EAB Reunion 2005 Anticipated Questions
Basic Reunion Info
Registration and Payment
Other EAB Info
Travel & Visa Info
Currency
-Who is invited to the 2005 EAB Alumni Reunion?
The invitation is open to anyone who has attended EAB as a student,
teacher or staff. Because of the small sizes of classes it has been decided to
have a reunion every 5 years of the entire school and not individual classes.
-Are people outside EAB allowed to the reunion?
They are not only allowed but encouraged! What several Alumni did
last reunion was to fly down to Brasil with a friend or two and carry on their
vacations to other cities after the reunion. But beware, they will get bored
hearing old stories about high school teachers and Big Fours...
-How many people are expected?
Difficult to say, but on the "I´ll be
there" page almost 200 people have signed up! 125 attended in
1995, 250 attended in 2000. Can we double again this year? Now that the
official schedule is available, we expect that number on the "I´ll be
there" to rise significantly, but we need your help.
-How can I help the Reunion committee?
Help us track down old classmates and teachers to make sure everybody
knows about the event. How many times have we heard after the last two reunions
"If I only knew about the Reunion!" You can start by tracking down your
immediate friends, then your classmates, and email or phone them insistently to
make sure they have done the same! The time to act is now because 5 years is a
long time to wait. If you like you can volunteer to be your "Class
Catalyst" and help us keep track of who has been contacted from your class and
who needs to be found. Just a few minutes on the internet a day can go a long
way. Check the 'I´ll be there' page to see who
from you class has already confirmed their presence and see who is missing.
Email us at
eab_reunion@fastmail.us for further information.
-Why has Brasilia been chosen for the event?
It just makes sense re-living the memories where they all happened. After the
last reunion an online survey was conducted to choose the next reunion site.
Brasilia won
by a wide margin. And virtually everyone wanted it in July, 2005.
Registration and Payment [back to top]
-How do I register for the reunion?
First check out the schedule of events and
fees. Then register online.
-I live in the United States. How can I pay the
Reunion fee?
Please send a dollar check by mail. See address in schedule of events and
fees.
-I live in Brazil. Can I a pay with a Brazilian check?
Definitely! Brazilian checks in Reais are a must for Brazilian alumni. Please
check the current
exchange rate.
-I live in Europe and I would like to attend. How
do I pay?
A check in Euros can be made out to EAB. Please
check the current
exchange rate.
-I live in a country with neither Dollar or Euro
checking accounts. How can I pay the fee?
Please email us at
eab_reunion@fastmail.us for further information.
-I want to attend, but I will have to miss the opening
dinner.
There is a Limited-event Registration
for those who can't make it for the first night but please make an effort to
come because the opening gala dinner/dance is our most lavish event. Marcia
Lima, class of '83, Brasilia's busiest event organizer who volunteered for the
hotel and events committee is spearheading the Friday night bash organization.
-Until when can I pay without a late fee?
The late fee is to encourage people to prepare in advance. An event
of this magnitude requires much planning and upfront payments for the events and
venues. The fee schedule is posted here.
-To whom I make out the check?
'AEAB Alumni' (stands for Associacão da Escola Americana de
Brasilia).
-To what address do we mail the check?
The address is listed here.
It will also be on the confirmation email sent to you automatically when you
register online.
-Is the hotel included in the reunion fee?
No. Each student must take care of his own reservation. The Hotel and
Events committee worked hard to get the best deal possible at the
Comfort Suites Brasilia. Please check the
info on the main EAB Reunion 2005 page.
-How do we make hotel reservations?
Please see instructions on the main EAB Reunion 2005
page
-Is there going to be transportation to and from
events?
Yes. Included in the Reunion fee is a chartered bus. It's a great way
to get around, maximizing the time spent with friends and reliving the Big Four
spirit.
-Are all meals included if I stay at the hotel and pay
the reunion fee?
Almost all: Friday morning you get a wonderful breakfast with the hotel,
snacks at registration, and Friday night you get a gala dinner with open bar
with champagne.
Saturday you get the hotel breakfast and
a Brazilian style barbeque (churrasco). Saturday night, due to the amount of
people from outside EAB, drinks and snack will be sold by a third party at the gym
dance. (but then again, we doubt you will be able to eat anything after the churrasco).
Sunday you get the hotel breakfast, the Sunday brunch at EAB and an American style barbeque for the 4th of July Celebration at
the US Chief of Mission residency. The night is off for
everyone to catch up with friends and rest a little after the long and
emotionally charged weekend!
Monday you get the hotel breakfast and then off to
the "Clube day" at the Clube da Nações". The
Clube Day fee covers exclusive Alumni Clube usage. Food and beverages will be
on sale on site.
Other EAB
Info
[back to top]
-What is the official EAB website? (Currently you
are at the
EAB Alumni Site)
www.eabdf.br
-I found some incorrect contact information in the
database. How can I update it?
Click the link at the bottom of the your info page in
the database and send the new
information, which usually takes a few days to be updated.
-What's the deal with the database username &
password?
Check out this page
password_explanation.html
-I do not feel comfortable posting contact information
in the database. Is the information safe?
Of course it is. Respecting the EAB alumni privacy, the database is
only accessible with a password. The
information there is guarded fiercely by Alessandra and not distributed to
anyone (including EAB).
-I am traveling with children and I am aware that they
will not be allowed to attend the nighttime events. Will there be babysitting?
Yes, babysitting will be available.
-I will need internet access during my stay in
Brasilia. Is there quick access in Brazil?
Of course. The Brasilia Comfort Suite hotel has internet access and
during the daytime events on school grounds an internet room with several
computers will be available free of charge.
-How can I find if any of my friends have posted
anything in the EAB Alumni guestbook?
In the guestbook there are over 10 years in Alumni postings!
Go to the guestbook and search within the
page with "Find..." in your browser's edit menu. Type in their first name and
search. If nothing comes up or you want more, click on the former messages in
the left column and repeat search. You will be surprised at how many alumni have
come along and left messages in the database in the past years. Then check the
EAB Alumni database and make sure that your
emails and contacts, along with those of your closest friends, are up to date.
-Is there an EAB community on Orkut?
Yes. Just search for Escola Americana de Brasilia.
Travel & Visa Info [back to top]
-What about airfare information?
The Reunion comes closer by the minute and we know that to plan and
book international flights (for those overseas) time is paramount. Many students
have found great airfare deals and have posted the info on the guestbook. Both
www.brol.com and
www.braziliantravel.com
specialize in travel to Brazil and seem to have very competitive rates. So far
we have seen that with an advance purchase, ticket prices seem to hover around
US$ 700 - 900. There are numerous internet deals also to be found. You can also
search the net for "low airfare".
-Will there be transportation to and from the airport?
No. Each student must take care of his own ride to and from airport.
Taxis are abundant and safe in Brasilia and to the hotel should cost between 20
and 30 Reais. Please check the currency
exchange rate but it should cost around US$ 10
one way trip to hotel.
-What is the temperature in Brasilia this time of
year?
July is mid-winter in Brazil, but Brasilia is always comfortably warm
during the day and comfortably chilly at night. It is however very dry.
A light jacket should do. But be prepared to drink plenty of liquid. Check
CNN weather.
-Is the hotel located by a shopping district?
Yes. Right besides the hotel is the Brasilia Shopping mall. But for more
intensive shopping the Patio Brasil is located a quick 3 minute cab.
Parkshopping, one of Latin America´s largest shopping malls is quite further,
perhaps a 15 to 20 minute ride. For Brasilian arts, crafts and regional
food, you can either cab it (3 min cab) or walk for 15
minutes to the TV Tower fair on weekends. Fun and safe walk smack in the heart
of Brasilia.
-I am planning to attend the reunion and would like
tour the area near Brasilia after the reunion. Are there tourists locations close to Brasilia?
Most definitely! There is the colonial town of
Pirinópolis and the striking
landscape and waterfalls of the
Chapada
dos Veadeiros (3hr drive). Brasilia is
surrounded by waterfalls, all about a 1 to 3 hour drive away. A quick search
through Google will produce numerous options!
-I am aware that there will be transportation in
between the hotel and events, but if I want to rent a car, how do I do so?
In the past two reunions several alumni rented cars which became a great option
to help even more the logistics of the event, and to prowl around town with your
closest friends! In Brasilia, walking distance from the terminal (a 5 minute
walk as long as you are not hauling too much luggage) you can find Avis and
Hertz among other local rental services. An "Economy Car" will cost around US$
25 - 80 a day, but be prepared for manual transmission (stick shift). Automatic
transmission cars are available, but usually they are harder to find and much
more expensive. There are good weekend packages available. Once again a search
in Google will help you find what you are looking for.
-What is the currency in Brazil and what is the
exchange rate to the US dollar?
The official currency is the Real, or in plural form Reais.
Here you can check out the
exchange rate.
-Are all major credit cards accepted in Brasil?
Yes. Except Discover.
-And cash/debit cards?
Yes, but the ones with Cirrus on the back will have easier access to their
respective accounts. HSBC, Citibank and Bradesco have cash machines that can take Reais
directly out of an American checking account (as long as they have a cash card
with the Cirrus symbol... )
-What are general prices in Brasil so I know how much
to take?
A soft drinks cost about a dollar. A taxi to EAB from the hotel should cost
about US$ 4 to 5. A movie costs about US$ 5 to 7. A plate at a decent
restaurant will cost the equivalent of US$ 10 to 15.
We hope we were able to answer your questions, but if you need further assistance, please email us at eab_reunion@fastmail.us.
Reunion 2005 | "I'll be there!" Page
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Last update: Saturday, 12 March 2005