Doing Business in France: Pete’s European Adventure

The “Doing Business in Europe” program offered to UIC Business graduate students is a fantastic opportunity to learn about international business while immersed in a different cultural environment. This four-week course, taught at the ESC Normandy School of Business, offers students the opportunity to visit local businesses and study major aspects of European business culture. Students that take part in this program can earn up to six credit hours toward their MBA.

The UIC Business MBA program offers students multiple opportunities to gain first-hand international business experience in both Europe and South America. This past summer, graduate student and MBA candidate Pete Wongtitirote decided to spread his wings and enroll in the “Doing Business in Europe” Program.  He spent most of his time in France but had plenty of chances to explore some neighboring countries as well. We caught up with Pete to hear more about his European adventure:

How was your class experience? What courses did you take?

The classes were fun and were able to cover the foundations of each course on a condensed schedule. The courses I took were:

• Doing Business in Europe
• Intercultural Management in Supply Chain Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Digital Marketing in the Luxury Industry

What countries/cities did you visit during your time abroad?
During my summer school in Normandy, I had the chance to explore other cities in Europe. The program was designed to have long weekends, which meant I would have enough time to visit countries nearby. The first weekend I stayed in Paris, about 2.5 hours from Caen to Paris by train. The second weekend I traveled to Berlin, Germany. This was my first time visiting Germany, I stayed there for 3 nights. During my time in Berlin, I visited attractions such as Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Wall, Memorial to the Holocaust memorials, etc.

The third weekend I traveled to Italy, Milan, and Rome. It was quite an experience, I went to Rome because an old friend that I hadn’t seen in 8 years was there. It was very nice to see him again.

Which of these was your favorite? Why?

Paris was my favorite because of its charm. The city is very beautiful. Plus,  there are tons of activities to do in Paris. From dining to shopping. It is literally a big melting pot of everything.

I was fortunate enough to be in Paris during Bastille Day and World Cup 2018 Final. This is an experience that you don’t get every day.

What was the highlight of your trip?

The highlight of my trip was probably all of the excursion trips that the school took me on.

One of my favorites was our trip to Le Mont-Saint-Michel. It’s an island commune in Normandy, France. The cool thing about this island is that it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Thank you to Pete for sharing his experience! Check out some more amazing pictures from his time overseas down below. Interested in traveling abroad through one of our exchange programs? Be on the lookout in our newsletters for our Exchange Program Information Sessions, or contact Scott Schneider.