GGC's Inaugural Study Abroad Trip
 Dr. Spero Peppas, who teaches marketing and international business, was the faculty coordinator for this first-time adventure in the summer of 2008. Fourteen GGC students packed their bags and crossed the Atlantic for an exciting journey that began in Brussels. The multi-country tour took students through famous cities such as Paris, Montreux, Geneva and Zurich.
Read the student blogs from the trip!
Highlights
The group landed in Brussels early in the morning and explored the city on foot. Even though it turned out to be a hot summer day, great sights, good food (Belgium waffles!) and intricately detailed architecture were in high supply. One of the first big stops was the EU Parliament. Many commented how impressive this was, especially the breadth of languages spoken. A corporate visit to UPS European headquarters rounded out the Brussels highlights before the group was whisked off, by bullet train, to Paris.
From the Louvre Museum to Notre Dame, the sights in Paris were many and beautiful. While in France, students also had the opportunity to see a "real" fashion show, the Eiffel Tower and of course, go shopping. Getting around usually involved riding the Metro; perhaps at first daunting to some, it soon became second nature to the students as they explored The City of Light.
Presentations and lunch at Coca Cola France headquarters gave students an opportunity to gain insight into this Atlanta-based company’s overseas operations and meet the president of Coca-Cola France. Then, the bustling streets of Paris gave way to the serene French countryside, where an entire day was dedicated to the vineyards of Epernay, the "Capital of Champagne." Here, students got a tour of Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte (house production facility) and attended an informative presentation by the CIVC (Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne).
The Swiss cultural experience began in a traditional hotel in Montreux with an amazing view of Lake Geneva and the Alps. While in Geneva the students were hosted at the International Committee of the Red Cross. Other notable landmarks visited in Geneva included the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization buildings. One of the last highlights before bidding farewell to Switzerland was a presentation by the Swiss Bankers Association in Zurich.
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