The decision to go on the South America Study Trip was an easy one for me. The countries are all known for having amazing food and sightseeing; the weather being in the 20’s-30’s during December was also a nice perk.

Arriving early in Peru to visit Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world, was nothing short of spectacular. I am not usually one for sightseeing tours, but this ended up being one of the highlights of my entire time in South America. We parlayed that with visits to Copacabana beach in Rio, situated across the street from our hotel, which is widely known to be one of the best (if not the best) beaches in the world. The Brazilian steakhouse and Christ the Redeemer/Sugarloaf Mountain capped off our unforgettable trip to Brazil. Chile was special for many reasons, but I would like to focus on one, the $4 bottles of delicious wines. We also had the pleasure of visiting a winery with a great lunch and, of course, plenty of wine.

By now you may be asking what actual “studying” took place on the trip; but I am pleased to say that it did provide an eye opening experience to business in these countries. Prior to coming on this trip, I knew very little about the business practices of these countries. The presentations were hosted by a wide variety of industry leaders and government officials who provided an in-depth look into the economics behind their successes, while identifying the current headwinds.

Brent Miller, MBA Candidate 2017