AS: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
JS: Bonjour! My name is Judy Salnave and I am currently a second year Masters student from Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations. I am completing a concentration in Human Resources and Organizations. I am 23 years old and am originally from Long Island, New York. I attended Cornell University for my undergraduate studies, specifically within the College of Arts and Sciences as a Psychology major. Currently, I am a Graduate Exchange student at ESCP-EAP in France.

AS: Why have you chosen ESCP-EAP?
JS: I chose ESCP-EAP's program because it was very important for me to expand my knowledge of the business world into an international experience. I have never studied French and therefore knew it would be a challenging experience, however it was an opportunity I knew would be rewarding and exciting. I decided to study French for one semester before departing which was a GREAT help early on. I also chose the ESCP-EAP program because it is part of the "grandes écoles" system and has a great reputation internationally. I was very impressed with the international focus of the program with campuses in Paris, London, Torino, Madrid, and Berlin.

AS: What do you like most about ESCP-EAP, so far?
JS: I love first and foremost the location! The Paris campus is right in the heart of the city. You are just a bus, RER, or metro stop away from anywhere you may want to visit. I live close to school in the 11eme arrondissement, however the metro is extremely easy to navigate from where ever you may choose to live. There is also always a party or event going on at the school for any and everyone to enjoy.

Next, I appreciated broadening the range of classes that I took by being in a business school. I was able to take a class in Brand Management, which is something I was always interested in learning about. During the semester, I was able to work with a team that participated in the L'Oreal Brandstorm Marketing Competition and we presented to representatives of the company. I also took the class Mergers and Acquisitions: After the Deal, which tackled the obstacles that many companies face after a merger or acquisition that may lead to high rates of turbulence moving forward. We were then able to tackle a real life case with the proposed merger of EDF and Suez and present our findings to top management at the company. I feel like much of the work I completed at ESCP-EAP was very practical, challenging, and interesting.

Last, I have been able to travel so much throughout the year. I visited Brussels, Venice, Rome, London, and even bought a bottle of champagne from Champagne (Reims)!

AS: What is your least favorite thing about ESCP-EAP?
JS: I found that smoking is very common in Paris, which is difficult for me since I do not smoke at all. It has recently been barred from occurring indoors, which I greatly appreciate. Another is linked to the exchange rate of the dollar to the euro. It has been extremely expensive during a time when the dollar has been falling in value. It was even more difficult in London where the Euro is weaker than the pound. I wish I had more of a grasp of the language, as it would be easier to experience more of the culture. Last, I do often want to run into a store late at night to pick up food but generally everything closes fairly early and many stores are not open on Sundays.

AS: What surprised you the most when you came to France?
JS: What surprised me most was that the first question people asked me: "Who are you voting for in the elections?" Many of the people I have encountered are genuinely very interested in opinions about the election, politics, and current events. I was extremely impressed by how well versed so many students were about the culture and politics in France. It seems that in the U.S., individuals are more reluctant to talk about politics and religion in open conversation.

AS: Can you please compare art and fashion in France and in the US?
JS: I can only speak more based on the fashion in NY versus Paris and I would say it is similar. French women tend to look very chic effortlessly and the style of shoe day-to-day has been flat but fashionable. Many sport Converse sneakers, ballerina flats, or calf/knee-length boots. The men are also well dressed and comfortable. There are stores here that you cannot find in NY that are very nice to shop in so that has been great. As far as art, I absolutely LOVE the museums in Paris. I was able to get a student pass for unlimited visits to the Louvre. Also on the first Sunday of the month many museums are free and interesting to go see such as the Musee d'Orsay. There are several different monuments of historical significance that you can visit and learn about whenever the mood strikes you. As for politics, I have been more conscientious about news on a global scale through conversation, classes, by reading the newspapers supplied by the school, or more often, the Internet. Sarkozy was definitely an interesting source of conversation throughout the year.

AS: Can you compare ESCP- EAP and Cornell in terms of studies, social life, etc?
JS: A big difference is that classes meet once a week for three hours at a time, which I found a little difficult at first but adjusted easily over time. At ESCP-EAP, at least for my classes, we spent less time reading outside of class and more time doing group work during the week in order to complete projects. There does not seem to be as much of a campus life here vs. at Cornell where we all wear sweatshirts with "Cornell" or our undergraduate institutions emblazoned across the front. I found that my life and my school- work was more easily separated at ESCP-EAP then at Cornell because we tend to be consumed by being in Ithaca since there is not much around.

AS: Thank you Judy! Is there anything else you would like to add?
JS: At Cornell I have been able to experience working with diverse groups of people and for that I am truly grateful. At ESCP-EAP however, I was able to see what it was like from the perspective of an individual working in a country that is not their native location. It was difficult and I was not in my comfort zone, however at the same time, it allowed me to see things from different perspectives and in doing so, I was able to learn. I hope more students take advantage of this opportunity moving into the future and find it to be just as rewarding as I have.

~~Ana Stojanovic, MILR'09