Closing Shop

My apologies for my recent absence. I realized that the last time I had blogged, we were just beginning our stay in the Netherlands, which was over a month ago. I'll try to give a brief summary of events:

The Netherlands was awesome. We were able to stop traveling for awhile, and get into a bit of a routine. It's difficult to recount everything that happened while we were there, but we had a lot of fun. I have determined that I want to be given an official title from the Queen of the Netherlands... I'm thinking Baron. Baron Sybesma of the northern provinces, or something like that.

We then spent a few days in the Hague, which was lovely. I never knew that they had a beach there, but we were able to spend some time by the beach and enjoy each others company. Then we traveled on to Paris, where we spent 4 amazing days. We had a lot of free time and we saw sooo much stuff. See my facebook pictures for more details.

From Paris, we traveled to London via the Eurostar (the chunnel) on Sunday. Yesterday, we completed our academic work and are now enjoying a lot of free time to see everything that London has to offer. I actually feel quite burned out and have been taking it easy, but I anticipate doing a lot of the really touristy stuff when mom and dad arrive on Sunday. We are then going to travel back to the European Mainland for about a week before I return home in a coupe of weeks.

I'm sorry that this is so brief... I have missed a lot, but its difficult to remember everything we did, and my internet is quickly running out. I will hopefully be able to post again before we leave.

Settling Down

I realized today that it had been quite awhile since I last posted... probably the result of being in 4 countries in the last 3 days. A lot of exciting things have happened since I last posted. We spent 7 amazing days in Switzerland, enjoying the scenery, culture, and business environment. The first 3 days were in Lucerne (which I think I wrote about before). It was such a nice little town situated in the Alps on the edge of a beautiful lake.

While we were there, we visited Credit Suisse in Zurich and got to enjoy the town. My friend had a really nice balcony in his hotel room that overlooked the town and the mountains. One night, we sat on his balcony for a couple of hours as it rained and enjoyed the city.

On Tuesday, we travelled from Lucerne to Geneva. The trip was a really beautiful--it was through the Alps, and we stopped in a valley surrounded by mountains. Some friends and I celebrated a friends birthday by going up in a cable car to the top of a mountain. At the top, there was a charming little village that we walked around in before returning and making the rest of the trip to Geneva.

We arrived in Geneva on Tuesday, and stayed in a "challenging" dormitory. I can't really explain it, but it was not my favorite place to stay. Geneva, itself, was quite beautiful and we were able to visit the WTO and Nestle corporation. Geneva is located at the edge of the largest lake in Switzerland. On one side are the French Alps and on the other side are hundreds and hundreds of vineyards... its literally one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

Last Thursday, we visited Chamonix, at the base of the highest Mountain in Europe. I don't think that I can explain it in words... these pictures should suffice:

I discovered, at 13,000 feet, that I have a slight fear of heights. Nothing intolerable, but I did feel like a girl, not being able to get within 2 feet of the edge of the lookout tower.

We are now in the Netherlands. We are at a very comfortable conference center in a forested area near a small Dutch town. We will be here for about three weeks and will be taking classes for most of the time. I anticipate that it will be fairly intense, but also interesting. Today, we were given bikes to use for the duration of our stay, and we took a ride into town and around the area. It seems like a really nice area and I think we will have a lot of to do. I'll try to post later this week with an update of what we have been up to.

Suisse Moments

I had a moment yesterday.  We were driving through the alps on our way to Lucerne, Switzerland and everything was so incredibly gorgeous.  The mountains here are like none that I've seen before and everything is so clean and pretty.  I was listening to some of my favorite music and we came around a mountain and saw a gorgeous valley with mountains shooting up all around it.  I think it was the most beautiful and amazing thing that I had ever seen.  I couldn't wipe this big goofy grin off of my face.

We arrived in Lucerne yesterday afternoon and I think that it is my favorite location yet.  Despite the OUTRAGEOUS prices (a beer costs $10 a pint!!!), it is sooooo incredibly cool!  Last night, we had dinner as a group and then I studied for the rest of the night as we had our final exam in International Business Strategies this morning (it went well, by the way).  After the exam, some friends and I walked around Lucerne, enjoying dinner by Lake Luzern, and then doing a little shopping.  The big thing in Switzerland is, of course, watches.  We went to the major dealer and looked at all the things we could buy if we had real jobs (by the way... most expensive watch of the day, a diamond and crystal encrusted Omega for $165,000).

It is odd, though, being in a country whose GDP per capita is higher than the United States.  Its a new experience, for me anyway, and its kind of interesting.  Everything is really clean, organized, and people seem to be extremely happy.  In Russia, shop keepers have no concept of customer service (a result of not having to sell anything to stay in business during the planned economy phase.  One of my business profs once told me that in Soviet Russia, the shopkeepers credo was that they pretended to work, and the government pretended to pay them).  When you walked into a shop to buy something, you often felt as though you were bothering them.  Here, though, the shopkeepers are very polite and as helpful as they possibly can be.  Its kind of like walking into the Buckle, except far far far less annoying.

The next week is very promising.  We don't have class and have three really interesting corporate visits--the World Trade Organization, Credit Suisse, and Nestle Chocolate.  On Tuesday, we move to Geneva for four days, and then move to the Netherlands for about three and a half weeks.  We also have a lot of free time in the next week to explore Switzerland (Suisse!!!).

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.

I feel change in the air

Much to talk about today.  Tomorrow we bid farewell to Heidelberg and move on to Prague.  I will be sad to say goodbye... our time in Heidelberg has been so much fun.  Today, we had our second exam in Comparative Economic Systems, and then rushed off to Frankfurt, the financial center of Germany, and some argue, the European Union.  We had some time for lunch, so a couple of my friends and I walked the 12 escalator climb to a cafe on a terrace of a building above the city.  We had Bratwurst and other German specialties and had such a great time.  Then we visited the European Central Bank, which was by far my favorite corporate visit so far.  The presenter told us about the Euro zone and the challenges that the ECB faces in developing monetary policy.  He also did an excellent job relating things back to the US system and describing issues in ways that we could relate to.  Fantastic.  I want his job.

Then we visited the headquarters of Deutsche Bank, a world leader in global investment and retail banking.  Also very interesting.  The bank had its worst year on record last year, and we 

                                                                                   got to ask the 

Presenter some good questions.  Although we were all very tired, and ready to be finished, it was a good visit.  These two visits were the first that focused on financial systems and economic policy, which I really like.  I've discovered that I really enjoy finance... a huge relief as I feel lik

e I'm starting to get confirmation that I've made the right decision.

Tonight, we have free time... I think some friends and I are going to hit the town and see what hap

pens.  Tomorrow we drive to Prague, home of the worlds best Crystal (Sworovski), Hockey Teams, and strip clubs.  Don't worry, mom.... I'll be good :).

When in Rome

I think that the thing that I have enjoyed the most while in Europe is getting to see how other people live.  This was especially true in the Netherlands, where we stayed with Dutch Families in their homes.  We ate what they ate, we drank what they drank, and I felt like we experienced a little piece of the culture of that part of the world.  My hosts in Gouda, for example, were some of the best hosts I've ever had.  They were genuinely interested in our lives and tried to make us as comfortable as possible.   In Russia, some of us had the opportunity to sample the local specialty (no need to mention its name here) and see the result of 80 years of a planned (and brutal) economy.  In Germany, we have had more of an opportunity to interact with some of the local people which was been incredibly lucrative and in some cases, emotional.  Last night, the city of Heidelberg launched fireworks over the river.  While the display was no Taste of Chicago, it was beautiful.  The best part, though, was that I walked by myself through crowds of Germans and watched as they talked to each other.  I felt like an adult.... and like I could fit in with these people :).

One of the hardest things about this trip is traveling with 45 other Americans..... excited and very loud Americans.  I try to be patient because I understand that everyone is very excited and wants to express everything that pops into their head (I do it too).  But sometimes, its SOOOO embarasing!  We might as well plaster a giant Stars and Stripes above our head bearing the logo "Hey Ya'll!".  The other kind of funny thing that I've discovered about most Americans is that you can usually pick them out in a crowd without ever hearing a word that they say.  The clothes, the demeanor, the.... look.  On Choir tour, some of my friends and I would play "find the American".  Whoever won at the end of the trip got a piece of apple pie.

A breath of fresh air

I've made it to Germany!  On Wednesday, after flying from Moscow to Amsterdam, we drove to Heidelberg Germany, and will be here until Monday.  The schedule looks far more relaxed than Russia, and I'm looking forward to having some free time.  Additionally, the corporate visits while we are here are pretty sweet.  Today, we toured John Deere's European headquarters, tomorrow we visit Diamler-Benz, and then next week we visit the European Central Bank and Deutsche Bank.  I'm in finance heaven.

Just to give a brief recap of what has happened since I last wrote, we finished up the Eastern European portion of our Program in Moscow and have begun in the West.  When I stepped off the plane in Amsterdam, I experienced a feeling of happiness and relief like I had never felt before.  Moscow was an amazing experience but extremely stressful and a bit shocking.  Oddly, I felt at home in the Netherlands and was so happy to be in a Western Country.  Originally, I was supposed to fly with the rest of the group from Moscow, to Coppenhagen, to Amsterdam.  However, I got bumped onto  a direct flight from Moscow to Amsterdam.  This was probably one of the best things that could have happened to me.  I got to spend 6 hours by myself.

As I mentioned before, we're now in Heidelberg.  Its a beautiful city with a lot to offer.  The weather has been unbelievable, and I'm feeling a lot less stressed.  Last night, I went out with a few members of our group, and we had a great time.  The group dynamics are still kind of stressful, but I feel well taken care of and happy.  Meeting new people is hard.

I'll try to post pictures when I have a better internet connection.  Next week, its on to Prague!

Go big or go home

Last Thursday, we took an overnight train from Latvia and arrived in Moscow Friday morning.  If you’ve never taken a train anywhere, I highly recommend it.  I was surprised by how spacious and comfortable the cabins were and we got to experience first hand the Latvian and Russian countryside.  FYI, every preconception that you may have of rural Russia is probably true.  It seemed like every couple of minutes a giant Soviet era factory that has long since been abandoned appeared.  When we crossed the border into Russia, men in drab uniforms with large dogs circled the train and proceeded to carefully examine each of us with a stern and unwelcoming face.  Everything that we saw was old and dirty, and unfortunately, there were people living in what appeared to be squalor.

Despite the lack of shower and sleep, we toured Mars Candy (the makers of M&Ms, Snickers, Milky Way, etc.).  It was probably the best corporate visit that I’ve had so far.  They were very prepared and had an interesting presentation on their relatively brief history in Russia.  Plus, we got a giant goodie-bag J. That night, we got to go to the Old Moscow Circus and experience clowns, Russia Style.  

Yesterday, we visited Red Square including a visit to Lenin’s tomb.  I oddly found it to be a very spiritual experience.  Most Russians (especially the older generations) still pay great respect to Lenin.  I felt very humbled that I, an American Capitalist that represents everything that Lenin fought against, was allowed to view his body and visit the country that he devoted his life and intellectual capital to.  Yesterday, we also visited the WWII museum and got to see a little bit more of the city.

Today included a church service (2 hours long, and in Russian), and then lunch with an 80-year-old minister who spent 18 years in Siberian Prison Camps during the Soviet era.  His story was unbelievable.  He should have been dead at least 5 times throughout his tenure in the prisons, but somehow he survived and continued to preach the gospel.  This too was a humbling experience.  Finally tonight, we got the go to the Moscow Ballet’s performance of “The Nutcracker”.  I think it was one of the best things I’ve done on this trip—I never thought I would be able to experience Tchaikovsky in his native country…nerdy, I know.

One of the most interesting things that I’ve noticed in Russia is how incredibly large everything is.  This can probably be traced back to the former Soviet Union’s obsession with economies of scale as well as the sheer size of the country.  I find the architecture in Moscow difficult to grasp because of its size and intricacy.  It’s amazing.

On Tuesday, we visit IKEA Russia and then fly back to Amsterdam.  Hopefully I don’t come back with a new Trondheim.

Cleansing the Palate

After the fairly depressing note from this morning, I thought that maybe something more upbeat might be in order.  The last few days have been a roller-coaster of emotion.  I started IBI feeling really overwhelmed (see first post).  Everything was incredibly new and I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to forge relationships on this trip.  I am the only person this year that is single--that is, the single from his or her college.  Everyone else has at least one other person that they know.  Things have, naturally, gotten better.  Everyone on the program is super friendly, and some people have gone out of their way to make sure that I'm included.  At first I kind of felt like the outsider looking in, but I've begun to start to feel like a legit part of the group.  Its a good feeling. 

Last night, myself and a couple of other IBI-ers celebrated my birthday at an Armenian restaurant in Klaipeda.  It was one of the best meals I've ever had.  The weather, the company, and the food all joined forces to create a beautiful evening.  Then this morning I had my first exam of the program after only one day of class, and then we toured a Lithuanian shipping and export/import company which, I found to be really interesting.  Finally we went to what can only be described as Lithuania's version of Chucky Cheese.

After dinner, we had a chance to visit Polega, a resort town on the Baltic sea.  They had a beautiful board walk and pier and on the end, there were tons of Baltic fishermen catching some kind of swordfish-esque fish.  The whole experience was really relaxing and kind of reminded me of why I'm here.  Its not just about academics... we get to see freaking cool stuff too :).

 Tomorrow we bid farewell to Lithuania and take an overnight train to Moscow.  The trip is 17 hours but I think I'll be able to sleep.  If not... I turn to drugs.

It hits home

The first day that I was in Klaipeda, we visited a couple of different corporations.  Both were located in the Free Economic Zone that Lithuania established in order to attract Foreign Direct Investment.  The second tour that we took was of a multinational wiring corporation that makes electronic equipment for clients all over the world.  Their location here had one client: Renault (a French car company that is popular in Europe).  They have been making wiring harnesses for Renault since 1994 and at their peak, they employed over 4000 people.  The factory that we visited was very large--24,000 square meters and for the most part, the building was completely empty.  There were only a handful of workers putting together wiring sets, and the warehouse was, quite literally, empty.  They told us that beginning about 2 years ago, Renault began to cut their demand and this branch of the company cut their labor force by 3,800 people over the period of about a year.  Lithuanian labor laws are far more restrictive than American laws--companies are obligated to pay 5 months salary and benefits which added to the misery of the company.  The local unemployment rate has jumped from roughly 4% to well over 10%.

We were told that this was a lesson in "crisis management".  Our professors told us that last year when IBI visited the site, the place was full of workers busily preparing orders, and putting them into trucks for shipment.  The company desperately hopes to secure a contract from Volvo, which will preserve a very small portion of the company--about 200 workers.  But as of now, the plan is to sell whatever they can and shut down operations within the next year.

The experience of this company is hardly rare--plants close nearly every day somewhere in the world.  But seeing it really made the economic crisis real, even though we didn't get to meet any of the displaced workers.  We learn about the effects of monetary and fiscal policy in the classroom, but I had never seen anything quite like this before.

New Things

Tonight after a two day journey, I'm in Lithuania.  Its been quite a trip so far... let me back up and give some background.

Two weeks ago from today, I left Sioux Center with the Concert Choir and traveled to Minneapolis.  From there we flew to the Netherlands and spent two amazing weeks touring and singing in places that I can only hope to stand again.  We stayed with hosts which was one of the best parts of the tour.  I don't think that I can even begin to describe the experience now, so perhaps I'll try to go into more depth about it later.  For now, suffice it to say that it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

Yesterday, we all returned to the Amsterdam airport to go our separate ways.  Many people were returning home, but many were also traveling.  When I packed my bags, I knew that I would be overweight for my inter-European flights, but the people at the ticket counter nicely waved me through.  I said good-bye to Jake and Piper (who were also checking in at the same counter for their flight to Spain) and took a last look at the last familiar face I would see for several weeks.  My flight from Amsterdam to Riga, Latvia was a little late and when I arrived and tried to find my connection flight, I thought that I had missed my connection.  However after desperately trying to mime "did I miss my flight?" to a large Latvian woman who spoke no English, I found my gate and arrived in Lithuania on time.  I took a taxi to my hotel and sat down in my room, alone for the first time in days.  I was incredibly homesick and lonely... probably the result of having an entire choir of people around me for the past 2 weeks.  But this morning, I walked from the hotel to the bus station in Vilnius, and boarded a bus heading for Klaipeda to join the rest of the group.  After a four hour ride and getting chewed out by the driver for Lord knows what, I met the first friendly faces that I had seen in 2 days.  They took me to join the group.  Everyone seems really friendly and nice, and I think everything will be okay once I get settled in a bit and the awkwardness of the first couple of the days goes away, but for now I feel really overwhelmed and kind of intimidated.  Tomorrow we have 6 hours of class and then we have our first test on wednesday, which also adds to my feeling of overwhledness.  Everything will be okay.... thats what I need to keep telling myself... Because its true!

I think I will stop writing now because I need to do some homework and be social.  I will try to write more specifics later.