Dear parents, family, and friends of the students:
Please check the Home page on the detailed potential itinerary, estimated costs, and FAQ of this course. Below is the information to address the very common concerns from family and friends.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact the instructor.
Safety
Safety is our No. 1 priority of a faculty-led travel course at WCU.
If the COVID situation prevents us from going in May 2022, we will inform everyone at the first notice, return any deposits, and the trip will be postponed to May 2023. The students can choose to apply again or not.
All students will be well advised throughout the entire trip. We will follow the guidelines. The food choices will be healthy, the lodging locations will be safe, and the physical activities will be moderate.
We will also constantly monitor any alert or warning messages published by the US Department of State.
Time difference and jet lag
In US mainland, there are four time zones (Eastern Time, Central Time, Mountain Time, and Pacific Time), and the summer’s daylight saving time (DST) is in effect during our trip. In Bulgaria, a single time zone is used, and it is also in DST.
The time difference between the EDT and the the Bulgaria time is 7 hours. It is 7 hours earlier in Bulgaria than in EDT. Two examples are provided below:
When it is 8:00 AM on May 20th in Bulgaria, it is 1:00 AM on May 20th in NC.
When it is 8:00 PM on May 20th in Bulgaria, it is 1:00 PM on May 20th in NC.
If you want to chat with a student, it is best to try early afternoon, when it is early night time in Bulgaria.
Due to the time difference, jet lag is very real, too. In the first couple of days after we land in Bulgaria, the students may be sleepy in the morning. It typically takes several days for the students to adjust to the local time. However, fun activities during the day can often keep them awake and help them get adjusted quickly.
When the students get back to NC from Bulgaria, a similar jet lag adjustment needs to happen. It is very normal. We will advise the students to use the destination’s local time to guide their sleeping schedule even on the airplane, which often helps.
How to keep in touch with the students
Phone service is one option to consider, and using WiFi and a chatting app may be less costly.