World Traveller

Where I have been and would like to go to...

Most recent travel has taken me and my Scouts to Germany, Czech Republic and Austria. The premis was an exchange with Scouting families in Czech, including visits to castles, churches, 3-day stay in families and 3 days camping in the forest in tee-pees. Full details are posted on the 1st Whitby Venturers homepage.

When I was in Finland for a year, I travelled three times to Russia, twice to St. Petersburg and once to Moscow. On the Moscow trip, I had the opportunity to stay with a university student in a suburban apartment. It really wasn't all that bad.

PHOTO CAPTION: Denis Aginov from Moscow, Russia enjoys a beer with Brian in Strip, F.Y.R. of Macedonia.

In late November, I attended an AIESEC conference for business students in Ohrid, Macedonia, (Former Yugoslavian Republic of), and this meant also visiting Sofia, Bulgaria. This was really a genuine taste of life in Eastern Europe, and I must say that I was somewhat surprised by the whole experience. These countries reminded me a lot of my visits to poor countries in the Caribbean Islands. Although there were many beautiful sites, the fact that we weren't sheltered in a hotel meant that we had to deal with the reality of life in poorer nations.

I have also been to Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, Sweden, Estonia and Latvia during the study year 1996/97. I have also been to Holland, Denmark, England, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Italy and the Vatican in Europe.

There is always the opportunity to celebrate Easter in a different way than usual. In 1987 I went to Budapest, Hungary and stayed with an AIESECer I met in Macedonia. I spent 4 days with Akos Burjan and his family before venturing off to Timisoara, Romania to attend the International Students' Week held by Liga of the University (Polytechnic) of Timisoara. There I stayed with a student of medicine, Cotiso (something.)

Oh, I almost forgot, I also managed to slip in a week in Istanbul, Turkey as well.

In case it wasn't obvious, I am back in Canada, at least for the meanwhile. During the summer of '97 I spent 10 days canoeing in northern Minnesota, then 10 days camping at the Scout Canada Jamboree in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Summer holiday (August '97) Wedding of Katya and Gabriel Rosell in Havana, Cuba in August.

Been there, done that. At least I can say that I finally got to Mexico to visit my "sister" an exchange student Flor Roa from Mexico City, in October. Mexico was country #38 that I've visited. While there, we visited a market town, pyramids and the city centre. As a business student, I also took advantage of finding out as much as possible about the business environment in Mexico. I explored a video store (close to home) and a small manufacturer of wire brushes. We talked a lot about distribution channels, and marketing strategies, taxation, personnel management strategies, etc.

I've now been on three trips to Norway, when we went exploring and fishing in the land of the midnight sun.

Last new country was Thailand to attend the 20th World Scout Jamboree in December 2002.

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