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GTI in Tokyo, Japan, February 20-24, 2009

GTI was Tokyo renewing acquaintance with long-time friend from post-graduate study days in Canada -- exploring opportunities and developing business plans for medical equipment trading and GTI's one-stop website, corabora.



Ed Wong and Masa Saito pausing in front of the Asakusa Kannon Temple -- following a day-long Tokyo tour for corabora and business discussions.		Celebrating the successful conclusion of the Tokyo visit -- which included the appointment of GTI as the Advisor in Canada for Kosan Corporation, Japan. L to R: Masae Saito (who also worked in Vancouver on the corabora website), Masa Saito, Ed Wong.
		View from atop the Tokyo Tower.

GTI in Jakarta, Indonesia, January 17-20, 2008

Ed Wong renewing his acquaintance with his former trainees in Canada under a custom-designed BAPPENAS-OTO program – and now very successful business people. L to R: Helen Basuki, Sylvia Utama, Ed Wong and Etty Salya.

GTI was in Jakarta meeting with Indonesian officials to explore areas of cooperation and possible assistance. Three Ministries were visited: BAPPENAS (economic planning & development). NAFED (export promotion & training) and Ministry of Tourism (web promotion). As a first result, and on a good will basis, two “Visit Indonesia 2008” banner ads now appear on GTI’s corabora website – one preceding “Jakarta” and the other, preceding “Surabuya”.

GTI in Bangkok, January 12-16, and in Hua Hin, Thailand, January 20-21, 2008

GTI was in Bangkok delivering a special lecture on internet marketing to the Global MBA class at the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce and exploring arrangements with Digita Fotocine to supply updated information as well as develop a pilot Concierge Service for GTI’s recently launched corabora website. In Hua Hin, GTI advised on international standards for a new media program being offered at the Rajamangala University of Technology – Rattnakosin.



For his special lecture on “Going global on the net: the case of corabora”, UTCC Vice-President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Supatra Pradupongse congratulates Ed Wong along with a gift of appreciation. Also attending were Ajarn Thanita, Director of International Programs (L) and Khun Pimchai, Head of International Affairs (R).		Ed Wong meeting with Digita President, Pakpimol Seni to explore areas of collaboration in corabora and mutual benefit at the Digita office in the Galleria building on Silom Road.
		Ed Wong meeting with RMUT-Rattanakosin Head of Department, Ajarn Surakij Prangsorn to review and advise on the proposed new media program curriculum.

GTI launches corabora, December 2007

Pictured: Ed Wong (“the old guy”) at centre with the “twenty-something” development team -- clockwise from 1 o’clock: Gary, Norma, Monica, Ronak, Fergus, Jessica

GTI announces the launch of www.corabora.com. corabora is a one-stop website for all your global business travel needs – information, advice, tips, goods and services. It is specifically designed for busy people around the world who travel internationally for work-related reasons including education and study purposes. It is ideally suited for those who are relatively new to traveling abroad, especially to distant, foreign (and seemingly at times, formidable) places -- for meetings, negotiations, workshops, conventions, trade shows, study tours and professional development including those occasions combined with leisure travel. With key data, intelligence, tools, utilities and links, the corabora site is designed for use by everyone – the novice or seasoned traveler. A unique feature of the site is the MyWorld @ corabora – a business social networking facility connecting you with the rest of the world – to discover, learn and share. The free membership allows you to maximize the functionality and power of the corabora site – to engage fully with the global community through posting of opinions and images as well as sharing of professional experiences, work achievements, and career aspirations. You can also connect with similar, like-minded individuals worldwide to discover, amongst other things, business prospects and job opportunities. In context as well, you can make meaningful exchanges of business travel tips, advice, adventures and stories with other worldly travelers.

While the overall corabora site will be helpful to anyone who travels internationally, the primary target audience is American global business travelers, typically on corporate accounts, likely affluent and educated, rising in influence, in their mid-20s to 40s. A secondary group is those with the same characteristics in the rest of the world. For people on the move and on the go! At launch, the beta version provides broad coverage of 80 countries and 115 cities – though initially with special focus on 20 key ones only. Since it is a global community-driven site, more refined and current city- and country-specific information will be generated and uploaded on an on-going basis. Many new cities and countries will be added as time goes by. corabora is a dynamic website as we intend to make constant improvements on the fly – with updates, upgrades, new features and innovations. A modest start, the site is a continuing work in progress. While the idea was first floated over 10 years ago, the concept was finally put together this year with the help of a number of “twenty-something” recent grads from BCIT principally and UBC plus several more students – mostly on a part-time basis, the assistance of a dozen global contributors and the support of some key friends of GTI. The corabora vision is now a reality. Know Before You Go…And When You Get There. www.corabora.com

Some global contributors...
Sandra...Colombia	Ratchada...Thailand	Jose...Mexico	Monique...Philippines	WuMing...China	Pakpimol...Thailand
Bambie...Philippines	Gina...USA	Masae...Japan	Kemi...Nigeria	Amornrat...Thailand	Katie...Scotland

 

GTI in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, June 11, 2007

Building boom continues unabated in Dubai. Construction cranes can be seen in every direction - oftentimes with 3 work shifts per day and 24/7.		Pictured is the Burj Dubai, the tallest buliding in the world -- still under construction at 130 floors and continues to rise into the sky with the final number of floors still undisclosed.
		Ed Wong with Canadian Consul & Trade Commissioner, Ian Thomson, pictured outside the Burj Emirates -- during a break in the study of Islamic and Arabic business customs, culture, and consumer preferences.

GTI in Manama, Bahrain, June 6, 2007

During a break at the Higher Education for Development symposium held at the University of Bahrain, pictured with organizers and keynote speakers, Ed Wong (front right) along side Dr. Kathryn Bindon, President of the Royal University for Women in the Kingdom of Bahrain.		Ed Wong gave a presentation to senior factulty and staff at the Arab Open University in Bahrain about the education system in Canada and British Columbia as well as global opportunities for collaboration in higher education.
		Ed Wong pictured with Dr. Samir Fahkro, Director of the Bahrain Campus, Arab Open University. The Arab Open University, headquartered in Kuwait, has several major campuses throughout the Gulf Region.

GTI in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, March 14, 2007

Ed Wong, GTI giving a talk to a group of business people at the SADECO office in Ho Chi Minh City.

Ed Wong gave a special talk to an invitation-only audience of business people and entrepreneurs on the global nature of business and a soon-to-be launched web business later this year at the South Saigon Development Corporation (SADECO) office board room. He shared with the attendees his vision, objective, development progress and rollout plans for a one-stop site for international business travellers. Initially, the coverage of Vietnam will include Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Downstream, with local participation and engagement, it is hoped that additional cities might be uploaded such as DaNang and Haiphong.

GTI in Bangkok, Thailand, March 12, 2007

Ed Wong, GTI delivering a presentation to graduating business students at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce campus in Bangkok.

Ed Wong delivered a special lecture from GTI’s Business Language, Culture and Etiquette (BLCE) series on “Cross-Cultural Aspects of Doing Business Between North Americans and Asians” to 3rd and 4th students in the Bachelor of Business Administration program at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok. Amongst the key points, he emphasized that in addition to the hard technical details, careful attention should also be paid to the “soft” aspects of negotiations and of the deal -- not to overlook or undervalue the importance of the relationship with your partner. And, consideration should be given to the impact on that before taking any drastic action. BLCE is GTI’s proprietary series on the cross-cultural aspects of doing international business.

Indonesian Consul General in Salmon Arm and Kelowna, Canada, October 16-17, 2006

Consul General Bunyan Saptomo giving the keynote presentation at the Rotary Club luncheon in Salmon Arm.

GTI organized a first-ever visit for the Indonesian Consulate General to the area, highlighted by two special functions in Salmon Arm -- a luncheon hosted by the Rotary International Club to an over-flowing crowd and a reception hosted by Okanagan College to a standing room only audience. The Indonesian Consul General, Bunyan Saptomo was accompanied by Vice Consul, Berlianto Situngkir and Vice Consul, Ari Aprianto. At the reception, in addition to a presentation by Pak Bunyan, the Indonesian youth currently in Salmon Arm under the Canada World Youth program gave a memorable cultural performance.

Thai university teachers in Vancouver, Canada, May 3-29, 2006

Aoy, Ed (GTI), Jessica (GTI), Tor, Auu, and Aod atop Whistler Mountain

GTI designed and delivered a Professional Development Training Program in Film Production for Rajamangala University of Technology (RMUT) teachers. The custom-designed program covered lighting, camera, sound and editing for faculty members from four campuses: Jirasak Prechaveerrakul (Thanyaburi), Torpong Sumathathikom (Pra-Nakorn), Surakij Prangsorn (Hua Hin) and Prapaporn Sangsuwan (Krungthep). During their 4-week program, the Thai faculty members, normally called Aod, Tor, Auu, and Aoy respectively, were treated to a special visit to Whistler where they experienced their first-ever exposure to snow atop Whistler Mountain.