This post will mark my first that is more about 'personal reflections,' and much less about announcements and logistical detail. From here on out I think (hope) you will find that most of my writing will be about celebrating the successes of our students, and doing what I can to keep our family and friends back home updated with news from the 'front lines.'
So, to begin our 'celebrating,' I would like to simply say "thank you" to all of the amazing people that make up this tour entourage. To my faculty/staff colleagues ... thanks for your hard work on behalf of our mutual students, and for going above and beyond so many times (already) to make this trip a reality for all of us. To our wonderful students, thanks for your hard work in preparation for the tour. My wish for you is that 15-20 years from now you will be able to look back on this experience as fondly as I remember my very first exchange in Bietigheim-Bissingen.
Finally, this might be a good time for me to point out that on the right hand column of the blog you will see new links added to a section that's called "Through the Eyes Of ..." If you click on any of the names of our student or staff bloggers during the tour, you will be redirected to a list of posts from that particular writer. I hope this will allow you to narrow your reading/viewing focus as you desire.
See you Wednesday at 4:45 PM ... DGS. Europe, here we come!
