Students taking Eastern New Mexico University's "Global Business" class were given the opportunity to put their coursework into action by visiting business leaders in France, England and Belgium.

Dr. Jean-Marc Gandonou, assistant professor of economics, led eight ENMU students on the international trip.

One of the students, Karina Dozal, shares her experience:

What does the "Global Business" course focus on?

This course focuses on international business and how cultures and geographic regions around the world determine how it is conducted.

What educational opportunities did you have during the trip?

We got to visit the American University of Paris, where we were shown the differences and similarities between American and French cultures and customs and how having a knowledge of those characteristics can impact how you do business within that culture.

We also visited the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) where they discussed how the governments of member countries around the world get together to share experiences and seek solutions to solve common problems.

In Brussels, we visited the European Parliament. They discussed how they overcome working within an international and multilingual environment.

How did this trip prepare you for your career/further the skills in your career? Which skills did you learn?

I felt as though this trip showed me that there is opportunity on a global scale for any type of career path you choose to go down whether it be in business, design, communication, etc. As a designer [Editor's note: Karina is a graphic designer for ENMU Communication Services], getting to see publications and graphics designed for an international audience that are created to be understood universally showed me a new perspective on design.

Advice to students interested in taking the "Global Business" course in the future:

Getting to immerse yourself in a new culture opens the door for so many new experiences and opportunities. This course showed me a life outside of my comfort zone. I have a new appreciation of not only the new cultures we were introduced to, but my culture as well.

Which significant locations did you visit?

In Paris, France, we visited the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Champs-Élysées, Palace of Versailles, Sacré-Cœur Basilica, the OECD and the American University of Paris.

In London, England, we visited Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminister Abbey and the White Cliffs of Dover (Dover, England).

In Brussels, Belgium, we visited Grand Place, Brussels Town Hall, Royal Palace of Brussels and the European Parliament.

What was your favorite place you visited during the trip? Why?

I think my favorite place that we visited during our trip was the Place du Châtelet during the Fête de la Musique (World Music Day) in Paris. The area was filled with all kinds of performers, music groups and artists from all over the world coming together for a night of music.

What was your favorite food you had during the trip?

Crêpes with Nutella and bananas were my favorite! There were crêpe stands on almost every corner in Paris, and each order was made fresh right in front of you.

Favorite moment of the trip?

My favorite moment of the trip was attending the international mass at Notre Dame. The mass was in several different languages and getting to hear all of these beautiful languages sharing the same message was amazing.

How did you prepare for the trip?

Doing research over the similarities and difference in customs between the United States and each European country we visited definitely helped. Learning a few basic phrases such as hello, thank you, yes, no and please were an important part in connecting with the locals when needing assistance. In France, making an effort to at least say "bonjour" made all the difference on whether someone was willing to help you or not. Though France, Belgium and England are relatively close to each other, each country had significantly different customs.

Which three items do you recommend future travelers to pack when they go on an educational trip abroad?

A universal travel adapter is a must need. Electrical outlets are different across each country and a universal adapter will allow you to connect your electronics in an international outlet.

Reusable water bottles are huge money savers. Restaurants often charge for water by the bottle and buying a water at a convenience store every day would become pricey. It was much easier to fill our water bottles before we left for the day and refill when we came across a fountain.

Finally, a small translation book. I found an inexpensive book at Barnes and Noble that listed common phrases and words in French. It was a big help at restaurants when trying to decode what each course contained.

If you could sum up the experience with one word, which word would you use?

Awakening

Additional information you would like to include:

If ever presented with the opportunity to go abroad and experience a new culture and lifestyle for yourself, I highly recommend jumping at that chance. Immersing yourself fully through a study abroad program is very different than visiting these places as a vacation. On vacation, you see each country as a tourist. Through studying abroad, you become part of the culture.