Last Call for Boarding to Brussels

For the next month, I will be attending the USF College of Business “Know Europe” study abroad program and providing an inside scoop on what it’s really like to be an American student at foreign business universities.

First, some fast facts about myself: I’m a fan of sound effects, which, unfortunately, won’t show through in my writing. Previously, the only other stamp in my passport was from Honduras. And, as much as I love cupcakes and other baked goods, my favorite scent is actually diesel. Yes, diesel, that wasn’t an autocorrect on my iPhone. It’s the last thing you smell before boarding an airplane, which means an adventure awaits on the other side and good things are about to come. As I sit in the JFK airport waiting to board to Brussels, I’m about to embark on probably the greatest adventure of my life thus far, and I couldn’t be more excited. 

The next four weeks will, without a doubt, be interesting. While USF students are able to attend, the Know Europe program is actually hosted through the Normandie Business School. All instructors are Europe-based and come from a variety of European universities and businesses. Sessions are taught in the location where the local business contexts provide the most relevant field trips.

• Know Europe begins in Brussels, Belgium, where it remains for a week focusing on the corridors of European power and their relation to intra and extra-community business.
• The second week, the program travels to Amsterdam, Holland, with a visit to Bruges on the way, for transport and logistics and an introduction to business culture in Europe.
• During the third week, the program transfers to Normandy, France, for a study of E-Business and Regional Economics, Industrial Management and Logistics workshops. A day trip is organized to Caen, Bayeux and the D-day Beaches.
• Know Europe then travels to Paris. Following a free weekend here, the program makes its way to Barcelona in the northern province of Catalunya, Spain. The program concludes there with a discussion of issues facing Southern Europe and EU strategic marketing.

Though I have yet to meet the other USF business students who are also attending, I plan on asking them to help me with this blog by providing separate points of view and their own opinions of the program – they just don’t know it yet. 😉

-JB

P.S. if you’re a current student considering studying abroad, please leave your questions or concerns in the comments. I was in your shoes once and know what it’s like to wonder about everything.