Last day in Vienna - June 24

My oh my has this trip flown by! It's hard to believe today was our last day in Vienna. Since we were in Vienna over a weekend, we had quite a bit of free time. Today was our only true business visit in Vienna, but it was definitely a good one! We visited BAWAG P.S.K. bank which is headquartered in Vienna. The bank is now owned by New York City based Cerberus Capital Management group. We met and traveled by underground lines to get to the bank location. The old bank building was beautiful and is well-known throughout Vienna because it was designed by Otto Wagner. The picture below shows the quote by Wagner found in a museum in the BAWAG P.S.K. building.

During the bank visit we talked about Austria's regulatory environment and how difficult it makes it for people to start a business, how the regulatory system prohibits p2p (person to person) lending, etc. We also heard about the bank strategy and how through improving efficiency the bank has been able to pay back all of the participatory funding it received after Austria's financial crisis a few years ago. Austria's banking market is highly competitive and there is little to no room to make returns with interest rates on home loans being just over 1.5%. We also were able to hear about Austria's economic history and how the bank uses economic projections to drive bank strategy. The group asked a number of great questions and remained engaged throughout the presentation. 

 

Following the presentation we toured the historic building to learn more about the building architecture and design style of Otto Wagner. The museum portion included pictures of deposit slips from the 1800's, an old teller station area, and much more! The bank concluded our time there by offering lunch to our group. We selected from a meal of fish or chicken, sides, dessert, and a drink. 

Once we left the bank, the students were on their own for the rest of the day. Many decided to do some shopping since the shops were closed on Sunday. Others climbed the stairs of St. Stephen's Cathedral, walked around the city center, and some went to the Danube for a nice sunny afternoon! We ended the day with dinner and at a place near the hotel. It was hot so we were all so thirsty we kept asking for tap water (which is quite rare in Europe). They finally brought this huge mug for Hailey. It was a funny ending to a great weekend in Vienna!

Allison

A fun Sunday in Vienna

What a fun Sunday in Vienna! We started the day by heading to Schonnbrun Palace. I've been excited to go to Schonnburn Palace since I found out I would be leading the students to Vienna. I've had some great talks with my grandmother about her and my grandpa's visit to Austria. She raved and raved about how beautiful Schonnbrun was. Boy was she right! In addition, it seem to be the top of all attraction lists for Vienna. 

After arriving, we were in awe at the size of Schonnbrun. We started by taking a few pictures and then heading in for our guided walking tour with audio. The audio "phones" were pretty neat! You typed in the number and the information for each room plays over the phone. I was in total awe of the rooms we saw, the artwork, the history, etc. I could go on and on! After our hour walking tour, students were free to spend the rest of Sunday exploring the city, going to museums, etc. I wish I would've spent more time to walk about the outdoor gardens at Schonnbrun. If we have time tomorrow, I plan to go back and visit the gardens. 

As we took another one of our group pictures at Schonnbrun Palace, an older couple walked by and said "Go Bearcats!". We talked to them for a bit and they were from Omaha. While talking we found out their great-granddaughter will be a freshman at Northwest in August. I plan to look up Chloe Staley (spelling?) and make sure to introduce myself to let her know we met her great-grandparents in Vienna! What can you say...BEARCATS ARE EVERYWHERE!

Out in the gardens of Schonnbrun is an entrance to the Vienna zoo. The zoo markets itself as the oldest zoo in the world. A group of 12 students wanted to go since the zoo has panda bears. Currently only 3 United States zoos have panda bears and none of the zoo's close to the Midwest have pandas. With the group rate for students, it cost only 7 euros per student to get into the zoo. Teri and I paid 14.5 euros but it was still a bit cheaper than the San Diego zoo where I last saw the pandas. 

We walked around the zoo for a couple of hours and then headed out. Most of the students went back to rest before our dinner, but a few of us went to see the Danube in Vienna. It was very hot here today and putting our feet in the GREEN, not blue, Danube was fun. The water was very, very clear here in Vienna but much murkier in Budapest. 

While talking with other students, some spent more time at Schonnbrun, a few walked to St. Stephen's Cathedral and walked the 365+ stairs to the top, and some just explored the city. During the evening down time before dinner, we even had a group work out by running through the city and finishing with sprints up the hills near our hotel. 

We got back to the hotel around 6 and had just enough time to refresh quickly before heading to a group dinner that I set up for those interested. Our group all wanted to attend so we called it the EuroCat family dinner. The restaurant served Viennese dishes in addition to pizza's, sandwiches, etc. I think a good time was had by all!

After a weekend full of free time, we are headed to a local bank on Monday morning! Check in to read about our last night in Vienna on Monday! It's hard to believe the trip is half over!

Allison

First full day in Vienna (June 21)

Whew! I finally got some sleep! I slept 8 hours and I'm not sure I've ever needed it more. I felt recharged and that's important because we did a lot of walking during our Saturday in Vienna. Each hotel we are staying in serves breakfast and we noticed at breakfast how crowded the hotel is. Manuela told us that last Thursday was a holiday in Germany and no one in Germany worked on Friday meaning many are traveling. There appeared to be quite a few tour groups staying at the hotel.

After breakfast we met at 10:00 for a guided walking tour. We navigated the underground transportation and our first "stop" was in the Museum's Quarter. Vienna has tons of museums and I think many of us will be visiting one or two during our free afternoon on Sunday. Since Vienna is a heavily Catholic city, shops remain closed on Sunday but the most museums are open. 

As we left that area, we walked across to the Habsburg Palace area. On the way, we saw one of the many monuments. This one showcased Maria Antoinette on one side but another side showed Beethoven as a young boy around 6 years old. The Habsburg Palace was extremely large and Manuela mentioned that Maria Teresa had 16 children, with Maria Antoinette being the most well-known. I'll admit - this trip has test every bit of my history knowledge and I definitely needed to brush up on history a little more before coming. Manuela went over how the assassination of Ferdinand led to the beginning of the WW1. She moved on to discuss Hitler coming to study art in Vienna when he was 15. Vienna had a large population of Jewish living in the city (20% or so) and "the Jewish had all the money and intellectual power" in Vienna at that time. Hitler was told by his Jewish professors that he didn't have the talent to make it and Manuela mentioned how this fueled his behavior later on. 

While in the Habsburg Palace courtyard, we ran into a group of Maryville residents and Bearcat alum and fans. This group was on a tour to benefit the Humane Society. What a great spot to see them because we were able to stop for a group picture and ended our very short visit with a BEARCATS chant! 

We finished our tour by passing through the expensive shopping quarter of Vienna and ended a city centre near St. Stephen's church. We plan to go back there on Sunday after mass and climb the 365 stairs to the top. From this point, students split off into groups to explore Vienna a little more on their own. Since we are here over a weekend, we have each afternoon and evening free which is nice for the students after a busy work week in Budapest.

On Saturday's the market is packed in Vienna and we spent hours walking around the market area. We picked up a few souvenirs and ate lunch before heading to the Vienna Opera House. By this time, it was nearly 5 p.m. and we came back to the hotel to recharge a bit before dinner. Later in the evening, Teri and I walked down Mariahilfer street and looked at the architecture, shops, etc. We also found a spot for those interesting to meet for a group dinner on Sunday evening. Some students enjoy the free time and lack of structure this weekend while others seem to struggle a little more if the day isn't fully planned for them. I am trying to plan options with hopes each student gets out and explores the city, making the most of this learning experience/opportunity!

As I close tonight I'll mention that the students are noticing the price difference from Budapest to Vienna. Budapest was very low cost for meals, etc. On the other hand, Manuela mentioned Austria is the second richest country in Europe, so prices are much higher here and more in line with what we would likely pay in New York City, etc.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday night! I know we enjoyed our Saturday in Vienna!

Allison

Travel day from Budapest to Bratislava and Vienna - June 20

Greetings from Vienna, Austria! We left Budapest early this morning to begin our journey to Vienna. I am so proud of my group of students! Everyone was packed and on the bus 6 minutes early. If you’ve traveled with a large group, you know this is quite an accomplishment! As we left the city, we did a reflection of cultural variations the students noticed during their 4 day stay in Hungary. This information will be discussed more in-depth as they write the study abroad reflection paper.

On our drive to Bratislava, Slovakia, to the Volkswagen Plant, we were surprised how similar the landscape looked to what we see in the Midwest. We noticed a number of cornfields, wheat fields, and wind turbines.

looks like Missouri but actually in between Budapest and Bratislava

A familiar sight...

Volkswagen Plant in Bratislava, Slovakia

We arrived in Bratislava at the VW plant. You might notice we don’t have many pictures of the VW visit. Cell phones, cameras, etc. were prohibited so we relied on our memory and old fashioned pen and paper to take notes. We split into two groups and headed out throughout the plant. The size of the VW plant was the equivalent to 160 football fields. The students were shocked when they learned that VW produces Audi, Porsche, and Lamborghini in addition to the VW line. I’ve toured other production plants before but was quite impressed with very clean production area. Employees drove bikes around to get from one area of the plant to another. After seeing the men stare at long periods of time at the women in the group, one student was prompted to ask how many women work at the plant in Bratislava. The answer is just 7% and our female tour guide apologized for their behavior stating they don’t see many women in their daily work. Some other fun facts:

• ·Between 1800-2000 cars are produced each day
• ·         Less than 1 finished car per day is removed for quality reasons
• ·         The VW plant has its own doctor for employee use. Residents nearby can also visit to see the doctor.
• ·         Pay at the plant is above average for the area and employees receive a 10% discount on a VW vehicle
• ·         When it is time to paint the vehicles, five layers of paint are added
• ·         The robots used cost up to 275,000 USD and there are over 200 used throughout the plant
• ·         A large lift system is used to move completed cars from different building and to the test track

Overall we had a great visit during our short session with the VW employees. Once we left the plant we headed to the city center of Bratislava for a few hours of free time/time to eat lunch. I went with a group of 6 and we struggled to get our meal and pay by the time we needed to be at the bus. I think from now on we will stick to groups of 4 or less when we have less than two hours.

Bratislava from a distance

Lunch in Bratislava - a greek salad 

The drive from Bratislava to Vienna was about 1 hour 15 minutes and we arrived at our hotel a bit early. After dropping our luggage, we went down for an orientation from our Vienna guide, Manuela. She discussed the transportation system, suggestions for free time activities, and plans for our 4 days in Vienna. After breaking for two hours, we met back for our group dinner at Wiener Wirtschaft. The 3-course meal was excellent and featured cream of asparagus soup, a braised beef dish with potatoes and vegetables, and apple strudel with vanilla cream sauce for dessert. Following dinner, Manuela pointed us in the direction of the amusement park area to see the oldest ferris wheel, etc. All 22 of us ventured to the amusement park (free admission – you only pay for rides or activities you wish to partake in) and enjoyed a few hours of exploring before heading back to the hotel around 11 p.m. 

A fun night in Vienna at the Prater Amusement Park

 We are getting adjusted in Vienna and saw a number of historic buildings we can’t wait to visit this weekend. I’m looking forward to our free time on Saturday late afternoon and evening to really get a chance to explore the city!

Allison

Our last day in Budapest (Day 4)

Our time in Budapest has come to an end! What a great 4 days its been! I heard a number of students talking about how quickly the last four days have gone. I think that is a sign that our stay in Budapest has been great. We head out very early tomorrow morning and head to Vienna, Austria, after a few hours in Bratislava, Slovakia.

This morning we were up early for our visit at SAP Labs Hungary. In true Budapest fashion, we took the underground line, switched directions, and then took the city bus out to the industrial park where SAP is located along with other multinational companies such as Microsoft, Cannon, etc. We were in our business attire and we had a little bit of a walk from the bus to the industrial park. It was quite hot here today and I think it is fair to say were all excited to arrive at SAP. 

Once we arrived, we were checked in, presented with name badges, and escorted to a conference room on the top level of the building. After settling in, were introduced to Markus Hilken, Managing Director of SAP Labs Hungary. Markus began by greeting each and every student walking around the room, introducing himself, and shaking hands. Despite being the Managing Director of the SAP location in Hungary, we found out from other employees that Markus personally does each and every group talk because it is important to him to spread the message of SAP Labs, etc. He did a brief intro of himself and the company. The founders of SAP were once employees of IBM. They were of German decent, as is Markus. Markus's presentation was excellent and the students were very attentive the entire time. Most of the students had briefly heard of SAP before we did our prework research. However, I would bet each and every one now knows what SAP does and what a major impact its software has on companies and customers around the world. Markus talked about employees at SAP in Hungary speaking three languages (English, Hungarian, and German) and taking part in innovation workshops frequently. A few interesting takeaways from the presentation include:

• SAP Labs works with over 90+% of all Fortune 500 companies
• SAP Labs touches 72% of the world GDP
• SAP Hungary has grown over 50% in the last year and is looking to hire another 300 employees this year

I could go on and on about this visit but I'll spare those of you who aren't a business dork like I am. Below are a few pictures of our morning:

The group with Markus Hilken, SAP Labs Hungary



After a quick stop at the hotel to change, students split into groups to go to lunch and check out more of the city before we headed to the Budapest Cathedral and Castle museum. I went with a small group to the Parliament area to look around and grab lunch. The Parliament building is one of my favorite sights in Budapest. The building was so beautiful from the water on our night cruise of the Danube and also beautiful in the daylight. I don't think anyone realizes how big the building is until you stand next to it! The group met at the underground metro station to head to the Cathedral and Castle area. I've posted a few of my favorite pictures from our afternoon. We walked and walked and walked and walked today but it was a great afternoon full of beautiful sights and history. 

View from the Budapest Cathedral

We ended the day at 6:15 p.m. at a cafe for dessert and announcements to prepare us for our trip to Bratislava, Slovakia, on the way to Vienna. Most students were going to get packed up tonight before eating dinner and spending their last night here in Budapest. We are loading the bus at 7:45 a.m. to head out. What a great stay it's been! I can only hope Vienna is as great as Budapest! A special Bearcat thank you to Szilvia Danko, our guide here in Budapest! 

Allison

A quick recap of Day 3

Hello to all of you continuing to follow along on our European study abroad trip! I'll start by saying that I still haven't fully adjusted to the time change. Thus, I was up until 4:00 a.m. meaning I got a little over three hours of sleep last night. I'm hopeful tonight is the night I can get adjusted since I finally feel tired.

After breakfast at the hotel, we met in the lobby and headed to the Kopint-Tarki Economic Institute. Since it was important that we didn't miss the bus to the buidling, Szilvia had the hotel call each room at 8:00 this morning. The students were giving me a hard time about setting wake up calls for them, but I was completely innocent! I didn't even know about it until after she set it up! We all made it and caught the bus to the office building. The building was quite old and built during the communist era. Everything in the building looked exactly the same (each office the same size, every floor consistent) which was very interesting to the students. 

Peter, one of the economic researchers at the company, provided an overview of the economic history. To get to the economic message, it meant he provided some additional history information to the group. He told a story about his youth and his parent's youth where ordering a car in Hungary meant waiting for 11 years to actually get the car and having only 2-4 choices for types of cars with no preference for color, etc. My colleague Dr. Wanorie would be pleased to know he even spoke of Operations Management during this portion of the talk. Peter went into Hungary's decision to join the EU in 2004 and where Hungary ranks in terms of GDP, etc. He recapped the "7 Miracles of Socialism" and connected these by mentioning their influence on economic factors in the country. Mentioned again today was Hungary's biggest challenges which are public debt and unemployment in the youth (ages 18-24).  We closed our morning session with a guest lecturer from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Her talk was interesting and provided prospective into issues her country faces. As mentioned above, youth unemployment is an even bigger issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nearly 63% are currently unemployed and don't see a successful future in their time which leads to crime, riots, etc. In addition, corruption is very high. She closed by talking about the recent census in the country and what that might mean for the future. I enjoyed this addition to our itinerary!

Business visit at Kopint - Tarki Economic Research company

 After the morning session we took the bus and then walking to a large shopping and restaurant area that was near our afternoon visit to hear the EU Commission representative. We split up for two hours to sight see and grab a quick lunch. I should use the phrase "grab a quick lunch" lightly....the students are getting quite a kick out of how long it take to eat a meal in Budapest. About 10 of the student were a few minutes late because it took them 1 hour and 40 minutes to get their food and pay. This also happened last night and I think they've learned that getting in and out in an hour (US lunch standard) isn't universal throughout the world. I was able to eat lunch with Szilvia and learn more about the multinational company she works for in her full-time position (tour guide for this company is just something she does 1-2 times a year).  We asked her questions on vacation days, maternity leave, taxes, among many other things. It was great information and she provided some interesting perspective to women in the workplace, etc. After having a child, women in Hungary get nearly 100% of their salary for 6 months and most don't return to work until the child reaches the age of 3. In fact, only 8% of children under the age of 3 are in daycare. 

The talk from the EU Commission representative was fascinating for me! The EU Commission provides recommendations to each member country for the coming year. The recommendations for next year just came out less than 2 weeks ago. We talked about some of the comprehensive EU initiatives and the strategic initiatives. While the EU sets initiatives, each member state makes its own initiatives and the commission uses those initiatives to let the members states know what they are doing well/what recommendations for the coming year. One recommendation for Hungary deals with education to try and eliminate some of the youth unemployment issues by focusing on disadvantaged youth. We were able to ask a number of questions and our speaker had excellent credentials including a degree in Accounting and Law and careers with Ernst & Young and JP MorganChase before becoming a commission representative. 

Group picture inside the Europont building for the commission representative talk

We returned to the hotel area around 4:30 p.m. and the students were on their own to shop, sight see, etc. I think most took a quick power nap and headed out for dinner and sight seeing in Budapest. Teri and I, along with two students, headed down to a city square with the large Ferris wheel (only set up in the summer months). We wandered around and finally found ourselves at the Basilica. It was absolutely beautiful! We had a great dinner in this area of town and then headed back to the hotel via the underground line. 

Another good day is in the books! I need to get some sleep before our last day in Budapest. It's sure to be another busy and great day!

Allison

Day 2...a busy and good day in Budapest

Today was another good day in Budapest following by a great night on the Danube! We kept busy and are getting more comfortable using the various public transportation options in Budapest. The morning started out with breakfast at the hotel. I've been abroad so I was well aware that many cultures place a larger emphasis on breakfast by serving cold meats, cheeses, vegetables, etc. I enjoyed the variety of fresh breads served, including pastries and croissants.  A few of the students seemed a little surprised by the different options served at breakfast! 

Following breakfast we headed out for a guided walking tour with Szilvia. After a quick bus ride and walk, our first stop was the Jewish synagogue, one of the largest in the world. Szilvia provided us with some insight on its history and importance to Hungarian culture.

                                                          Above: Dohany Street Synagogue

We continued our walk through the area she referred to as the "old Jewish ghetto" which is now renovated and includes a number of beautiful courtyards. It is definitely an area the students want to go back and visit. It is lined with restaurants, bars, and shops.I enjoy the beautiful ornate buildings and the narrow streets throughout Budapest! We then moved on to Hero's square and received additional history on the importance of this area. We found time for a group picture with the Northwest flag! 

                            Special thanks to Dylan for volunteering to carry the flag everywhere we go!

Following Hero's square we went took a nice walk through the city park area and saw one of the famous bath houses in Budapest. I've added a few pictures of this area below.

                          The man made lake above is a great spot for ice skating in the winter months. 

                      The Sczehenyi bath house is the largest of the thermal bath houses in Budapest. 

We next took the underground line, the bus, and the tram to end up at the city market where we broke for some free time and lunch. The students went in small groups and tried out different restaurant/cafe options. A few students told me they spent as much on soft drinks as they did on their meal since there aren't refill options like we have in the US. I'm sure they will keep this in mind as budgets begin to shrink a bit. Teri and I were able to meet up with Galen Gibson-Cornell, a Fulbright scholar from Maryville who is finishing out his year in Budapest. His father is a professor in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Northwest. It was great to meet and talk with him and get a few of his recommendations for things to do, restaurants to eat at, etc. He joined us for the afternoon and the students were glad to ask him questions about Budapest, areas of town they might enjoy at night, etc.

                              The city market area with a number of local vendors

After lunch we took public transportation to Momento Park. It was interesting but I think it is safe to say the students were beginning to feel tired the later we got in the afternoon. Everyone remained positive and checked out the 42 monuments, learning about Hungary's history through the communist years. There was an old Trabant car which was quite fancy back in the day. A sign actually said you could open up the car and get in. Let's just say our students took advantage of that and it was quite a funny moment when 6'7" Grant attempted to get in the driver's seat.

Once we left Momento park the students were on their own for a few hours. I inquired about a sightseeing cruise on the Danube and once I sent out information to the students, every single one wanted to attend! We ate dinner on our own and then met up for the Danube night cruise. It was BEAUTIFUL and probably my favorite thing so far! I've added a number of pictures below!

Parliament building

Andy, Grant, Jared, and Conner pose for a quick picture

Teri Harr and I - she's been a great help so far!

A group of the girls 

     

What a fun group of students I have on the trip!

That's it for tonight! It's almost 3 a.m. here so I need to get some sleep to gear up for our visit to an economic research company and our lecture from a European Commission representative tomorrow. If each day goes as well as the first two, we are in store for a great 15 days! 

Allison