by Pedro Marques Linhares Pinto, LBS Sloan 2019
For the past few months on the LBS Sloan, I have experienced living with such a diverse cohort, allowing me to really expand my knowledge of different cultures. When planning what to do during my summer vacation, I decided to liaise with my new network and pursue exciting new experiences.
Benefiting from the School’s international partnerships, I decided to join a group of classmates and started my vacation by travelling to Hong Kong to attend the HKU’s Creativity in Business class, taught by the excellent professor Richard Hytner. As it was a one week course, the core of the week was genuinely dedicated to classwork, so some friends and I arrived in Hong Kong a few days early. Such early arrival gave us time to explore the city and discover the many hidden gems it has to offer thanks to the many tips given by a close Sino-Hongkongnese friend (thanks Frances!). The flight back to London was filled with stories and great memories from this short time our group spent in Hong Kong.
Shortly after my arrival in London, another opportunity to explore a new city emerged, and I went for it. As my classmates started flying back to their home countries for vacation, many invitations to explore new countries were sent my way, and I spent the remainder of my vacation connecting with those friends. During this short period, I was able to relax on the white sand beaches of Portugal, float in the Dead Sea, visit the church of Nativity in – the now peaceful – Palestine, enjoy a tuk-tuk ride in the chaotic Bangkok and indulge in a real gourmet experience in the vibrant Istanbul.
Those trips were only possible thanks to the support of my cohort that introduced me to places with which I had no previous contact. LBS has made the world more connected, bringing fantastic people together and facilitating the free flow of cultural exchange.