Guide for Visitors to the CWWPP
Revised May 2016

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Dear (Potential) Visitor,
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First, please forgive the impersonality of this letter.  However, we find ourselves with quite a number of guests who wish the same things, and such a letter saves us time and energy.
 
To begin, we are faced with something of a dilemma.  We are a small organization with limited staff and resources on the one hand and, on the other, wish to assist you as much as we can.  We have thus established the following guidelines.
  •  If you have not done so already, please send us a summary of your work, that is, the proposal for your thesis or paper, or whatever else you wish to do with us.  This also should be done, even if you wish to visit us for a short time and don’t want to write a thesis or paper and/or if you wish other types of cooperation with us.  This should be approximately two pages long.  Please send this to us at [email protected].
  • Please send us a summary of what you wish us to do or to arrange.  In this, please be as exact as possible.  While we are willing to arrange accommodation, interviews, etc., we must know what you want and must have the lead time to do it properly.  We understand that this is difficult for you, as many people here do not speak your language.  We ask you not to change this, as it puts us at a disadvantage and creates more work for us.
  • If you wish to work with us on a longer project, that project must be approved by us on ethical and methodological grounds and on follow-up.  Please send us as many details as possible.  We then will come back with further questions.
  • Please note that you and/or your organization are responsible for all expenses of your visit unless otherwise agreed in writing at least two weeks before you come.  This also includes people coming to give lectures and workshops and for consultations, for which we are grateful, but for which we do not have the funds to pay.  As mentioned, the only exceptions to this are those agreed by contract.
  • The available accommodation in Vukovar is as follows:
    • a guest house costing approximately 200 Croatian Kuna (HRK), including breakfast.  This is clean and pleasant, though not luxurious, and the people are friendly.  It is approximately 500 meters from our offices.  Most people who come stay there.
    • a guest house in the middle of town costing approximately 240 HRK including breakfast.  This is on the Danube.
    • a luxury (four-star) hotel in the middle of town.
    • Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate you at CWWPP Headquarters nor can we pay for your accommodation.  This also applies to colleagues and friends of the organization.
  • Please note that this region is a difficult one for vegetarians and particularly for vegans.  People here do not understand these points of view, which are difficult to accommodate.  This has become a little easier in the course of years.  You MUST let us know in advance.  Please note that we do not have cooking facilities.
  • Please note that our staff cannot provide translation for you.  We will attempt to arrange translation for interviews with interviewees who do not speak English.  You are responsible for the costs, which are a minimum of 10 Euros/75 HRK per hour.  We ask you not to bargain below this price as, in our view, such bargaining amounts to exploitation of people who require these funds for their existence.  We consider it a breach of agreement with us if we find that you have exploited one of the translators whom we recommend and we will immediately cease contact with you.
  • Making appointments with other organizations and with individuals takes more time here than it does in many other places.  Please give us as much time as possible, and please understand when such appointments don’t work.  While we do our best, this is not under our control.
  • Please note that we are a small organization and do not have a great deal of staff time.  We regard students and others coming here as important, but we also have our normal work in excess.  In general, other organizations in the region are in the same position.  We thus ask that you respect their – and our – limitations on time and possibilities.  Thus, any services and time that is given are a large favor.
  • In this context, unless otherwise agreed with you, we ask you to respect our working times.  These are 9-15, Monday-Friday, excluding holidays.  Please do not ask staff – including the Head of Mission – to work outside these times.  They also have families and other personal obligations.
  • In the same context, we ask you to respect all agreements and limitations.  If we say that we cannot assist you during a certain period or can only assist you in a limited way at that point, we ask you to respect that and not to push us on it.  This only creates unpleasantness for you and us.
  • If you use our Internet services and/or connect to our internal network, you are required to have an anti-virus program with up-to-date definitions.  A member of staff will confirm this.  If you do not have such a program, you endanger our network.
  • With regard to telephoning, please use your own mobile telephone for all calls.  Calls using our telephones are allowed only under exceptional circumstances.
  • We ask you not to play music or make personal calls – telephone calls or Skype or other calls – within the hearing of anyone else.  This disturbs the working of the staff considerably.
  • If you are permitted to use the office, you may not remain later than working hours except with very specific permission, which is not often granted.  A staff member must be present in the building.
  • All use of any facilities of the organization – the use of the printer, the copier, the scanner, etc. – may be carried out only in the presence of a staff member, even if you think that you know how to use them.  Please note that you are fully responsible for any damage that you may cause. 
  • Cooking in organizational facilities is not permitted.
  • You are expected to dress appropriately.  Shorts are not permitted.  Men are expected to wear a sport shirt (jacket and tie are not required).  Women are expected to dress modestly.
  • No smoking is permitted in any organizational facility.
  • No alcohol is permitted within organizational facilities.
  • No illegal drugs are permitted anywhere on your person or in the materials that you are carrying with you.
  • You are required to have medical insurance valid in Croatia.  We do not take responsibility for your medical care.  Obviously, in emergencies, we will attempt to be of assistance.  You should note that medical care in Croatia is poor and not all articles are available.  We advise you to have a complete physical examination before you come.  Please carry sufficient medication for your stay here, and also carry copies of prescriptions, as well as an extra pair of glasses.  We strongly advise you to carry a medical history and medical records in English with you and to leave a sealed copy of these with the Head of Mission for emergency use.  Please note that we take no responsibility for the costs of your medical care.  If you require transport for medical purposes, we will attempt to arrange it.  You are responsible for any costs of such transport and for our expenses for arranging medical care, transport, examinations, etc.  We cannot advance these funds.
  • We are not responsible for any visas that you may need to obtain for Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, or other countries.  We cannot provide guarantee letters.
  • As we are not a rich organization, we ask you to give us a contribution for our services to you.  In general, this is tax-deductible and we will provide you with a receipt if required.  Our guidelines are roughly 50 Euros per half day.  If you are here for a period longer than two days and/or if there are special circumstances as to why you cannot give such a contribution, please consult with us as far in advance as possible.
 
We thank you for your cooperation.
 
Yours in Peace,
The Staff of the CWWPP Vukovar Office