On our way to work- shuttle

On our way to work- Metro.

Dessert paradise- Brussels

There're a lot of delicious desserts in Brussels. Check them out!

Jazz Festival Fun!

From May 27 to May 29, the ladies of Brussels got the opportunity to participate in Brussel's amazing Annual Jazz Festival. Filling the city with music, a multitude of jazz bands played at a variety of venues throughout the city including squares, parks, and restaurants. However, the festival's main attraction was the giant concert hall that had been created in Grand Place.  Here talented bands provided free entertainment while the audience enjoyed food such as au gratin potatoes and beer until 11pm. Needless to say, a good time was had by all!

Amber and I in Grand Place in front of the concert hall:

The concert hall they built in Grand Place:

Street performers:

The last MBA class at Solvay

We were lucky to have a chance participating a Branding class of Solvay Brussels School MBA. We enjoy the class very much.

Solvay MBA class presentation.

Students hang out during the break


Professor joined the students as well.

The building looks nice!

Protest- Syria

There was a protest in Brussels on May 22. I happened to pass by the protest and took some pictures. The protest was for that EU strengthens restrictive measures against Syria.

The Council adopted legislation to strengthen the restrictive measures imposed on the Syrian regime.

It extended the visa ban and assets freeze imposed on 13 officials and associates of the Syrian regime on 9 May to 10 more individuals, including President Bashar a-Assad, in view of the continuing repression against the civilian population.

Museo Galileo aka The Science Museum

So on May 10, Amber and I visited the Museo Galileo. This was the first site in Italy where we didn't have a tour guide and to be honest I was a little nervous if it was going to be worth the time and money. However, I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. The museo consisted of two floors and the artifacts within were amazing. Most of the artifacts on display didn't have a lot of information posted. However, we purchased audio tours for 5 euros after walking around on our own. IT WAS WELL WORTH THE MONEY! There was a lot of history behind the items, and the audio guide informed us on every detail. Unfortunately, the museum closes early on Tuesdays so we didn't get a chance to view the second floor. In addition, due to rules and regulations no photography was allowed. Hence, I don't have any pictures to post and share. However, the next time I am  in Florence, I will definitely be visiting again!

To view more information about the Museo Galileo click the link below:
http://www.museogalileo.it/assets/files/miniguide/depliant_eng.pdf

Beware the Puddles!

So contrary to what you might expect, the city of Brussels, Belgium is not the cleanest place on earth. For about 30% to 60% of the day visitors will probably view huge heaps of garbage and trash on the side of the road waiting to be picked up. To make matters worse, in the fish district during the evening hours you are likely to come across  huge puddles of water on the sidewalks and in the roads from where restaurants have rinsed out there ice buckets used for storing their seafood during the day with a water hose. But wait! Around 10pm several random puddles can still be located near the sides of buildings, around plant fixtures, and throughout the crevices in the street. However, as indicated by the time of their appearance and odor these puddles are most likly not water... its urine and alcohol. So as you venture through the bustling city of Brussels, make sure you rinse off anything you may drop in the streets, wear closed toed shoes if possible, and most importantly BEWARE THE PUDDLES!

P&G office

P&G office

Lunch at P&G

Greetings from Brussels!

I realize it has been a while since the last post, so let me fill you in!

We left Rome for Florence, where we climbed the Duomo. We had a great video of us taking the 647 step trek, but unfortunately our videos are not loading as we had hoped. After Florence we spent a couple of days in beautiful Venice, where we randomly encountered a friend we had met in Florence... Overall it was a great trip, but alas we had to bid ado to Italy.

We were very excited to move on to Belgium where we would begin our internship with P & G. Once here we met the great Lieven, who quickly schooled us on why Belgium is famous for beer. We began our internship on Monday, the 16th, where we worked out some details and got familiar with SNIC at P & G... SNIC is an innovative group within the organization that looks at problems in a unique way. Our project is to find creative ideas for solving the problems associated with "the last mile" in online product delivery... So far things have been great and we will keep you updated as we continue on our journey..

So far in Belgium, we have tried to experience everything Brussels has to offer: dancing, parades, waffles, gardens and kebabs are just the tip of the iceberg. This weekend is my birthday, so here's to hoping we have great stories that we can't post here!!

Cheers!
Amber

Bad hotel

The hotel rooms are soooo bad. The carpet is dirty, and we have to sleep almost on the floor (the white and red thing is the bed). The blanket looks so old with those fuzz balls! And people at the hotel are not helpful. The only good thing about the hotel is the good location.

Corfu Island, Greece

I finally made it to Corfu!! Corfu is a place I always want to visit since I was 14! My favorite writer Gerald Durrell spent his childhood in Corfu. The experience made such a mark in his life that he subsequently wrote some books about this childhood years. I'm so glad that I finally have the chance to visit this island and see everything he mentioned in his books.

The Mediterranean is as blue as I thought, even better!

Corfu Old Town

I rented a bike to explore the island.

I ran into an once a year local religious ceremony.

I'll meet some zoologists from Durrell School of Corfu next week. I will update the pictures soon!

Vatican Surprises!

Did you know that if the average visitor were to spend 3 seconds in front of every piece of art within the Vatican that it would take them 4 years to see everything!

Truth be told, I wasn't really excited about seeing the Vatican. However, after listening to our tour guide and viewing the magnificence of the pieces themselves I happy to say that I was not only pleasantly surprised but now I can't wait to go back! For those of you who like myself were hesitant or skeptical about viewing the Vatican I am here to tell you that it is without a doubt a MUST SEE! The various pieces of art are very impressive and thought provoking. In addition, there is a ton of variety in terms of artists and styles of art. No picture within a text book can do any of the pieces of art justice. In addition, our tour guide (via Presto Tours) was very knowledgeable, especially since she is pursuing her PH.D. in art. Thus, the background and insights she provided on the various artists was vast in terms of both breadth and depth. According to her, if a visitor were to spend 3 seconds in front of every painting, sculpture, and architectural wonder within the Vatican they would need to be there for a total of 4 years! Hence, what we saw today was just the tip of the iceberg and honestly I can't wait to go back.

Below are some of my favorite pictures from our trip to the Vatican:

Want to see more? Click on the link below to view the rest of the photos:http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100179089485154.2599751.12312611&l=b254d084c9

Always Stamp Your Ticket.....

While in Rome, this has been the most important (and expensive) lesson I've learned. Trying to be frugal and live life like a true Roman, we thought the bus, at a cost of 1 Euro, would be the best transportation to take... Unfortunately, not the case.

We navigated our route and unsuspectingly boarded our bus. Like good travelers we purchased our tickets for a single Euro and reveled in our cheap success.... Two stops later, three gentleman, dressed officially, boarded the bus and asked to see our tickets... No problem! We have them right here sirs... We received a frown. The man pointed at a sign, yet all I understood was 75 minutes. Apparently, there was a second box where we were supposed to stamp our tickets the minute we boarded... Great.

I offered up a Euro to purchase a new ticket and we received requests for our documentation.. They hurriedly ushered us off the bus and told us we would be fined... Confusion doesn't begin to express the looks on our faces. We were told 100 Euro each if he wrote us a ticket, 50 each if we paid now... Awesome. We argued as much as possible, assuming we were being scammed. Alas, we were late for our tour and finally settled on 50 Euro total... Moments later we were running down the street, cursing the men in official uniforms.

But wait! We were still late for our tour, we needed to find a taxi stat. I poked my head in a restaurant to find a smiling server and asked him for the nearest taxi stand (you can't catch a cab just anywhere).... He laughed and pointed right down the street... I turned to leave when he grabbed my hand and asked my name.. I explained we were in a rush and he promptly kissed my hand goodbye... So charming.

We finally reached the taxi stand to be interrupted by a parade.... Luckily, a cab came through at just the right moment and we made our tour on time... At which point our tour guide informed us that what happened on the bus was proper law and we had received a deal... Good to know.

So the lesson here is: always stamp your ticket, but even if you don't you might get your first kiss on the hand from a handsome Italian...

PS... I'm still in love with this city.

Bonjourno Roma!

Less than 24 hours since we arrived in Rome and I am already in love with this city. The weather is beautiful, the food is amazing, and the culture is everywhere. We are still getting used to the time, but all in all are adjusting well.. Today we embark on a mission to explore some of the city's most famous sites... Pictures coming soon. :)

Tomorrow we're off....

Here it is 1:30 am the night before we leave and I still haven't finished packing... Shocker... The good news is, between final exams, last minute purchases, and general preparation I have finished everything else on my list. Now if I can manage to get one suitcase below fifty pounds.. We'll see. I am sad to see everything end so quickly, but am excited to start with Proctor and Gamble.

Our assignment at P&G will be to work with their supply chain during "The Last Mile". We have finished our prep work and are looking forward to getting started... But first, a journey to Italy.

Getting Ready...

In less than two weeks, three ladies of the 2011 MBA (Sweet Pea, Cho Cho, and Kiki) will be headed to Europe - more specifically Brussels, Belgium. As of right now, we are getting ready by learning the language, studying the culture, and booking the tours all in the hopes of taking Europe by storm and ultimatley discovering the secrets of sprouts. So if you have any recommendations in terms of preparation feel free to drop us a line!

Until next time! Stay tuned for more European adventures!