TFAHR Macedonia Expedition 2009
Orientation Materials for Participants
Orientation Materials for Participants
This page will be updated as new
information becomes available.
Please check back occasionally.
information becomes available.
Please check back occasionally.
Macedonia Travel Documents: All visitors need a passport with six months remaining validity.
Visitors from some countries require a visa ahead of time, available from the Macedonian Embassy in
your country. US passport holders do not need a visa ahead of time; one will be stamped in your
passport (free of charge) on your arrival in Macedonia. For visa purposes you are coming to
Macedonia as TOURISTS, unpaid volunteers on the excavation. If you require an invitation letter and
contact phone numbers for your visa, please e-mail us at info@tfahr.org.
If you do need to apply for a visa, we recommend a "multiple entry" visa, in case you want to visit
another country (Greece, Bulgaria) on a weekend.
Documents Required by TFAHR: All participants are required to sign a liability release form. Please
bring the signed form with you to the excavation. You will not be able to dig until we have a signed
release form from you.
Download Release Form (PDF format): TFAHR Release Form
Expenses:
Money: The local currency in Macedonia is the denar. For changing money, your best bet is cash (US
dollars or euros), or the ATM machines. There are numerous cash exchange places and ATM
machines all over Macedonia, including in Sveti Nikole. Travelers’ checks can only be exchanged at
major banks in Skopje and Ohrid, and may involve standing in multiple lines. Credit cards can be used
in some hotels, shops and restaurants in Skopje and Ohrid, but not in the smaller towns. If you stay in a
hotel in Skopje or Ohrid on the weekend, the hotel will probably require payment in US dollars or euros;
the guest houses and private rooms accept Macedonian denari. You can pay for your drinks at meals
during the work week in denari, and also for your hotel room on the weekend, if you stay at the hotel.
Work Schedule (tentative):
Meals: TFAHR will provide meals from breakfast on Monday through lunch (noon meal) on Friday. No
accommodations can be made for special diets. The cost of any extra snacks / desserts / sweets will be
the responsibility of the individual volunteers, as well as all drinks at meals.
Weather: In June the days should be mild (short sleeve weather). In the early mornings and evenings
you may want a jacket or sweatshirt. Prepare for the possibility of rain occasionally. In July the days
may get very hot, approaching 40 degrees Centigrade in the afternoon. NOTE: The weather in July
2008 was very cold and rainy - a jacket and / or raincoat was necessary.
Accommodation: Most people will be sleeping in double or triple rooms with private baths. The hotel
is VERY basic. The hotel will provide sheets and towels. There will be maid service only once a week.
Bring shower shoes and your own towel if you plan to stay in private homes or hostels on the weekend.
Laundry: Plan to hand wash your clothes in the sink or shower, and hang in your room to dry.
Communications: There are internet cafes in Sveti Nikole and almost all towns in Macedonia. Phone
cards are available for pay phones, but international calls can be made more cheaply by internet phone
(in the internet cafes and other shops). Many people sign up for Skype to make calls from the internet
cafes. If you will be bringing a mobile phone, check with your provider regarding costs and network
availability in Macedonia.
Internet at Hotel: There is wireless internet at the Hotel Ovce Pole. You would need your own
computer to access this network. The computers used by the excavation staff will not be available for
internet access. If you do bring your own computer, make plans to secure it; although there will be locks
on your hotel room doors, we don’t recommend you leave any valuables in the room. TFAHR will not be
responsible for lost or stolen items.
Electricity: Both Macedonia and Greece follow the European standard, 220V to 240V / 50Hz to 60 Hz.
You will need a voltage converter for any devices that do not follow this standard. You will also need
the standard two-prong plug adapter that is used in continental Europe.
Water: Tap water is safe to drink in the major cities and smaller towns. Most people, however, drink
bottled mineral water or other bottled beverages with meals (for which there is a charge).
Photo/Video: Memory cards, video tapes, film, batteries, etc. are all available in Macedonia, and there
are internet cafes where you can transfer your digital pictures to a CD or upload to the internet. If you
have to buy any memory, etc., it will be very expensive. Do not take a photo of anything that could have
military or strategic importance (such as a border crossing or dam). Some museums and sites will
require you to buy a special ticket, besides the admission ticket, to photograph. This usually runs from
a dollar or two, up to about $10.
Health:
Getting to Sveti Nikole:
released in a second edition (March 2007). This guide has many more city maps, bus and train
schedules, hiking routes, etc. than the earlier edition. It also has more up-to-date contact information
for rooms in private homes and bed & breakfasts in Skopje and Ohrid.
Visitors from some countries require a visa ahead of time, available from the Macedonian Embassy in
your country. US passport holders do not need a visa ahead of time; one will be stamped in your
passport (free of charge) on your arrival in Macedonia. For visa purposes you are coming to
Macedonia as TOURISTS, unpaid volunteers on the excavation. If you require an invitation letter and
contact phone numbers for your visa, please e-mail us at info@tfahr.org.
If you do need to apply for a visa, we recommend a "multiple entry" visa, in case you want to visit
another country (Greece, Bulgaria) on a weekend.
Documents Required by TFAHR: All participants are required to sign a liability release form. Please
bring the signed form with you to the excavation. You will not be able to dig until we have a signed
release form from you.
Download Release Form (PDF format): TFAHR Release Form
Expenses:
- Volunteers must make their way to Sveti Nikole, Republic of Macedonia, at their own expense.
- TFAHR will provide hotel rooms and meals during the work-week at no cost to the volunteers.
Rooms will be paid for Sunday night through Thursday night, and meals from Monday morning
breakfast to Friday noon meal (lunch). Volunteers pay for their own drinks (alcoholic and non-
alcoholic) at all meals. Prices for drinks at the hotel will be around 50-60 denari (more for wine). - Weekend expenses are the responsibility of the volunteers. You will be free to travel on the
weekend, or to stay at the hotel on Friday and Saturday night. The rate for the hotel is 13 euros
per person per night; this is for bed and breakfast only, no other meals. Food is available very
cheaply in the markets and fast-food places in town. In a hamburger place, for instance, you can
get a sandwich and beer or Coca Cola for less than $5 US. Food is less expensive in the shops
and market. You will not have a kitchen or cooking facilities available for your use on the
weekends. - Costs for weekend travel away from Sveti Nikole will depend on your standard of travel. Buses
are the cheapest way to travel. Hotels cost 60 euros or more per night (for a double room), but
beds in private houses or hostels start at about 10 euros per night.
Money: The local currency in Macedonia is the denar. For changing money, your best bet is cash (US
dollars or euros), or the ATM machines. There are numerous cash exchange places and ATM
machines all over Macedonia, including in Sveti Nikole. Travelers’ checks can only be exchanged at
major banks in Skopje and Ohrid, and may involve standing in multiple lines. Credit cards can be used
in some hotels, shops and restaurants in Skopje and Ohrid, but not in the smaller towns. If you stay in a
hotel in Skopje or Ohrid on the weekend, the hotel will probably require payment in US dollars or euros;
the guest houses and private rooms accept Macedonian denari. You can pay for your drinks at meals
during the work week in denari, and also for your hotel room on the weekend, if you stay at the hotel.
Work Schedule (tentative):
- Sunrise (about 5:00 am) - Begin work day. We will have a break for breakfast, and other breaks
as needed. Note: There will not be the possibility of coffee or tea early in the morning. If you
need coffee or tea to get started, bring your own apparatus to make it in your room.
About 1:00 or 2:00 pm - End field work, break for lunch, followed by rest period.
About 5:00 pm - Work on pottery and finds.
About 7:00 pm - Evening meal.
After evening meal - Free time. On some evenings there will be lectures in English.
Meals: TFAHR will provide meals from breakfast on Monday through lunch (noon meal) on Friday. No
accommodations can be made for special diets. The cost of any extra snacks / desserts / sweets will be
the responsibility of the individual volunteers, as well as all drinks at meals.
Weather: In June the days should be mild (short sleeve weather). In the early mornings and evenings
you may want a jacket or sweatshirt. Prepare for the possibility of rain occasionally. In July the days
may get very hot, approaching 40 degrees Centigrade in the afternoon. NOTE: The weather in July
2008 was very cold and rainy - a jacket and / or raincoat was necessary.
Accommodation: Most people will be sleeping in double or triple rooms with private baths. The hotel
is VERY basic. The hotel will provide sheets and towels. There will be maid service only once a week.
Bring shower shoes and your own towel if you plan to stay in private homes or hostels on the weekend.
Laundry: Plan to hand wash your clothes in the sink or shower, and hang in your room to dry.
Communications: There are internet cafes in Sveti Nikole and almost all towns in Macedonia. Phone
cards are available for pay phones, but international calls can be made more cheaply by internet phone
(in the internet cafes and other shops). Many people sign up for Skype to make calls from the internet
cafes. If you will be bringing a mobile phone, check with your provider regarding costs and network
availability in Macedonia.
Internet at Hotel: There is wireless internet at the Hotel Ovce Pole. You would need your own
computer to access this network. The computers used by the excavation staff will not be available for
internet access. If you do bring your own computer, make plans to secure it; although there will be locks
on your hotel room doors, we don’t recommend you leave any valuables in the room. TFAHR will not be
responsible for lost or stolen items.
Electricity: Both Macedonia and Greece follow the European standard, 220V to 240V / 50Hz to 60 Hz.
You will need a voltage converter for any devices that do not follow this standard. You will also need
the standard two-prong plug adapter that is used in continental Europe.
Water: Tap water is safe to drink in the major cities and smaller towns. Most people, however, drink
bottled mineral water or other bottled beverages with meals (for which there is a charge).
Photo/Video: Memory cards, video tapes, film, batteries, etc. are all available in Macedonia, and there
are internet cafes where you can transfer your digital pictures to a CD or upload to the internet. If you
have to buy any memory, etc., it will be very expensive. Do not take a photo of anything that could have
military or strategic importance (such as a border crossing or dam). Some museums and sites will
require you to buy a special ticket, besides the admission ticket, to photograph. This usually runs from
a dollar or two, up to about $10.
Health:
- No special vaccines or inoculations are needed, but an up-to-date tetanus booster is
recommended. - There may be mosquitoes in the evening. Plan to wear protective clothing or bring insect
repellent. - If you take prescription medicines, bring your prescriptions in their original containers. You
should know the generic name of your medications, in case you need a refill in Macedonia
(European brand names are different from American brand names for the same medication). - In early June there is quite a bit of grass and wildflower pollen. Allergy medicines are available in
the pharmacies, but if you have a favorite brand, bring it from home (in its original container). - Sun sickness can be a very serious problem. This can best be avoided by wearing a hat and
drinking plenty of water. We also recommend frequent applications of sunscreen. NOTE ON
SHADE - there is no shade on the acropolis of Bylazora, except that provided by our vehicles. - TFAHR staff are not allowed to administer any medications. If you think you might need any
medicine, including analgesics or diarrhea medicine, you will need to provide these yourself.
Getting to Sveti Nikole:
- By air - the closest international airports are Skopje (Macedonia), Thessaloniki (Greece) and
Sofia (Bulgaria).
- IF YOU ARRIVE AT SKOPJE AIRPORT: You can either take a taxi straight to Sveti Nikole (less
than 50 euros), or go into Skopje by taxi to the bus or train station.
- BY BUS OR TRAIN FROM SKOPJE:
FOR SVETI NIKOLE: There are several buses from Skopje which stop at Sveti Nikole. If
you are coming on the train from Belgrade to Thessaloniki via Skopje, you can stay on the
train until Veles, and travel to Sveti Nikole by taxi (10 euros for the whole taxi). Ask the
driver to take you to the Hotel Ovce Pole, outside Sveti Nikole on the road between Stip
and Kumanovo.
- IF YOU ARRIVE AT THESSALONIKI AIRPORT: From the airport you can take a bus to the
center of Thessaloniki, and then take the train to Skopje (Skopia, in Greek); this stops at the
border at Gevgelija, where border formalities are done. A customs official will collect your
passport on the train; you will need to go to the office on the platform to pick up your passport
after it is stamped. For Sveti Nikole, get off the train at VELES.
There are two trains from Thessaloniki to Skopje through Veles every day of the week.
The trains leave at 12:05 and 19:30 and take approximately 3 hours to travel from
Thessaloniki to Veles. They cost 9 euros (554 den) per person. NOTE: There is a one-
hour time difference between Greece and Macedonia.
FOR SVETI NIKOLE: From Veles you can get a taxi to Sveti Nikole (10 euros for the entire
car). Ask the driver to take you to the Hotel Ovce Pole, outside Sveti Nikole on the road
between Stip and Kumanovo.
released in a second edition (March 2007). This guide has many more city maps, bus and train
schedules, hiking routes, etc. than the earlier edition. It also has more up-to-date contact information
for rooms in private homes and bed & breakfasts in Skopje and Ohrid.
IMPORTANT - "What to Bring" List
Check this list for required and
recommended items.
Check this list for required and
recommended items.
Required:
 | Trowel | |
| Gloves | |
| Notebook | |
| Hat | |
Bylazora / Sveti Nikole
Dates: June 1 - July 24, 2009. We will begin digging on the morning of June 1.
Expedition Headquarters / Accommodation: Ovce Pole Hotel
Dates: June 1 - July 24, 2009. We will begin digging on the morning of June 1.
Expedition Headquarters / Accommodation: Ovce Pole Hotel
- address: Vanco Angelov bb, 2220 Sveti Nikole, Republic of Macedonia
telephone: ++389 (0) 32 440 488; ++389 (0) 32 444 088