King College > Travel Opportunities > International Business Institute

IBI: A Learning Experience

Ten countries in ten weeks…corporate visits, class work, cultural visits….new sights and sounds to explore. Even after experiencing all this, thinking back on it still makes it seem like just a dream. The memories of my time spent in the International Business Institute (IBI) program are still fresh in my mind. Between the academic, cultural, and social aspects of IBI, there was so much to learn in the course of ten weeks.

Of all the things I learned, whether in the classroom, at a corporate visit, or just spending time with the other students and faculty, it is nearly impossible to pick just one thing that had the greatest impact on me. After long and careful consideration, I have to say that spending ten weeks with a group of students from all over the United States and getting to know them during our time together was the most memorable experience for me.

My biggest concern before leaving for IBI was the questions “What are the other people going to be like?”  During the application process, we all received a list of names and that was all we had to go by. Then, all of a sudden, there we all were in Schipol Airport in Amsterdam meeting face-to-face for the first time. It was probably the most nerve-wracking experience of my life.

Thinking back to that first meeting brings a smile to my face…I remember all our first impressions, some of which we shared with others later on, some so off base but others pretty close to the truth. There was a great diversity of backgrounds and personalities, and we all knew that it would turn out to be an interesting summer. Nevertheless, in the end, it turned out that we became a close group of friends, and it felt as if we had known each other for much longer than the ten weeks we spent together.

Spending time with the other 38 students and the faculty members taught me a great deal about everything-from academics to life in general and even further insights on myself. They have taught me so much more that I could ever have learned by sitting in a classroom or from books. All of this newfound knowledge that I will keep with me will help me to grow not just as a student, but it will also help me to grow as a person, academically as well as spiritually.

Looking back on our final time together spent saying our goodbyes in Schipol Airport, ironically the same place it all began, still brings a whirlwind of emotions. Going our separate ways was something I never imagined would be as difficult as it turned out to be. I have to admit that this was the hardest part of the whole program-yes even harder than the tests and the papers. Ten weeks previously we were simply 39 students thrown together to study and travel throughout Europe. We never expected our experience to become what is now obviously the inevitable…a group of lifelong friends that I will cherish forever.