Education Tour to Romania
September 19-30, 2009
This September Lift the Children Director Katie Smith and Child Abuse Prevention Center President and CEO Sheila Boxley will be traveling to Romania – and we’re hoping you’ll join us. Here’s an opportunity to see how Lift the Children is truly changing lives.
As we travel across the country from the capital city of Bucharest through the Carpathian Mountains to small villages in the heart of Transylvania, you’ll see how our work is helping to protect children and keep families together. You’ll meet and speak with four of our dedicated Romanian program partners and the people who benefit from these programs.
Romania is a country of extraordinary beauty and history. Even today, Transylvania’s deep woods and villages conjure up images of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. We’ll visit the Sighisoara birthplace of the real Count Dracula, Vlad Tepes (also known as Vlad the Impaler).
We’ll also tour the beautiful "painted monasteries" in Moldavia, built in the 12th-15th Centuries. Along the road we’ll sample Romanian cheeses, wine, and "tsuica" while dining in some of the country’s most colorful and rustic restaurants.
You’ll learn how our Shaken Baby prevention program is being implemented in Bucharest hospitals, observe training conducted by Lift the Children with a grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics, and see a hospital-based Child Life program for babies abandoned by their mothers.
We urge you to join us on this incredible tour. It will change your perspective forever.
Space is limited to 10 travelers, so sign up now or contact ksmith@thecapcenter.org for more information. Don’t miss this opportunity to see what Lift the
Children is doing internationally.
ITINERARY
| 9-19-09 | Depart from Sacramento |
| 9-20-09 | Arrive in Bucharest, Romania. (Hotel Residence) |
| 9-21-09 | Sightseeing tour of Bucharest, visit People’s Palace. (Hotel Residence) |
| 9-22-09 | Visit LTC partner, Fundatia Copiii Nostri, Toy House Program. |
| Observe Shaken Baby Syndrome hospital training project. Visit Child Life program for babies who have been abandoned. Drive to the picturesque mountain resort of Sinaia in afternoon. (Hotel Palace) | |
| 9-23-09 | Visit Peles Castle in Sinaia. Visit Bran Castle and the historic city of Brasov. End in medieval city of Sighisoara. (Hotel Sighisoara) |
| 9-24-09 | Visit LTC partner, Holt Romania; meet kids from group home / foster care program who have been supported in foster homes since 1999. Explore Sighisoara. (Hotel Sighisoara) |
| 9-25-09 | Drive to Bistrita. Meet LTC partner, Fundatia Inocenti. See programs for children with special needs. (Hotel Coroana de Aur) |
| 9-26-09 | Drive toward Iasi, crossing the Borgo Pass (the setting for Bram Stoker’s Dracula) with a stop at Castle Dracula Hotel. Spend the night in Gura Humorului. (Best Western Hotel in town or Casa Elena in Voronet) |
| 9-27-09 | Visit Humor and Voronet, two of Romania’s famous painted monasteries. End in Iasi. (Hotel Traian) |
| 9-28-09 | Visit LTC partner Children on the Edge, Graduate Program. Sightsee in Iasi. (Hotel Traian) |
| 9-29-09 | Late morning / Noon flight back to Bucharest. Visit Peasant Museum and Village Museum. (Hotel Residence) |
| 9-30-09 | Depart for San Francisco/Sacramento. |
Please note that daily itineraries are subject to change, and that flexibility is always a feature of international travel. We will do our best to provide you with the best possible tour.
Total Cost (9-10 travelers)
Single occupancy: $1,405 without
airfare; $2,845 with r/t air from Sacramento
Double occupancy: $1,160 without airfare; $2,600 with r/t air from Sacramento
(Airfare is subject to change)
With only 7-8 travelers, there will be a transportation surcharge of $260/person
With only 5-6 travelers, there will be a transportation surcharge of $340/person
Travelers are free to make independent travel arrangements to and from Romania, but must arrive in Bucharest by September 20, 2009 to begin the trip.
Cost includes:
- 10 nights hotel, all breakfasts included
- Local transportation by minibus in Romania, including airport/hotel pickup
- 1-way airfare from the city of Iasi to Bucharest
- Sightseeing tour of Bucharest, walking tours of Sinaia, Brazov, Sighisoara
- 7 historic visits: People’s Palace, Peles Castle, Bran Castle, Humor
Monastery, Voronet Monastery, Peasant Museum, and Village Museum
- Visits/meetings with four Lift the Children partner organizations and
beneficiaries
- Visit to one hospital, including ward for babies who have been abandoned; observation of Lift the Children child maltreatment/Shaken Baby Syndrome training
Cost does not include:
Lunches, dinners, drinks, discretionary tips, or incidentals
Number of Travelers
Space is limited to a maximum of 10 travelers!
Tour Payments, Cancellations and Refunds
To reserve space on this trip, Lift the Children must receive your deposit of $200 by March 1, 2009. We accept personal checks, money orders, bank drafts, MasterCard and Visa debit or credit cards for tour deposits and payments. Deposits are 100% refundable until March 15, 2009. After that time they are not refundable for any reason and will be forfeited if you cancel your tour reservation. Final tour payment will be due at least 60 days before departure, July 19, 2009. All cancellations must be sent to Lift the Children in writing via email to ksmith@thecapcenter.org with the subject line "tour cancel", or via postal mail to Lift the Children, 4700 Roseville Rd., North Highlands, CA 95660, and will be effective on the date received.
Final tour payments may be eligible for some portion of refund if due to qualifying medical or family emergencies as outlined in the Tour Cancellation/Interruption Coverage you receive with your written tour confirmation. On the day the tour begins, or any day thereafter, if you leave the tour for a qualifying, unforeseen medical or family emergency, Lift the Children will refund to you $75 per person for each missed day. If you leave the tour for a non-qualifying reason, there will be no refund possible.
Please contact Katie Smith, 916 244-1964 for more information or an application form.
If you are a CAP Center board member, this trip may be tax deductible. It is our recommendation that tour participants consult with their personal tax advisor as to the deductibility of their Study Tour fees.
