I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about my experience studying abroad for 10 days in Europe. I was there for the Innovation, Change & Agile Projects class. I got the chance to see different types of business operations while I was over there and had the chance to meet with a couple different Industry experts. They taught us a lot about the different hoops that certain businesses have to jump through and how they operate on a daily basis. Having this experience helped to gain a new perspective on business and inspired me in new ways when it comes to daily business operations.

Along with the educational experience about business, our group of 11 also got to experience the culture of London, Paris, and Amsterdam. We had a lot of fun together in all 3 cities as each one had its own identity and culture. I loved getting to explore each city in my own way as we got to see different sides of each city. While we were in London, we did a city tour and went down to Picadilly Circus where we got see the night life in London. It was cool to see and reminded me of being in a city that never sleeps. During our free time, I decided to bike through the city with 4 other people and we go to see so many of the beautiful sites that London has to offer. It caused a lot of anxiety due to being so close to the cars and remembering to stay on the left side of the road, but I am extremely glad that I did it because I got to see so much of the city, and it has inspired me to try it on my future travels.

The next city that we went to was Paris. I have been to Paris before, but I got the chance to see some of the changes that occurred and some different sites that I did not get to see the time before this past time. I got the chance to see where they moved all of the locks since they were too heavy for the bridge that they were on previously, we got to see the love wall where couples write “I Love You” in all different languages, and, sadly, we got to see the current restoration process of the Notre Dame. The whole city took my breath away as it was hard to believe that I was even in Paris to begin with. We ended our time in Paris with a Seine River cruise that ended with seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle at midnight. We then moved on to Amsterdam for final two days of our trip before we had to head home.

While in Amsterdam, we explored a local outdoor market, took a city bus and walking tour, and visited a cheese farm where we learned about the cheese making process and the process of making wooden shoes. It was cool experience, and the farmer was hilarious. The whole trip was an experience that I will never forget, and I was able to form some lasting relationships while were there. I hope that in the future other students get to have a study abroad experience that was as educational, inspiring, and amazing as mine was.
– Cheyenne, SPC Western Europe Study Abroad Program, July 2022