Hi all

So I am the guy (formally known as Michael Elavsky, Assistant Professor in Media Studies; College of Communication) who initially had the idea to put together this first excursion of what we are calling CzechMates (see http://www.personal.psu.edu/cme16/czechmates.html ). Basically, my research and life are indelibly connected to the Czech Republic: I went there for the first time in 1996 for six months to teach at Ostrava University; I stayed for 2.5 years and in the meantime, found my research interests (music, cultural identity, the politics of the global music industry), my dissertation project (I had a Fulbright Research Grant to come back in 2002-2003, though I have been coming back every six months for weeks at a time since 96), my eventual wife (also a professor at PSU in Kinesiology, and reason for returning as frequently as possible), a new language to communicate in (Czech) and from which to see the world in new ways, and a calling to export the beauty and uniqueness of Czech culture out to the world. My work has allowed me to develop a large group of colleagues and friends in the country, many very well positioned in academia, the government, and the cultural industries, and it was always my hope to find a way to bring students here to engage Czech culture, history, and society beyond the tourist gaze and I finally found a way to do it in developing this program.

Namely, I designed the course as an extension of Comm 410 (international communications).

First, the design. I pepper my 410 class with anecdotes and information from my Czech experiences so my thought in designing this was to bring several students over to 1) experience Prague, 2) visit/engage several Czech professionals who work for international corporations in the Czech context 3) connect them physically with students (from the Czech side) they had been in contact with throughout the semester (arranged in advance at the beginning of the semester and 4) use all of the above to push the students’ thinking beyond the unsettling that Comm 410 had already instilled.

If I had not had such excellent contacts in this country — that I could really count on — the design would have fallen flat. The fact that I could call on my contacts and be received warmly and with enthusiasm as to my plans was a credit to being part of (and nurturing) a network in this country. I have often done whatever I can to assist the friends and colleagues I know on this side of the pond (sending research materials, helping with visas, connecting them to people who could help their career, getting them cheaper deals on electronics in the states, etc.) and when it was time to ask for a favor, karma was good to me, in that even those that could not immediately help me found a way to do so in abstentia (through connections, friends, etc.). SO, Lesson #1 — contacts and Karma matter. I never considered anything like this as I helped them out in very small ways over the last decade — what they did for me — perhaps small from their side — was HUGE for us. And I remain extremely grateful.

Second: Who to bring. I was informed early on that I should keep the group small. As this was my initial foray — and it had to be successful — I handpicked 4 students and one TA to invite. I had had them in my classes, they had proven themselves as exceptional, mature, and dependable students, and although they were not immediate friends, they all could get along. All were excited, all accepted the terms put forth by me (i.e. here is what we will do), all actively pursued  avenues to offset the costs AS a COLLECTIVE, and all were eager to embark on this adventure, even if it meant working odd jobs to raise money (it didn’t, ultimately). But through their excitement and dedication, I was confident one “intangible” was at least identified and neutralized. However, none of them had been out of the country — which was both good (this will be a new experience) and bad (how will they handle it). Enter my TA — he had been to Prague before, was a streetwise and extensive global traveler, and he had the psychology to link their perspectives to mine in really important ways — Lesson #2 – choose the group members wisely. To the point, I will use these group members in the future to weed out the candidates through a screening process — they all came away (see later posts) with an understanding of what i was hoping to do — and they are now invested in protecting it. In short, I see the value of the small group (again, see later posts) and will use essays, interviews, and former students to choose who will get the privilege of coming here. 

Third — the office of Global Programs at PSU is AMAZING (shout out to you, PAUL!) — use them extensively. They know all and if you plan accordingly, all will go swimmingly as far as administrative concerns. They really helped me to keep on schedule, think about all aspects in preparation for the trip, and supported me extensively (through ideas and grant money I applied for) to make this happen. They are a treasure and if you don’t dial yourself in to their knowledge and assistance, you will not succeed. Period. Lesson #3 — RUN YOUR ENTIRE IDEA FOR THE STUDY ABROAD past the Global Ed. folks in as much detail as possible — Penn State can be a bureaucratic nightmare (i.e. talk to the global programs about who is going and when — to the point, took 2 students who had graduated after graduation — a Bozo no-no for future trips) and avoid causing the problems that I did (with the Office of Risk Management – who knew we had such an Office! — if you want to know more — email me). Although this trip worked, I learned a lot, namely that one should be more thoughtful and considerate before putting undue stress and admin. duties on our fair friends in the Global Programs. 

Fourth — plan the trip with flexibility included. I did get the students’ airline reservations (all on the same flight) — I won’t do that in the future — too much of a hassle and too much time and energy on my part; have them organize it themselves. Again, an advantage to having a smaller group is that they CAN do this and it can be cheaper than going through PSU travel services (in my case, significantly — like 400 bucks/ticket). Students should check to be sure the services/tix are legit, so a planning meeting in advance to get the students in the right mental space was key (what is coming, how they should prepare, what they need to know/have, etc.). I flew on a separate flight with my family. I was to meet them at the airport an hour after I landed. We had contact info and a plan. The TA was traveling with them as a chaperone and although I was a bit concerned as to whether everything would fall in place, I was confident there were plans in place to fill the gaps if such filling was needed. Lesson #4 — treat the students as responsible adults (and make sure they are); I knew I could count on them to deliver and be responsible/self-sufficient to the degree necessary. This was important. I was to be the leader of this trip, not a hand-holder.

Fifth, and last for this entry, explore where the students’ are at before they go: namely their interests, knowledge and thoughts about where they are going and what they expect. Our meetings prior were ESSENTIAL in setting the proper tone (and getting the proper insights from them) about what I was about to deal with. Are they nervous? Do they have preconceptions? Are they aware of what they are about to do/see? What do they hope to get out of the trip (i.e. in relation to the ideas we raised in class and to their own personal/professional development). In a word, they and I were primed for the upcoming excursion. Lesson #5 — the closer you know your group, the more prepared and fulfilled you will ultimately be. And to that, we’ll begin to address in the next blog.

zatim (for now)

cme

Location: University Park, PA