Prague Journal

Wednesday, March 16, 2005.

It is actually balmy today. I think this is the first time this (calendar) year that I’ve gone without long underwear or gloves! The city is bustling with lots of tourists and shoppers – and also pickpockets.
Matt and I joined the study-abroad group from West Virginia University (co-sponsored by VŠE) for a lecture about the Czech Republic’s accession to the EU by Pavel Mach, from the Center for Economics and Politics, a conservative think-tank founded and chaired by Vaclav Klaus (former prime minister and now President of the Czech Republic). The second speaker was Petr Porak, from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, who talked about EU subsidies (structural funds) for economic development. Matt skated off to meet Veena to take in a movie while I stayed with the student group for lunch and a visit to the American Chamber of Commerce.
Tomáš Říčka, who was the primary organizer of the course, asked me to speak about my research, so I gave a short presentation about entrepreneurship and new venture development here, with some US cultural and structural comparisons. I was pleased at the many compliments – and questions – that I received after the presentation.
I was invited to dinner, but declined so that I could spend the evening with Matt. He had originally planned to go to a concert, but instead we had dinner at home together.

posted by JWinn @ 7:52 PM