The hills are alive

Anyone remember the mountains that the Von Trapp family had to climb over to escape the Germans?  I'm in them.  Right now.  Its so amazing!  We arrived in Innsbruck, Austria yesterday afternoon after a week in Prague.  Prague was as cool as everyone told me it would be.  We went downtown almost everyday and explored the beautiful city.  Prague is one of the only cities in Central Europe that wasn't destroyed in WWII.  As a result, many of the original buildings are still standing and its really cool.  Also.... night life in Prague.... Sweet.  I think thats all I need to say.

We were also able to visit a Black and Decker Plant near Prague while in the Czech Republic.  It was really interesting because the manager of the plant explained the challenges in transplanting a production facility from the UK to a former Soviet bloc nation.  He also told us that his main competitors are not outside companies, but he is competing with Black and Decker plants in China and Mexico.  Globalization to the max!!!!

Yesterday, while en route to Innsbruck, we visited the Dachau concentration camp in Germany.  It was an incredibly sobering and sad experience.  I realize that there are things going on within my government that I probably don't know about, but I have a hard time understanding how so many people in Nazi Germany could harbor so much hatred and cold heartedness towards another human.  It was unbelievable.  When I get my pictures off of my camera, I'll try to put some up.

We had our first test in International Business Strategies this morning and have classes for the rest of this week.  We do, however, get to go up into the alps and enjoy the beautiful mountains around us tomorrow.  And, we have some free time that we should be able to explore Innsbruck and the surrounding areas.  Its so incredibly gorgeous.