I wish I could say, with less than two days before my flight takes off, "all my bags are packed and I am ready to go", but we are still putting together last minute details for the trip.
We began planning in January as we sat with a large map of China in front of us with push pins in it for each student and where they lived in China. We determined that most students were congregated around 3 cities: Beijing, Hangzhou, Gaungzhou with Shenzhen, Ningbo, Shangai and Wenzhen also having a number of our students. We contacted several parents in each of these cities to see who could help with logistics including finding restaurants to hold meetings, airport pickups and transportation to and from meetings. Students also got involved in helping parents understand exactly what I would need.
Planning continues even as I prepare to take to the air. As of this afternoon we were finalizing plans for a meeting the night of June 23rd at 7:30 p.m. at the Plaza Hotel in Hangzhou where I have been asked to give a presentation to a group of parents who are considering sending their students to a private school in America in 2011 and 2012. Today, I am still working on meetings with a few of our alumni in Korea, including a recent college grad who has a degree in marketing- who may be able to help us with our marketing efforts in Korea.
Three weeks ago my assistant began mailing packages of materials to China and Korea to the various homes I will be staying in so that I will have the right amount of materials for each city. Four weeks ago we began mailing invitations to each parents inviting them to one of the parent receptions. Two weeks ago we began making phone calls to parents who had not yet responded to the email invitations. As I am writing I just remembered "Name Tags"....we need to make them tomorrow!
Oh, yes packing....I probably should begin this shortly. What to bring??? If I could I would only bring enough for one carry on and my brief case, because I hate baggage claim. The good news is that baggage claim in Asia is reported to be much more efficient than in America, so I will bring one bag to check in. What to bring?? Probably two suits, a pair of work out clothes, some casual clothes, bathing suit, a weeks worth of dress shirts, one pair of dress shoes, I pair of sneakers, a few ties....did a forget anything - oh yes, some underwear would help!
Well, time to back! (the picture is from a previous trip in 2008).
