May Term 2013
Get muscles in Brussels
From what’s been called Europe’s last “artificial” country—Brussels I don’t know why I’d not considered going to Brussels before this trip; it’s only an hour and twenty minutes by train from Paris. It’s also considered the “center of Europe” (so the guide told us) because it’s close to the Netherlands, Berlin, etc. That’s of course been one … Continue reading
How do you know you’re in a world class museum? Lessons from the Louvre
There were a lot of tips today that we were in a world class museum. Here are some that spring to mind: – The line for admission goes half way around the block. That’s for those who were smart enough to reserve via the internet. The other line goes around the block and then some. (fortunately, our guide gave us … Continue reading
Paris
I am writing after a long and satisfying day in Paris, exploring and above all experiencing. In the morning, we went to Notre Dame to visit one of the most magnificent Gothic churches in the world. Constructed (literally) from the 12th through the 19th centuries, its flying buttresses and facades are so central to Gothic—and France—that distances in the … Continue reading
In the Land of the Sun King
Everyone wanted to be the Paris of the…. Many of the cities I’ve visited have sought to be compared to Paris—Saigon was thought to be the Paris of the East by many (and it still has the greatest baguettes East of Suez); and lShanghai, particularly the French concession, had similar marketing claims. In Europe, several Eastern … Continue reading
Two Global Corporations
Today was the kind of day—albeit cool and blustery—that makes leading a travel course a great learning and teaching opportunity. We visited two global corporations, one business, one political. The business visit was first, set up by one of our student’s mom, who worked for Cisco, at the Cisco office near Heathrow airport in London. Cisco does … Continue reading
Across the Pond in London May 8
The saying is, “’we’re across the pond.” Compared to the Pacific, the Atlantic is a “pond,” which means our trip of 4000 miles from Chicago to London is considerably shorter than any trip from Chicago to my usual stomping grounds in the Far East. Despite the 8 hour flight, rather than the 14-16 hour flight (thankfully, we … Continue reading
May Term 2013 – The European Union: Does It Have a Future?
Prof. Fred Hoyt joins Prof. Elisabeta Pana and students in a Business Administration travel course focused on the 27-member European Union. They will visit the EU headquarters in Brussels, London (which is in the European Union but does not use the Euro), Euro-saviors Berlin and Paris, troubled Athens, and potential member Turkey’s Istanbul, among others.