New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on April 14
So what did I find out? 6 Key Observations
It wasn’t until I started making a few blog posts about my own experiences in Spain that I realized how necessary it was to learn about the culture when understanding how they interact in a business setting. Here are 6 key observations that I noticed while abroad.
1. Collaboration with the Schools
Chambers of Commerce from near and far are heavily investing in education and empowering the youth through real life experiences and internship opportunities. It's dedication towards doing so it evident through collaborating with the local colleges!
The University of Seville has a separate school that is directly associated to the Seville Chamber of Commerce: University Campus of the Chamber of Commerce, EUSA.
Here, EUSA teaches and guides students pursuing majors in tourism, communications, journalism, and graphic design. In addition, there are many programs for Spanish and International students to attain internships.
Virtual Tour of EUSA
SUNY New Paltz similarly offers programs that are connected to the NPRCOC and other local businesses in the town of New Paltz. One example is a semesterly run program, the Business Consultant Challenge, which teaches students majoring in business, graphic design, computer science, and even chemistry how to help struggling local businesses through marketing. The SUNY New Paltz Career Fair also hosts opportunities where students can meet and connect with employers to obtain internships and jobs.
School of Business
2. Student Faculty Interactions
Both the University of Seville and SUNY New Paltz professors create inseparable bonds with their students, but in different ways. Aside from their differences, the unconditional support of the professors and enthusiastic minds of the students help to create effective work environments.
"Education is the most powered weapon you can use to change the world" Nelson Mandela
However, this situation isn’t exactly the same in the United State because of the differences in food culture. SUNY New Paltz offers a plethora of networking events, and social activities that allow New Paltz students to get to know faculty members and their peers. They also hold events with alumni and local professionals in the Hudson Valley region to expand connections. In addition, New Paltz offers Student Ambassador jobs to determined students that want to represent SUNY New Paltz and connect prospective students with faculty to answer major-related and general questions.
A common way professors and students interact in Spain is through eating tapas together. Tapas is a common part of Spanish culture that consists eating different appetizer-like dishes. At the public cafeteria in the University of Seville and the main lobby of the EUSA, professors and students grab tapas together. I found this to be a great way that students meet faculty. When I grabbed lunch with some Spanish friends of mine, I was introduced to their professors and they welcomed me in Spain with open arms! I quickly noticed how something as simple as interacting with professors could be so different in another country
3. Main Street
Both rated one of the best cities to travel to, Seville and New Paltz are undoubtedly top destinations to add to your bucket list! Now let's learn more about the center of these amazing cities and how their main streets compare!
In Seville’s case, there are many little “Main Streets” that are focused near different main monuments in the city. For example, one busy section of the town is near a famous monument, El Torro de Oro. Located near the Guadalquivir River, it has a walking path that leads to more restaurants and parks to relax in. Another central location is right in front of the University. Here there are a plethora of local businesses ranging from authentic cafes and restaurants to supply stores and touristy shops as well! Lastly, another busy spot in Seville is called Santa Cruz right near the Cathedral, La Giralda, and the Real Alcazar. This part has a whole street of back to back delicious restaurants.
Starting with New Paltz's Main Street, almost every event that happens in New Paltz happens here. New Paltz’s Main Street stands out amongst the rest because it is filled with only local businesses that range from restaurants to boutiques to even record stores. Basically any type of business you need, there's a 95% chance that it is on Main Street. What helps to preserve its unique mom-and-pop business culture is an ordinance that was enacted to limit franchises from establishing themselves within the village.
4. Tourism
Rated #1 for its mesmerizing Moorish architecture and tourist-friendly city, Lonely Planet, a globally published travel guide company," hit all of the right reasons to visit this ancient city! Visitors flock from miles away to visit El Parque de María Luisa and Plaza de España, one of their most famous tourist attractions.
Seville's Finest
Rated #1 for its mesmerizing Moorish architecture and tourist-friendly city, Lonely Planet, a globally published travel guide company hit all of the right reasons to visit this ancient city! Visitors flock from miles away to visit El Parque de María Luisa and Plaza de España, one of their famous tourist attractions.
New Paltz's Finest
Rated #3 for one of the best small towns in America, New Paltz offers beautiful hikes and gorgeous views of the Hudson Valley that create a sense of community. It’s historical significance in American history makes New Paltz’s Huguenot community one to not be forgotten as they were actively involved in the creation of the United States of America.
5. Debunking the Myth of Siestas: How Fine Dining Affects Businesses in Seville
Tapas is a huge part of Spanish culture because it is a way to socialize and relax from a busy day at work. After tasting Andalucías finest culinary masterpieces, Iberian ham and paella, what more could you ask for?
You might need to set aside 20 minutes after you eat for your siesta, a typical nap taken after eating tapas! Believe it or not, they affect businesses in more ways than you think and I'll tell you why!
For starters, siestas are typically taken during the middle of the day from about 2-4pm. Although siestas are only supposed to be about 20-30 minutes, most stores in Seville close their shops for these two hours for people to have enough time to eat their tapas and take their siestas. Ready to learn about store hours in Spain?
Most stores like pharmacies, post offices, and even the Seville Chamber, open at 8am and close at 6pm. In addition, they also close for 2 hours during the middle of the day to take into account the infamous siesta. Restaurants on the other hand have different store hours. Since dinner in Spain is typically eaten around 8:30/9pm restaurants are open from 1pm to about 4:30/5pm, and then open back up again at 8/9pm and then close at around 11pm.
This interchangeable schedule between restaurants and stores that close for the "siesta" meshes nicely because workers, during their two hour break, can eat and take a nap right after. This can happen without having to worry about completing their tasks until the company opens back up again.
Luckily for Americans, we don’t have to watch the clock as often when we go out to eat. Stores in the United States do not have a break in the middle of the day because siestas are not apart of American culture. It's popular in Spain because they tend to have their biggest meal at around lunch time, while Americans eat our biggest meal during dinner.
From a marketing standpoint, I also noticed that most of the restaurants in Seville are solely authentic Spanish food. Compared to the USA, or more specifically New York, there are an abundance of different ethnic restaurants. The New Paltz Chamber, for one works to differentiate the variety of these restaurants through annual events such as the Taste of New Paltz. This exclusive event to only Chamber members allows these businesses to gain connections and grow within the community.
So how does the Seville Chamber help market their members to stand out in such a competitive industry? The STEEEP project- Support and Training for an Excellent Energy Efficiency Performance, is an initiative that helps provide the necessary resources for businesses to become more sustainable in order to match consumers' demand amidst arising climate change concerns
New Paltz Chamber's Business Support
The New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce works diligently to help provide business owners the necessary tools to becoming better marketers through business seminars, podcasts, and mentorship opportunities!
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up