The U.S. State Department has excellent advice concerning traveling and living abroad. Check their main website and their pamphlet on A Safe Trip Abroad.

MONEY AND BANKING
Please read the section on money and banking in the student handbook. However, semester faculty will no longer be able to open a bank account in Birmingham. Recent faculty have found that an ATM/debit card from your U.S. bank is the best way to get money in England and Europe. Make sure you notify your bank that you will be using your card abroad because a lot of banks will block your account for security purposes when used outside of the US. It might be wise to try and have your daily limit on withdrawls raised before leaving the US. Visa and MasterCard are readily accepted in England. Check your card companies for their currency conversion and transaction charges. Traveller's checks also work, but are not as convenient.

HEALTH CARE ISSUES
Please read the section on Health Care in the student handbook. The National Health System will cover you for emergencies. There is a clinic located near the flats which programme faculty have used for many years. They have given us conflicting advice on whether you should register with them in advance of needing their services.

There is an NHS dental clinic near the flats. Recent faculty members have found that it gives good care and the charges are quite a bit lower than in the U.S.

EXERCISE FACILITIES are available to faculty at UB. There are excellent facilities, with charges.

FACULTY FAMILIES

Faculty members are expected to participate in program-organized field trips, which includes arranging appropriate events, going on the coaches, and staying with the students. The Programme covers the costs of housing (in hostels), transportation (on the coach), and (selected) admissions fees for the faculty participants. The program does not provide housing or meals for spouses and children, etc. on field trips. Transportation will be provided IF there is sufficient room on the coaches. Accommodation for family members may be arranged with the program, but the cost is not covered.

Schools for Faculty Children
Many faculty members with school age children have enrolled their children in the state-supported schools in Birmingham. [In a few instances, faculty families have either home-schooled or have enrolled their children in a private (in England, called "public") school.] Starting in Spring 2000, Immigration officials have asked about school plans when faculty with children have entered the country. British law says that unless you have a British passport or are a citizen of an EU country, you are not entitled to education in the UK. However, the schools have indicated that they will continue to enroll our children on a space-available basis. (They receive their funding on a headcount basis and have never been asked about the nationalities of their students.) Suggestion: Acknowledge at Immigration, if they ask the question, that you know that it is not an entitlement, but that you have been offered a place on a space-available basis. Let's see if this works.

It is wise to make arrangements for your children early–the Raddlebarn Headmistress suggested April, since many schools reach their enrollment limits early. When you correspond with a school, they will want to know the birthdates of your children in order to place them in the correct class.
Choices of schools located near the flats include:
Raddlebarn Primary School (ages5-11)
Gristhorpe Road, Selly Oak, B29
Tel: 0121 472 0062(in England); 44-121-472-0062 (from U.S.)
Mrs. Whitten is secretary; Mrs. Fiona Chamberlin is headmistress
email address: lesley.whitten@radlbarn.bham.sch.uk or enquiry@radlbarn.bham.sch.uk

Tiverton School (ages 5-11)

Bournville School (ages 11-18)
Headmistress: Mrs. Harker, rharker@bnvilles.bham.sch.uk

There is a fairly flexible dress code. At Raddlebarn, boys wear grey trousers, white or yellow shirt, black shoes, with school sweater. Girls wear grey trousers, skirt or jumper (called pinafore), white or yellow blouse, and black shoes, with school sweater.

CARS
Car Rentals
Your American driver's license is valid for driving in England. Previous faculty members have found several good car rental places. For short distances, Easy Rentacar charges £9-12 per day plus a £5 preparation fee, but has a limit of 75 free miles per day and 20p per mile after that. You book online. The car is a Mercedes hatchback that will seat 5 people. It is possible to arrange for a longer rental of up to 6 weeks at a reasonable price.

For longer distances, some people have used EasyCar, National and Europcar. Europcar offers VW Golf or equivalent for about £28 per day with unlimited mileage. They also offer partial or full damage waivers for £6-£12 per day.

Car Purchases
(Fall 2000 information) There is a used-car dealer (Smallbone's) on Raddlebarn with an excellent reputation. Automatics are hard to find, especially in smaller cars.

Car Insurance (Fall 2000 information)
Be prepared to pay a premium price for being a non-UK driver. Insurance rates vary a great deal and it pays to shop around. Past Directors can give you some tips about how to find a good insurance agency.

RELATIVE COST OF LIVING
In 2004-5, the dollar is relatively weak (about 1.85-1.95 US Dollars per pound), so costs for things in the UK are roughly double what they are in the United States. Therefore, it is expensive to live in England. Gasoline is very expensive--about $6.25 per gallon. A few sample items in 2004-5 prices (exchange rate of 1 pound = $1.90) were:

One Day Bus Pass in Brum (Travel West Midlands) 2.70 pounds-3.50 pounds depending on zones.

One Day Travel Card return train London, bought one week in advance during the week: 32.10 pounds.

Virgin Express Saturday Special--Day Return Train Trip to London--17 pounds.

Dinner in Pub--9-13 pounds.

Daily Newspaper--Average is about 55 p for the Independent or Guardian.

Sunday Paper rates range from 1.5-1.7 pounds.

Tall Latte--2.5 pounds.

Note to OAPs (that is, anyone over 60): There are excellent discounts on train travel (get a senior railcard) and tickets to plays, concerts, and tourist attractions.