I am finishing my first week of classes at Grenoble Ecole de Management as a 3rd year International Business student, and my expectations couldn’t have been further than reality (all in a good sense, don’t worry).
In one week alone, I have met at least one person from every continent (except Antarctica, of course), become accustomed to a new grading system, navigated the correct business practices of Saudi Arabia and Japan, and learned one (undisclosed) curse word in French. I am in awe of the school and the melting pot of countries from which all my classes are made.
On the first day, we took a quiz to find out everyone's home country, and off the top of my head, I remember Canada, Mexico, Norway, Singapore, Brazil, Poland, and Jordan, but there are so many more. I have never experienced the feeling of being the only one from California in a school setting. I guess my expectations of studying abroad failed to include another person from California being with me, but being surrounded by the cultural diversity, the feeling is incredible and exhilarating. It’s not something that had even crossed my mind, but for some reason, I can’t get it off my mind.
The classes are very group oriented. The three classes I have had are Intercultural Business Skills, Ethical Dimensions of International Business, and Innovation Management, all of which they have put us into groups, made up of 4-5 students. In Innovation Management, each group was handed material ranging from straws. rope and tape, tasked with building a device that could protect an egg from being dropped at 3 meters (~10 feet). I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of school I was going to, building a life-saving device for an egg. But nonetheless, the school has its unique way of teaching us content. Seven of the eight teams were successful in the egg drop, but it allowed us to get to know our peers much better than the other classes.
I am overwhelmingly ecstatic to be studying International Business surrounded by so many international peers. Although my curriculum at my home university in California is rigorous and informational, experiencing it in a foreign language surrounded by international students is going to teach me so much. Studying at GEM has turned my goal of a truly International Business degree into a reality. To say that I am studying International Business in an international setting with a melting pot of culturally diverse students is phenomenal, and I look forward to the semester ahead.
Isabel K. is the Fall 2016 CEA MOJO in the French Alps, France. She is currently a junior studying International Business and Computer Science at Chapman University.
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| A farmers market that I bike by on the way to school everyday. |
In one week alone, I have met at least one person from every continent (except Antarctica, of course), become accustomed to a new grading system, navigated the correct business practices of Saudi Arabia and Japan, and learned one (undisclosed) curse word in French. I am in awe of the school and the melting pot of countries from which all my classes are made.
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| The view of GEM from the tram. |
On the first day, we took a quiz to find out everyone's home country, and off the top of my head, I remember Canada, Mexico, Norway, Singapore, Brazil, Poland, and Jordan, but there are so many more. I have never experienced the feeling of being the only one from California in a school setting. I guess my expectations of studying abroad failed to include another person from California being with me, but being surrounded by the cultural diversity, the feeling is incredible and exhilarating. It’s not something that had even crossed my mind, but for some reason, I can’t get it off my mind.
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| Saint Bruno Square, located less than a 30 seconds from GEM |
The classes are very group oriented. The three classes I have had are Intercultural Business Skills, Ethical Dimensions of International Business, and Innovation Management, all of which they have put us into groups, made up of 4-5 students. In Innovation Management, each group was handed material ranging from straws. rope and tape, tasked with building a device that could protect an egg from being dropped at 3 meters (~10 feet). I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of school I was going to, building a life-saving device for an egg. But nonetheless, the school has its unique way of teaching us content. Seven of the eight teams were successful in the egg drop, but it allowed us to get to know our peers much better than the other classes.
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| The 3 steel towers of GEM, home to offices for teachers and faculty. |
I am overwhelmingly ecstatic to be studying International Business surrounded by so many international peers. Although my curriculum at my home university in California is rigorous and informational, experiencing it in a foreign language surrounded by international students is going to teach me so much. Studying at GEM has turned my goal of a truly International Business degree into a reality. To say that I am studying International Business in an international setting with a melting pot of culturally diverse students is phenomenal, and I look forward to the semester ahead.
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| Artwork from Mausee Dauphinois. |
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| View from the other side of the water, with the cathedral in Saint Bruno Square peaking out. |
Isabel K. is the Fall 2016 CEA MOJO in the French Alps, France. She is currently a junior studying International Business and Computer Science at Chapman University.