Day 6 - Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility - Really.

Today we don't start with class, we start instead with a visit to Fundacio DKV, taught by Dr. Silvia Agullo. Our bus pulls up and we're invited into the conference room for our lecture today. The discussion today hit me the hardest in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility. We talk about how the company is investing in people and investing in Spain as a whole. This organization employs a minimum of 60% physically disabled personnel as a standard practice. This makes a big impact on an economy with 20% unemployment. The physically disabled might often be looked over. Instead, this company employs them, knowing that they have a special kind of compassion and ability to work with the clients they reach, and gives them the tools they need to be successful at DKV and beyond. It is actually the goal of the company that their employees go on to employment outside of DKV because of what they've learned here. I feel like we hear talk about Corporate Social Responsibility in the US, but to see the actions and company goals behind it is really an inspiration and a challenge. A really impressive business plan.

     During our visit here we also discussed schizophrenic consumerism and the continuing challenge to market one product that might benefit the consumers' health, while they also make smaller indulgences on items like alcohol, coffee, or fast food in the face of today's challenging economic needs. 

     We headed back to the hotel for a break. Some of our group hit the shops while others of us stayed back and relaxed while getting caught up. I had to find an inexpensive hair straightener because the one I had brought from home blew up on me. The shopping scene on this their biggest shopping day post holiday is a day for shopping mobs. Speaking of mobs... it becomes necessary to become "assertively European" in some of these instances and not take it personally should you get bumped, shoved, knocked into, or the like. It's part of getting from point A to point B. Hold your ground, don't get offended (yes, we Americans are used to our personal space), and move on about your business. 

My new straightener

     I joined the rest of our smaller group for dinner at a place we had visited a few nights before, Pirineus. We knew it would be a fun time, as it had been the first night we came here. We showed up at 7... what were we thinking? Of course they were still closed since dinner doesn't really start until 8 or after. We did some walking and browsing for a bit and went back a little later to find our restaurant open and ready for us. Ernesto, Val, and I had the seafood paella, yum! The other two in our group, Danelle and Colleen, had spaghetti. The server also had some additional free goodies for us, which included a couple of free tapas that were delicious. 

     Whew, this later dinner schedule makes me tired! We headed back to the hotel afterwards to get some rest. Tomorrow is our visit to Torres Winery. 

Day 5 - Feast of the Three Kings and La Sagrada Familia

     The Feast of Three Kings is a holiday that continues the Christmas gift giving that we in the US usually reserve for December 25. This holiday celebrates Jesus as God's son and the visit that the 3 magi made to the infant Jesus and his parents. In Barcelona, this holiday builds up in the retail stores the same way we do for Christmas and there is a parade the night before the holiday. We got to see the parade, made for the children's delight as they watch the brightly colored floats go down the streets of Barcelona. The floats were beautiful and so ornate! We got to see part of it from a store window before the sales people caught us and kicked us out :).

     The next day, January 6, businesses are closed for the holiday while people are home with family and loved ones celebrating. We took this opportunity to go visit Antoni Gaudi's last masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia. 

     The cathedral was Gaudi's last project and he knew he was not going to see it to completion. If you are not familiar, Gaudi was tragically killed by a tram when crossing the road. Because he had cut off contact for photos and publicity in his later years, and had been living in the crypt of La Sagrada Familia before his death, he was not recognized immediately and was taken to a paupers hospital where he later passed. He is now buried at La Sagrada Familia.
     About the cathedral, I highly recommend going, and for multiple visits. Gaudi was so far ahead of his time when he designed this piece... and any of his other works, for that matter. One could visit the cathedral several days in a row and still find new things they hadn't seen yet. Gaudi was a devout Catholic and yet had very close ties with nature and a commitment to reflecting this in his work. The detail given to this piece is incredible. The attention given to the way natural light comes in through the stained glass windows was probably my favorite part. Gaudi wanted the natural light to show through in his works, and he did it amazingly here.

    After seeing La Sagrada Familia, we were on our way to see Park Guell, another site of Gaudi's design. We took a short walk up some MAJOR hills and had a spectacular view. On a beautiful afternoon like the one we had, you could join any number of tourists and locals for some bubble blowing, live music, and a priceless view. We climbed to the top (or as far as the railing went) where there are three crosses and enjoyed seeing the city from this vantage point. The tile mosaic work here was beautiful.

Some of the green monk parakeets found at Park Guell...
These are said to have started populating from some that
escaped captivity some time in the 1970's. 

I could go on adding pictures, but you really need to see it for yourself to do it justice. I loved the way locals and tourists could enjoy their time up here just viewing the scenery and enjoying each others company. We headed back for a small lunch and to grab a quick siesta before heading back out to find some dinner.


    One thing I've noticed is that we have to make an effort to get our veggies in over here. Sure, you can get all the yummy breads and olive oil and iberca jamon you can eat, but a salad is a different story... Tonight we found a small restaurant where Danelle and I shared spaghetti and I enjoyed a real salad. Later, we stopped for some chocolate to enjoy later and to head to bed. This midnight bedtime every night is something to get used to!

Spain 2011 - Day 4 - Socks!

yarn that will be knitted into fabric for socks. 

Day 4 of our visit to Spain began with breakfast at our hotel and then out to our bus for a ride to our company visit at Punto Blanco (www.puntoblanco.com). Punto Blanco is known for premium socks and underwear for both men and women. For this visit, we traveled by bus through Spanish countryside about an hour from our hotel to Igualada, Spain. Punto Blanco is one of the typically family owned Spanish businesses that still employs locals for their premium product in their production facilities in Spain, but also outsources additional product to Asia.  Our instructor from IQS, Dr. Antoni Olive, formerly worked for Punto Blanco and knew it very well inside and out. He guided us through the facility where they make premium socks. From a manufacturing perspective, it was very interesting to get to see the production of clothing articles (socks) from the very beginning. The socks made in this factory are much better quality than those I typically purchase, in bulk, for the cheapest price possible in the US. They begin with synthetic fabric, or from yarns that they then knit into the final sock product. It was very interesting to see the process from start to finish.

vat used for dying fabric.

     The people here seemed to enjoy their work, waving and saying hello to us as we came through the facility. The were even willing to let us take a try at the steam machine where newly made socks were expertly slipped over a mold to be run through the steam machine.

synthetic fabric used to make socks

fabric inside the machine being pressed.

     Our visit to Punto Blanco was to cover the topic of innovation as it pertains to business. The model for this Spanish company involves production based on actual orders in house and a longer time stretch for design through delivery of product. According to the current model, it takes a full 18 months to put a new sock design on the shelves of the store. Our discussion was based on our business school perspective where students questioned why 6 months is needed to create new designs, why there was not a forecasting system, and other questions surrounding the distribution channel of the product. The questions also surrounded the question of outsourcing entirely the production of the product. The answer was that the company is a family owned company and they would not eliminate the jobs of those people working for the company to outsource product even though labor here is more expensive. They were once one of the largest sock producers in Spain, now other more mass market brands have entered the market and are able to move much more quickly with market trends.  The social structure of the economy lends itself to taking care of its employees as much as possible. We also discussed options on the horizon for updating the business model, so that the company is not just breaking even, but so that they can remain competitive in the future. At this time, they are happy to just break even, no profit, but not actually losing money for the sake of the people who work there.

   After a siesta, we went out to the main city area to find a place to eat dinner. We came upon Pirineus restaurant and checked the menus outside before heading in the door. Once they saw our group of about 10, they set us up in a separate area of the restaurant that would provide enough space for our group, down in the cellar area of the restaurant. We were greeted by a jovial older gentleman who is quite the character. Everything he makes at this restaurant is the best in Spain, therefore the best in the world. Some of us split dinners and tapas and others had their own. Each restaurant makes their own recipe of sangria and we tried it here. Of course, it was the best in all of Spain according to our server! He encouraged us to come back, which we will do, because we had so much fun here and the food was good!

Spain 2011 - Day 3 - Lessons Learned

     Day 3 started with our first breakfast at the hotel. Quite a spread, too. They had staples like eggs, bacon, mini smokie link type sausages that we're used to in the states. They also have cold cuts, like ham and turkey and salami meats and cheeses as well. I remember seeing this kind of thing when I went to Sweden the first time and wondering what meal I was supposed to be eating. It has come in handy though, so that we can stash sandwiches in our room for our lunch and save some money since eating here is a bit on the expensive side!

Church view on our way to IQS

     Then we started walking, walking, walking to our class location at IQS. This entry is titled lessons learned because I learned a very important lesson on this walk: comfortable walking shoes by American standards are not necessarily what you need here to do the walking on uneven cobble stone pavement. Our initial walk over to the school was about 15 minutes and I had worn what I thought were some practical heels only to find out that I was sorely mistaken (literally). I had blisters starting by the time we arrived at the school for class.
     Dr. Carlos Moslares was our instructor for the morning as we discussed an overview of Spain and the European Union and the interconnectedness of it. Our class discussion lasted the morning, and then we were off walking again to the train station and then to La Rambla again to go to the Barcelona City Hall. More cobblestones, my feet were killing me and those blisters only getting worse. While at City Hall, we saw where meetings were held and some beautiful artwork and learned some of the legend behind the symbols used in the ornate decoration. Our tour was changed up a bit, due to photography happening at the main entrance of city hall due to the Feast of the Three Kings. This is a celebration of the three magi bringing gifts to Christ as a continuation of the holiday celebrations. People dressed up as the Three Kings pass out sweets to excited children and there was a big display at City Hall where photos with the Three Kings were being taken, much the same way American children get their pictures taken with Santa. The Three Kings represent the three kings in the Bible who brought gold, frankincense, and myrhh to Jesus. I'll talk more about this as our time goes on. The actual holiday is January 6 and everything shuts down for the parade and celebration.

     

One of the many side streets,
with all kinds of fun hidden treasures.

  
  
     After our City Hall tour, we were on our own to explore more of thee of the city. My first priority was to find a new pair of shoes... Danelle was kind enough to humor me and come with me. The Spanish and Italians make a very nice shoe, and the heels I was wearing weren't cutting it on those cobble stone roads. We stopped into a couple of places and I ended up getting a cute pair of Spanish shoes that felt like Heaven to my worn feet.  We could go on now. We walked through the streets and checked out the gothic section of the city.

Loved the red stripe down the back.

      The Europeans don't seem to be in a hurry to get anywhere. In fact, I find myself having to consciously slow down so that I can enjoy the experience. It's not just about getting to my final destination.

I have a thing for beautiful doors.

     Once we had walked through the gothic section of the city, we were headed back to the hotel for our siesta. On our way we stopped at a farmacia for something for those blisters on my feet and stopped in a couple of shops on the way. Then, back to the hotel where we ate sandwiches and took a much needed nap. 

     In the evenings, everyone comes out. Dinner starts around 9 pm and this evening we went out with a group 

  
  

Spain 2011 - Day 1/2

Sebastian wants to go too.

     Heading to Barcelona for the first time and I'll be journaling my experiences to share on here. Hope you enjoy!
    
     New Years Eve I said my goodbyes to Sebastian as I left with my suitcase with Connie to head to our New Years festivities. I hoped I had not forgotten anything, but knew it wasn't the end of the world if I did leave something behind. Sebastian knew I was leaving and followed me all over the house while I gathered everything I needed for my 17 day excursion. Poor guy didn't know what to think. He's gonna have a great time with Connie and her dogs Dahlia and Misty.

     Celebrated New Years in Gardner and woke up bright and early New Years Day 2011 to head to the airport. DJ was kind enough to be an early bird and take me to the airport to meet the rest of our student group to head out on this new adventure. Not much sleep the night before with New Years Eve, but I can always sleep on the plane, right?

Frankfurt airport transportation

     Our flights were fortunately fairly uneventful. We flew from Kansas City to Chicago, where I introduced my classmate, Danelle, to some Garrett's popcorn (yum!). I get some Garrett's just about every time I fly through Chicago. Sure, we had to get over to another terminal to get the stuff, but I love it! While at O'hare we were also able to adjust our tickets for aisle seats on the transatlantic flight. I thought getting an aisle seat would allow for less claustrophobia and easier sleeping, but I still only slept for about an hour the entire night... I did however watch a couple of in flight movies and TV shows, along with some additional reading for class. At least I was productive with some of that time if I couldn't sleep.
     We got into Frankfurt, Germany around 6am local time. We fishtailed a bit while landing, but our pilot promptly regained control and got us to our gate in one piece. Upon arrival, our passports were inspected and stamped. We arrived at our gate and waited for our next flight as we stretched our legs.  At this time of the morning, there wasn't much happening at the airport aside from a few passengers... however, different from the US, we did notice airport personnel going to and from their destinations by bicycle. Naturally, we had to take a picture.
     The flight from Frankfurt to Barcelona, Spain was a piece of cake in comparison to our transatlantic flight once the wings were de-iced. Coffee was much better on this flight. Flying into Spain was incredible. I wish I had been able to get pictures because flying in over the mountains and the Mediterranean was so beautiful. The weather was just about perfect.

     The trick from here was to stay up until it was time for siestas. I think I could get used to having a siesta time every day, by the way... We had a brief bus tour on our way to the hotel where we stashed our luggage, made a quick clothing change and Dr. Stack and Dr. Turner took us to get train tickets and we went back out. The first place on our list was La Rambla, the main shopping/tourist strip in Barcelona. They gave us a brief explanation of where to find things and then let us go do our exploring. The first thing Danelle and I did was to get our dollars changed and then instead of taking the main road, we took our own route using every side path we could. On our way, we found a small courtyard area bathed in sunshine with lots of locals enjoying some tapas, drinks, and conversation. This is where we each ordered a tapa and enjoyed a little of the local flavor before we headed back to check in and take our siestas. After our exploration of the neighborhoods and some lunch, I could barely keep my eyes open.

What's this extra thing next to the toilet?
Do you wash your feet in it?
Use it as a drinking fountain?
Wash your hair?
Answer: None of the above...

     Our room is nice and very clean. There's even a pillow menu from which to choose the kind of pillow you would like. I didn't pick anything different because the pillows on the beds were already great. The room also came equipped with a bidet... something we're not used to in the US.  Wikipedia provided an explanation of its uses if you're not familiar and are so inclined to look it up :).

     We promptly fell asleep for our siestas until around 6:30 or so in the evening and got showered and ready to go out to dinner. Didn't really know who from our group would be going out, so we just walked out into the hall and met some people from our group and headed out.
     Tapas 24 is the restaurant we wanted to try, since I had heard such good things. We took the train to the main station where we then headed out down La Rambla (the main shopping street through Barcelona), maps in hand with some instruction from our concierge and started walking. The walk itself ended up taking much longer than it should have because we took the scenic route, never actually finding our restaurant destination. What we found instead was a great little restaurant that served tapas among other things and we had a great dinner anyway. I'm trying to take pictures of the places we eat, too, so that I can recommend them later on.

     The dinner schedule is something I need to get used to here, but the siestas will help. Since dinner doesn't start until 9pm or so, we eat late by American standards, so a snack in the afternoon is helpful. We learned the hard way that the trains stop running at midnight, so when we finished dinner and headed back to our hotel, we ended up taking a taxi for about eight Euro. Not too bad, but with our train passes, its cheapest to get around that way. A great first day and an even better night's sleep awaits!