Rae Kennedy, GB'15

After spending three months abroad in Europe as an exchange student, my semester is winding down faster than I could have imagined. When I first moved here I thought four months would be more than enough time to acquaint myself with France and the nearby countries, but I’m realizing now that I have barely scratched the surface. In the beginning, my goals for the semester revolved around getting familiar with Rouen and the French way of life, but now my goals have shifted to taking in more deep cultural experiences and reflecting on the changes living here has made on my own life and perspectives.

One element that I mentioned in my previous post that adds incredible value to studying abroad is the ability to be in classes with a hugely diverse student body. This has broadened how I view world issues, whether they are cultural conflicts, economic or environmental problems. In my ethics class, my professor makes a point to receive feedback from all the different regions of the world we have represented when we analyze ethical dilemmas. I never would have been able to guess some of the things I heard from people from industrial economies or emerging markets. Their economies and lifestyles have developed so differently from the U.S. that I now realize they are facing issues in their development that we have never had to deal with before, and we have to be attentive to these perspectives as we continue to build relationships abroad.

I’m also realizing how intertwined our countries are when it comes to economic and environmental issues. There is very little alternative to dealing with international business if your company is going to thrive today, especially as the world is becoming smaller and smaller with technological advances. I think adding this understanding to my current MBA studies will give me a distinct perspective moving forward in my classes and career. Thinking on a global scale isn’t just confined to an international business elective anymore – it’s a fundamental step in growing our economy and companies.

Before I left for France back in September, a friend of mine who had studied abroad in Europe told me that “living in Europe changes you.” It’s been interesting and challenging to open myself up to a new culture as well as to reflect on my own preconceived ideas about the right way to live my home and work life. Some of the challenging questions the French and other international students have asked me about the American way of life have been uncomfortable, and sometimes I don’t have any answers, but when I return to The Richmond MBA this January, I know that I’ll be coming back with a lot of fresh ideas and ambition to make a real contribution keeping all of what I’ve learned in mind.