A - FOUNDATION WEEK – BEIJING – June 2007
Welcome again on this page – This is all about me and us as a team starting the JOURNEY,
Apologies first of all - I actually had lots of difficulties in accessing the page that’s why it took a little bit longer than expected to put on the next posts –
A – ULYSSES FOUNDATION WEEK 17- 24 June
Flight to Beijing and arriving at the site – 16/17 June 2007
I was really proud of myself because I managed to get ready with all administration and necessary shopping about 4 hours before I finally set off :-) – I left Poland at about 5:30 pm and including the 9 hour flight from Vienna which I took as a connecting airport coming from Warsaw it is altogether a 12 hours trip to Beijing. I arrived quite tired at 11:20 local time (6 hours time difference) but realized that it was quite amazing to really now be in Beijing at the beginning of my big adventure.
The first thing I saw was still from the plane smog and the second when entering the arrival hall the green advertising of Starbucks Coffee – two visual impressions I had not really expected but if I had read carefully books about China and the recent development I could have probably guessed …..
At the airport a taxi was already waiting - It was an absolutely ‘interesting’ taxi drive and I suggest you don’t complain ever about any driving style in any other city before you have used a Chinese taxi …. Maybe you get a sort of a feeling from my picture but probably you will have to try yourself for the real kick - maybe next year for the Olympics
It took me another 2 hours to get to our place which should be our home for the next week - a place called ‘Commune by the Great Wall’ a very special place with different buildings in the Bauhaus style and apparently designed by famous architects. It was originally developed as part of an architectural competition with the goal of selling the houses for profit individually after the competition. Communism at its best…. Given the remoteness of the location from Beijing, the houses did not sell as hoped and so the Chinese government bought the houses and engaged the Kempinski group to run it as a hotel. Each team Ulysses team is staying in a separate house (we are roommates already!) – you see me in front of our team house (name: Cantilever 2) and we meet in the living room for the team coaching sessions. The group sessions are held on the spa's rooftop deck or down in the Commune Club hall.
If you want to check the place in the internet - http://www.commune.com.cn/en/
As Katherine, one of the team already arrived one day earlier she had arranged an hour for me at the Commune's spa , so I decided to spend a blissful 1 ½ hours enjoying a Balinese massage. So far the Ulysses journey is not too tough I thought to myself…!
In this beautiful environment, which for me was like a link between the old and the new world we started officially the Ulysses program with a common dinner!
It was very exciting to for the first time meet the program organisation-team and all other 18 Ulysses 2007 participants at the dinner but even more exciting to meet amongst them the three Partners who were going to spend the next 2 ½ months with me in Ethiopia.
At this post you will find the picture of the four of us – it is from left to right Ronaldo, myself, Anne-Sophie and Katherine
My concerns about how our team would connect have been greatly alleviated. Katherine (from Australia, living in San Franisco) is quick, fully motivated, funny and caring. Anne Sophie (from France, living in Luxembourg) is very thoughtful, sharing and sweet. Ronaldo (from Rio de Janeiro/Brazil) is inquisitive and has a fabulous, slightly warped sense of humour that I enjoy.
All together the 19 participants are:
Ricardo - Houston,
Robert - Netherlands,
Vanessa - Taiwan,
Debbie - Australia,
Frank - Germany,
Ajay - India,
Francoise - France,
John - Canada,
Mihaela - Romania,
Yanto - Indonesia,
Lena - Sweden,
Octavio - Mexico,
Benjamin - China,
Kevin - US-San Francisco,
Darren - US-San Francisco,
Katherine – US-San Francisco oland,
Ronaldo - Brazil,
Anne Sophie - Luxembourg,
and me.
Apologies first of all - I actually had lots of difficulties in accessing the page that’s why it took a little bit longer than expected to put on the next posts –
A – ULYSSES FOUNDATION WEEK 17- 24 June
Flight to Beijing and arriving at the site – 16/17 June 2007
I was really proud of myself because I managed to get ready with all administration and necessary shopping about 4 hours before I finally set off :-) – I left Poland at about 5:30 pm and including the 9 hour flight from Vienna which I took as a connecting airport coming from Warsaw it is altogether a 12 hours trip to Beijing. I arrived quite tired at 11:20 local time (6 hours time difference) but realized that it was quite amazing to really now be in Beijing at the beginning of my big adventure.
The first thing I saw was still from the plane smog and the second when entering the arrival hall the green advertising of Starbucks Coffee – two visual impressions I had not really expected but if I had read carefully books about China and the recent development I could have probably guessed …..
At the airport a taxi was already waiting - It was an absolutely ‘interesting’ taxi drive and I suggest you don’t complain ever about any driving style in any other city before you have used a Chinese taxi …. Maybe you get a sort of a feeling from my picture but probably you will have to try yourself for the real kick - maybe next year for the Olympics
It took me another 2 hours to get to our place which should be our home for the next week - a place called ‘Commune by the Great Wall’ a very special place with different buildings in the Bauhaus style and apparently designed by famous architects. It was originally developed as part of an architectural competition with the goal of selling the houses for profit individually after the competition. Communism at its best…. Given the remoteness of the location from Beijing, the houses did not sell as hoped and so the Chinese government bought the houses and engaged the Kempinski group to run it as a hotel. Each team Ulysses team is staying in a separate house (we are roommates already!) – you see me in front of our team house (name: Cantilever 2) and we meet in the living room for the team coaching sessions. The group sessions are held on the spa's rooftop deck or down in the Commune Club hall.
If you want to check the place in the internet - http://www.commune.com.cn/en/
As Katherine, one of the team already arrived one day earlier she had arranged an hour for me at the Commune's spa , so I decided to spend a blissful 1 ½ hours enjoying a Balinese massage. So far the Ulysses journey is not too tough I thought to myself…!
In this beautiful environment, which for me was like a link between the old and the new world we started officially the Ulysses program with a common dinner!
It was very exciting to for the first time meet the program organisation-team and all other 18 Ulysses 2007 participants at the dinner but even more exciting to meet amongst them the three Partners who were going to spend the next 2 ½ months with me in Ethiopia.
At this post you will find the picture of the four of us – it is from left to right Ronaldo, myself, Anne-Sophie and Katherine
My concerns about how our team would connect have been greatly alleviated. Katherine (from Australia, living in San Franisco) is quick, fully motivated, funny and caring. Anne Sophie (from France, living in Luxembourg) is very thoughtful, sharing and sweet. Ronaldo (from Rio de Janeiro/Brazil) is inquisitive and has a fabulous, slightly warped sense of humour that I enjoy.
All together the 19 participants are:
Ricardo - Houston,
Robert - Netherlands,
Vanessa - Taiwan,
Debbie - Australia,
Frank - Germany,
Ajay - India,
Francoise - France,
John - Canada,
Mihaela - Romania,
Yanto - Indonesia,
Lena - Sweden,
Octavio - Mexico,
Benjamin - China,
Kevin - US-San Francisco,
Darren - US-San Francisco,
Katherine – US-San Francisco oland,
Ronaldo - Brazil,
Anne Sophie - Luxembourg,
and me.
I shall soon let you know more about this interesting week - just visit this blog
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