{ Home } { About Us } { Oxford } { Cost } { F.A.Q. } { Gallery } { Contact Us }
 
  1. Where do guests stay? - You will be staying at the Jowett Walk Building. (from here on known as JWB) in Jowett Walk, Oxford.

  2. What/who is an Oxford College Porter? - The porter is the one to get to know well. (S)He won't carry your bags but (s)he'll answer any questions we can't. (S)He is a wealth of information and always kind and friendly. This year Pat and Tomasz are our porters at JWB.

  3. Do I need to prepare my voice? - Three hours average singing per day cannot be started overnight. From now until you leave, you should be humming and quietly singing every day. Drink plenty of fluids before and during the flight. We'll build up your singing gradually in Oxford, but you must start singing now to strengthen.your voice for the work, and fun, ahead

  4. What do I need to bring? - It is not necessary to bring any bed.linens, pillows or towels -- all are provided. You only get one pillow and one towel though and extras are not available, so pack accordingly. There is no bath mat.

  5. Should I bring hangers? - If you like to hang up your clothes, it is essential that you bring a few hangers along as they are scarce and expensive to buy. I pack our hanging clothes on hangers and then take.them from suitcase to closet. You have a locking wardrobe in your room.

  6. Do I have to carry my own bag? - Yes. There is no elevator in the residence so please be prepared to carry your own bag. Pack lightly. There is no bell-hop or porter as there would be in a hotel. (Some of you may be on the 3rd floor).

  7. Are there laundry facilities? - There are laundry facilities available so you might want to bring along a zip-lock bag of detergent for your own use. There is no charge for the use of the machines. Irons and boards are also available in the laundry room.

  8. Will I have a telephone in my room? - Yes, there are telephones in every room. In order to use these phones a phone card must be obtained from a local news agent. It is also possible to call Canada with a Bell calling card and a service called Canada Direct.

  9. What do we do about breakfast? - You will have a very adequate kitchenette on your floor of the residence to use for breakfast. Each person has his/her own cupboard for foodstuffs. All crockery and cutlery are provided. There are a microwave, regular oven and two small fridges in each kitchen as well as a table and chairs to eat at. Tea, coffee, sugar are provided by us, and milk for the first weekend. You may want to label your own stuff in the fridge.

  10. What should I wear? - Some have asked about appropriate dress. We recommend that you dress comfortably, whatever that means. It's hard not to look like a tourist when travelling abroad; we seem to stick out somehow. We'll leave the details up to you. English men and women dress more conservatively than we do here. They do wear shorts but mostly for leisure activities and rarely in town unless they are young. The people you'll see in town wearing shorts will probably be tourists or youth. You can decide whether you want to look like a tourist or resident. English women tend to wear skirts a lot in the summer. Bring an umbrella for sure and a light jacket for evenings. We rarely bring wool sweaters because there are always nice ones to buy. Remember you do have laundry facilities so try to pack lightly. Comfortable shoes are essential as you'll be doing a lot of walking.

     

  11. What about shopping? - There is Sunday shopping in England, but most banks are not open on that day. We recommend you purchase about L50.00 Sterling here before you leave, then you won't have to be anxious about getting money for your meals on the weekend. Credit cards, such as VISA, MASTERCARD can be used anywhere and American Express, almost anywhere.

  12. What about money? - Travellers cheques are not recommended. They are very hard to use in shops even if they are in Sterling. Cash and credit cards are best. Be aware that if you plan to use VISA you will be charged a service charge EACH TIME. An ATM card is your best bet. If you have any questions about your bank cards or credit cards and their use in ATMs in England, please talk to your banking personnel here before you leave. We are not experts in money matters and do not want to mislead you in any way.

     

  13. Is England expensive? - Yes. Be ready for "sticker shock" as you convert those pounds into $. If you do get over the high prices and decide to shop, bring a collapsible bag, like a gym bag or some such in one of your big bags to bring home your purchases.

  14. Should I bring a guidebook? - A good Oxford resource book is great to have. We recommend Jan Morris' Oxford to read before you leave to get a real feel for the place. You may pay more but you may wish to wait until you get there to buy an actual guidebook and/or map as the selection is obviously much better there, especially at Blackwell's, just down the street from Balliol.

  15. What about jet-lag? -Remember that you will feel out of sorts for the first day or two from jet-lag. It's best to keep up your fluid intake, not eat too much and to try to sleep on the plane on the way over if you can. Inflatable neck pillows help prevent the inevitable stiff neck. On the day you arrive, try to go to bed at your usual time, or around 10:00 PM, if you can stay awake. We find a nice walk helps to keep you alert until bed-time. If you have too long a nap when you arrive, it will be harder to adjust to the new time. England is ahead of Ontario by 5 hours. You may wish to bring a travel alarm in your suitcase. Some people like to have a tiny radio too to keep up with things. Keep the radio, your camera, etc. in your carry-on luggage. There are no TV's or radios in our residence. Bring extra batteries too as they are cheaper in Canada. (Everything is cheaper in Canada!)

  16. Do I need special concert apparel? - Farewell concert is usually small and low-key but we've built up a tradition of wearing white/ivory on top and a darker colour below. Also, if you have a choir folder, please bring it.

  17. How do I reach Tim or Mary Elia? - We can be reached at 416.961.6136 or oxfordchurchmusic@rogers.com

 

  

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where do guests stay?
2. What/who is an Oxford College Porter?
3. Do I need to prepare my voice?
4. What do I need to bring?
5. Should I bring hangers?
6. Do I have to carry my own bag?
7. Are there laundry facilities?
8. Will I have a telephone in my room?
9. What do we do about breakfast?
10. What should I wear?
11. What about shopping?
12. What about money?
13. Is England expensive?
14. Should I bring a guidebook?
15. What about jet-lag?
16. Do I need special concert apparel?
17. How do I reach Tim or Mary Elia?

 

 
©2009 Oxford Churchmusic Singing Vacations | Webdesign by project.echo