May 2009 Archives

Bonsoir  from France!

Good evening or late night here in France. It is currently 11:30pm here in France and back home it is 5:30pm. We have had an amazing time in France so far. We have had very full days with most nights free. Tomorrow morning we are leaving at 6:00am to catch a train (that goes 200mph) to PARIS for the day. We have used what we learned in the classroom at IUPUI halfway around the world in Strasbourg France. With the knowledge we have obtained at Kelley, including the two classes we are currently taking, we have received background on all the companies we have visited and have been able to ask very good questions and carry on conversations with the different businesses.  We have visited Mercedes Benz and saw all the robots they use to produce all customized vehicles at a rate of 1000 per day. We visited Smart Car and learned how the government and Smart Car worked together to lower the unemployment rate in the area by hiring a majority of young workers 26 and younger. This caused fewer robots and more workers, but they still have a very neat and efficient process. We were able to walk along the assembly line and see the entire car come together. We learned from Eli Lilly France about the benefits and the typically work life in France. Approximately 35hrs. per week, with five weeks of vacation, extended paid maternity leave etc....  We learned how important patents are and how small bio-techs firms operate and produce special products around the world with only 23 employs at PolyPlus Transfection.

We also visited a castle! What an amazing view!    We visited a brewery and learned how beer is made, the process and ingredients that go into the beer. We also had a free tasting session with many different types of beer. Fun times!    We then visited a Winery! A small hometown winery , not a commercialized winery. He talked to us on how the wine was made and then he showed us how we should taste the wine during a wine tasting session. Remember; look, smell, taste and feel the aroma! 

We just finished with the most amazing barbeque ever. Strasbourg University is who Kelley has teamed up with to make this all possible. The representative took us to this old castle and we did not know what to expect. We walked for about 10 minutes and then started in the woods. We looked at each other and wondered where we were going. All of sudden the scene appeared before us and it looked like survivor the movie, where the council votes. It was amazing, candles everywhere, great seats, a tent/hut, a fire etc... The food was above amazing, we had a four course meal and not like in the states. This was four courses of meat all cooked in front of us. WoW!!!!!

Well tomorrow we are off to PARIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh ya bye the way I tried to be adventurous today and I tried Pig Head. Don't do it! Most of the food is like back home with a few twists and most food has been great. This was a bit to adventurous. Don't do it! Ok off to bed!

Inside joke....... When in France chase the police and say mauvias garcon, mauvias garcon what are you going to do.................     FUN TIMES

FRANCE HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!

I have not had time lately to write and stay updated with my blogs. I was busy with finals and wrapping up my Residential Assistant duties with the housing department here on campus. But now is the time you will here from me almost everybody while in France! Finals are over and the summer has begun. Most college students spend their summer working, visiting family, going on vacations, relaxing, or taking a few summer classes. Eleven of us here at the Kelley School spent a whole two days for our summer break. We finished the semester on a Friday or Saturday and began our first summer class on a Wednesday. The eleven of us are participating in the first ever Kelley School of Business - Indianapolis Study Abroad trip to Strasbourg, France. The structure of the program is what appealed me to the program. We spend a week and a half in school, one week in France, and then return for a week of classes and a project!  In these short four weeks we will receive 6 credit hours, a trip to Strasbourg, France (and a day in Paris), and the rest of the summer to do as we please.

Was I in for a wake up call during the first week of class. Class is from 9am to 4pm with an hour lunch for approximately seven days. The two classes we are taking is International Business D-301 and Politics in the European Union Y-350   I had the feeling I was in high school again, sitting in a class that long. It felt like the work load was on steroids. Imagine six hours worth of college material everyday. You have readings for both classes, quizzes to study for, articles to read, news to catch up on in Europe, essays that are due on top of your personal life, if you had one during this time. I had a few out of class personal items that were on my agenda. My sister graduated from high school as the Salutatorian and there was no way I was going to miss her graduation. Congrats sis!  My girlfriend was called to the ER because of an allergic reaction, she is ok now but I had to attend to that and make sure she was ok. All of this was a shock and a bit overwhelming at times. But, all of us continued to worked hard and plug through the work. Now as we prepare to leave to France today looking back it is amazing how much we have learned in this short amount of time. The professors have been truly amazing. Just to think in 6 or 7 days I can tell you all about how the European Union grew from 6 member states to 27 members states, I can tell you the criteria to join the Euro Area and begin to use the Euro currency, I can tell you why the European Union has no constitution and why all their treaties serve as something like a constitution, I can talk about the European Central Bank, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers, the European Court of Justice, and the European Council. I can talk about why other states want to join the European Union. I can talk about the economic policy and how the European Union needs to work on their Foreign policy. I can talk about the health care system and how that may affect not only the residents but also the business. I can talk about how international trade works and what effects quotas, tariffs, and subsidies can have on trade. I could talk about the exchange rate and how that can affect not only tourist, but the big impacts it can have on businesses. I could go on and on and it is truly, truly amazing that I knew nothing about the European Union and I knew little about international business and now I can ramble and ramble about all of this material.

While in France we will be visiting multiple locations and I will update you on our way! Businesses such as Eli Lilly, Smart Car, a brewery, a winery, a bio-medical firm, the European Parliament, a castle, etc....  Stayed tuned and wish us luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Kelley for this wonderful opportunity!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey everybody out there,

Semester finally ENDED!!! It seemed like this one lasted FOR-EV-ER (like Squints from Sandlot). Anywho, we got done. And I am not quite done with school, I have one more fall playing for the IUPUI Men's Soccer Team and I also did not want all my readers to miss out on another year of Bloggin. Anyway here's what summer looks like for myself:

LONDONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

- I am leaving tomorrow Friday to head up to Chicago to catch a Cubs day game (It's our year!!!) then heading out on the town with some family friends and guys I grew up with. SOOOO FUN.

- Saturday I am going to hit Lake Shore drive with the 'rents and go for a run. Lets hope the weather is nice. Then I fly out at 6pm.

- I will fly through the night then get into London around 9am their time (5 or 6 hour difference, who's counting). And I will unpack, meet my roommates then hopefully be off to a Chelsea game, assuming nothings planned.

- My first week there includes plenty of concerts (Cold War Kids, Akron Family, Blind Pilot, Band of Horses) and then I am going to see my favorite soccer team with a mate (gotta start using the terms) I grew up with in Bloomington, ARSENAL! It is their last home game and although they have not had the best of years it will still be a dream come true to watch them play.

- The reason I am going over is for an internship. I will be working for a soccer club Brentford FC. They are in League 1, they just won League 2, so they are moving on up. I will be doing all sorts of stuff to help the Club. Unfortunately it is the end of the season over there so I wont be able to catch any games, but it will be great all the same.

As I sit in my room and look at my bags bursting at the seams, I am anxious and super excited. It will be a great experience and I hope to blog along the way. I will try to put up some pictures.

Hope everyone has a great summer!

John