I am only five days into my study abroad, and wow, what an adventure it has been! London was amazing and reminded me of New York, and the people there were English. I appreciated the soft launch into a new culture; it put me at ease and made navigating the city a lot less stressful. However, it was still different in many ways. The three differences that impacted me the most were how bathrooms, drinking water, and trash cans were not easily accessible. I don’t understand how people manage without these necessities being more convenient. I walked around all of Parliament Square and couldn’t find a single one. Another difference is the food service. In London, you have to ask for the bill because they want you to order more and enjoy your time with the people at your table. In contrast, here in the U.S., waiters often try to get you in and out as quickly as possible to serve more tables and increase their tips. We just arrived in France, and I’m excited to explore their culture and way of living. Even after just four hours in Paris, I can already tell it’s very different. Not having English as the main language is intimidating and a bit scary. For example, ordering food is much harder when you don’t understand the menu or can’t communicate clearly. Having never been outside the country before, I hope to gain the excitement to try new things and stay open-minded about how people live outside of America. I also hope to learn more about international business and how that might play a role in my future career. I’m extremely grateful for the short time I’ve had abroad so far and can’t wait for many more experiences and memories to come!
