COB student travels around the globe in 21 days
It took about three years for the first expedition around the world 500 years ago. Last month, it took East Carolina University College of Business rising senior Ella Slate just three weeks. She began her journey east with a COB business trip to Germany, followed by a study abroad opportunity in Australia and then a long trip across the Pacific Ocean back to the U.S. But this unique experience almost didn’t happen.
“I was originally supposed to go to Egypt, but that trip was canceled due to safety reasons,” Slate said. “I was offered the opportunity to go to Australia instead… I have always wanted to go to Australia.”
Slate and seven other COB students (and six chaperones) flew May 10 from North Carolina to Frankfurt, Germany. The trip was created to give students a global view of business and to grow the Pirate network to Europe.
“This trip is important for the COB because the COB is giving ECU students opportunities to travel and learn about different cultures that many students wouldn’t get otherwise,” Slate said. “It was important for me because I got to immerse myself in a different culture and learn.”
Slate is a triple major at ECU – accounting, finance and supply chain management. After a couple of days in Frankfurt visiting with the Adam Hörnig company and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the group boarded a train and traveled to Munich. In Munich, they visited the gas company Linde and BMW. When the rest of the group headed back to Frankfurt, Slate boarded a plane in Munich for Singapore.
“I have always loved to travel, but this trip allowed me to take it to the next level,” Slate said. “I have always wanted to study abroad, but I wasn’t willing to give up a whole semester or a summer away from school. This short two-week program gave me the best of both worlds.”
After a layover in Singapore, Slate was in the air again, flying to Sydney, Australia. While in Australia, Slate would travel to Canberra (Australia’s capital), Brisbane and Cairns.
Her study abroad program with the COB in Australia gave her experiences she won’t soon forget – snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, seeing crocodiles up close and feeding and petting kangaroos. Slate said they are still communicating with their hosts from the University of Technology Sydney.
One business highlight came with their visit to OZHarvest, which Slate said “rescues” and delivers food to charities that serve people with food insecurity. Slate and her classmates met with the business development manager, Maxx Silver, who oversees the development of products to fund OZHarvest.
“It was very interesting to hear about social enterprises from him,” Slate said. “He was also very willing to make connections, as he was a fellow American.”
Slate said she met several other Americans also studying abroad and has expanded her network even more.
As her time ended in Australia, Slate kept heading east, flying from Brisbane to Los Angeles. From LA, she flew into Raleigh on May 30. Once back home in North Carolina, the class portion of her study abroad program began, and so did her internship. Slate is an audit intern for Cherry Bekaert in Raleigh for the summer.
“I got to live out my dream of traveling and knocking things off of my bucket list,” Slate said. “I was able to see how a country completely on the opposite side of the world operates. It’s amazing to observe the simple differences of everyday life. I was also able to make connections with people that I never thought I would encounter.” Over her 21-day loop around the globe, Slate estimates she spent 52 hours flying, or, broken down, she spent two plus days in the air.