Final Payment Details - an
Update
We've had a couple of
questions concerning the final payment and I just wanted to clarify a few
points subsequent to the letter your son/daughter brought home last week:
1)
of the $1400 final payment, roughly $835 is owed to Brightspark
(depending on how much was deposited per participant last year)
2)
the residue of the $1400 is owed to CDDHS for supply teacher costs
and gratuities for tour guides/arranged lunches and dinners etc.
3)
the base cost of the tour
did increase over the summer to a figure beyond $3200 from the original quote
of $2700 distributed in 2010 - this was a distinct possibility I expressed in
May 2010 when we all met at the DCMA Church - there was no way of knowing
exactly what the final cost would be until all the bookings were made by
Brightspark. For example, just this summer we had to arrange a new (superior)
London hotel which increased the per person cost, one or two destinations were
found to be 'closed' this November, so other venues had to be organized
sometimes at a higher cost per participant. As a result, we did make some efficiencies
by cutting some venues and replacing them with more 'economic choices' on the
tour.
4)
Lastly, we were able to fix our airport and security fees at
$485.00 - a cost saving over the $550 that was originally quoted.
As with all travel
arrangements, planning, estimation and budgeting can never be an exact science
- but I believe that Brightspark has done an admirable job making the best
arrangements possible, and I remain satisfied that the overall cost of the tour
has come in substantially less than what was quoted in May 2010.
Many thanks for your
on-going support and so don’t hesitate to call with questions.
Neil Orford
Head, Canada and World
Studies Department
Centre Dufferin DHS,
150 Fourth Avenue
Shelburne, Ontario.
LON 1S1
519-925-3834, ext. 258