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BUSINESS STUDENTS ENJOY CHRISTMAS BREAK WITH A SPANISH TWIST!

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Friends having fun

Most people would think that studying in a business school means interactive high-tech classes, taxing project works, internships, campus placement stress, etc. But, that’s not all for the Rockhurst students studying in the Helzberg School of Management. A group of students from the business school had a wonderful Christmas break with a Spanish twist. They set out for their 12 day trip to Barcelona, Spain on the 1st of January.

This fun trip was actually a part of their academic curriculum. The MG 3091 course which teaches about Global Issues in Business/Culture requires the students to take up a foreign trip in order to learn about the different culture, heritage and lifestyle that people enjoy. As a part of the program, about 20 to 30 students and a few Rockhurst professors make a Spain trip that enables the students to get to know their scenery, business, life and culture.

WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS YEAR’S BARCELONA TRIP?

This year, the trip was organized for 12 days and the student group was accompanied by Dr. Pete Bicak, the professor of Communication (also Department Chair of Communications and Fine Art) and Dr. Jeremy O’Connor, the assistant professor of management.

This educational trip comprised of various planned activities that are culture and education focused. One morning, the student group visited a small village that is located at the outskirts of Barcelona to learn about a textile company named Punto Blanco that is situated there.

Upon their arrival, the students were taken around the factory so that they can take a closer look at the complete manufacturing process of the company’s luxury socks starting from yarn to packaging stage.

Besides the informative and educational part of the trip, the students also get to closely watch and understand the beauty of the city and its complex architectural structures developed by one of the world famous architects named Antoni Gaudí.

Among the various activities was also an amazing audio-visual tour of the architectural wonder – La SagradaFamilia and Casa Batllo. Both these beautiful structures in Barcelona are masterpieces by Gaudí.

The best part about this education trip by business students is that in almost each year, it gets overlapped with one of the most celebrated holidays in Spain known as the Día de Los Reyes, or the Three Kings Day. While on their trip, the business students get the opportunity to enjoy the first-hand experience of the festivities. They can attend the city parade that is organized outside the magic fountain, Font Mágica.

The fun yet educational trip that is geared towards the overall developed of the students’ personality is made possible by a Jesuit institution which is situated in Barcelona. The institution’s professors join the Rockhurst students to enjoy the educational activities. They also conduct various business lectures.

WHAT DO THE STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY?

Besides knowing the culture and getting to attend lectures, the students also get to enjoy sports and other entrainment. For Alex Mitchell, the best part of the entire trip was the FC Barcelona game. Those who interest in history and culture had a great time discovering the rich artwork at the Museu Nacional d’Arte de Catalunya and the Picasso Museum.

BEST BEACHES IN BARCELONA

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Barcelona Beach, Spain

Barcelona, the capital of Spain’s Catalonia region, is a popular vacation spot in Europe and is famous for its gorgeous beaches. Crowds are often the thickest from April to October because of the warm water. No matter what you want to get out of your beach day, Barcelona has a shoreline for you.

LOVE PEOPLE WATCHING:

Barceloneta Beach is the most well-known beach in the city, making it one of the busiest as well. Barceloneta is almost a mile long, and is rarely a calm spot. The hordes of visitors make this beach perfect for those who want to take in people watching. Barceloneta is easy to get to via public transportation and offers plenty of activities such as bike rentals, cafes, and palm tree-covered walkways. This beach also offers a view of the famous Frank Gehry sculpture in the Hotel Arts Barcelona.

STAY CLOSE TO THE CITY:

Bogatell Beach is the ideal destination fr people wanting a beach experience with an urban twist. Bogatell Beach is often much quieter than the popular Bareloneta Beach, and is generally visited by an older crowd. Locals frequent the beach thanks to its sense of tranquility and calmness. Bogatell Beach offers visitors lifeguard service, wheelchair accessibility, and showers. The beach was originally built for the 1992 Olympic Games, and has visually interesting sculptures throughout.

TRAVEL WITH A FAMILY:

If you’re traveling with children, Nova Icaria is the beach for you. It is a kid-friendly location within walking distance of the Olympic Port. The beach offers activities to keep kids busy such as water and beach sports. The water is warm enough for swimming and parents can lounge on the sand. The area is also riddled with restaurants nearby to suit every taste.

BARE IT ALL:

Nova Mar Bella Beach is one of two nude beaches in Barcelona. It is incredibly private, and mostly sees a younger crowd. The beach is popular with the residents of Sant Marti and very well-liked by the gay community of the area. It’s quiet and far from the city center of Barcelona, making it a secluded retreat for visitors. Nearby, in Rambla del Poblenou, there are a plethora of cafes and restaurants to eat at. Some eateries offer fresh fish caught by local fishermen.

GO WHERE THE LOCALS GO:

Barcelona locals often cite Castelldefels Beach as the very best beach in the Barcelona area. It is out of the city limits, and takes 20 minutes by train to reach, followed by a short walk. Castelldefels Beach is a quiet way to escape the fast pace of the city. Even further from the city center than Noval Mar Bella Beach, it is perfect for water activities like wind and kick surfing, and offers great swimming spots. In the surrounding areas, there are lots of beach shacks and cafes where visitors can grab a bite to eat.

5 UNIQUE PLACES TO STAY IN BARCELONA

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Traditional architecture in Barcelona

HOTEL 1898

Formerly headquarters of the Philippine Tobacco Company, this exceptional hotel is located in Las Ramblas, in the center of Barcelona, where luxury and small pleasures, in a colonial style, remind you 19th century Spain. Featuring a rooftop seasonal swimming pool, suites with private terraces, a spa and a heated indoor pool as well. Work out your tensions in a well-equipped cardio gym with sauna and steam room, or relax with aromatherapy, massages, or reflexology. The multilingual staff, concierge service, and 24-hour front desk are happy to help you. The hotel also offers an array of amenities to the business traveler. The business center, conference room, meeting rooms, provide ample space to complete business. The facility also offers an audio-visual room and free Wifi. A restaurant, 2 bars and 2 coffee shops are on site for the use of the guests of this 169 room hotel.

LE MERIDIEN BARCELONA

A 231 room hotel situated on the famous Las Ramblas Street in the heart of Barcelona’s bustling and historic district. Relax with a fine selection of cocktails in Le Pop Cocktail Bar or dine in the Centonze Restaurant with products bought from local markets. The non-smoking rooms are family friendly, allow pets, are wheelchair accessible and air conditioned. For the business traveler, laundry services, dry cleaning services, and a business center with internet access are available. The hotel has 7 meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 126 guests as well as a banquet room. After a long business meeting or a day of sightseeing, relax with excellent room service or work of the tension in the fitness center with gym, workout room or spa. The multilingual staff is happy to assist you.

OLIVIA BALMES HOTEL

A modern hotel deemed as an oasis in the heart of Barcelona. The modern amenities are designed to satisfy the most choosy travelers. With soundproof windows and enclosed balconies, you will be able to relax but all the while enjoying Barcelona. This 128, all-exterior, room hotel boasts of modern, cutting edge materials used to made each guest rooms an unforgettable experience. The air-conditioned, family-friendly rooms are wheelchair accessible and spacious. Soak up the Barcelona sun in the rooftop outdoor pool and terrace or work off your tensions in the new 7th-floor fitness room. Business travelers will not be disappointed with the conference rooms and small format meeting rooms with state of the art technology and free Wifi. The Seventeen Restaurant, Bar and Lounge offers a combination of Mediterranean and Catalan cuisine with the tranquility of large windows to let in bountiful natural light and ambiance.

ALMA BARCELONA

This 72-room hotel in located in the heart of bustling Barcelona, in an elegant building that dates back to the start of the 20th Century. Contrary to the exterior, words such as modern, chic, and stylish and used to describe this hotel. Only a 3-minute walk from the Barcelona’s Passeig de Gràcia metro station, it is easy to navigate the city from here. The individually decorated, modern rooms are air-conditioned, offer free Wifi, and feature stylish furnishings and even bathrobes and slippers. Relax after a hard day in the indoor pool or sauna or arrange a soothing massage. Business travelers will appreciate the meeting rooms, free high-speed internet, and service. The hotel has a restaurant, a café, bar, and a garden terrace.

EL PALACE HOTEL

This 5-star hotel, located in the center of Barcelona, is very close to Las Ramblas and the city’s main attractions. The elegant 125 guest rooms are tastefully and individually decorated with historic significance in mind. This pet-friendly hotel also offers child care and entertainment for younger guests with on-call medical staff. El Palace has a parking service but also offers luxury vehicles with private chauffeurs. The fitness buff will be awed by the fitness center, gym, and workout rooms. The business traveler will be inspired by the 24 business center with free internet, printers and materials.

 

Barcelona- The City Showcasing Spain’s Known Festivals

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La Mercè Festival

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Barcelona,located on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain is Spain’s second largest city, has gained popularity amongst tourists post hosting the 1992 Olympic Games. The city, though modern still preserves its ancient routes and is known for its outdoor markets, museums, churches and the Ciutat Vella (“Old City”), which is the core centre of town.

Retaining its traditional routes, the city besides its historic architectural wonders and warm weather is known for the various festivals it celebrates giving an insight into Spain’s culture and history.  Some of the known annual fiestas include:

  • Cavalcade de Reis
    Celebrated every year on January 5th involves a float parade of the Three Wise Men. The event is popular among families due to the presence of decorative floats.
  • Sonar
    Known as the festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art is celebrated over a period of 3 days in the third week of June to celebrate music.
  • Festes de Gràcia
    Celebrated on the 15th of August annually, it is a Catalonian celebration conducted to commemorate the Assumption. Marked as one of Barcelona’s most important fiestas, the city is decorated with colour, music, food, fireworks, parties, fun and excitement. The Festes de Santos is a small version of this festival which is celebrated in late August.
  • Monegros Desert Festival
    Conducted in the desert of Fraga, 200 Km from Barcelona, it is the biggest and most popular 20 hour nonstop electronic music festival in Spain drawing a crowd of over 40,000 people every July to celebrate electronic music with the best DJs playing styles like techno, house, electro, drum, bass, hip-hop and dubstep.
  • Sant Jordi
    Celebrated on April, 23rd like Valentine’s Day, is one of the famous celebrations in Catalonia. People give books and roses around the streets.
  • Corpus
    Known as the Corpus Christi day and celebrated in Late May, an egg is placed over churches’ fountains and ‘magically dances’ over the water. Some of the fountains include the Cathedral’s cloister, Casa de l’Ardiaca, Santa Anna and others at the city centre.
  • Fira de Santa Llúcia
    A celebration to commemorate Sta.Lucia on 13th December is celebrated from December 2nd to December 23rd. Christmas objects and trees are sold in front of the Cathedral, as well as elements required to make pessebres (Nativity scenes) such as small sculptures and wooden pieces. December 13th is known as the feast day of Santa Lucia who was the saint of fashion designers and blind people.
  • Revetlla de Sant Joan
    A mid-summer solstice celebration done annually on June 23rd is signified by fireworks displayed all night.
  • La Mercè
    The annual festival of Barcelona celebrated on September 24th is an official holiday established to celebrate the Roman Catholic feast day of Our Lady of Mercy. The day is marked with various activities, including a gigantic parade and ‘castellers’ competing to form the highest human tower and the Magic Fountain and Fireworks show. People indulge themselves in Cava, the national drink of Catalonia.

Besides the above, Barcelona has trade fests throughout the year known as Fira de Barcelona which welcomes more than 70000 visitors to the city.

Tips For Traveling

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Woman traveling

Whenever you are traveling, there are certain things that you have to keep in mind. It wouldn’t matter if you are a frequent traveler or you are traveling for the first time; there are certain things that you should always remember every time you travel. Here are a few healthy tips that you can follow while traveling:

  • Keep a backup:

If you are traveling to a new place, make sure you have a backup of all your documents in addition to what you carry in your bag. This will be of great convenience if by mistake you lose any of your documents like passport, visa, travel papers, etc. in a foreign land. Maintain the habit of keeping a backup and carry it safely whenever you travel.

  • Splurge in check:

Sometimes, with the excitement of being in a new place, we go overboard with the spending. You should always see to it that you are spending in your limit so that you don’t end up being broke in a foreign country.

  • Volunteer:

You can always try to volunteer for social causes when you are in a different place. This will help you help others and make contacts with them. Also, this will make others think good of you, which can always come in handy.

  • Maintain notes:

Keep writing no matter how hard you find it. Even if you don’t find the time to do it, make the time. When you maintain a diary with you while travelling, it helps you keep memories safe. It is like storage of your happiness and who wouldn’t want to do that? Write about the things you have seen, the people that you have met or the food you have eaten and this will fill you with a great energy.

  • Stay in touch:

No matter where you go, any place can get a little lonely sometimes. You should always be in touch with your family and your friends. This will not only help them know that you are fine, but you too will gain the knowledge of how they are. Not every day, but you should contact your people back home once or twice every week.

  • Broad Minded:

When you are traveling to a different place, things are not going to be the same as your native place. You must accept that. Don’t be too keen on judging people quickly. You should try to give them time, be patient and learn to talk to them before you make quick calls about their lifestyle. Keep an open mind and let the change kick in and more importantly always have a positive attitude. Don’t let the change bring you down or bring any kind of negative influence on your travel.

  • Patience:

Don’t spoil your day or your mood merely because you missed a train or a bus. There will always be another one. You are not going to be lost. Enjoy and be calm.