James and his class got a chance to visit Royal FloraHolland. Royal FloraHolland is the largest international floriculture marketplace for flowers and plants, operating as both an association of growers and a business entity. Royal FloraHolland handles an average of 100,000 transactions per day and generates an annual turnover of over 5 billion euros. With around 3,000 members from Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well as buyers from numerous countries, they are a leader in the floriculture sector.

After the tour and classes were over, James enjoyed a Thai restaurant with his classmates for their last dinner in Europe together.

Mom says many of the bulbs she buys each spring are from Holland, now we know why!

Continue reading “The Last Day in Central Europe – Royal FloraHolland” →

James and his class have completed their tour and are now back where they started, in Amsterdam. Originally when they flew into Amsterdam they immediately travelled to Poland and did not see too many sites in the city prime. This visit will be very busy with sight seeing and many educational opportunities for the class.

Some of the businesses that were visited included farms and bakeries, along with standard industry. Perhaps the most important visit was to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Unfortunately James could only take pictures of the outside of the home.

Annelies Marie “Anne” Frank was a German-born Jewish girl who kept a diary in which she documented life in hiding under Nazi persecution during the German occupation of the Netherlands. She is a celebrated diarist who described everyday life from her family’s hiding place in an Amsterdam attic.

Continue reading “Return to Amsterdam” →

The Netherlands, which is also known as Holland, is a country in northwestern Europe, and is known for a flat landscape of canals, tulip fields, windmills and cycling routes. Canal side mansions and a trove of works from artists including Rembrandt and Vermeer remain from the city’s 17th-century. Venlo is a city and municipality in the southeastern Netherlands, close to the border with Germany.

During this time James stayed on the Holland/German border and while his hotel was in the Netherlands, he would commute to Germany each day. Pic Nic was one of the businesses that James visited so you could say that this class was a “picnic” in any language.

Continue reading “Venlo, Holland” →

Day 8 and 9 were down to business for the class, with lots of travel and visiting businesses such as Lear in Munich Germany. James no longer has a room all to himself as he is rooming with several other room mates in a Hostel in Munich.

Munich, Bavaria’s capital, is home to centuries-old buildings and numerous museums. The city is known for its annual Oktoberfest celebration and its beer halls, including the famed Hofbräuhaus, founded in 1589. In the Altstadt (Old Town), central Marienplatz square contains landmarks such as Neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (town hall), with a popular glockenspiel show that chimes and reenacts stories from the 16th century.

James would travel to Venlo Holland with his class.
Continue reading “Munich Germany and Travel Day to Holland” →

James has now been out of the country for a week, and time is flying by. He calls or texts home once a day to let us know how he is doing and Mom and Dad both remind him to enjoy this time and this trip as he may never have this opportunity again.

Today is a travel day for James as the class will leave Prague and head to Munich Germany. One of the highlights of the trip will be visiting the Mercedes Benz that is located there and learning about European manufacturing from one of the most success business in the world. Spread across a lavish 400 sqm, Studio Odeonsplatz in the heart of Munich is an integrated physical and digital platform for our guests to network, talk to each other, and get inspiration. Constantly changing campaigns, exclusive themed worlds and cutting-edge installations – created in collaboration with leading designers, artists, tech experts and makers – fill Studio Odeonsplatz with vibrant life. The concept is topped off with a coworking and community area, complete with super speedy Wi-Fi and sweeping city views.