Arrival: Sunday 22 July. Departure: Saturday 4 August.
See the visa page.
You have several choices.
Belgrade: that's the easiest to get to Nis. But it can be a little tricky to find flights for Belgrade.
Sofia: Sofia is actually nearer to Nis than Belgrade is, but the trip from Sofia to Nis is longer, because you have to cross the Bulgarian border. It is however much easier to find tickets for Sofia.
Budapest: for the patient. The train trip between Budapest and Nis is relatively long (8h?). On the other hand, relatively cheap tickets to fly into Budapest are usually findable. Also, there will be many people come from or via Budapest, so you can organise a common train-ride, making it much more enjoyable.
The fastest way is by bus, but you can use train as well.
It's about 3h by bus (around 12 Deutsch Marks), and 4-6 hours by train (around 8DM). In Belgrade, the bus station and the train station are next to each other. The train and bus stations are next to each other. Buses are frequent, even on Sunday (watch out, tickets might be sold out for a couple of buses in advance though). The last train is around 22h, and the last bus around 23h. Service restarts around 5h in the morning.
Finally: buy your tickets are the station, not on the bus or in the train.
You should avoid those taxi cars that wait on the airports and on the bus/train stations. Take them only when you have to do it (hurry, late night...). Also -- always insist that they turn on the tax-meter. Do not let them drive before they do it. Taxi in Belgrade can be pretty expensive, be ready for this. If you have to take one of the taxi cars I suggested you to avoid and if it has no taxi-meter, you better negotiate the final price before you get in.
I believe tha a taxi from the airport in Belgrade to the bus/train station cannot cost more than 10DM, even with the most expensive ones.
In Nis, the longest possible route could be up to 7DM, but normally, in the city, you don't have to travel longer than 3-5DM.
There will be someone waiting at the bus/train station on the most sensitive moments of the initial weekend. If you're left out in the heat on your own, it is very easy: ask for "Trg Vojske", and when you find it, you should ask for "Studentski dom" (Student-dorm) which is next to the Faculty of law (Pravni fakultet). It's pretty close to both bus and railway station.
A student hostel/dorms of the Nis university.
If you are correctly registered, no. People who are registered, automatically have rooms allocated in the student-hostel where we all stay.
No, meals are your responsability. (The hostel is a bare-bone no-comfort student-dorm, and does not provide things like meals)
No. We cannot provide space for people other than the participants.
Yes, if you organise with them beforehand.
Yes
Only the last one will be counted.
(If you submit them with the different names, then they will all be counted and you will receive the shame-of-the-egg punishment for giving additional work to organisers.)
Yes, of course! Just send a msg to egg-withdraw@auf.net and you will be automatically removed from the list of participants.
We do request though that you tell us before the 20th June.
When you register, you are automatically subscribed to a mailing lists for annoucements about the school and for general discussion. (Notice that you must remain on that mailing list as long as you are registered with the school, we need a way to reach you!)
Yes. See the blurb on the purpose of the school for a brief explanation of why this is. It would be great if we could give out more money, but we're on a shoestring budget and it's already difficult like this... We're pretty flexible on what counts as 'east' though ;-)
That's to be seen on a case by case basis. But in general preference is given to those living out of reach of all these nice dollars ;-)
Yes! And we are pretty strict on this (see question 4.5)
Since the deadline for applications is 15th may, it'll be a little after that: around end May.
You are expected to pay your travel, and then be reimbursed during the school. The reimbursement will be at the end of the school. We will be pretty strict on this, as there has been some abuse in the past.
Yes
No way! This school is supposed to be benefit you, not stuff too much down your throat! So attend as much as you can digest, and only the parts you are really interested in.
Yes, of course.
Scheduling is a long and difficult process. Wish us luck...
Bobanovicius says: 'There are no bankomats in Nis, most probably no bank will be accepting traveler's checks etc. So BRING CASH !!!!! I know it's not very convenient, not even to sure, but that's how it is. I'll try to arrange some safe at the reception so that you won't have to keep valuable things and larger amounts of money in the rooms, if you feel it risky.'
The Yugoslav currency is Dinar. It's not convertible, so you can't get it outside Yugoslavia. It's best to bring German Marks (DM) or US Dollars ($), you can change them most easily. Swiss Franks are also mostly OK. When you want to change your money, you can do it in
a) banks and change offices -- most secure, most legal, but you can't always find a bank or a change office when you need dinars;
b) pharmacies, stores, shops -- in most of them you can do the same, and get the same course;
c) dealers on the street -- if it's a real dealer, in Nis, it shouldn't be insecure (it's not the same in Belgrade); these people are running their "business" pretty correctly in Nis, and they do not cheat; still, you never know is it just some punk who wants to rob you; so better avoid dealers.
d) in most occasions when it isn't going about a too small amount of money -- you can pay with DM; sometimes you can pay in dollars too, but rarely;
The normal course for about 6 months is 1DM=30dinars and 1$=62dinars, but it varies for up to 5% up and down. There are voices that the course could change, but I don't believe it will happen before the school starts.'
Probably not. It's usually hot in that part of year, last year was the hotest one since very long, with temperatures going even above 40C. This summer seems more human, even sometimes rainy. Don't get our hopes up: even if it is, raining does not mean much colder weather. I recommend that you consult some long-term forecasts (CNN or something like that) before you come. And bring a fridge with you.
Probably
First make sure that the answer to your question is not on this website! If it's not, then you have two options:
- either you feel your question is of general interest, in which case you should send an email to the entire mailing list (where every registered person will receive it), at egg.01@auf.net
- or you feel it is a private issue that would not interest all the participants to the school, in which case you should contact the organisers directly, at summerschool@auf.net