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!!!!!!!!!!!!
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!!!!!!!!!!!!
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