Friday, May 9, 2008

This is the first time I have ever blogged. So this is an exciting experience for me. My thoughts and experiences will be out there for the whole world to see, including my family and friends. That is really scary.

The final exams for Spring semester are over and I turned in the grades last night. Now it is time to focus on my Study Abroad trip to Egypt and Dubai. This is the second trip I am taking with Jim and Zoe. Last year the three of us took 16 students to India (http://www.indiastudytrip.com) This year we are taking 24 students. Last year I did not blog, and I got ribbed by Jim, Zoe and the students because of that. So the pressure was on this year and I even heard a rumor that Jim was taking bets as to whether I would blog on this trip. I did not want Jim to win his bet so I figured that is a good enough reason to blog on this trip. Also I did not want to miss the blogging experience this year, so here I am.

We are one week away from the trip and I am writing this blog as the students are taking their exam prior to the trip. Well, this is a six credit course and what is a course without an exam. We have already had eight class meetings in which students have learnt about entrepreneurship in general, the cultures of Dubai and Egypt, the entrepreneurial environment in these two countries and the techniques for writing blogs, creating web pages and editing videos.
Last year I took primary responsibility for setting up the visits in India. This year Jim has taken up this responsibility and has done a fantastic job in setting up visits with entrepreneurs for the students. I have seen Jim’s entrepreneurial skills in action as he was setting up these visits. I sincerely believe that this man can sell air conditioners to Eskimos (!!!!Who knows, with global warning they might need them soon and I am sure Jim will be the first salesman there!!!!!). At least three times I have heard the story about how Jim (living in Atlanta) on a bet with his students, set up a business right after 9/11 importing furniture from Pakistan and made money on that business. Every time Jim tells that story I am really fascinated.

I think Jim, Zoe and I are a great team. We get along well and we have great synergy. Each one of us has unique skills which we use to make the trips successful for the students. This is the third trip for Jim and Zoe together. In May 2006 Jim and Zoe took RCB students to Japan and Korea, but I was not part of that trip. I joined them last year when we took the students to India.  Jim is the “entrepreneur” in our group. He uses his entrepreneurial skills and persistence to get through the GSU bureaucracy, find the students for the trip, and set up meetings with the entrepreneurs. I am the “academic” or “professor” in our group who puts together the reading materials, sets up the learning objectives for the course, makes up the exams and then evaluates the work done by the students. Being originally from India, I have also leveraged that background to provide unique insights to the students about Asian culture and business practices. I am also an audio/video buff, so I have used that skill to provide information to the students about electrical connectors and converters we need for the trip. Zoe is our “technology” person. She procures the laptops for the students, teaches them how to create webpages, do blogs, take videos and edit them and post them on the web. The technology part is a significant component of the learning on this trip and Zoe does an excellent job in making sure the students learn this and do the necessary assignments during the trip.

This trip has been popular. When we opened it up for students to sign up, it was oversubscribed within a month and we had to put people on the waiting list. Students had heard about the great experience the students had on the India trip, so going on a trip with the three of us is now the “cool” thing to do for RCB students. Also we are going to two very popular countries that students want to see, so that helped a lot. At the Mumbai airport last year, Jim, Zoe and I decided that we were going to go to Egypt and Dubai this year. The first question Zoe asked before agreeing to the trip was, “Do I have to wear a burqa”? When I assured her that she did not have to wear one she signed on to this trip.

So here we are, one week away from the start of the trip. The students have finished their exam and now it is time to head over to Fanoos restaurant in Roswell for some Middle Eastern food.