GDP & The People

Here are GDP participants with "Slider" in the Parker Hannifin suite at Progressive Field.

Cole's Global Development Program (GDP) meetings wrap up this afternoon. We have spent the week meeting and getting to know people from all over the world, gleaning advice from "inbound" program participants and wishing the best of luck to fellow FY13 "outbound" participants. It has been amazing to meet and visit with such a diverse group. Everyone has been very welcoming and accepting. It's also been fun to see everyone interact with Eva.  Most of the ladies even ask to hold her - especially one of the women from India. Loving babies is just one of those things that is truly universal.

Past participants have all spoken highly of their experiences - we've only heard extremely positive things, and our excitement is really growing! We know there will be a period of culture shock and adjustment, but we now feel more ready to deal with all of the emotions that are sure to come. We've learned so much about Parker and some products they manufacture which we never knew about before, including enormous nylon rope/moorings for oil rig type ships (made in Norway) and sonar systems for locating oil underseas. To give you a better idea of just how unbelievably large Parker Hannifin is, and where the participants are originally from / going to, here is a little more info:

FY12 Participants: Inbound
Brazil > USA (Kalamazoo, Michigan)
China > USA (I believe...)
France > South Africa
France > USA (California)
Germany > China
India > USA (Cleveland, OH)
USA > China
Three single participants went to China and all lived in the same apartment complex.
USA (Cleveland, OH) > Norway 
This family has two children, their baby girl (now 10 months old) was born just four weeks after arriving in Norway!


FY13 Participants: Outbound
China > USA (Boston)
This woman is spending the year apart from her husband and 2 year-old daughter, who stayed in China.
China > USA (Cleveland, OH)
China > USA (Chicago, IL)
India > USA (Chicago, IL)
This couple has a seven-year old son and eleven-year-old daughter.
India > USA (Cleveland, OH)
This couple also has a son, around 9 years old.
Korea > Germany
This family has two children, 5 years and 10 months old.
USA (Manhattan, KS) > Italy
USA (Modesto, CA) > United Kingdom
USA (Cleveland, OH) > China