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FAQs
Who can participate in a VIE program?VIE's travel and Family Stay programs to France are designed for student groups led by teachers. VIE organizes spring and summer trips for both middle school and high school groups. What language skills are necessary?A good background in French is very helpful; however, all students (even beginning) will benefit greatly from the exposure to the spoken and written language. A commitment to speaking French is necessary. Can adults join a VIE program?Non-chaperon adults may join the program at the discretion of the organizing teacher, as long as they keep in mind that the program is designed for students. If the teacher permits adults to travel with the group, the adult participants must complete an Adult Registration Form (link to PDF). Adults pay the regular student price plus a surcharge to cover additional hotel expenses during the tour and Family Stay. See the Adult Registration Form. How should payments be made to VIE?Payments must be made by personal check or money order (made payable to VIE). The participant's name must be noted on the memo line of the check. We can only accept checks in whole dollar amounts. Late payments, post-dated checks and returned checks will incur a non-refundable $40 penalty. Checks will be collected by the organizing teacher and sent as a group to VIE. Once the group's payments have been processed, VIE will send a balance sheet to the teacher showing receipt of the payments. VIE does not provide individual invoices or receipts; the participant's cancelled check serves as receipt. Does VIE accept payment by credit card?In order to keep program costs as reasonable as possible, VIE does not accept credit cards. What financial security do participants have when they enroll in a VIE program?Student payments are held in a separate account. These funds are segregated and are used to pay the group's airlines and travel expenses in France such as hotels, buses and tour guides. What is the cancellation policy?There is a cancellation penalty of $100 if VIE receives a written cancellation notice before October 1 for Spring programs or before October 15 for Summer programs. After these dates, the fees listed in the Cancellation Policy will apply. (See: Payments and Cancellation for more information). What if a participant must cancel because of illness?Upon enrollment, all travelers are covered by Trip Fare Indemnity Insurance. This means that participants will be eligible for a refund up to $700 by the insurance company for any non-refundable costs if they must cancel for medical reasons. What are the terms of cancellation for worldwide events?VIE has instated a security policy protecting families against major financial loss in case of unforeseen world events. Students will receive a full refund (less a $100 administrative fee) if ALL of the following events occur:
In the event that VIE activates the Financial Security Plan, refunds will be issued within 60 days. What type of hotels are used and meals are served?VIE uses centrally located, two-or-three star hotels. Students will usually share triple or quadruple rooms. Breakfasts are always provided with hotel accommodations. Students are responsible for all of their lunches, except during the Family Stay. Dinners during the tour will be pre-arranged by VIE and served in typical French restaurants or in the hotel dining room. In Paris, groups are free to eat where they like. Students are responsible for paying for their dinners in Paris. Can special meal requests be accommodated (e.g. kosher, vegetarian)?Students should indicate any specific dietary needs on the Special Diet section of the Family Stay Application. It can be difficult to place students with special dietary needs or allergies, so VIE cannot guarantee placement for students who cannot manage their dietary needs or allergies on their own. Vegetarians should know that there are few vegetarians in France and therefore the vegetarian options at restaurants will probably not be as varied as the group dinners. During the tour portion of a VIE program, the organizing teacher and guide will inform each restaurant of any special meals that are required for participants in the group. How much spending money should students budget?We recommend that students plan on a minimum of $40 per day for spending money. This money is intended to pay for meals, subway tickets and entrance fees not included in the program price, as well as incidental expenses like snacks. Students planning to shop or bring home souvenirs will have to budget additional money. See the section on Money & Budgeting for more information. What types of airlines are used?We only use regularly scheduled airlines, such as Air France, United, Delta, and US Airways for our programs. Groups will be informed well before departure as to their flight times. What is the airline responsible for in the event of a delay or cancellation?If your group's flight is delayed or cancelled due to problems with the airline (mechanical issues, etc.), then the airline should take responsibility and offer your group either food vouchers or hotel vouchers for an overnight delay. However, if the delays or cancellations are due to weather conditions or decisions made by air traffic control, airlines are not responsible for the delay because these are circumstances beyond their control. The airline will still help to make alternate arrangements for your group; however, according to most airlines' policies, this means that they will not provide accommodations for food and/or hotels. If such circumstances arise for your group, VIE will do our best to advise you in this situation. Can a participant make alternative flight arrangements?Please speak to the organizing teacher about the options for flight deviations and then contact VIE to see if it is possible for someone in your group to alter his/her air arrangements. Deadlines are December 1 for Spring programs & January 15 for Summer programs. How can students call home from France?There are several options for calling from France: students can either bring a calling card from the U.S. or they may purchase a French phone card. To use an American calling card, students will need to verify the procedure for using the card. They will need an access code for France and a PIN number. Since many students have encountered problems in using American calling cards in France, VIE recommends using a French phone card to call home. Students can buy a Télécarte or Carte Téléphonique Prépayée from a post office or a tabac. Télécartes can only be used from public phone booths while the carte téléphonique prépayée can be used from any phone. To call the U.S., you must first dial 001 before the area code. Remind students when calling home, that it is 6 to 9 hours earlier in the United States than it is in France. They will need to plan accordingly. Can students rent cell phones in France or bring their own cell phones from home?No cell phones for students! VIE strongly discourages the use of cell phones by students while in France, as it significantly detracts from the immersion experience into French culture, especially during the Family Stay. In this technological age, it is understandable that parents want to be in contact with their children from afar; however, parents will be given all the necessary phone numbers and address information to be able to contact their child during the trip and Family Stay. How can parents call their child in France?Parents can reach their child at the hotel or with their host family by dialing 0 - 11 - 33 and the last nine digits of the number. Instructions for making international calls are also given on the Hotel List. Parents should keep a copy of the Hotel List with addresses and phone numbers of the hotels and the French host family, as well as emergency contacts. |
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