My STEP signature project involved a two-week Fisher Global Lab in Barcelona, Spain, studying international business. I went to class daily and participated in site visits where we toured multiple international businesses in Spain. In class, we worked on a group project where we chose a business and discussed how we would globalize the company if it were to be brought to Spain.

While traveling abroad to Barcelona, I learned and grew so much as a person and student. Before leaving, I had no idea what to expect. I feared being on my own far away from home in a place unfamiliar to me. However, my two-week trip to Barcelona was truly transformational. I learned how to navigate public transportation in a very large city, which is something I have never done before. I tried new foods, met new people, and stepped out of my comfort zone on countless occasions. Before my trip, I could be considered very reserved, a picky eater, scared to take risks, etc. However, after my trip, I can now say that I am a much more adventurous, outgoing person. I also learned so much more about the Spanish culture as well as advanced my speaking of the Spanish language far beyond my high school classes. Being able to enrich myself in culture for two weeks truly allowed me to adapt and understand different people, places, and food. I can truly say that after this trip I am a changed person, and I am so grateful that I stepped out of my comfort zone and signed up for the class.

Over the two weeks spent in Barcelona, there were so many experiences that aided in my transformation. The first experience that helped transform me as a student was the daily class and site visits. In the class, we worked in groups with people we barely knew going into it. This helped me become a better team player and student. Touring businesses in Spain helped me to see a completely different side of business. For example, we toured the 22 @ Innovation District. This allowed me to see a company make and develop changes in a big city, which is something I am not used to seeing. All the educational aspects of this program aided in my future professional career, and I believe I came back a better student with the help of my professor and guest speakers.

Another aspect of the trip that was truly life-changing was the guided tours and experiences. Throughout the two-week program, we had two scheduled dinners, a flamenco show, and multiple tours of popular sites around Barcelona. Having planned dinners compelled me to step out of my comfort zone and try foods I would not normally try. Both dinners consisted of Spanish tapas. I am so glad that I was talked into trying ethnic Spanish foods. It showed me how much I have been missing out on and that I need to say yes to things more often. The flamenco show was also transformational as it allowed me to see a very important aspect of Spanish culture. I am much more appreciative of flamenco dancers and the Spanish culture. Finally, being able to tour the Gothic Quarter, the Sagrada Familia, and Park Guell made the trip so much more amazing. I grew up learning about Gaudi in Spanish class, so being able to see these monumental locations in real life changed my perspective on art and architecture.

Throughout the two weeks spent in Barcelona, I learned and grew so much as a person due to being enriched by the culture from the food, experiences, and tours. However, the most transformational aspect of the trip was becoming close with all of my classmates. I went into the program only knowing one other person. However, I have left the trip with so many more people I can call my friends. I learned so much about the world just from meeting new people from Ohio State. I spent time with people that are very different from me, and it was very beneficial for my development as a person. I was forced to connect and work with basically strangers, and it made me become much more outgoing and myself. Overall, this experience allowed me to grow so much as a person. I learned how to be more independent, outgoing, and just overall gained intelligence due to the diverse schedule the program set.

As I said previously, my two-week trip completely changed my life, and I feel like I am a different person now. I will take the lessons I learned from my program and apply them to my daily personal and professional life. First, I really enjoyed the International Business class itself. I think being able to witness it firsthand helped aid in my learning, and I am now considering a profession in International Business. This helped build teamwork skills and allowed me to interact with new people. I will use the teamwork skills I learned in my future academic and professional life. On a personal note, I will take the lessons I learned on my trip and use them every day. I will be more adventurous and outgoing. I will say yes to more things and be very appreciative of the life I live. Now that I have traveled abroad, I want to be more willing to try new foods and experiences because I know I will rarely regret them. Finally, this trip will impact my future plans to travel more. I always knew I wanted to travel as much as possible, but now I feel like it is a necessity. I have never felt more like myself than I did when I was abroad, and I want to feel that again. This trip has me planning my next trip back to Barcelona and other countries already, and I cannot wait to see how those travels impact my life as well.

Sophie Blackerby

A Day Trip to Cambridge 

By: Savannah Miller

Empire: 

Cambridge has a strong connection to the empire because royalty or upper class citizens are who funded the development of Cambridge University. It was another way to show wealth and power among society. Putting your name on the college was essentially the entire point of funding the university. Examples of this include Peterhouse who was founded by the bishop of Ely, Pembroke college by the countess of Pembroke, King’s college by Henry VI, St John’s college by Lady Margaret Beaufort, Trinity college by Henry VII and the list continues. Through the funding of the university one could have the power to push their views on to administrators to spread to students. Henry VII had this power over students and administration with religious changes and its connection to students’ studies. 

Gender: 

Women were not admitted to all colleges until 1948 and finally given full membership to the university. Before this women were required to ask permission from the professor to take the class and then did not receive a diploma, they received a certification. They were also required to be chaperoned and could not attend a class alone. A women’s college, Newnham, was developed where women could be admitted into Cambridge before 1948. Newnham was placed on the outskirts of Cambridge to create distance between genders and keep the gap between women’s and mens rights. Women were not seen as worthy of a college education. A women’s role was to remain as a support to her husband and children. Newnhman still remains an all girls college today to honor and remember the fight for women’s rights in education. 

Architecture:

Every college at Cambridge has a different architectural approach since they were built by different people. Each building reflects the time period it was built and tells a story about the founder. One common theme among the buildings is cheaper materials were used on the backs of building units facing the canal because only workmen transporting goods would view that side of the building. It would cut costs and reminded me of how in other parts of London the fronts and backs of buildings have different brick work. Specifically, Bath had several examples of miss match building materials. Ivy now strategically covers walls facing the canal.  

Social class

Colleges were developed for the upper class to further their education. They would go from a public education and feed right into a specific college at Cambridge. For example, King’s college is known for being made up of Eton students for many years. King’s college also was seen as the most prestigious for a time and its students were waited on by students of other Cambridge colleges. There was a class system or a war between which college was the richest that still lingers today. 

Influence of culture: 

Work done at Cambridge affected the lives of everyone in England and around the world. That may seem dramatic but discoveries, research, writings, and the arts heavily influenced the culture. Cambridge student, Isaac Newton, publishes the fundamental principles of physics. Another student you may have heard of is Lord Byron who wrote satires and famous poems at Trinity. Charles Darwin, who wrote the theory of evolution, studied at Cambridge. JJ Thomson’s work with the electron was done at the University as well as John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton splitting of the atom. The discovery of DNA by Francis Crick, James Watson and Rosalind Franklin was done in Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge university too. These strides in education, research and discovery are what make Cambridge stand out as the second best  university in the world.

My STEP project was a Global Marketing Lab in Taiwan through the Fisher College of Business. We visited Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Over the course of our trip, we got to go on 10 different business visits, network with Ohio State alumni, and explore the culture of the country.

Before we left, I was nervous to go to a different country on the other side of world without any of my friends or family. When I was younger, I would become anxious and worried being away from my parents for too long, and even when I moved out of my parent’s house, it was difficult for me at first. I thought traveling this far would be more difficult, but everyone on this trip made it a lot easier to be away from home. This has made me realize that I am going to be okay wherever I go, and my friends and family are only a phone call away. I had always thought I was going to live in Columbus forever and stay close to home, but I think I am getting more comfortable with the idea of moving away from here and living in a different place in the future. Going forward, I hope to be able to travel more because I really enjoyed this trip. I would definitely be interested in going on another trip through Fisher next year.

In addition to being more open to moving somewhere else in the future, I also learned that it is okay if I don’t know what I want to do after I graduate and that I can try different things. Even when I do have a job after college, I may not be sure of myself and that’s okay too. I learned that even business professionals who have been for working for a while don’t always know what they are doing and just have to try different things. Although most of my life I haven’t known what I want to do in the future, I do know that I want a creative career and we got to see a place where creativity is everywhere.

I really didn’t know the people on this trip before going on it. We did have a class together for seven weeks beforehand, but it was only once a week, so I didn’t know the people too well. There were only 10 of us, but I think that made it easier to get close with one another and get to know each other well. I feared traveling so far without anyone I knew, but everyone on the trip was kind and willing to be a friend. We did everything together, so we had lots of time to talk and be around each other. In addition to our business visits, we went on hikes, sat together on the long bus rides, ate every meal together, and spent our free time with each other.

One of the things I learned after visiting many companies is that not every decision a business makes is calculated. Sometimes they do take risks and try things that they aren’t sure will work. I remember at our visit to Fubon Securities, I asked how they decide which marketing strategies to pursue, and they said they just try things. They aren’t sure if something will work every time, but they try out different strategies and see what works best. Also, at our visit with Kenda Tires we saw that they are struggling a little bit with their marketing. It seems like they have tried some different things, but they haven’t worked out or it’s been hard to measure the effectiveness of their tactics. This makes me feel a little less worried about having a job in the future. I don’t like when I don’t know how to do something and I often don’t feel completely confident in every decision I make, but even business professionals who have worked for decades don’t always know what the best decision is.

My favorite visit of the trip was to Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI). I thought everything they did was really interesting. They have helped to redesign many schools, transportation, and other public spaces in addition to creating many products. Also, their office space was a very creative but casual space. They had lots of art everywhere, a ball pit, a library, a garden, and other things that you wouldn’t see in any other office. I also liked how the room where everyone worked at their desks was open and encouraged a more collaborative and casual environment. I think TDRI had a very clear purpose as everything they do is to help their community and make the world more sustainable. Growing up I loved arts and crafts and was always making things, so I know I want to do something creative in my future career. I would love to work for a similar company because of how creative and inspiring this place was. I know that if I had a job at a place like this, I would really enjoy it and feel like I am making a difference, which can sometimes be hard with a business-related job, but there are jobs that do have an impact on the surrounding community.

The change I have experienced from this trip is valuable because I learned a little more about myself and where I want to end up in the future. I used to be set on staying close by to my family in the same city I grew up in, but I am more open now to living somewhere else. Maybe I will end up staying in Columbus, but I won’t be as scared to let go if that is where my life leads me. This opens me up to more job opportunities and any other travel opportunities that may come my way.

I also have a little more direction on my future career. The thought of having a full-time job where I am expected to have big responsibilities for a company is scary but knowing that I won’t be expected to be perfect calms my nerves a little bit. I won’t know how to do everything, and some things may be trial and error. Even the people working around me won’t know all the answers, so I won’t be alone. I can feel more confident in not knowing the answers in all my pursuits whether that be school or a job, and I can feel confident asking questions. My specialization is Marketing, so all I really know is that I plan to have some sort of marketing position in the future, but I don’t really have a dream job. I know now that I can do something creative in a position with a marketing degree while also making a difference. I want what I do for work to feel important and like I am making a difference, even if it’s small.

The Victoria and Albert Museum houses almost 3 million objects, books, and archives that span over 5,000 years. The V&A Museum has numerous galleries and exhibits that guests can get lost in. I was personally one of those guests. While I normally find myself drawn to paintings, I spent most of my time in the V&A Museum in the jewelry archive. One of the highlights of the collection, in my opinion, was the sapphire and diamond cornet worn by Queen Victoria and given to her by her husband, Albert, early on in their marriage. She wore it after his death, symbolizing their eternal love.

It is really interesting to see the jewelry worn throughout different time periods. However, it is obvious that these pieces were only worn by the wealthy members of the community. The necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, and other pieces in the collection are obviously of much importance and value, meaning they had to have belonged to the high society of the time. I am positive that the makeshift jewelry donned by the poor is not the sight to behold as the intricate mini portraiture pieces found throughout the gallery. This point is further supported by the jewelry set I found given to a ‘Miss Coates’ by the Prince Regent, to be worn on the day of his daughter’s wedding. While Miss Coates was sure to have been one of the Princess’s ladies in waiting, she was put in charge of keeping a close on her by the Regent, making her very important. The jewelry set gifted to her signifies her status as an individual more valuable than those around her.

I also don’t think that much has changed since then. Today, it is still only the upper class that can wear expensive and decadent jewels. The only difference is that the poor have gotten better at concealing their lack of wealth. With more access to different parts of the world, it has been easier to obtain “fake” jewelry and knock-offs of some very high-end pieces. This is even still seen in the gallery of the jewelry room. There is a butterfly ring belonging to Beyonce. This ring is made from many tiny, priceless stones and the fake recreations of it would never be caught dead behind the glass of the museum’s gallery.

Colin Hatfield.317

STEP Reflection

5/25/23

I participated in the International Business Global Lab in Barcelona, Spain from May 7^th through the 20^th with the Office of International Affairs. In my two weeks, I completed a crash course in International Business, visited popular cultural destinations, learned about global industries and their leaders through site visits, and developed strong relationships with fellow Buckeyes along the way. This was an excellent way to learn about the world, business, and myself while having an unforgettable experience in a short period of time.

Participating in an Education Abroad Experience through Ohio State, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Global Business, and with thehelp of STEP, I learned a lot and came back to the United States with a better understanding of the world around me. The thing that stood out to me most was that the differences we observe between people, culture, and countries truly isn’t as polarized as most would assume. Whether that was local Barcelonians, American tourists, or tourists from other countries, we all want the same things. We all want to be happy, loved, and heard. We all want to take care of ourselves and those that we love. We all want to be safe and try to live as stress-free as we can. While we may speak different languages, eat different foods, and have different social norms, we all value similar things and are so much more alike as humans than we are different.

The biggest difference that stands out to me after returning from Barcelona is my understanding of a different culture. I would never consider myself an expert, but I learned about Spanish, Barcelonian, and Hispanic culture. I learned about the things that people value most, which were pretty aligned with what most Americans value. Locals explained they valued family and friends, living every day to the fullest, and avoiding unnecessary stress that takes the fun out of life. It was evident their work culture was much more laid back yet still very effective. Their lifestyles also differed pretty heavily from the American lifestyle as it is common to see people taking a “siesta” or nap, in the middle day, and enjoying dinner around 9 pm rather than the typical 6 pm we are used to. Additionally, people in Barcelona walk to their destination most of the time and when traveling further distances, use public transportation like busses or the metro. They also purchase their groceries much more frequently than we do here in the US. It is uncommon to buy inbulk, rather they shop for a few days and make frequent trips to the supermarket or local vendor markets to purchase their fruits, vegetables, nuts, cheeses, and produce. Both the walking and the fresh food help people to be healthier and it is evident.

One conversation with my professor, Dr. Juan Morillo, at a group dinner will stick with me forever as he helped me to better understand the Spanish culture and different cultures around the world as well. He is a native Barcelonian but has lived in the UK, Madrid, United States, and has done work in countless other countries. He has also worked with international companies that have created opportunities to experience the world. He is at a minimum proficient in six languages and has a wealth of business and personal knowledge. We discussed his experience growing up in Spain, including parenting, schooling, and family life. He also taught me about college/universities in Spain from his studying and teaching experiences as well as his work experiences. I really enjoyed his insight into creating a global career and setting goals that you can achieve over time to create the life that you want to live. He explained how fortunate that he was to work with great companies, meet great people, live a few minutes from his family, and could deliver on his purpose to give back by educating students. He helped me to set goals for myself that would help me to achieve my personal and professional aspirations and I will always be thankful for his guidance.

Another experience that taught me a lot was developing relationships with members of our host organization, CEA CAPA, an organization dedicated to creating study abroad programs. Most memorably, I spent time with two individuals, Iban and Gemma, who were eager to answer all my questions and happy to share their own backgrounds. Iban had only been with the organization for a few months but explained to me what it was like to work internationally for a large company, Airbnb. He had great insight into work-life balance and finding a job that excites you and makes you want to come back each day. I shared with him my experiences and passions and he encouraged me to chase them with no regrets and smart decisions. We also talked about Spanish and American culture which was a very enlightening hour-long conversation. We bounced questions back and forth about lifestyles, social norms, and politics. Truthfully, Iban and I shared much more in common than either of us initially thought which made for a cool learning experience for both of us.

Gemma also spent time teaching me about the history of Barcelona and Catalonia as she is a native Catalonian. I didn’t know there was a conflict between Spain and Catalonia prior to arriving in Spain, but she explained to me that prior to Covid-19, it hadn’t been as peaceful as it is now. In 2017-2018, there were major protests and even riots resulting in an event known as the Catalan Crisis. Most of the conflict arose over Catalonia seeking independence from Spain. Gemma explained to me more of the inside information the news doesn’t traditionally cover and more of the Catalonian beliefs. It was certainly interesting to learn about an internal conflict in Spain and was very informative, especially learning from a local Catalonian.

The activities that were organized by the program also opened my eyes to the culture of Barcelona and Spain. We attended a private Flamenco Dance show where we learned Spanish songs and dances from local dancers. It was a fun experience and reminded me a lot of the tango that many people are familiar with. The dancers and musicians were extremely talented and did a great job of captivating us as an audience. We also participated in a cooking class with a professional chef to make Tapas, a famous cuisine of Spain. Tapas are like small plates or appetizers in the United States and are served at almost every restaurant we ate at. Typical Tapas consist of Spanish Omelets, Gazpacho, Calamari, Pan con Tomate, and more. All of these were very tasty. The chef explained the origin of tapas as food served on small plates that would cover beer and wine glasses to protect from bugs while people socialized. A very innovative and now historic and cultural Spanish dish. Both experiences were fun ways to learn about the culture.

This program and trip were completely life changing. I am so proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone by traveling to a foreign country by myself and I can’t wait to do it again. I learned so much about myself, the people around me, and the world in just two short weeks. I now feel more globally competent, and it has inspired me to continue to pursue a global career. Additionally, it helped me with my personal goal to travel while I’m young and experience the world. I loved every minute of this transformational experience!

1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.

My step project was participating in the Fisher College of Business International Business Global Lab in Barcelona, Spain. This was a two week long program where we split our time studying Introduction to International Business in the classroom with business and cultural site visits.

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.

These past two weeks have transformed the way I think about myself, International Business, and the Spanish culture. We were extremely busy as we packed all Barcelona has to offer in a short period of time and I realized that I am a lot stronger and independent than I thought. I was forced to adjust to a new environment while taking on a workload combined with a demanding schedule. Although I was tired, I lived everyday with no regrets, trying new foods, and trying to learn the dialect of Barcelona, Catalan. I didn’t even realize how far out of my comfort zone I was as I was surrounded by the welcoming culture of the Spanish and supportive Ohio State peers. I grew a whole new perspective on Spain, learning how to live out their culture in their everyday habits. I was surprised to find how much of their history plays a part of the city of Barcelona and how people from all over the world are welcomed with open arms.

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

One crucial element to me transforming my beliefs was my relationships that I made with my fellow Ohio State peers and the CAPA CEA faculty. All my peers from Ohio State were so ready to lend a hand to everyone. We all bonded over learning new things together and I found it so unique that although we were all different ages, we were all looked at as equal and a family. I can’t imagine next year without the new friendships I made on this trip, and I know that our shared experiences have created a strong bond among us.

The CAPA and CEA staff also gave so much peace of mind which made it so easy to embrace the new opportunities. They were always easily accessible and gave us the perfect balance of guiding our way to new places with free time to enjoy the city as we wanted. The staff worked very hard to ensure that we all remained safe and had access to resources needed in case of any emergency. It was so hard to say goodbye, and we all promised to visit again.

Another element that aided my transformation during this trip was gaining confidence after finally figuring out how to navigate the city. It was difficult to be thrown into the busy schedule of a non-English speaking country at first, but once we figured it out, we realized how big the potential of the city was right in front of us. I will never forget a couple from France coming up to us asking for help in directions and feeling so happy that they thought my friends and I were locals. I felt successful in communicating with others and it was fulfilling to know that we had knowledge of the city enough to help others.

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

This transformation is valuable to my life because it fulfills the vision of always wanting to study abroad in college. This two-week experience showed me that I am capable of handling a semester on my own, and helped me set future goals for myself that I want to accomplish before graduation.

While I was there, I was able to make numerous business connections over a wide range of industries. I was so impressed with how willing they were to help us continue our education and find goals for ourselves. It has made me want to study deeper into International Business and explore outside of Barcelona.

Today was a super interesting day that focused a lot on Scottish culture and everyday activities! We got on the bus at 8 to head to the Fife show, which was similar to a lot of county fairs in the states. The show had everything from local vendors to carnival rides to cow showing. One of my favorite parts from this show was seeing the horse show and jump course, as I used to ride when I was younger. After getting our bearings at the show, myself and some friends watched the horse show and then went on a few carnival rides (which were a lot of fun!). We then grabbed some lunch and went to see some highland cows, which we haven’t been able to see in person yet. Our group headed back to the bus and slept on the ride home, then went to a convenience store once arriving back at the hotel to stock up on UK snacks- which was very different from US snacks, especially the crisp flavors like prawn cocktail and steak! We then got changed into fancy clothes and headed to the Spirit of Scotland show for dinner and a show. We got to taste traditional Scottish foods and see traditional song, dance, and bagpipe performances. We also tried haggis which wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. One of my favorite parts was the Outlander theme song because that is one of my favorite shows! We then headed back to the hotel at the end of a very Scottish day in Edinburgh.