E-mails that stress me out!

17 days!


Dear all,

The list of host families is going to be available any time soon now (as well as the schedule of classes). As soon as I receive it, I will put it on our Web page and let you know.
Once you know your host family's address, you should mail your letter of presentation along with the two-page letter from me attached to this message.

For those of you who need a hotel in Paris, your best bet is to do a search online and make your reservation from the U.S. (you may want to try hotel.com or sidestep.com). Staying near Gare de Lyon is a rather good location to spend the night as you will be leaving from that station to go to Avignon and it is on Metro line 1 (which crosses Paris East-West). From Gare de Lyon, to go out at night, you can walk to the Bastille. If you do stay in that neighborhood, make sure to check "La Promenade plantee". You might find this link useful:
For Marseille, I would recommend you stay by "Le Vieux Port". Try the city's official tourist office's Web site for hotels: . The area around the train station is all right but is a bit shady.

To activate your cell phone, you will need to buy a SIM card from an Orange store (orange.fr). Before you do that, you should add airtime to your cell phone by buying a "Mobicarte" at a "Relay" (at the airport, and in certain metro and train station) or at an Orange store, a "Tabac", a "Point presse"/"Librairie/papeterie". Follow the instructions. If you can add airtime successfully, that means you're lucky and that you don't need to buy a new SIM card.

Once you arrive in Avignon, go the front desk of our hotel and say you're part of the group from Ohio University and you'll be assigned a room. Once you'll leave your things in your room, I suggest you ask for a city map, and walk to the Palais des Papes through "Rue des Teinturiers" and "Place Pie". Your first impression of Avignon might not be very positive as you'll probably find some of the neighborhood you'll going through "deserted", a bit run-down and somewhat dirty. But you will get to like and hopefully even love it.

My cell phone number in France will be: 06-72-15-77-49 (I will be in France on the 26th)
Katy's: 06-07-61-75-56

Personal messages:

For the five of you flying into Marseille, I am arranging a picking for 12:30. I will tell you where to meet later on.

Carolyn: from Madrid to Avignon, I don't know, but the train is probably your best bet, though Eurolines busses may also be an option.

Nicky: you should be able to take a camcorder from Gordy to Avignon. I will get back to you on that soon.

Erica: for a hotel in Avignon, I will show you one, but in the meanwhile you can check this site:


I will see you all in Avignon, at in the lobby of Hotel Magnan at 5 PM on Friday 28.

In the meanwhile, good luck with the end of the quarter and enjoy your spring break.

Best,

Christophe Corbin