The first week of this trip has been nothing short of transformational. From business visits to history and culture, I have been in awe of what I have been learning. We spent our first 4 days in London and have just arrived in Paris. Going into London, I had preset expectations of what it was going to be like. I thought it was a pretty basic city with some cool things in it, but I was enthusiastic and excited to see it. However, I had no idea what history the city holds in every corner and building. The Tower of London is not just a tower but a testament to the city’s long-held traditions. Oxford is not just a college but a place where some of the most important discoveries were made. One of the things that I learned that was most interesting was how the government works and differs from the US. Their elections can be held at any time within 4 years, they have positions where people can be nominated with no vote from the people and hold them for life, and more differing aspects. I was also interested to learn from several of the companies we visited that tradition is a key aspect of their culture and business operations, which is not entirely the same for the US. For example, Lloyds of London still record their total losses in a journal with a quill and ink like they have for their entire history. They also still ring a bell for good and bad news. These unique traditions are what keep this long-standing company so unique. Some general differences I noticed between London and the US culture are in food services and social ability. In London, when we ate dinner, we always had to ask for the check rather than it being brought to us like in the US. Another difference is that in the US, specifically Texas, people are much friendlier and talkative in social spaces, whereas in London, people tend to be to themselves. Overall, I have learned so much and have gained many new perspectives in my short time here, and I am beyond thankful to be a part of this program.
