Hello everyone,
JSALT 2025 starts next week (yay!!!) and I’m looking forward to seeing all of you in Brno. I plan to arrive on Sunday, June 8, around 5 PM. If anyone is up for getting together for dinner around 6 PM, I’m happy to organize something or join your plans. The official program begins on Monday morning with breakfast at 8 AM
Next, based on my experience with past workshops, I can say that this summer will be as much of a social “summer camp” for you as a research “boot camp." You will make lots of friends, learn new things about other countries, cultures, foods and languages, and engage in a lot of fun activities together, be it hiking, frisbee, watching movies on Netflix (in the lab!), going to the gym, eating out, cooking together, exploring Prague and Vienna on weekends, ... even laundry parties. (And you will work intensely through all this and make a lot of research progress.)
Please feel free to use this mailing list (and a WhatsApp group that Radim will set up soon, if he hasn’t already) for social activities. I presume each team already uses Slack or Discord or Zulip something else for communication. This, and Radim’s WhatsApp group, are meant to bridge across everyone in JSALT — including all the BUT participants whose local knowledge will be vital to having a good time this summer. E.g. don’t order the pork-knee unless you are willing to wait 45 minutes for your dinner. If you find out that someone in JSALT is not getting these emails, please have them write to Radim [after checking their spam folders].
Here are some additional notes, also based on past experience traveling in CZ.
1. Transportation from Prague and Vienna to Brno is inexpensive. Don’t cough up $65 for a fancy train ticket: the Student Agency buses are under $20, have comfortable seats, and include WiFi and a cup of coffee :-). The RegioJet trains are also under $25. I just bought my ticket from Prague a few minutes ago. 2. Public transportation in Brno (and Prague) by tram and bus is also inexpensive, frequent and on time. Typical single-ride tickets are under $2. You can’t pay on the tram/bus: tickets are available from machines at the stations and from nearby tobacco shops. You have to validate your ticket when you board the tram/bus by inserting it into a 8”x4”x4” machine near the door; it will stamp the date, time and zone number. Checkers come onboard occasionally or do random checks after you alight. 3. Finding vegetarian food in Brno can be challenging. Salads and fried cheese are your likely options, vegetarian soup and pasta if you’re lucky. If important to you, seek out ethnic restaurants (Indian, Middle Eastern) whose cuisine naturally includes vegetarian preparations. 4. Air conditioning is not common in homes and non-fancy hotels in (Northern) Central Europe. Most nights are bearable with an open window, and a small fan will do the job for the rest. I wouldn’t be disappointed if our lodgings didn’t have AC, and not use it much if it did. 5. Bring more than one electrical outlet adaptor if you have'em: for simultaneously using two devices or to help someone who forgot to bring one!
Finally, if your travel to Brno or a Spring planning meeting is covered by JSALT and you opted to pay yourself and get reimbursed, please send your reimbursement claims ASAP to Karen Collins et al at jsalt2025@jh.edu. Late claims cause additional work on our side, could experience long delays, and may entail tax withholding, even when a timely claim is not taxable. I.e. you may get back less money than you spent!
Safe travels to Brno!
Cheers. Sanjeev
PS: And let me know if you’re interested in organizing/meeting somewhere for dinner on Sunday.