A different perspective...

It is dark out, but wonderfully cool in Prague. We are 4,733 miles from Cookeville, Tennessee and completely attuned to new and different cultures--both historic and current. The faculty of Economics & Management at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague continues to lead us on a journey of continual learning, incorporating traditional Czech classroom lecture with field excursions to modern Czech agricultural industry and production. Of course in order to understand the culture and development of Czech society today, you must also understand the challenges these amazing people have seen in their history. Our students and the faculty have been immersed in the shocking traumas of Hitler's human destruction and the personal and economic oppression of the Soviet reign. Yet these amazing, determined people have overcome such hardships and atrocities others would be completely overwhelmed by.
To say they are inspiring is an understatement.
One last thought, it is an honor to work with students with such open minds and hearts, combined with a never-ending desire to learn and a capacity for creativity and sharing. They make my faith in our future feel quite secure!

On the Wings of Eagles

 

TTU Group at Nashville, BNA, Monday before flight to JFK.

Checked bags to carry ons, security checks to boarding passes, airports are an ‘exciting’ place when  destinations are domestic. When you toss in international flights, the airports seem to have an added amount of excitement.  Leaving Nashville, TN was nothing new for me; same old routine of “please take all items out of your pocket before entering the scanner”, and like always, there is some small thing I forget. JFK International Airport in NYC was an interesting place where the terminal I needed to depart from was ALONG way from the terminal I was arriving from. The real ‘fun’ was reaching Praha, CZ (Prague). After 10+ hours sitting on our Boeing 767, we reached the ‘city of a thousand spires’. Before entrance, we had the general pass through customs, had our passports inspected and stamped. Finally, no more airports.... for a while! A welcome thought!

Quickly, I would like to say thank you to all of those people at Tennessee Tech and University of Prague for making this trip possible, and of course my parents who made my travel possible!

You haven't seen a tree until you've seen its shadow from the sky. ~Amelia Earhart

What an adventure...

As I packed my bags in preparation for the trip to Europe I had NO clue what to expect. I rode to the airport and got extremely nervous seeing as it was my first time flying! I boarded the first plane and soon came to learn that some planes just aren't comfortable.... But the view definitely made up for that. The sights I saw from above the clouds were like a glimpse of heaven. After arriving to the busy JFK airport I had a chance to stretch and get a cool shirt :). As we waited for our turn to find our seats I realized i would be sitting with a stranger. He didn't talk much but I didn't mind, I slept. The plane food was actually pretty decent. When we finally started seeing the European countryside I started to fall in love! I had an incredible first plane ride over and cannot wait for the remainder of my stay in this beautiful place. I can't thank our hosts enough for this opportunity and all off the ones who made this trip possible :)

True Discovery

The road ahead….

Just minutes away from departing for this European Adventure, I sit down and finally ask myself what I truly want from this trip. Sure, the experience and adventure, sightseeing, pictures, trinkets and memories are all things I look forward to about this excursion. Mostly, I have concluded, I want something different. I want a departure from the ‘American’ outlook on things; on life, success, failure, happiness. An outlook away from social standards of how nice your car is or how fat your wallet. I want to see the way the rest of the world lives outside this bubble we call the red, white, and blue. Don’t get me wrong, USA is my home and the greatest place on earth but we forget to truly live in this thing we call life…. Is that the way the rest of the world is? I hope not.  Guess I will have to wait and see.

Taxied out, wheels up, I’m in the air. Europe, ready or not here I come!

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

-French Novelist

FINALLY my European excursion

For years I have dreamed of eating gelato in Italy, touring the concentration camps of Poland, and riding trains through the Alps… and it’s FINALLY here!!!

I’m looking so forward to all of the “touristy” things that lie ahead, but most important to me is that I’m going to see how other countries live and farm. I am the only none Agriculture major going with our group but I love learning about agriculture and its importance to our lives. I think that most people who visit other countries go to the tourist attractions and really enjoy them, but they don’t actually get to see any of the countries country side and what makes that country run… I’m looking very forward to seeing the country sides of all the countries we are going to be visiting.

Ready or not I’m on my way!!! J

In the beginning....

As we anticipate new faces and new adventures in the Czech Republic, we need to stop and think about who we are! It's time to share some information about who will travel this round!