Second Saturday: Surveys and Seafood

Weekends here in Portland are just as packed, if not more so, than weekdays. With only three weeks to experience life in Maine we are constantly on the go. This weekend was no exception.

Saturday morning teams could be found throughout the dorm and student center finalizing their latest market research surveys and printing them off before loading onto the bus. With a quick headcount to make sure we weren’t missing anyone the day began in earnest – four hours in the Old Port asking locals and tourists questions about various business ideas. With this research in hand they'll be ready to dig into their final projects this week. But at this point our Global Navigators are pros at surveying people, so there was still plenty of time to do some souvenir shopping and grab lunch – some even tried Japanese food!

With work done for the day we drove 15 minutes up the coast to the Yarmouth Clam Festival. Yarmouth, a typical small town in Maine, turns its Main Street into a full blown carnival for three days each July. Concession stands sell fried dough, fried clams, and traditional lobster rolls (to name a few things) while there are art exhibits, a craft fair, and a yard sale along the street. It's a true American experience.

Students wandered the area sampling foods and snacks and checking out the goods available for purchase after riding some of the rides at the carnival, but where did the Program Leaders find the majority of our students at the end of the evening? Dunkin Donuts.

With a handful of birthdays taking place during the program we’ve taken to celebrating with Dunkin Donuts and it’s quickly become a favorite among the group (and free WiFi is always a plus). 

Despite Sunday's early wake up time, Saturday night was spent the same as always - table tennis, pool, board games, and ball games being played until exactly 10:00 PM when room checks began!