2016 Trip to European Alps -PLEASE REPLY

[Secmen, Serhan [Napier Park]]

Hey gokilli guys,

 

I hope all is well with you. Now that the summer is over, it is time to start getting seriously in our next big trip!

It is going to be awesome –I can assure you. (or Bala assures it, even better!)

 

I had a few correspondence with Prof Useem and Prof Bernbaum regarding the trip and everything is good so far.

Sam – you mentioned that you can invite some friends to this trip, I think we have capacity to be able to take up to 25 participants altogether, so please feel  free to invite them over. I trust you will fill them in with our Leadership and learning component and that they will welcome the opportunity to do such a trip with us in that format.

 

Below, you’d find some basic Q/A regarding the trip. Please feel free to go over it and let me know if you have any specific questions. There is also a section below that I ask for your input, so, please make sure you go thru this email and fill in the places where I ask for your input.

 

The trip will take in European Alps (Switzerland or Italy) starting on July 17^th  for 6-8 days. Both my wife, Aysu, and I took a similar trip in 2014 with Prof. Useem and Dr. Bernbaum in Italian Dolomites and it was nothing short of spectacular.

 

Here are some basic Q/A’s regarding our trip:

 

Q1. Can I invite friends and family to this trip?

A1. Yes! Friends and Family of the Alumni is MOST WELCOME  and we believe that it would make our experience more rich and diverse.

 

Q2. Do I need mountaineering experience to be able to join the trip?

A2. Not at all. This is not a climbing trip. We will mostly be hiking in trails in the beautiful backdrop of European Alps.

 

Q3. I am afraid of heights, How high are we going to go up?

A3. Being afraid of heights will not affect your ability to be in this trip. However being afraid of smart, good looking people might ;)

 

Q4. Should I be in good shape to be in this trip?

A4. Not specifically for this trip, but generally speaking, being in good shape always helps your success and happiness in life!

 

Q5. What should I expect from the trip?

A5. Not in any specific order:

·         Enjoying beautiful scenery and fresh Alp air,

·         Intellectually interesting conversations about leadership with one of the most celebrated professors from Wharton,

·         Re-connect with your friends in a fun and relaxed environment.

 

Q6. Will there be special preparation for this trip?

A6. To make the discussions more fruitful, we will cover some reading materials ahead of the trip. The related materials will be circulated ahead of the trip.

 

Q7. When will the trip be?

A7. It will start on July 17^th 2016. It will either be 6 or 7 nights stay.

 

Q8. Where will the trip be?

A8. You will have a chance to give us your input among three choices we have.

Swiss Alps near Zermatt

Above the Swiss village of Zermatt rises the most spectacular peak in the Alps – the Matterhorn with its distinctive shape of a sharply attenuated pyramid of rock and ice. From a base in Zermatt, we will trek up through alpine meadows brimming with flowers to the base of the famous mountain and to neighboring villages and high points with views of the second highest peak in the Alps – Monte Rosa more than 15,000 feet high. The itinerary will include a night or two in high mountain refuges overlooking beautiful glaciers and alpine vistas. The story of the first ascent of the Matterhorn, one of the most famous in the history of mountaineering, along with accounts of other well-known climbs in the Alps, will provide ample material for leadership lessons and discussions.

 

Swiss Alps near Grindelwald

The three magnificent glacier-clad peaks of the Eiger, the Jungfrau, and the Mönch, dominate the scenery above the town of Grindelwald in the Bernese Oberland of central Switzerland. Treks out of the secluded village of Mürren will take us through alpine meadows past spectacular waterfalls cascading into the deep, glacier-cut Lauterbrunnen Valley and up along ridges to various scenic points and to the foot of the north face of the Eiger, the most deadly climb in the Alps. Accounts of the many attempts on this 6,000-foot face, some with tragic consequences, will provide compelling material for discussions of leadership failures and successes. Well-known movies, such as “The Eiger Sanction” and the James Bond thriller, “On Her Majesty's Secret Service,” were filmed in this area. The itinerary will include stays at high mountain refuges with spectacular views of the peaks and glaciers of this iconic region of the Alps.

 

Italian Dolomites East of Cortina

The trek takes us over mountain passes and through alpine valleys past the impressive limestone walls, towers, and spires of the most spectacular part of the Dolomites of northern Italy. The itinerary begins in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the end of the previous Dolomites leadership program in 2014, goes through the German and Ladin influenced areas of Alta Badia, and continues east to a grand finale at the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, a famous cluster of three peaks that has come to symbolize the entire range. Along the way we stay at hotels and inns with fine Italian cuisine, and sleep at refuges perched high on ridges with magnificent sunset views. In addition to being the setting for incredible feats of rock climbing, the Dolomites have seen the interactions of many different cultures and dramatic examples of alpine warfare. We make full use of the rich history, culture, and scenic beauty of this mountain region to explore issues of leadership and teamwork in today’s challenging world of diversity and change.

 

We want  you to give us feedback by answering the following questions:

 

1.             Please rate the aspects of this trip (0- not important, 9-most important)

a.       The physical aspect of hiking and being in nature (0-9):

b.      Experiential and Intellectual content about leadership (0-9):

c.       Being among friends and having fun (0-9):

 

2.             Please rate the following locations (0-least favorite, 9-most favorite, N/A-Don’t Care)

a.       Dolomites, North Italy (0-9):

b.      Zermatt, Switzerland (0-9):

c.       Grindelwald, Switzerland (0-9):

 

3.             What is your preference of activity level for a hiking trip

a.       High – prefer to do moderate hikes and some optional more strenuous day hikes/climbs

b.      Medium – prefer to do moderate hikes only

 

4.             How long do you want the hiking trip to last?

a.       5 nights

b.      6 nights

c.       7 nights

 

5.             Would you be interested in an optional wine tasting trip at the end of the hiking trip?

 

I am looking forward to hearing back from you. Please respond this email to express your opinions on the choices we present and also if you have questions other than the ones I listed above.

 

Best Regards,

Serhan Secmen

 

SERHAN SEÇMEN
MANAGING DIRECTOR

NAPIER PARK GLOBAL CAPITAL

280 PARK AVE •  3rd FLOOR •  NEW YORK, NY 10017

T: 212.235.0729 • M: 917.742.0741
serhan...@napierparkglobal.com

WWW.NAPIERPARKGLOBAL.COM

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