Paris! and other exciting adventures

I am in my second week now; it is incredible to believe at how quick this past week has gone.  Only eight days ago I had arrived at Rouen Business School, unfamiliar with my surroundings and curious as to how quickly I would adapt to the environment here.   While I will admit that I am still unfamiliar with a bit of my surroundings, I believe I have adapted fairly quickly. While my first class does not start until September 20^th, I have become quite familiar with my environment. I have attended orientation, participated in an intercultural seminar that lasted three days, set up a bank account in France, and purchased a bus pass for the city of Rouen.

Orientation was mandatory for all international students and provided for a great introduction to the school and campus life. While most of the orientation covered typical topics, the most memorable moment came when Stephen Murdoch, the Associate Dean (International) at Rouen Business School spoke to the class of international students.  During his speech, he discussed a bit about his past – the most notable of which was that he is originally from Windsor, ON and that is a University of Windsor graduate!  This proved to be a very meaningful connection to me; regardless of where I am, there is always some connection to home.

The afternoon following the orientation session was a Forum where students can purchase a bus pass and create a bank account with a local bank in Rouen.  It was fairly straightforward and the representatives spoke some English which was helpful.  For students who will be going to Rouen in future semesters, there are two options that you can select when you charge your bus pass: 

1. Ten one way bus trips for around €8.
2. One month of unlimited trips for around €24.

I opted for the first option, although I have since changed my bus pass to the second option.  With the Carrefour (Superstore similar to Walmart) a bus ride away and few restaurants or entertainment within walking distance from the school, you’ll most likely be using the bus on a daily basis. 

This past Thursday through Saturday all international students attended an Intercultural Seminar.  We were separated to groups of 7 students and had to present a topic to the class pertaining to a globalized culture.  My group consisted of five French students and an exchange student from Slovenia. It was interesting watching the different cultures and how we were able to communicate together to create a strong presentation.

Finally, Sunday was the first day that I had nothing scheduled at Rouen Business School.  I took quick advantage of it and went on a day trip to Paris. From the train station in Rouen, it is only a 70 minute commute to Paris making it a perfect location to visit during the day.  I went with two friends that I have gotten to know here, Emily (an MBA student at Odette) and Megan (a BBA student at Brock). Of course pictures provide much more justice than descriptions of where I have gone, so feel free to browse through my photo album by clicking on the picture below:

A view from the Eiffel Tower with Emily (left) and Megan (right).

 Thanks for reading! I look forward to sharing more exciting stories next week.