Hello! Hallo! Bonjour!

(Not all students captured)

Hello from Angelo State University!
While anxiously finishing up our spring semester here at ASU, fourteen of us, with the help of Dr. Sunderman and his sweet wife, have been preparing for our 25 day trip to France, Belgium, and Germany during our first summer semester. Our trip has been thoroughly discussed, our homework assignments and class meetings have been attended, and now, the true journey for the trip of a lifetime awaits.


                                                                             

 I'm so thankful to have completed this past semester, because my full attention can now be focused on the last few preparations for our departure, a mere three weeks away, on June 3rd. As a first time blogger, I plan to stay as up to date as possible with our travels and keep all posted on our exciting journey! The studies that will be incorporated into our trip involve International Business and Business Etiquette. We will be visiting several corporations and businesses throughout the countries, seeing just how they function and the work that each provides, as well as learning how to interact in these environments in the most effective and appropriate manners. I am extremely looking forward to the given opportunities that allow us to become more comfortable with the cultures and surroundings. We will have the chance to see some extremely exciting sights and tourist attractions, as well as get to taste some excellent food (from what I've been told) and do some wonderful shopping (Yipp-ee!).

Our well-traveled professor, Dr. Sunderman, has much experience and knowledge of the locations we are going. He and his wife have been advising us on efficient packing methods and prepping us for what our trip may entail. It's unfortunate that the packing restrictions don't allow for a closet-sized wardrobe and a variety of fashionable shoes and accessories to be packed. While most have been worried about turning in assignments on time, my worry has revolved around the challenges of fitting a months worth of clothing (and what I'd consider essentials) into a 25 inch suitcase.

Umbrella: check! Converter: check! Walking shoes: check!

The items above are only a few of the items that he has included on a checklist for us. While at times he has been persistent, these crucial checks and reminders have been nothing but helpful, especially for one like myself who hasn't traveled enough to be entirely comfortable with what to bring. I found a "Pack This!" notepad with an extremely detailed checklist. I found this to be very silly, yet quite practical, and thought that I'd give it to Dr. Sunderman as a gift to show my honest appreciation for his reminders and his consistency, with an added touch of humor. 

As we anticipate the launch of this foreign adventure, expect many updates:

Some silly, some serious, but all EXCITING!