Today started off with a site visit to Vassos Eliades Ltd, one of the biggest trading companies in Cyprus. Vassos Eliades Ltd’s main objective is to import, sell, and distribute consumer goods ranging from Nestle products to luxury goods. The company has over 400 employees, covers all trading channels, and has been in operation since 1933. They have won numerous workplace awards and have a strong corporate social responsibility focusing on emitting zero CO2 emissions. My overall impression of Vassos Eliades Ltd is nothing but positive. The representatives were incredibly hospitable, starting off the visit with a care package of Nescafe and breakfast bars with tableside coffee service. (Which if you wanted to know, the cappuccino was the Nespresso brand and was amazing) Additionally, each employee seemed happy about their employment and was extremely knowledgable about their company’s mission and values. If I ever get the chance to work internationally at the corporate level, I would 100% apply for anything there!

The second part of our day consisted of 2 lectures, a history lesson with Dr. Solomou and a “surviving Greek” course. Dr. Solomou focused on the history of Cyprus from ancient times to the current day. He went into thorough detail about the timeline and architecture during each period in Cypriot history. Overall, his lecture style differed from what I see in my courses in the College of Business Administration at Pitt. Usually, my classes consist of heavy visuals and peer interaction while Dr. Solomou’s reminded me more of what I saw throughout high school. I did enjoy Dr. Solomou’s lecture, he was extremely knowledgable and has so much passion for his career focus. I think he adopted more of an old-school teaching style, which definitely works for his expertise. The “surviving Greek” course was mostly to refresh our knowledge on the Greek language and will also be extremely helpful with communicating throughout our trip!