An inspiring summer of learning in Barcelona

Laura Rota and Caroline Fox describe their experience of the International Summer School at EU Business School Barcelona...

We were fortunate to be part of the 2017 International Summer School at EU Business School Barcelona. It was the perfect combination of business school, international environment and summer in Barcelona.

During three weeks of classes, we learned about three business subjects that were taught by lecturers who were experts in their fields. The three subjects we studied were: Negotiation & Effective Communication Skills, Doing Business in Spain & Latin America, and Entrepreneurship & New Venture Creation. 

Our lecturers gave us an introduction to each course by using their personal experiences and anecdotes, which made the subjects more appealing to us as students. We also had the chance to ask them about their own experiences in the world of work, such as how to behave in a job interview and what to do when preparing for an overseas negotiation.

We were also encouraged to step outside of the classroom with our cultural and industrial visits. We went to Sitges and Girona to discover a little more about Spanish culture and the filming of Game of Thrones, some of which takes place in Girona. In Sitges we learnt about the history of Bacardi rum and at the had a masterclass in making the original Mojito and Cuba Libre cocktails by Bacardi. In Barcelona, we enjoyed a guided tapas tour and visited Camp Nou. The International Summer School has been designed for us – young, international students who want to learn, but at the same time have an unforgettable experience.

And this wasn’t everything! Being part of the International Summer School in Barcelona doesn’t mean that you have to stay in Barcelona the whole time. At the weekends, there is plenty of time to travel to other places in Spain and to get to know even more about the country and the people in your class.

On our first weekend, we chose to go to a city called Salou, which is one hour away from Barcelona. We booked the train tickets online and organized an apartment next to the beach. It was wonderful! We enjoyed the city’s beautiful beach, lively atmosphere and vibrant nightlife. Living together in this apartment made us more than a group – we felt like a family. Some of us cooked, a few went to the supermarket and others cleaned. Ultimately, we all contributed towards creating a positive atmosphere. The best thing was that we were all eager to learn about each other, about our cultures, countries and languages.

Living in Barcelona for three weeks was amazing. Even though we were staying in two different residences, the public transport system made our lives a lot easier. We all used Google Maps to help us get around, which always showed us the best combination of bus, train and metro to use to get from A to B. On the first day, most of us bought a month-long pass for public transport, which seemed to be very expensive at the beginning (€52), but it was completely worth it. We always used public transport to get to our classes at EU, go to the beach and visit sights around the city.

We all chose to be part of this year’s International Summer School for different reasons. Some of us needed a break from our daily routines, others needed time to figure out what they wanted to do in the future, have a taste of the business world, or even break out of their comfort zone by trying something completely new. EU Business School made all of this possible.

EU Business School

EU Business School is a triple-accredited, multi-campus, international business school. EU offers programs at bachelor’s (BBA/BA/BS), master’s (MBA/MSc) and doctoral (DBA) levels, all taught in English.

The annual International Summer School takes place at EU Barcelona in July, welcoming students from across the world for three weeks of business classes, industrial visits and cultural activities.

To find out more on how to join us visit: www.euruni.edu

Laura Rota is originally from Spain but has been living in Beijing since 2015. Having the opportunity to live in such a country has opened her mind, therefore she is looking for an international career in which she will be surrounded by people from all over the world.

Caroline Fox is from Belize in Central America. She enjoys traveling, exploring new places and learning about new cultures. She also loves to babysit and tutor children. She aspires to work for either the United Nations or UNICEF, and her ultimate goal is to help to make a positive impact on the world.