On my study abroad trip, I learned that conducting business there is different in many aspects. It seemed like businesses there cared a lot more about their customers and truly want them to have a good experience whereas at restaurants, many were not as welcoming because it seemed like they were not as competitive or worried that they wouldn’t get enough business. As we went from country to country, I felt that it was very inconsistent. Some experiences with waiters were awesome because there were some welcoming, friendly, and wanted to get to know about us and where we were from. Others were quite frustrated that we didn’t speak their language, that we didn’t tip, or that we were too loud. Engaging with and interviewing the individuals in each country that lived there was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Everyone we talked to was very kind, open, and honest. They were excited to talk about their countries, very prideful and happy to live there, and they were surprisingly very open about their views regarding America. I was shocked to find out that many of them loved America when they visited. They were all very intrigued to learn about us, our college, the fact that we were travelling abroad with 80 students, and the fact that our school has 75,000 students. The culture over there seemed much more friendly, less corporate intense, and overall more relaxed. It seemed much more friendly in Europe than America and everyone seems to live a much simpler life.
My time abroad has completely altered my perspective. I have come to learn how much variety the world has to offer and how much there is to explore. We went to seven different countries throughout this month and I learned so many unique things in each location. Each country has different norms, different perceptions of tourists, different foods/drinks that they were known for, and different architecture/looks. While the US is still beautiful in my eyes, there are also such beautiful places in Europe that I could explore for days upon days. On one of my favorite days, we had a morning hike up to the mountains where there was snow and ice on the top and it was freezing cold, and then later that day I was white water rafting in the lowest part of the town and swimming in the water. So much variety and so much to learn. One of my initial impressions was that Europeans did not like Americans and I think I have come to find that not true. Yes, many local are not fond of how much tourism happens in their towns, but many of our waiters/waitresses, the friends that we made, and the people that we interviewed said that they loved Americans. They often said that we always seem so excited to be here and polite which made me happy to hear. Overall, this was a trip of a lifetime. Not only did I learn so much about international business and marketing, but I gained so many valuable experiences, memories, and friendships that I will cherish forever.
