I have learned so much by concluding a full week here in Athens, Greece. This is my first time out of the country and I have learned so much about culture, history, and what being a global business leader is. As I stated, this is my first opportunity to experience any setting that is outside of America and the best way to immerse oneself into another culture is by visiting the country. I do not know how I would have been able to gain anything out of learning about Athens and Greece itself if not given the luxury of staying here for a long period. The one week here has gone by fast but there was so much gained out of it that I could not have imagined doing it all in only a few days. Some of my highlights from the trip were visiting the Acropolis, seeing the beautiful Parthenon, the awe-inspiring Olympic Stadium, the grand Temple of Zeus, the Arch of Hadrian, and the Hellenic Parliament in Athens. Being here in Europe, I have noticed that Europeans act very differently in the way we communicate with one another. Americans are much louder and can be more expressive but it is beautiful seeing how many diverse cultures can all meet in one place. One important subject we are learning about in our International Business class is being open-minded and willing to set aside our preconceived notions and behaviors so that we can fully engage in cultural business. Here in Athens, I feel it is very relaxed. While there are many people in the city and many tourist attractions to see, something about the culture is much calmer than the lifestyle in the States. One thing I have realized is that Americans are very rushed and anxious when getting to places and doing things but in Athens, I see how calmly the citizens carry themselves which is something I would love to adopt and try to incorporate more into my lifestyle away from traveling.
In our last few days, we were able to have business professionals come and speak to us and this was a very rewarding privilege. I loved having the Embassy Representatives come and talk to us. Our speaker, Yuri Arthur, a US Commercial Officer, who grew up in America has such an interesting story of being able to work in an international business environment and constantly fostering key attributes of communication and collaboration into her daily work. I don’t know what I want to do with my career after I graduate but one thing I do know is that I want to work with people in the way that she does; especially in such a rewarding setting of being able to delve deep into several different cultures other than my own. This trip has been so inspiring and I feel I have grown and become a way different person than I was before I left the trip. Our Mays abroad team has been extraordinary and the way I have learned not only about global business and all the opportunities I have at my disposal but in addition, also seeing value in approaching conversation and intellectual reasoning through a Socratic method as the ancient Greek philosophers did write here in Athens makes for a memorable lifetime adventure.