I have officially been abroad for one week visiting London, and we just arrived in Paris today. One of my first impressions of London was how it seemed to lack a distinct culture. Nearly every restaurant we passed by offered a different type of food. From Thai, to Indian, to Italian food, London had all of the options. It also felt like your typical large city. Of course, it has its unique history and monuments which I found fascinating, but it also felt like your average urban area.
We went on three business visits while in London including Design Bridge and Partners, Chelsea Football Club and Lloyd’s of London. I found each visit to be incredibly insightful, and it was a great experience learning about their business structure. At Design Bridge and Partners my biggest takeaway was how their company helps brands build their brand identities through creation of logos, slogans and advertisements. While visiting Chelsea, we learned about the history of the club as well as their primary expenses and sources of revenue. At Lloyd’s of London our tour guide gave us insight on what brokers and underwriters do because they are the two main types of people that work in the building.
One of the main differences I noticed between England and the United States is the obvious one, they drive on the left side of the road. It was definitely an adjustment remembering to look left and biking on the left side during our bike tours.
We just arrived in Paris a few hours ago, so I am still getting my first impressions of the city, but so far, I have absolutely loved this program. In a week we have done, seen and learned so much, and I am excited for the next few weeks ahead exploring other cities and countries. I hope that from this program I am able to gain a better understanding of how business is conducted abroad and a deeper appreciation for other cultures.
