Operations Conference Begins

After a weekend (Sunday and Monday) off, we are all returning to the Budapest office for the Operations Conference. As you may remember, this is the conference that I am a little hazy on. I am not sure exactly what we will discuss or what the schedule looks like. Much like the Tech meetings, we are going to discuss Strategic Planning (figuring out where we are going and how to get there) but beyond that, I am not sure.

So, since there is not much to tell you about where we are going, I will fill you in on what we have done.

Last week was the Trainer's Training and the Global Tech Leaders meetings. The end result of the GTL was that we have begun our Strategic Plan. There was much discussion about the points of that from Purpose, Mission and Vision and Values. We did not finish as there was much ground to cover and not enough time to do it. That was 20 people and one plan. Operations, or OLC, will be nearly 100 people.

GTL ended Saturday night, so we had Sunday and Monday to rest or do whatever we wanted. Who needs rest?

Sunday, I toured the House of Terror with 8 other people. This was the Nazi HQ at the end of World War II and the secret police of the Soviet Union afterward. Many people were imprisoned, tortured and killed in that building. The tour told the history of Budapest from just before WWII to the 1990's. Very interesting, but very sad.

We walked from there, through a festival (I think it was a Green thing: recyling, fuel efficient cars, etc.). We were headed to the central market of the city, where we would meet up with a larger group that was taking a boat cruise, a GTL tradtion. The crusie was very good as we saw some of Budapest's more beautiful buildings from the Danube. We stopped at Margarita Island. A group of 4 of us walked around for a bit but settled down at a nice coffee shop and chatted until we needed to head back to the boat.

After returning to land, most of us headed back to the hotel. Long but good day.

After changing hotels, Monday was somewhat similar with a bus tour of Budapest, followed by some shopping. Much walking was involved, especially in getting back to the hotel. I will just say that the walk from the office to the new hotel is about 45 minutes. I need a foot massage.

Pictures will do more than my words, so here they are:
First day off
Tour of Budapest

Now, it is Tuesday and the conferences resume!!