I am sitting at the airport in Grand Rapids getting ready to take off to Washington DC for a team building exercise. We are going to tour DC as a team and meet Senator Mike Enzi. On Saturday we will be leaving DC to head to Calgary, Alberta. That is where the competition is being held this year. I will be going up against 14 other competitors from different countries. These guys are the best of the best and the competition is NOT going to be easy. Just last night I had a dream that when I got to the competition, the press was a manroland, the other competitors all beat me at the print simulator, and I came in last. Oh well… At the end of the day, my friends are still my friends and they will accept me if I win or lose.

I am a little nervous about running 100# text through the feeder since that is the ONLY kind of paper I haven’t run on the Heidelberg SM-52. I guess I’ll just put all of the settings in the middle and see what happens. I really wish I could have brought my own ink. Grand Rapids Printing Inks was going to send me off with 5 lbs cans of CMYK inks but we weren’t sure how we were going to get it across the border and through airport security. We also weren’t sure if I was allowed to bring my own ink; it might give me a competitive advantage. I think it would be cool if the students in the paper and ink class come down to GRPI’s facility to mix some ink. Or maybe do a GAA tour/ink mixing session? What are your thoughts on this idea?

I think I blabbed enough about the competition for today. Off to Washington DC!

I am super excited that this airport has FREE WiFi

Keep checking the website for updates on my trip to WorldSkills 2009!

-Amela Mujkic

The GAA is Going to Graph Expo Print ’09

Join us for the largest print expo in the Western Hemisphere!

PRINT ’09 is MyPrint

PRINT 09 became the graphic communications industry’s top international trade exhibition by producing exhibitor leads, sales and profits. It has remained number one by strategically driving in new directions. Digital printing. Creative services. Mailing and fulfillment. Wide format output. In these and other areas, PRINT 09 has understood the business model, identified the opportunities for exhibitors and customers alike, and delivered creative new solutions.

Always a powerhouse “selling” show, PRINT 09 today is also so much more. It’s a community, a place where productive partnerships are formed. Attendees won’t be at PRINT 09 just to buy, and you won’t be there just to sell. But everyone WILL be there working together to build something new – forging a creative new path into the future of the graphic communications industry.

For more information, please visit the Official Print ’09 Web Site.

The expense budget is listed below and includes the essentials to get to the expo. Please also bring money for food and any additional activities.

You will have to buy a ticket at the door if you want to attend the Expo (tickets will be approximately $55). You can pay for the rest of the trip online (below), or contact any of the E-board and pay by check. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

For orders placed online, there will be a $3.00 non-refundable processing fee.