Hey y’all! This morning, we headed to the Oil Tank Culture Park, a sustainability-focused public space that’s won numerous awards for its repurposed architectural design. Unfortunately, it was closed during our visit, which was disappointing given how highly it’s regarded. Still, the detour gave us time to explore the surrounding area before our final site…
Tag: College of Business Admin
DMZ, Dancing, and Dugouts: Day 10
Hey y’all! Today was packed with contrast – history and sport, tension and celebration. We started with a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a deeply significant place in Korean history and global politics. The bus ride was about an hour long, which gave me a much-needed nap before what turned into a surprisingly uphill…
Strykers, Stairs, and Serenity: Day 9
Hey y’all! Today, we traveled to Camp Casey, a U.S. military base located near the DMZ, where we had the opportunity to tour around with two Pitt alumni currently working in ROTC, Grace and Will. It was fascinating to see how they’ve carried their experiences abroad into such a high-stakes professional setting. One of the…
Heights, High Notes, and Homemade Bibimbap: Day 8
Hey y’all! Today we made our way to Seoul Tower, and the weather couldn’t have been better! It was sunny with a perfect breeze. The panoramic views from the top were stunning and we could even spot the Blue House in the distance, which brought back memories from day one. It was a full circle…
Heritage, Hand-cut Noodles, and Hanoks: Day 7
Hey y’all! Today was one of the most culturally rich days of our trip so far. We visited Bukchon Hanok Village, a historic neighborhood where traditional Korean homes, called hanoks, are still preserved and lived in. Historically, this area was home to aristocrats and even royal heirs after marriage. Walking through the narrow alleyways felt…
Cafeterias, Campus, and Cognitive Science: Day 6
Hey y’all! Today was definitely one of the more hectic days of the trip. We were scheduled to visit Yonsei University, one of Korea’s most prestigious institutions, but got off to a delayed start. Despite the rough beginning, the visit offered an insightful look into both Korean university life and advanced research. We had lunch…
City Hall, Connection, and Combat: Day 5
Hey y’all! Today was a much needed slower start. Our first activity of the day was a taekwondo class, which was a super fun way to experience Korean culture through movement. Breaking a board felt unreal. It felt like something straight out of a movie! It was also cool learning how discipline and respect are…
Smart Cars, Seagulls, and Sunshine: Day 4
Hey y’all! Today started way earlier than I would’ve liked, but it was totally worth it for our site visit to Hyundai – South Korea’s largest car manufacturing facility. The scale of the operation was insane. The plant is 90% operated by machinery, with robots navigating autonomously using either laser tech or magnetic rails beneath…
Fredit, Free Falls, and Fortnite: Day 3
Hey y’all! Today was packed with company visits, adrenaline rushes, and some of the best food (and dessert) I’ve had so far in Korea. We started with a site visit to Fredit, the company behind the famous Yakult probiotic drinks. I always saw Yakult as just a grocery store item, but learning that there are…
Fortresses, Firearms, and Fresh Strawberries: Day 2
Hey y’all! Today was nonstop in the best way. We kicked things off with a visit to Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site just outside of Seoul. The scale of the fortress was incredible, and walking the ancient walls gave me a deep appreciation for Korea’s architectural legacy and military history. We were…
The First Day
Our amazing Germany 2023 group gathered in Oakland Friday, May 5th. We were able to have a nice dinner in Sennott and discuss the final details of our trip. Then around 9am on May 6th, we set out for the airport. After a very long two flights, we finally arrived in Munich. This was at…
Final Days in Costa Rica
After my 2 weeks here in Costa Rica I have learned a plethora amount of information relating to the design process for each step of the supply chain process. Firstly, I will discuss my experience with the first step starting at the farm. At the farm one may not expect marketing to be a useful…
The Work on Differing Plantations
Today we visited both a banana and a pineapple plantation which made today the first day that we visited a plantation that did not grow or relate to the production and selling of coffee. After today it has become clear to me that coffee has to be protected much more than fruits like bananas and…
The Adaption of Tourism in Arenal
Today we visited the rainforest in Arenal and took a hike through it and across a plethora of hanging bridges. The rainforest here in Arenal has many similarities to the cloud forest we visited previously in Monteverde along with having some distinct differences. Firstly, to discuss the similarities both the cloud forest and rain forest…
The Life and Motivations of a Tico Farmer
Today we visited Life Monteverde which is a coffee plantation right outside of the border of Monteverde. Here we participated in a tour with Don Guillermo, the same man who presented about sustainability yesterday. Here on the Life Monteverde plantation we learned about the lives of the farmers along with the coffee pickers and the…
First Day in Monteverde
Today we took the 3 hour drive up a mountain to Monteverde which differs from Heredia in many ways. Firstly, Monteverde is not a big city like Heredia this is largely due to the fact that it is not easy to create cities this high in the mountains due to the very steep landscape as…
Cafe Britt Visit
Today we visited Cafe Britt’s headquarters which is a very popular and known coffee here in Costa Rica. Cafe Britt is the the part of the supply chain which roasts the coffee and then sells under the Cafe Britt name. Unlike the Doka Estate which mainly focuses on the growing of the coffee, but then…
Final Summary Reflection Blog: Thank You South Korea!
South Korea has been a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life. Being able to travel around the world to develop academically and culturally has given me a new perspective on life. The areas of my life that have been affected include advancements in my…
The Eagle Has Landed: Travel Day Back to the USA: May 18th
With a whole four hours of sleep, my roommate and I were on our way to our final hotel breakfast in South Korea. When we arrived, we filled our plate only with the essentials. These essentials included scrambled eggs, fried rice, potato wedges, and a cup of water. After breakfast, I went back up to…
Final Day in South Korea: May 17th
Yesterday marked the final day for all the site visits and cultural visits for the Plus 3 Korea Program. Because there were no places to visit today, unstructured free time was abundant. As it usually goes, my roommate and I took this time to sleep in and relax. Once one o’clock came around, we got…