Each year as part of the Term III International Business course students travel to a foreign country in mid-March. Last academic year the Class of 2009 visited Beijing, China. The international residence consists of company visits, guest lectures, and cultural tours. Full-time MBA Admissions Ambassadors, Melissa and Katie, document the trip's highlights. 

March 13, 2009
We arrive in China after 17 plus hours of traveling! Despite our jet-lag, as soon as we were checked into the hotel we began exploring. For many students the first night was highlighted by a trip to the bug market...

March 14, 2009
Saturday was our first class cultural experience: a trip to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City. Our tour guide provided us with details on the amazing history of the city. Twenty-four emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties resided within the Forbidden City, known as the finest imperial palace in China.The palace is a must-see site in Beijing as it is considered the greatest palatial structure in the world. 

On Saturday we attended a welcome dinner, which was a traditional Chinese meal served in conjunction with a theatrical performance.  The meal consisted of countless courses of customary Chinese cuisine, ranging from fish belly to a flower salad—truly something for everyone.

March 15, 2009
Sunday was our free day to explore Beijing on our own. Some opted to rent bikes and pedal through the city while others took advantage of an arranged day with our tour guide, Ricky Lee. First stop was the zoo, where we visited the famous panda bears and saw many other wild animals. After that we took a rickshaw tour through a Hutong to experience a different perspective of life in China. During the tour we met with a local family and they spoke to us about the history and development of the area as well as their family traditions. This was an amazing and eye-opening experience for all of us. After a busy day of sightseeing we got our first taste of the Silk Marketplace. We didn't pass up the opportunity to bargain for our souvenirs. 

March 16, 2009
Monday was our first academic day/ We began bright and early with a visit to the University of International Business and Economics. We had the opportunity to hear about the history of China and what is in store for China's future from Professor Liu Baocheng. After the presentation, some of the local MBA students joined us for lunch at a nearby restaurant where we tried the famous Peking duck. Our final visit of the day was to Symantec, where Mr. Xu spoke to us about the company's business strategy in China.

March 17, 2009
Tuesday was a full day of company visits, beginning with a presentation by Mr. Jari Tukia of ABB, a global organization specializing in power and automation technologies while focusing on sustainability. Our visit also included a tour of their facilities. Our second company visit of the day was a unique experience for us because Lenovo was our first exposure to a Chinese-based company. The last company visit was to Microsoft China, where we experienced three demonstrations exposing us new technologies. The keynote speaker of Microsoft China was Paul Houghton, WSBE alum who has a two-year contract with Microsoft China.      

After a full day of company visits our resident Irish man took the class to an Irish Beijing Restaurant to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

March 18, 2009
Wednesday morning started with a panel discussion led by three ex-pats. They offered insight and unique perspectives on conducting business in China. Our afternoon was spent at Li-Ning, a Chinese-based company specializing in athletic equipment and apparel. That evening, many of us attended a Kung-Fu opera show at the local theater. 

March 19, 2009
Thursday was one of our busiest days, with a presentation and visits to the Olympic sites and the Great Wall. We kicked off the day with a background discussion of the 2008 Beijing Olympics by Mr. Van Kerckhove who was actively involved in helping the government prepare for the big event. He discussed the preparation that the city undertook to host the Olympics and answered our many questions regarding the post-Olympic transition. Following the speaker, we went to see the Bird's Nest and Water Cube; where Michael Phelps earned his eight gold medals. Then we left the Olympic site to journey to the Great Wall. Visiting the Great Wall was the highlight of the trip for many; it was amazing to walk along one of the world's great wonders.

March 20, 2009
We wrapped up our academic experience on Friday with a trip to a milk company, Mengnu, and a presentation from the founder and CEO of Asimco. During our visit to the Mengnu we were able to take a tour of the production facilities and see first-hand how various milk products are manufactured. In the afternoon we had our final presentation by Mr. Jack Perkowski of Asimco. He was a dynamic speaker and provided a detailed analysis of what it has been like for him operating a successful business in China as an ex-pat. We spent our last night in Beijing at the farewell dinner where they served Western style cuisine—a taste of home. 

March 21, 2009
Our final day in Beijing. We spent our morning getting last minute souvenirs and taking in some of Beijing for one last time. We arrived at the airport around lunch time for our 12-½ hour flight home. We were all sad to leave but anxious to share our memories and experiences with our friends and family.