Projects, Prenostalgia, Progeny and Plans

The big happenings of the week:

1. Mr. Ovidiu Cristian, a doctoral candidate at FSEGA with both business experience and excellent academic credentials, was made project manager of the PSU/UBB Joint MBA Program implementation on the UBB side of the partnership.
2. Mihaela has put Ovidiu in touch with the people at the UBB Media Office, and progress is occurring rapidly.
   
3. A UBB Press Release has been drafted, and should go out Friday to the Romanian media.
   
4. I have become actively involved in two casewriting efforts, both with small companies in Romania. They are very different companies with completely different issues, and that is auspicious from a casewriter's point of view.
5. On Saturday, four American visitors will arrive to spend over a week in the region: my sons Jesse (30) and Alex (24), my daughter Piper (young and beautiful), and our great family friend Caroline Wheeler (also young and beautiful).

I heard this week that both Charles Harris and Nancy Sherman have been granted extensions to their Fulbright grants. Of course, I am happy for them both. Congratulations!

Meanwhile, I am experiencing pre-nostalgic feelings. Last night I had dinner with Monica and Melinda, my beloved fall-term teaching assistants, and it felt a bit like a reunion. We all are sensing that our lives are moving on to new phases. But, both these ladies were central to my early adjustment to and love for this country, and they both know that our friendship is not in danger of fading.

After yet more yummy pizza in the west end of town, M&M came along to the Carrefour Hipermarket at Polus Center to help me pick out some bedding and dishes to equip my apartment for the five people who will occupy it for a few nights in the next week. On the way back toward downtown, I mentioned that I would be driving early Saturday through Oradea on the way to Budapest to meet the arriving McDougall Phalanx. Monica told me that she and Horatius were also headed to Oradea on Saturday. Bravo! They will save bus or train fare, and I will have their excellent company for the first few hours of my seven hour drive to Fereghy Airport!

The four to arrive Saturday and their host have quite a plan for cramming good experiences into the coming week. I wonder how many of our objectives will be achieved!