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Closet Cannibalism — Gi'mme That

by Ailish M. Nic Phaidin
Brevard Technical Journal

Make no mistake about it, Europe is converging upon itself. Will this convergence make rapid progress? I doubt it.

A rapid expansion from 15 to 25 nations is a mammoth task. The EU beaurocracy has not increased its staff to allow a comfortable merging of nations as diverse as the United Kingdom, Latvia, France, Italy or the Czech Republic. Aside from the cultural, ethnic, linguistic and social differences, the differences in economic ability and capability are vast. Take the example of Poland; about to take a leap of faith with the other 14 'converging' nations in joining the EU this year, their ability to migrate has been minimal up to this point. The Polish migration has largely been of the middle and upper echelons in society. It takes money to move.

Movement is not possible without a hunger for a better standard of living, educational opportunities, housing and health standards, and the ability to research thoroughly the brown and green grass on the other side of the fence.

The fence is largely metaphorical, but the movement is not. When the final declaration for EU enlargement is signed, when the heads of state have polished off the final bottle of champagne, and when the people of Eastern Europe see the vultures descending upon their patch of Earth with a diligence that could only be compared to the Irish diaspora during the mid-1800's, then we will see a sweeping aside of the unskilled laborer.

For the United States to get a handle on the vastness of this vulgarity, then it is key for our exporters, and more key for our potential exporters, to go there and look into the chasm of opportunity that exists. There is opportunity. There is threat. There is research to be done.

A great place to begin is by searching U.S. federal government websites. Take a few days off and cannibalize the information on these vast sites with vast amounts of food for success. The Department of State will give insights into nations and their current political, economic and social environments. The Department of Commerce website is a hive of in-depth research on such a global scale that you will be surprised at the ease with which you can monitor an area or region of interest to you. The Department of Homeland Security website, aside from issues of national security and global terrorism, has many pages where you can browse for details on your chosen area. U.S. Customs and the Food and Drug Administration have pages and pages of information applicable to the new FDA rules under The Patriot Act.

Couple that research with a search of our Embassies in your preferred regions. Amazing what you will find there. Then view the websites of the governments and various government departments of the countries in which you are interested. Write copious notes from each search in a very methodical way. Then compare all your notes from the various websites and look for the weaknesses in each information segment. Only believe half of what you read on foreign government and department websites.

Then, just when you think you have finished your search, look up the American Chamber of Commerce website in that country. Lastly search the various websites of the various Chambers of Commerce of the region or country of your interest. Get English language translations where and when necessary.

There is money to be made in these countries. Some of them are barely beyond the current Iraqi phase of development - minus the internal chaos and conflict. This is a bonus, not a blank check.

Then search airline websites for inexpensive airfares to your chosen nation. Don't book hotel or bed and breakfast accommodation until you arrive - except for perhaps the first night. The best way to get accommodations while there is to go to the local Chamber of Commerce - don't believe everything you are told by these organizations. Their job is to ensure that you invest in their areas. That's not your job. Most Eastern Europeans speak between great English to moderately understandable English. You'll be fine. Beware the government agent who needs to prove to his or her boss that they have succeeded. Your success is your aim and business. Their success is their aim and business.

A pre-arranged visit with our Embassy's Cultural Affairs, Economic, Trade and Political officers (names and email addresses are usually on the individual Embassy websites) is a great way to begin. But, arrive prepared and preempt the fact that so many of our citizens are woefully unprepared. These officials rarely have time for more than a cursory glance at your needs. A cursory glance at unprepared needs will only gain you a cursory response. That's a total waste of your valuable time and theirs. Time is an expensive commodity. Treat it as such.

Move away from the "Gi'mme That" syndrome as being your catch phrase. Too many U.S. citizens who travel overseas don't make the time to take what they want and need in a manner that is acceptable in other cultures. So, be a closet cannibal. You won't, and can't, bring back the pork if your modus operandi stinks before your pork has been cured. Beware the "Have a nice day" statement. Listen and see how people in your chosen country greet each other. Make my day, have a great excursion and bring back the cured pork.