Additional Trip Details

The tour will leave from D.C./Dulles late afternoon of June 19 and arrive in Kiev the morning of June 20, travelling by United/Lufthansa; we will return on July 3, early a.m. departure from Kiev, arrival at D.C. Dulles early afternoon in time to make connecting flights home.

The cost (group travel) is $1200 given the current departure and other taxes. The land portion of the tour is $1300, all inclusive except for visa fee ($100) and individual travel insurance.

The hotel stays include one night in central Kiev, several nights at the hotel on the grounds of the Chernobyl Research Center (about 15 minutes by metro to downtown); one night at Chernobyl Hotel; one night in Korosetn (an historical city situated on or near contaminated land; three nights at Slavutich, the city where employees of the nuclear power plant live.

We will visit the Centers for Community Development and Psychosocial Rehabilitation in Borodyanka, Ivankiv, Boyarka, Korosten, and Slavutich and have lectures by their staff and meet families they serve. We will also visit their community development projects, a collective farm, re-settlement villages, hospital/health facilities and tour the Chernobyl Museum in Kiev.

We will visit medical research facilities in Slavutich and those in the "closed" zone doing research on animals and plants as well as a program working on re-building the sarcophagus. Local arrangements are being made by the UN Chernobyl Office in Kiev, with whom FOCCUS has worked since 1996 and in whom we have the greatest confidence. They make arrangements for media personnel who cover the Chernobyl "beat" in Europe and other parts of the world.

There will be several strictly tourist experiences: a city tour of Kiev, a visit to the "lavra" (where the original hermits who founded the city lived), the Ukrainian National Park and perhaps a boat ride on the Dneiper. We have a wonderful group of various ages, disciplines and professions who have indicated interest. This is what we hoped for! Within the next two weeks, I will be sending you a packet to be used to formally sign up for the tour, along with info about booking air travel, a more complete itinerary and when deposits are due. Please reply that you have received this message and that you are still interested in participating in the tour. Also be certain to include your home mailing address as the information packet will come to you via U.S. mail. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to conact me via email address above.

I can guarantee you we are going to have a fascinating living/learning experience to share with students, family and members of our communities when we return! The story of Chernobyl will be kept alive! Sincerely, Norma Berkowitz, President Friends of Chernobyl Centers, U.S. (FOCCUS)