North Park University School of Business and Nonprofit Management International Experience 2015 Vietnam

Transcription

1 North Park University School of Business and Nonprofit Management International Experience 2015 Vietnam What: When: Where: Why: Who: SBNM s 2015 study abroad experience Tuesday, 3 March to Friday, 13 March 2015 (Spring Break) Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi To study issues related to business, economics, politics, nonprofit management, and the history and culture of Vietnam. SBNM graduate students, alums, faculty, spouses, and School of Adult Learning students, alumni, and spouses are invited to participate. North Park undergraduate students majoring in business and economics and who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above may also attend with permission of the trip co-directors. The trip is limited to 16 participants. Cost: $2,999 for double room occupancy. Single rooms are available for an additional $515. This is an outstanding price for the planned itinerary. The cost includes: Roundtrip air transportation (Chicago Vietnam) Lodging at the Duxton Saigon, a four-star hotel in the heart of HCMC and Gondola Hotel, a three-star hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi Daily breakfasts at hotels Internet access at hotels Ground transportation for all program events Three dinners (one pre-trip dinner in Chicago, and two dinners in Vietnam)

2 Not included are costs for other meals, activities not mentioned, items of a personal nature (travel and baggage insurance), travel documents and fees (passport, visa, entry fee, etc.), and immunizations, if needed. Note: Vietnam requires all U.S. citizens to obtain a visa to enter the country for a cost of $52. U.S. citizens will apply online at Trip Description The destination for the 2015 SBNM International Experience is Vietnam, one of the most historically significant countries in the world and a growing part of the Asian and world economies. Taken from Rough Guides online descriptions (see references below), the following quotes describe the two cities we will visit: Ho Chi Minh City or Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh, to give it its full Vietnamese title is Vietnam s centre of commerce and the country s biggest city, though not its administrative capital an honour that rests with Hanoi. As a result of the sweeping economic changes wrought by doi moi in 1986, this effervescent city, perched on the banks of the Saigon River and still known as Saigon to its eight million or so inhabitants, has changed its image from that of a war-torn city to one of a thriving metropolis, challenging Singapore, Bangkok and the other traditional Southeast Asian powerhouses. All the accoutrements of economic success fine restaurants, flash hotels, glitzy bars and clubs, and shops selling imported luxury goods are here, adding a glossy veneer to the city s hotchpotch landscape of French stones of empire, venerable pagodas and austere, Soviet-style housing blocks. Sadly, however, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is still full of people for whom economic progress has not yet translated into food, housing and jobs. Street children roam the tourist enclaves hawking books, postcards, lottery tickets and cigarette lighters; limbless mendicants haul themselves about on crude trolleys; and watchful pickpockets prowl crowded streets on the lookout for unguarded wallets. Read more: By turns exotic, squalid, gauche and hip, the high-octane Vietnamese capital of Hanoi provides a full-scale assault on the senses. Its crumbly, lemon-hued colonial architecture is a feast for the eyes; swarms of buzzing motorbikes invade the ear, while the delicate scents and tastes of delicious street food can be found all across a city that unlike so many of its regional contemporaries is managing to modernize with a degree of grace. Despite its political and historical importance, and the incessant noise drummed up by a population of over six million, Hanoi exudes a more intimate, urbane appeal than Ho Chi Minh City. Read more: During our visit we ll examine the opportunities and challenges of doing business in Vietnam, and evaluate how Vietnam s contemporary emergence on the geopolitical stage impacts the country s politics, economic policies, and social fabric. Further, we ll explore Vietnam s history and culture and how they shape and are shaped by the country s business, economic, and political environments.

3 The purpose of the International Experience is to help participants gain a better understanding of business and nonprofit management practices, economics, and politics of Vietnam, and to learn about Vietnam s rich history and culture. Formal activities include: Visits to corporate and nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and colleges and universities Meetings with leaders and representatives from the corporate/nonprofit, political, and higher education sectors Cultural activities, including sightseeing, shopping, and dining Although we ll visit several organizations during the experience, there is ample free time in the itinerary for you to explore Vietnam on your own. We ll depart from O Hare on Tuesday March 3rd and arrive in HCMC late in the evening of Wednesday, March 4th. We ll start right in with our organizational visits on Thursday and Friday, leaving plenty of time all day Saturday and part of the day Sunday for fee time. Thursday, March 5th evening will be our welcome dinner. Sunday afternoon will be travel to Hanoi. Monday will be free time to explore Hanoi. Tuesday and Wednesday will be for organizational visits. Wednesday, March 11 th evening will be our farewell dinner. Thursday March 12 th day will be free time and late that evening we head home. Participants who ve attended previous SBNM trips often indicate the experience is unforgettable. They routinely cite the outstanding value of the trip, and note the combination of visits, meetings, dinners, cultural excursions, and other opportunities to experience a different culture is well worth the investment. A dinner session (date/time to be determined) will be scheduled prior to leaving Chicago to brief participants on the history, culture, business, and economy of Vietnam, and provide an opportunity to sample Vietnamese food. The session is required for those choosing the academic option, and optional for other participants. Academic Option SBNM students who wish to obtain academic credit may participate in the experience and register for SBNM 5570 International Experience in Spring quad B (taught by Dr. Wesley Lindahl). The course will count as an elective in any SBNM graduate degree program. Students who take the course for credit will be responsible for tuition in addition to the cost of the trip. Students taking the course for credit will be asked to select and read a book about the economy of Vietnam before the trip, maintain a journal during their travel and, after returning to Chicago, submit a written paper. Topics for papers will be jointly agreed upon between Professor Lindahl and the student. For SAL students who wish to pursue the experience for credit, please consult your SAL academic advisor.

4 Your trip hosts Trip Co-Director SBNM 5570 Instructor Trip Co-Director Dr. Wesley Lindahl Dean, SBNM Nils Axelson Professor of Nonprofit Management Prof. Pam Schilling Professor of Finance and Strategy Draft itinerary (please note itinerary is subject to change) Tuesday, 3 March Wednesday, 4 March Thursday, 5 March Friday, 6 March Saturday, 7 March Sunday, 8 March Depart Chicago O Hare airport Arrive at HCMC late in the evening, Vietnam Organizational visits: Welcome Dinner Organizational visits Free day on your own Travel to Hanoi Draft itinerary (continued) Monday, 9 March Tuesday, 10 March Free day on your own Organizational visits Wednesday, 11 March Organizational visits Evening: Farewell Dinner Thursday, 12 March Free day morning and afternoon on your own Late evening leave for Chicago O Hare Friday, 13 March Morning: Arrive at Chicago O Hare Requirements In addition to the application, all participants are required to submit: 1. A participant information form (which includes emergency notification information) 2. Release of liability waiver 3. A medical history record, which discloses health conditions and any needed accommodations 4. An immunization release form 5. Proof of medical insurance covering travel to Vietnam, with minimum coverage of $100,000, including evacuation of remains

5 These forms will be forwarded to you upon receipt of your application and deposit. Please note that if your medical insurance does not cover you abroad, the coverage is insufficient, and/or it does not cover repatriation of remains, you will be required to purchase insurance for the trip that meets these criteria. The cost of trip insurance is usually between $ Incidental expenses The cost of the trip $2,999 for double occupancy includes air, hotel accommodations (including internet access and daily breakfast), coach transportation for all program events, and three dinners (one pre-trip dinner in Chicago, and two dinners in Vietnam). Other expenses that you ll need to budget for include, but are not limited to: Vietnam visa fee for U.S. citizens: $52 Medical insurance if not covered by your current provider: cost is usually $ You should, of course, budget money for lunch and dinners (keep in mind breakfast is provided at the hotel), local transportation for free days (bus, metro, etc.), and other activities in which you may engage (entrance fees to cultural venues, shopping, etc.). In general, goods and services in Vietnam are slightly more affordable than in the United States, including food and restaurant dining. With that in mind, your average cost per day in Vietnam will depend on your preferences and activities. As a very general guide, you may want to budget a minimum of $25-35 per day. If you plan to dine at upscale restaurants, enjoy the Vietnamese nightlife, and shop-till-you-drop, you will want to budget a larger amount. Interested? If you are interested in joining SBNM s 2015 International Experience, please submit the attached application form (applications are also available on the SBNM website) accompanied by a $500 nonrefundable deposit made out to North Park University. If paying by check or money order, please pay to the order of North Park University. Deposits may also be paid using a credit card. North Park accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, and a 3% processing fee will be added to all credit card payments. Deadlines The application deadline is Friday, 12 December The remaining balance must be received absolutely no later than Tuesday, 6 January Questions? If you have questions regarding the trip, please contact Wes Lindahl at or wlindahl@northpark.edu

6 North Park University School of Business and Nonprofit Management International Experience 2015 Vietnam Application I wish to reserve my space for the School of Business and Nonprofit Management s International Experience to Vietnam in March, Name: Address: Home Phone: Work Phone: Address: Accompanying me will be: I understand the double occupancy base cost is $2,999. I request a single room ($515 additional cost) Passport data (please attach a photocopy of the photo page of your passport) Nation of issue: Date of expiration: If you are traveling on a non-u.s. passport, you are responsible for determining whether or not a visa is necessary to enter Vietnam and, if so, for obtaining the visa. I intend to take the trip for academic credit: Yes No I enclose my non-refundable deposit of $500 to reserve my space (if you wish to submit payment via credit card, please complete the information on the following page). I understand the remaining balance must be received no later than 6 January Signature Date: You may forward application documents via to wlindahl@northpark.edu Upon receipt of this application, you will receive additional information and forms (trip waiver, medical insurance, emergency notification, etc.), which you must complete and submit no later than 6 January 2015.

7 North Park Charge Authorization I hereby authorize North Park University to charge my credit card with the amount shown below, and I understand that a 3% processing fee is added to the payment. Circle: Visa Discover MasterCard American Express Cardholder s Name: Charge number: Amount (less 3% processing fee): Expiration date: VC (three digit number on back of card): Student name: Phone number: Signature: