Paris: Days One and Two

To get to Paris, we took the Eurostar, which led us underneath the English Channel (which was quite the experience) and to the mainland of Europe.

We traveled through some countryside of France until we arrived in the city.  The train ride was a little uncomfortable considering we were all dressed in business casual; we went directly from the train station to our first company visit in Paris.

For the first visit, we went to the headquarters of Michelin Tires.  I assume that most are familiar with this company, although many may not be aware of the fact that it is a French company and not an American one.  At Michelin, we were introduced to the company and their mission to keep their product as top of the line as possible.

After the visit, we returned to the hotel, and chilled for most of the evening.  All of us (minus Dr. Davis) went to a café for dinner, where we were introduced to French cuisine for the first time.

The next morning consisted of another company visit.  This time, we took the bus to Thales, which a defense and aerospace company.  At Thales, we met the most energetic company host of the trip and were complimented with refreshments.

At Thales, we discussed the importance of ethics and how they relate to international business.  Thales’ commitment to ethical behavior in dealing with other governments and businesses abroad was the main focus of the discussion.

After the visit, we ventured into a small marketplace, where we stopped at local shops and cafes for lunch.  We then returned to the bus for our official tour of the city.  At the conclusion of the tour, we were able to see the Eifel Tower; many of us were also able to travel to the top of the tower to get an amazing view of the city.
After the tour, we were all on our own for dinner and entertainment for the night.  Many took this time to tour some more of the city (Paris is absolutely beautiful at night).

So far, Paris has been an amazing city.  Although many of us are beginning to feel a little homesick and tired, we are certainly going through our final city with much excitement.