Tuesday Adventures

Parque da Nacoes 

After breakfast and coffee in morning, we headed out to the Parque da Nacoes (Park of Nations), the site where Portugal held their World Fair in 1998.  We walked through the mall and settled on the waterfront where we had a nice view of the national flags from the Expo ‘98 and the Tagus River. 

I facilitated my staff ride on Expo ’98 and Antonio Guterres, the Prime Minister of Portugal during that time.  We had great conversations about the utilization of personal references in talent acquisition across cultures.  In Portugal, we’ve learned that they rely heavily on personal references in order to obtain possible candidates.  We also discussed what skills are necessary to be a strong global leader and what it means to be a tactful negotiator.

For a little fun, we all added our legs to the leg statue on the Plaza.   

Under Alison’s navigational guide, we made multiple transfers on the Metro and eventually ended up on the train, as we set out to enjoy the rest of our day in the beach town of Cascais. 

Upon arrival, we found a restaurant overlooking the beautiful ocean for our group lunch.  It seemed as if Paella (a traditional dish) was the dish to order, along with papas bravatas (spicy potatoes).  The food was delicious! 

After lunch, we split off into small groups to go enjoy the rest of the day however we’d like.  Some of us went shopping, some walked around town, and others spent the day on the beach. 

Everyone appreciated the "laidback" afternoon.  

We got a “sense of home” when one small group met someone from Elizabethtown, KY and another group met some locals whose son lives in Louisville.  Dr. Herd found a local shop worker wearing an orange Knoxville, TN shirt.  He didn't know what it meant, but she told him about Knoxville. It was fun to make those connections – the world can be very small sometimes!

Although it was a long day, it was very much enjoyable and needed before we head to the conference tomorrow.  The group is feeling rejuvenated and ready to learn more about HRD across cultures.

Sarah Lutes