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 The
Hidden Europe: What Eastern Europeans Can Teach
Us will be published in 2009. It will be based on my 2004 and 2009 trips
to Eastern Europe. Altogether, I have spent over a year traveling the region and
I will share the lessons I learned there. The Hidden Europe is Book Two
of my WanderLearn Series.
My 2004 blog is serving as the skeleton of the book. In other
words, I will flesh out the blogs with stuff I learn in 2008-2009. Check out the links on the left
to see some of my ideas. They are
the journal entries for each country that I visited. They will provide the basic
story behind this self-help, adventure, travelogue book.
As this is a book in progress, I welcome feedback. For example,
below is what I envision will be the text on the dust jacket of the book...
What can we learn from Eastern Europe?
For many Westerners Eastern Europe is about as appealing as a
deodorant-free French armpit. That didn’t scare Francis Tapon because not only
did he learn how to rough it on the Appalachian Trail, but he is also half
French, so he kind of smells too.
He yearned for adventure and Western Europe seems so tame and
passé. It’s hard to feel like a pioneer when it’s about as easy to find a
McDonalds as it is to find an anti-American demonstration.
Therefore, he traveled nonstop for five months and visited
every country in Eastern Europe—all 20 of them. The other Europe delivered some
fantastic adventures and insights. You’ll learn:
- How to deepen your cultural knowledge without being
a snob.
- What is worth seeing in Eastern Europe.
- Why the Balkans is so screwed up.
- How to creatively stretch your money.
- How to learn multiple languages with minimal
effort.
- How to triple the length of your vacations without
spending more.
- How to broaden your perspective in unusual ways.
- Why communism really sucked.
The book is packed with photos, sidebars, and a foldout map!
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Front flap of dust
jacket
When someone says, “I’m going to Europe,” everyone
assumes they’re talking about Western Europe. But what about the other
Europe, Eastern Europe?
Imagine if a tourist who had traveled extensively on
the West Coast of America told you, “I know the United States.” You’d
laugh at the moron, knowing that he’s missed out on some of real gems on
the East Coast like our chic amusement parks in Orlando, our noble
politicians in DC, and our charming New York City cab drivers.
Similarly, you don’t really know Europe until you visit the mysterious
Eastern Europe.
Francis Tapon’s quest was simple: visit every country in Eastern Europe from the Gulf of Finland to the Black
Sea. Starting in the Baltic countries, he moved through Belarus, Poland,
Slovakia and got as far west as Slovenia before heading south into the
volatile Balkans, including the war torn Kosovo. He headed northeast
into the countries that are still ripping out their deep Soviet roots:
Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine. He left Eastern Europe by
crossing the Black Sea and exiting through the gateway to Europe,
Turkey.
He hit every country in 2004 and then returned in
2008-2009 to revisit many of them to see what had changed. The Hidden
Europe takes you deep into the Europe that few know and is filled
with marvels. |
Back flap of dust jacket
As Book Two of the WanderLearn series, The Hidden
Europe isn’t just another entertaining travelogue. This book shows
some of the practical lessons that can impact your day to day life. You
won’t just learn about present day Eastern Europe, but you’ll also
understand the complex history of this fascinating region. You’ll see
how the locals live and realize that they do some things better than
most of the world. You’ll understand why smart money and ground-breaking
tourists are flocking to this largely undiscovered territory. Best of
all, you won’t have to deal with the grumpy train ticket vendors.
About the author
Francis Tapon is a public speaker, consultant, and
life coach. Author of Hike Your Own Hike: 7 Life Lessons from
Backpacking Across America, he has traveled to over 65 countries. He
is a first generation American with a French father and a Chilean
mother. He has a degree in Religion from Amherst College and
an MBA from Harvard Business School. He was born and usually lives in San
Francisco. Visit FrancisTapon.com.
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MY 2004 TRIP = Eastern
Europe + Ireland + Finland + Ukraine + Turkey = 22 Countries in 5 months
![[Product Image]](images/europemap.gif)
Follow
the thin black line on the map on the right to retrace my steps in
Eastern Europe! The thick black line is a plane flight.
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