Howdy! My name is Chase Moore, and I just finished my summer study abroad experience!
Since my last post, I’ve spent time in France, Monaco, Italy, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. We didn’t have one specific host country, but many of the places I visited shared similarities in culture and business practices.
My time abroad truly opened my eyes to the lives of people around the world. One of the main things I learned on this trip is that every single person has a beautiful story. I loved getting to talk with locals and other students, and I cherished hearing about their backgrounds, goals, opinions, and experiences.
A common theme I noticed was how many people weren’t originally from the place they were living. At least seven people I spoke with had moved from another country—and I don’t think that’s something Americans do as often. The world is so much bigger than Texas or even the United States.
During my business-focused visits, I realized that European countries tend to have a stronger emphasis on international work than we do. It felt much more common there to consider how business operates across neighboring countries, whereas in the U.S., we often focus primarily on national interests. Working internationally not only promotes expansion into new areas but also opens the door to partnerships with companies located far away.
My first impression of Europe was how different everything felt. There are so many differences—how we think, what we eat, how we speak, how we learn, how we are governed, how we drive, and more. But I’ve come to understand that what feels different or unusual to me is completely normal to others. I just hadn’t been exposed to it yet.
There’s still so much of the world left for me to explore. This trip sparked a desire in me to travel more and experience life in different places.
