on Wednesdays). However,

they ONLY provide exchange services. Their phone is 873002.

Banking hours for the public

Monday - Friday: 8:30 - 12:30

Conference Hotel

Contact details for the conference hotel is as follows:

On arrival at either the Larnaca or Paphos Airports, the Aeolos Travel ground stewardesses will meet and assist all delegates with a prompt Customs and luggage clearance. The same procedure will be followed on departure. On the conference registration form you were asked to give the exact flight details. If you haven’t done so, you may send this information by email to Aeolos Travel as soon as possible.

IMPORTANT: Upon arrival if you have any problems at the airport you can call the following numbers: Aeolos Airport: 09-654611 at any time (your call will be answered by the person who will be on duty). During office hours you can call either Mr. Marios Ioannides at 05-846800 or Ms. Chryso Antorka at 05-846822 or at any time on the mobile phones - Marios: 09-664436 and Chryso: 09-664506.

Departure information: Please note that Aeolos Travel will be advising each and every delegate of the time a taxi will call to collect you from the Hilton on your departure day. Also, Aeolos Travel will signpost this information and supervise that you get in your taxi.

Prices vary. At the Hilton “Fontana” restaurant prices on the menu vary from CYP 7 to CYP 20. The current price for the buffet-style lunch is CYP 14.75. In downtown Nicosia it can cost between CYP 4 and CYP 12, depending on the restaurant. You will also be given a list of recommended restaurants in your conference welcome pack at the registration desk.

Registration will take place in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel.

You can register on:

• Wednesday, July 18: 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, July 19: 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 - 5:30 p.m.
• Friday, July 20: 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.

On registering you will receive a welcome pack, including a full conference brochure.

Opening Reception Location

The location of the opening reception is:

Famagusta Gate - Municipal Cultural Center
Nicosia

Bus transportation to the Famagusta Gate will be provided for all conference participants by “Aeolos Travel”. All buses will leave for the Famagusta Gate on Thursday evening, July 19 at 7:30 p.m. (we will meet in the hotel lobby). Formal dress code is highly recommended.

Closing Gala: Omodos and Loufu

By 5:30 P.M. air-conditioned buses will drive us to the picturesque village of Omodos where we will roam the charming cobblestone streets with quaint shops selling Cypriot arts & crafts, visit traditional homes, taste local wine and see what life was like in Cyprus in past times. Prepare to experience Mediterranean hospitality and buoyancy at their best. Then we'll take the buses through the breath-taking scenery of the Cypriot mountains to Loufu, an ancient deserted village which we'll have all to ourselves for our gala celebration! The peace and mystery of the deserted village, graceful Grecian columns, vast mountain vistas, regional musical delights, local wine and a typical Cypriot culinary feast will make for a lasting and memorable evening. Comfortable, casual dress for warm summer nights is a must!

You will have access to the following services and facilities:

• Swimming pool & sauna
• Hiltonia Club (indoor swimming pool, exercise room, etc.)
• Restaurant, Bar, Coffee Lounge
• Money Exchange
• News Stand (located in the Shopping Gallery - Lobby Level)
• Business Center (with internet connection and therefore an email facility)
• Beauty Salon & Barber Shop
• A Bank of Cyprus branch is located in the Atrium Lobby
• Courier Service
• Flower Shop
• Laundry and Dry Cleaning (same-day service)
• Photocopies (contact the Executive Business Center or the Reception)
• Post Cards, Stamps, Newspapers (available at the News Stand)
• Safety Deposit Boxes (the hotel is not responsible for valuables left in your room. All valuables should be deposited in the Safety Deposit Boxes, provided free of charge at the Front Office.)

All bathrooms are equipped with hairdryers but irons are available only upon request.

Also, those who come from overseas should bring electrical appliances which work on 220V and may need to obtain a transformer as well as an adapter for the electrical socket.

SUMMER HOURS

Monday-Tuesday-Thursday
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
5:00 - 8:30 pm

Wednesday
9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Friday
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
5:00 - 9:30 pm

Saturday
9:00 am - 2:00 pm (only supermarkets are open until 5:00 pm)

Shops are closed on Sundays. Also, many restaurants are closed on Sundays.

Good things to buy in Cyprus: Gold, silver, leather, Lefkara laces, handicrafts.

Tourist shops selling souvenirs and prints are located at “Laiki Yitonia” in Nicosia (close to Ledra Street pedestrian area).

They stay open during shopping hours. Names, addresses and telephone numbers of chemists which stay open until late at night, on public holidays and on Sundays are listed in the daily papers. They can also be traced through the following automatic telephones: Nicosia: 1402, Limassol: 1405, Larnaca: 1404, Pafos: 1406 and Ammochostos: 1403.

Because of the 10% service charge levied in hotels and restaurants, a tip is not obligatory, but small change is always welcome.

Taxi drivers, porters, hairdressers etc., always appreciate a small tip.

Telecard or coin operated public telephones are installed at various central locations in all towns and villages, as well as at the International Airports, Harbours, Marinas and other locations.

Telecards of CYP 3, CYP 5 and CYP 10 may be purchased from banks, post offices, souvenir shops, kiosks and from CYTA’s Customer Service offices in all towns. Coin operated telephones accept coins of 2,5, 10 and 20 cents. All public cardphones and payphones may be used for national and international calls. Dialling instructions, international codes and charges are posted in all public telephones.

The Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CYTA) offers reduced telephone rates for trunk and international calls during off peak hours:

International calls 22:00 - 08:00 every day and all day Sunday

Trunk calls 22:00 - 08:00 every day and all day Sunday.

It will be possible to xerox handouts etc. for the Conference at the Hilton. However, wherever possible you are encouraged to bring materials with you.

If you need to make a lot of copies you can go to “Total Digital Solutions Ltd.” (TDS)

at 38C Vyronos Street (Byron Street), Nicosia 1096, Tel. 680380.

Internet Café

An internet café is located on 17A Limassol Avenue in Nicosia. Their telephone number is 339936.

Boat trips along the coast of Cyprus

One day sea cruises, in the crystal-clear Mediterranean waters, are organized from May to October and these usually include drinks and snacks on board, with lunch served either on board, or at a seaside restaurant.

Itineraries are as follows:

For further information visitors are requested to contact the various Sightseeing Tour Operators (Aeolos Cyprus Travel Bureau, tel. 881222, Airtour - Cyprus Sightseeing, tel. 374282, Amathus Tours, tel. 05-369122 etc.) or your hotel reception.

Although the official languages in Cyprus are Greek and Turkish, English is widely spoken on the island.

Cyprus is one of the safest countries in the world with a very low crime rate. There are no gettos and there are no unsafe areas. Normal precautions should be adequate to ensure your safety.

Tuesday, July 17: Exhibitors arrive

Wednesday, July 18: U.S. College Fair at the Fulbright Center (next to the Ledra Palace Hotel in the UN buffer zone) from 5 to 9 p.m.

Advisers arrive/Registration

Thursday, July 19: WORKSHOPS

8:30 am - 12:30 p.m.: Business Strategies for Overseas Advising Centers

8:30 am - 12:30 p.m.: Feeling Lost? Look for a Lighthouse! (Using the Internet in Educational Advising)

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.: Lunch break

1:30 - 5:30 p.m.: OSEAS Fundraising - Creating an Action Plan for Your Center!

1:30 - 5:30 p.m.: Creating a Homepage

1:30 - 5:30 p.m.: Applying to US Graduate Schools

Advisers arrive/Registration

Exhibitor set-up 3:00 - 5:00 p.m

5:45 - 6:45 p.m.: OSEAS-Europe Business Meeting

7:30 p.m. buses depart - Opening Reception at the Famagusta Gate

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.: Opening Session

10:15 - 11:15 a.m.: Opening of Exhibit Hall w/Coffee Break

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.: Opening Plenary and Plenary Lunch

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.: Advising Resources

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.: Women in Transition: Academic and Personal Development in the United States

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.: Technology in Advising and Networking (Technology Session)

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.: Coffee break

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.: Recent Developments in ETS Services

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.: Re-entry and alumni programming

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.: Creating a Library Catalogue System in Educational Advising Centers (Technology Session)

4:45 - 5:45 p.m.: Recent Developments in ETS Services

4:45 - 5:45 p.m.: Ethical Advising Amidst Financial Realities

4:45 - 5:45 p.m.: Demonstration of On-line Professional Development Program (PDP) - Technology Session

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.: Planning a College Fair

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.: Making Sense of the Many Varieties of US Accreditation and Quality Control

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.: Online Resources for Financial Aid

9:45 - 10:15 a.m.: Exhibitor Sessions

10:15 - 10:45 a.m.: Coffee break

10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: College Board Testing Programs

10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Raising the Profile of your Center: Visibility, Advocacy and Outreach

10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Virtual EAC (Technology Session)

12:15 - 1:15 p.m.: Sports Scholarships and the NCAA

12:15 - 1:15 p.m.: Studying Law in the U.S.

12:15 - 1:15 p.m.: Discussion: Technology and the Future of Educational Advising

(Technology Session)

1:15 - 2:15 p.m.: Lunch

2:15 - 3:15 p.m.: Designing an Outreach Strategy

2:15 - 3:15 p.m.: Community Colleges

2:15 - 3:15 p.m.: Demonstration of Peterson's and ECA New Websites (Technology Session)

3:15 - 3:45 p.m.: Coffee break

3:45 - 5:00 p.m.: Advocacy - Your OSEAS Voice Does Count!

3:45 - 5:00 p.m.: OSEAS Guide to F and J Procedure, Documents, & Regulations

3:45 - 5:00 p.m.: College Board Com And Expan: Tips And Tricks For Making The Most Of The College Board’s Website And Other Electronic Resources

5:15 - 6:15 p.m.: Leadership & Professional Development Opportunities

5:15 - 6:15 p.m.: Successful MBA Admissions

5:15 - 6:15 p.m.: Kaplan

7:30 p.m. Cyprus Night Tour (optional)

8:30 - 9:45 a.m.: Successful Pre-Departure Orientations

8:30 - 9:45 a.m.: Medical Careers: Diagnosis, Consultations and Referral

8:30 - 9:45 a.m.: Designing the Advising Center Website (Technology Session)

9:45 - 10:15 a.m.: Coffee break

10:15 - 10:45 a.m.: Exhibitor Sessions

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Basics of Accreditation

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Working with a Credentials Evaluation Organization

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: POWERPREP for GMAT, GRE, TOEFL (Technology Session)

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.: Lunch

1:00 - 1:30 p.m.: Exhibitor Sessions

1:45 - 3:00 p.m.: Undergraduate Admissions: Current Trends and Frequently Asked Questions

1:45 - 3:00 p.m.: Management Skills for Educational Advisers

1:45 - 3:00 p.m.: Trends in Distance Education (Technology Session)

3:15 - 4:15 p.m.: OSEAS-Europe Business Meeting

4:15 - 5:30 p.m.: Closing Plenary

7:30 p.m.: Buses depart - Closing Event Omodos and Lofou

Monday, July 23: Exhibitors and advisers depart

Planning Committee Wrap -Up