LOCATION OF THE SEMINARS
The seminars of Conversations on the Vineyard are all held in summer houses in the vacation town of Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard Island, Massachusetts. All accommodations are located within easy walking distance of beaches in a quiet neighborhood, no more than a few blocks from the town's main street and all activities, and a short walk to the ferry. Within several blocks there are a number of parks that offer a playground, basketball and tennis courts, and a baseball diamond. In downtown Oak Bluffs - Circuit Ave. and the harbor -there are many shops, restaurants, and activities. In this location, you won't even need a car while you're here! See the map. This year's seminars will be held at # 10 Samoset Ave. in Oak Bluffs. The website for the house is http://www.rental-oakbluffs.com/ .

GENERAL SEMINAR SCHEDULE
Each seminar includes a total of at least 15 hours of presentation and discussion. Seminar participants are encouraged to arrive on the opening day of the seminar between 2pm and 6pm. While the first session is not until the next morning, there is a welcome dinner for seminar participants at 6pm, opening day. Each seminar meets daily, generally from about 9:30am-12:30pm (roughly 3 hours each day), with catered breakfasts and lunches. On the departing travel day, only breakfast will be served. For seminars beginning on Sunday, the last full day [Saturday] is frequently a free day with no morning session. Conversations on the Vineyard respectfully requests that participants check out of their rooms by 10am on the day of departure, as the houses must be prepared for new occupants who arrive that afternoon. Please be aware that you will receive your final, exact seminar schedule upon arrival.

ACCOMMODATIONS
Your accommodation charges are included as part of the seminar registration fee. Your accommodations charges include:
- Your breakfasts and lunches for all full days. In addition, on your arrival day, dinner will be provided. On your departing travel day, breakfast is the only meal served. (Breakfast is usually 8:45-9:30am; while lunch is generally 1:00-1:45pm.) The caterer will be Lobster in the Bluffs.  There is no room service.

- Your sleeping arrangements: You may choose among several types of lodging when making your reservation. Most lodging at Conversations on the Vineyard involves shared accommodations, which we view as an important part of the Conversations experience. All Conversations on the Vineyard housing is in summer vacation houses. Regular sleeping accommodations consist of a private room with twin beds, double or quad occupancy.

- State taxes on your meals and lodging.

- Single rooms: A few single rooms are available for an additional charge of $330 for the seminar. Due to the unusual housing stock in Oak Bluffs, rooms with only one twin/ single bed are rare.
- Discounts: You and your sleeping partner will each receive a discount of $100 when you both have indicated each other on your registration AND we assign both of you together a double, queen or king bed. And you will receive a discount of $100 when you indicate a preference for a non-private space AND we assign you non-private lodging. You may apply for and may receive both of these discounts [see cost example below].Your lodging choices include:
- Regular lodging, with two, three or four people to a room in twin or bunk beds.
- A single room, which must be requested at the time of registration.
- Non private lodging, which is a sleep sofa, futon or bed in a walk through area.
- Shared bed [double, queen or king] by two mutually acknowledged sleeping partners

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Cost example, for a seminar with regular lodging priced at $ 790:

For persons with their own housing arrangements, the seminar registration fee, including food, is reduced by $330.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION
In order to reserve a registration place for a Conversations on the Vineyard seminar, a deposit of $ 200.00 must be paid. Spaces will be reserved generally in the order that deposits are received. However, registrants noting flexibility of sleeping arrangements, may achieve a preference, depending on availability, as well as a discount [1.by identifying a fellow registrant as an acknowledged sleeping partner, thus offering us the flexibility of assigning a double bed or twin beds, or 2. by requesting non-private lodging]. If you opt to list a second or third choice of seminar, we will confirm you in your highest choice of seminar which has availability at the time of your registration. If all of your choices have only waiting list space left, we will add you to all three lists, confirming you to the first seminar for which space becomes available. All payments must be made by a draft [check or money order] on a United States bank or through Pay Pal. If paying by check, make it payable to Conversations on the Vineyard and mail with the completed registration form to: Conversations on the Vineyard, PO Box 96, Dorchester, MA 02121. If paying through Pay Pal, please follow the instructions as presented. Telephone registrations are not accepted. Upon receipt of registration and deposit payment, we will email or mail a confirmation letter to the address listed on the form. The balance is due May 1, 2008.
If you desire to attend Conversations on the Vineyard for two or more weeks, please make out a separate registration form for each one week period for which you are registering.
This year, seminars will be for individuals and couples only. Unfortunately, we are not equipped to offer services such as child care at this time. Family participation may be offered in the future.
Inquiries should be directed to the above address, or made by e-mail to: The Administration.
Wait Listing Policy:
After a seminar is filled with registrants, a waiting list will be established consisting of the next 5-10 persons attempting to register for that seminar. If you are placed on a Conversations on the Vineyard waiting list:
-Any monies paid in deposit will be refunded unless you become confirmed as a registrant. Waiting list deposits will be refunded beginning May 15.
-Both past Conversations on the Vineyard attendees and persons previously wait listed shall receive advance notice of the next year’s Conversations on the Vineyard seminars and the opportunity to register for them ahead of public announcement.
-Wait listed persons will get first choice if any seminars are added after they have completed their online registration form.
Refund Policy:
All cancellations are subject to a full refund of both the deposit and paid balance prior to 40 days from the start of the seminar. For a cancellation less than 40 days from the start of the seminar, the deposit shall be retained as a cancellation fee. There is no refund if a cancellation occurs less than 20 days before the start of the seminar. All wait listed registrations that do not result in confirmation to a seminar shall be refunded.

TRAVEL
Most travelers to Martha's Vineyard take one of several ferry services to the island. Directions to various ferry services are available on their websites. The only car ferry is the Steamship Authority ferry from Woods Hole. However, we recommend that you leave your car on the mainland since getting round trip ferry reservations for a car [or changing them] can be very difficult. All ferry services have parking arrangements, but please call before traveling.
www.steamshipauthority.com passenger & car ferry from Woods Hole MA to Oak Bluffs & Vineyard Haven.
www.islandqueen.com passenger ferry from Falmouth MA to Oak Bluffs.
www.mvexpressferry.com high speed passenger ferry from New Bedford MA to Oak Bluffs
www.vineyardfastferry.com high speed passenger ferry from Quonset Point R Oak Bluffs.
By bus: Take the Peter Pan Bus to the Woods Hole ferry from Boston, Providence or New York. www.peterpanbus.com
By car: From NYC, Take 95 north to 195 east [in Providence, RI] to 25 east, continue on 28 south to Falmouth then follow signs to Woods Hole [about 260 miles in 5 hours].
From Boston: Take 93 south to 24 south to 495 south, continue on 25 east, continue on 28 south to Falmouth then follow signs to Woods Hole [about 80 miles in 1.5 hours].
If taking a ferry other than the Woods Hole ferry, please consult that ferry's website for directions.
From outside the Northeast:
Fly to Martha's Vineyard Airport and take the # 7 or # 9 bus or a cab to Oak Bluffs.
Fly to Boston's Logan Airport and take the Peter Pan Bus to the Woods Hole ferry from the airport. www.peterpanbus.com
Fly to Providence RI's T.F. Green Airport and take the shuttle to the Quonset Point ferry.

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