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
It sounds like the entire group had some great adventures in France. I'm happy to see the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis has put forth this level of investment in its students and programs.
What a terrific experience, especially because you were able to take the classroom to the board room. I suspect that your lectures and group projects really came to life in this environment.
Do you think that this experience will influence the rest of your academic career? Has it changed what you thought about your business degree and how you might apply it in a career?