Tadija, Antonela and I today were exploring the Chicago. We visited museums and we had the opportunity to play on the piano.
Chinatown was also a part of our little expedition that we visited and we tasted their food which proved delicious.
This student exchange was indescribable experience where we met with the American culture and a lifestyle of the Americans. It's hard to describe in words the feeling that I have at the end of our trip, but what I can say is that this journey bring me a new acquaintances, friends, and events that I will remember forever. Thank you everyone who participated in the organization of the that project and who in any way were a part of the project. Particularly thanks to the administrations of faculties and students from DePaul University in Chicago, Central Florida in Orlando and the Faculty of organization and informatics University of Zagreb and their leaders - dr. Luciano Berardi and Brian spittle, McNair and A. Mithchem F., De Pual University Chicago, Michael Jeffries Aldarondo with McNair University of Central Florida in Orlando and others. Fabrizio Balcazar from the University of Chicago.
Friday started with a meeting with Luciano Berardi, PhD, and the topic of a meeting was a research which is planned to be implemented in Croatia. That research include a cooperation between FOI and the University DePaul. On the meeting was developed the guidelines for the planned research and all ambiguities were clarified.
Before lunch we had some free time, so I took the opportunity and tried to play American football.
Croatian embassy was the next stop of our journey. At the embassy, we were welcomed by Consul General PhD Jelena Grčić Polić. Discussion at the meeting was about the cooperation between FOI and American Universities.
After the completion of the meeting, we went to The Art of Institute in which we saw an impressive exhibition of paintings.
The day began with the reporting via Skype on the 8th day of international cooperation on FOI. However, reporting over Skayp failed, so we recorded a video together with American colleagues. Video recording is successfully passed and after the shooting we went at a staff meeting of DePaul University. Staff meeting was interesting and relaxed, and the meeting participants carefully answered to all our questions. Topic of the meeting was how universities (FOI and DePaul) are working and the difference between this two colleagues. After the end of the meeting was a relaxed part of a tour of Chicago. The most interesting part was the tour of the building Wills Tower.
Willis Tower is an office building which houses more than 100 companies and it is the tallest building in the western hemisphere, which includes more than 4.5 million square feet including the Skydeck located on 103rd floor. Skydeck include a glass viewing platform and it attracts over 1.5 million visitors per a year.
However, the tour wasn't based only on the structures. We explored the natural beauty of Chicago and one of them was a lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is a five great lakes of North America, whose area is 58 016 km A walk by the lake was very relaxing and the view of the lake was incredible.
Wednesday was a day dedicated for visiting universities. We visited Northwestern University and the University of Illinois. Northwestern University is a private university located in the Evanston. It provides high quality academic program in which lectures are held by world-renowned professors. An interesting fact is that in the period from 2013th to 2014th University sponsored research worth $ 550 million.
On the Northwestern University a graduate student panel was held. Panel participants talked about their researches and their experience related to their studies. Furthermore, we went on a tour of the university. That university provides an excellent conditions for students that are important for a quality studying.
When we had finished the tour of Northwestern University, we visited the University of Illinois. The aforementioned university has a reputation as one of the leaders in a world-class research, education and public engagement. Interesting is that the total of annual research funding exceeds $ 600 million.
Upon completion of the tour of the university, we went to the hall where the professor Ph.D. Violeta Vidaček-Hains presented a projects related to a disability and after that Tadija Bagarić talked about his volunteering experiences. After the presentations and discussions related to these topics, we met with a professor and director Fabricio Balcazar and exchange experiences in the field of working with a people with disabilities.
The week began with travel to Chicago. At the airport we were greeted by Mitchem Fellows i TRIO McNair director). He was very hospitable.
In Tuesday we attend to a very important event. It was 6. International research student symposium. Before the beginning of the symposium, panel of experts was held and the experts were present their projects and discuss about the importance of the intercultural environment. Then there was held a student’s symposium at which we discussed with the visitors about the project results.
After a long chat, symposium was finished. Then we start a tour on a University DePaul. It is unbelievable how everything is fixed up and the amount of the effort is invested order to provide superb conditions for studying.
The weekend in the States is already traditionally reserved for the socio-cultural events which is the reason why we used the Saturday to visit one of the world's most famous parks - Disney World.
We dedicated our Sunday to science, and together with colleagues from the UCF McNair program we visited the Kennedy Space Center (NASA) not far from Orlando.
As the new rocket launch is scheduled for tomorrow, we had an excellent opportunity to get familiar with the details of the project, as well as information on how to build and launch objects into the space. Such things are really a true representation of technological achievements.
Our morning began with a tour of the university campus. It's amazing how large the campus is. The University has five principles that you can see in the photo.
After the tour, we had an opportunity to listen a round table and a discussion between Kate Mulgrew and Brian Greene on the difference between the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and art that has been anything but boring with a touch of humor.
We then presented our research to students at the McNair UCF program who carefully listened our presentations and made an useful discussion afterwards.
It was a pleasure in the end to visit the Director of Interdisciplinary Studies Dr. Elliot Vittes. He made a great expression to us by sharing his thoughts about the University at which he had been for more than 20 years.
In the photo (below) you can see the logo of the University of Central Florida. A story related to the logo says you should not step on it if you want to graduate.
After having all the presentations and meetings we had an opportunity to volunteer at the campus.
It is very interesting how Orlando has a voluntary organization similar to our social supermarket, and is called "The Pantry". Volunteers are agricultural students, who take care of the garden and then share the products with students with needs.
We arrived in Orlando on Thursday 09.04. after 21h. At the airport we were greeted by Alen Delić (former student of FOI) and Michael Jeffries (Director of McNair TRIO University of Central Florida).
We were greeted with a inscription "Welcome Home" which you can see in the photograph. These inscription has its own history, and it started with the cooperation between FOI and McNair TRIO University of Central Florida. Namely, when students of the FOI in 2010 came to America, they were welcomed with that inscription. Then the inscription were given to FOI students who welcomed students from the America when they arrived to Croatia. Transference of the inscription has became a tradition.
