Coming into this program, I was expecting I’d get some cool pictures, meet a few people, and learn how business operates away from the United States. Instead, I’ve walked away with lifelong relationships and a new appreciation for European culture, both in business and in how the people there are.
Across our 2 weeks in Europe, we got to see a lot of amazing things! Switzerland, Austria, and Italy all do business differently from the US, but more importantly, all have differences from each other. The biggest difference I’ve noticed is the enjoyment that these workers have for what they do. It reminded me of the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai, the intersection of your passion and what you’re good at. When we went to visit EF Study Abroad, I was shocked by how talented the employees were. Every worker there could speak multiple languages, with most people knowing at least 3 different ones fluently. That wasn’t all of it; we visited multiple violin makers in Italy, and it was amazing how passionate they were about their work. While they were explaining the process of crafting one of these instruments, even through the language barrier, you could tell how much it meant to them, and how they wanted to share it with us.
Being able to interact with people from these countries also gave me a new perspective. Everything in Europe is done at a more relaxed pace than in America, this is something I want to take back into my day-to-day life. Learning to truly listen, without planning what my next response or question will be, is something I think I really need to work on. During the wine tasting experience, I focused on trying to be fully immersed in the history, rather than just listening to what our guide was saying. Getting to interact with waiters, employees, tour guides, and locals made me realize how much room I have to grow when it comes to listening.
This trip allowed me to realize that global business isn’t just about a difference in currency, different languages, or different locations. It’s an entirely different culture that American business could learn a lot from. Too many people in corporate America are just going through the motions, they don’t believe that their work has any tangible impact and aren’t emotionally attached to what they’re working on. I hope that my fellow students and I on the trip can make an effort to change this in our work experiences.
