Going to Prague

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       I am 31,000 feet above Newfoundland en route from Chicago to London Heathrow. It never ceases to amaze me that I type a letter on an airplane and post it on my blog. What enables this is the WiFi on the plane. It probably isn’t that big a deal anymore but I still find it very cool.
     I am on the North Park University School of Business and Nonprofit Management (SBNM) International Experience. This year we are going to Prague. We generally like to have at least ten student/alumni travelers but that is not the case this year. We are an intrepid band of seven.
     As airlines require a minimum of ten for a group rate, we all booked our own flights. I booked mine first and choose American Airlines and British Airways simply because of my status with American having traveled for so many years. Everyone else booked their flights after I did but they are all going through other hubs were the layovers are not so long. It is so daunting to navigate the expanse of Heathrow that my travel agent booked it so I had plenty of time, four hours, to get between the terminals. As a result, I get to Prague last.
     Why Prague? It is very simple. I have never been there but have heard marvelous things about the city and the Czech Republic. The Old City in Prague has amazing architecture unscathed from the ravages of World War II and the years of communist rule. It is as old Europe as one can get.
     It is my third such trip. The first two were to Costa Rica in 2016 and Sao Paulo in 2018. On both those trips I was an assistant director for the trip. Our Dean, Wes Lindahl, has served as tour director for several years. This year, I have the honor of being the tour leader. We started out with two co-directors professors but due to the smaller number of travelers, I am doing this trip solo.
     These trips are really fascinating. We visit for profit companies and nonprofit organizations (NGOs in Europe). We learn about how they operate and conduct business. We learn about their strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. Students take an associated for credit course in which they summarize the learnings and reflections into a paper. We will debrief every evening during our trip. On this trip we will be visiting a glassworks factory and a brewery. Czechs are known for both their crystal manufacturing and their centuries old breweries. Beer may well be the most popular beverage there. We are also visiting the Volkswagen Skoda plant. On the nonprofit side we will spend time at a tech hub, visit an NGO that deals with the immigrant issue, and learn about the Czech evolution from communism to EU membership.
     We even take time to immerse ourselves in the culture and cuisine of the Czech Republic. We will take a city tour focusing on the oldest buildings and take a side trip to see, arguably, a typical Czech village in the country side and experience how village life has changed but more importantly how it hasn’t.
     I cannot go anywhere in this world without an Armenian connection or experience. This trip is no different. There are a few Armenian churches and restaurants in Prague. More importantly, I have become Facebook friends with one Haig Utidjian who is from Cyprus now living in Prague. He is a deacon in the Armenian Church as well a composer and musicologist. His great, great, great uncle was a student of Hampartsum Baba. We are meetng up Sunday for church service and lunch. How cool is this?
     Stay tuned for more postings on this trip.