May 2009 Archives

This week continues to fly by!  Yesterday jump-started with a trip to Germany visiting Mercedes Benz.  In my entire life until this past week I have been to only one other country...Canada...and now in just a few days I have tripled that! 

The Mercedes Benz plant was really interesting.  At this particular factory they make two models of cars - A Class and B Class.  I've been on a few plant tours and this was the most facinating of all of them as the entire manufacturing process is automated using robots.  While there are quite a few workers, I've never seen so many robots used in a factory.  It was clear that the quality is improved by the use of the robots which increases the value of these cars.  And because of that high quality and value, I will not be able to afford one! 

After a quick lunch back in Strasbourg at the Euro Cafe (quiche, salad, and Coca Cola light - otherwise known as Diet Coke - all so tasty!) we headed over to the Kronenbourg Brewery, which was founded in 1664.  The tour of the brewery was very entertaining as we had an excellent tour guide!  What I found to be the most interesting were the "galleries" that were used keep the beer cold before modern refrigeration was invented.  Deep below the brewery in the cellars there is a large room with many hallways connected to it.  They would bring ice from the nearby mountains and dump it in the large room.  The galleries would then fill with cold air to keep the beer fresh.  I'm convinced they could still be used as it was nice and chilly in the cellar! 

When we arrived back in the city, David, Nathan, and I headed straight for the Cathedral!  After finally finding the stairs, we climbed to the very top!  I'm so thankful that we did and it really didn't take more than 15-20 minutes with stopping to take pictures throughout the ascent.  The view from the top was breathtaking.  Despite a cloudy day, we could see for miles!  The church bells rang while we were up there and startled us...and the pigeons...which was pretty amusing if you can imagine me running away from them as they fluttered above my head.:)  The descent was followed by a delicious dinner of spaghetti...I admit that I needed a taste of home this evening.

I hope to post some pictures in the future!  Stay posted!

Au revoir!

What seemed like a trip that was so far off has finally arrived and we are already 2 days in! After a long flight from Indy, our group checked into our hotel in Strasbourg, France Sunday afternoon.  Strasbourg is about a 4 hour drive, east of Paris, in the Alsace region.  It borders Germany and you can definitely see both countries' influences in the architecture and food!  I hope to post some pictures soon.  

Since yesterday it has been a complete whirlwind of activity!  An hour after checking in, we went on a walking tour of the city seeing La Cathedrale, Gutenberg's monument, the Chamber of Commerce, and numerous unique shops & restaurants.  La Cathedral took centuries to build and is beautiful!  It's one of the tallest buildings in the city and  the only way to reach the top is to climb the stairs.  David, Professor Bonser-Neal and I plan to embark on that adventure tomorrow as you can see for miles at the top of the highest tower!  After our walking tour we went on a relaxing boat ride that also provided a tour of the city and some interesting history along the way.  Afterward for dinner we tried some Alsatian cuisine...I had a "traditionale tarte" which is kind of like a flat bread pizza without the tomato sauce.  Delicious!

Today we hit the pavement and mass transit to the various European government organizations that are centered in Strasbourg.  Both the Council of Europe and European Parliament are positioned in this city.  The Kelley students attending the trip had a plethora of knowledge regarding these organizations because they are currently taking POLS Y350 - Politics of the European Union,  I'm pretty confident that the guides  and speakers were impressed with their questions!  As a newcomer to this, I definitely learned  so much about how the Council and Parliament interact and the role that each plays.  The Parliament focuses more on the European economy while the Council focuses on human rights.  Of course, there is MUCH more, but that's the basics.

While touring today, there was another group of business students from Boston College.  We noticed them because they were speaking American English.  It's funny how quickly you can distinguish your language when 99% of the people around you are not.  Makes me really appreciate our international students at IUPUI even more.  Being immersed in a culture where you know bits and pieces of a language can be a struggle.  Patience is key and I appreciate everyone here in France that has been patient with me as I try to communicate with them. :) 

Ok...after a fabulous dinner with our University of Strasbourg colleagues...it's time to turn in.  Another eventful day at Mercedes Benz and Kronenbourg Brewery awaits for tomorrow!  Oh yeah...and that hike up to the top of the Cathedral!

Au revoir!