Study Abroad Spring 2015: Athens, Greece!
Written by: Danielle Andreani
For Spring Break this year, 35 members of the Leadership Development Honors Program had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend 10 days in Athens, Greece learning about culture and international business. It was a trip filled with memories, laughter, great knowledge, and of course, amazing food! This annual trip changes the lives of the students who attend each and every year. The magnificent learnings open our eyes to different perspectives and customs, while the bonding among the students strengthens the ties of the Leadership family.
After traveling all night and spending a brief 45 minutes in Barcelona in between connecting flights, the team landed in Athens ready for the experience. Our first night there, we were treated to a traditional Greek Taverna that featured live music and a folklore show. Our first taste of Greek food was absolutely amazing! The members of the folklore show also had all of us up on our feet and (attempting) to dance along with them. It was a great first night there! The next morning, the team was up bright and early for a panoramic tour of Athens. We experienced firsthand the beauty of the Parthenon, the Panathenaic Stadium (which hosted the first modern Olympic Games), the Acropolis and much more! Seeing these ruins, which are thousands of years old, really causes a person to stop and reflect on what they are seeing. During the trip, we also took a ride to the ancient city of Delphi, which lies on the slopes of Mount Parnassos. The views were breathtaking. Some of the team also had the opportunity to visit some of the famous Greek islands during their spare time, including Aegina, Hydra, Poros, and Santorini. Words cannot do justice when describing how beautiful the islands are.
During the week the team had meetings with a mix of American and Greek companies. The first day of meetings included the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Deloitte. Both of these companies provided an insightful look into the state of the Greek economy and the current conditions of the business environment. This provided the foundation for the rest of the week. Next the team met with Zampple, a market research firm that specializes in providing sample products to their members in exchange for their feedback, and Gaea, an olive oil producer. Gaea also provided the students a unique opportunity to learn about choosing quality olive oil by participating in a tasting session. Meeting with SAP allowed the students to delve into the world of enterprise application software, while learning what is up and coming in that industry. The Athenian Brewery walked the students through their brewing process, while discussing the growing beer market in Greece. The last day featured two of the most thought-provoking meetings of the trip. Members of the team met with the General Manager of the Microsoft Innovation Center, where they delved into technological disruption and explored the Internet of Things. Lastly, we met with members from Bold Ogilvy & Mather and OgilvyOne, members of the Ogilvy & Mather group. Ogilvy & Mather is an international advertising, marketing and public relations agency based in New York City. It opened the eyes of the students to the advertising world and all it has to offer.
This trip was one that everyone will remember for the rest of their lives. Not many students have the opportunity to attend a trip such as this, and the students in the program are very fortunate to have had this experience. The learnings, memories, and friendships are something that we will carry with us long after landing back in Newark Airport.
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