A Wine Connoisseur

Monday, June 7th- Thursday, June 10th


So this week we started our management classes and it is just not quite the same as having marketing with Tony. Our professor's name is Geoff Heels and he is a full time teacher here in Vichy at the school where we are taking classes. He is from England and I think that I could say 5 sentences before he even says 1. The good thing is that we only had class with him on Monday and Tuesday, but the bad thing is that it was from 9-5. Instead of lecturing all day we instead played a game. Now do not get too excited, it is not like we played twister or high-ho cheerios, we played a management simulation game. We were broken up in groups and were in charge of a company. A chocolate candy bar company to be exact! There were six companies, company A-F. Taylor, Kelly, and I were lucky letter B! There were 15 periods through out the two days that we played. We had around an hour, modestly to make our decisions and turn our decision sheet into Geoff. Each person in the group had a task, whether it was boss, advertising, sales, finances, you name it we had it. My lovely job was advertising and sales. It was our job as a group to manage the company. How many products do we want to allocate to each machine in the next period? Do we need to increase advertising or increase sales people to get demand up? What about our costs? Should we buy a new machine to increase production, but wait that costs $20, 000? Do we have enough money? We need to increase demand, how should we do it? We also need to pay back our loans. Every question, and there were hundreds, needed an answer. Throughout the first day we remained in first place. But I guess it depends what first place is. We remained in first place with the most amount of profit. By the end of the game we got in third place. It was just because of the last situation he threw at us and we did not raise our prices high enough! Oh well. After two full days of this management game I am just glad that I am not management major...It is just not my cup of tea.

On Wednesday we continued our management class except with a different teacher. Her name was Christel Astier and she just got back from living in Dubai for 16 years. She is now teaching at the big University in Claremont. Let's just say that I like the way she talks much better. She would lecture and then we would do little class activities in groups. But at 3 on Wednesday our day was cut short because it was time to head to a winery! We felt like little kids going to recess in elementary school!

When we got there we walked around a little bit and then went down stairs to learn a little bit more about St. Pourcain. After the short video explaining the wine process and getting a translator to help us understand what was going on, we got to try some wine! (We really had no idea what the educational video in French was telling us. We were just loving the experience). We tried rose and gray wine. I bet you have never heard of gray before! Okay maybe you have, but I sure hadn't. I was feeling so sophisticated! I think I am going to become a wine connoisseur. Next stop, San Fran to see the vineyards in California! So even though our trip to the winery was short it still tasted pretty sweet! And do not worry I even bought a bottle of wine. Every year St. Pourcain has a contest and come out with a new fun bottle design. Our teacher said we should get one, so I did! I hope I do not get in trouble with customs on my way home... (: (only kidding mom and dad)

Thursday was the same old day, class, class class. I guess that is what I am here for though! At least it has been raining in Vichy this week and so we felt a little better about being stuck in a classroom and not enjoying the sun at the river.

Other than class we have been busy with homework! This weekend we have a long 5 day travel trip to Spain and our marketing and management projects are do on Wednesday. So, like studious students we have all decided to get it done this week. Look at us go parents!

Well I better go because I have to pack! I have a 7 am train to catch tomorrow to Spain!
Aye Carumba!!!!!!

Au Revoir!