The most rewarding experience of my Strasbourg study abroad so far has been developing the confidence and skills to navigate a totally foreign place independently. Early on, I was a bit worried about my ability to handle public transportation or getting lost in a city/country where I am unfamiliar with the language and translations aren’t always available. Now, my friends and I can hop on a tram, bus, or train and hangout wherever we want to explore without any irrational stress. Knowing that we can problem solve and troubleshoot any issues that come our way, along with the sense of freedom and autonomy, has been such a rewarding experience. We have learned to trust ourselves, as well as adapt and learn to be flexible in order to succeed,
When it comes to how business is done in France, there are a few things that have definitely stood out. The first would be how early businesses close, no matter what they sell. Here, there is a large emphasis on work-life balance. A lot of the time people will close at 6 or 8 PM and on Sundays, many places close for the entire day. It’s been interesting to adjust to a new schedule in that sense. The next thing I noticed would be formality. It is standard and polite here to greet anyone working in a store you enter with “Bonjour”. It shows that you are respectful and is a standard when interacting with them. There is a clear structure to how people function in certain settings, this is just one prime example. The last thing would be the pace of customer service. It is significantly more different than that of the U.S. Servers here are much more reserved and they don’t come over to you often. They take their time and allow you to take yours. There is evident mutual respect and they don’t ever hover.
The biggest surprise I’ve had since coming here was definitely how little I actually knew about Strasbourg before coming here. I had no idea that the area was a blend of French and German culture (called Alsatian) and it has been so cool to learn about and experience. I also didn’t expect it to be a hub to the European Parliament and the European Council. There is such a deep and complex history behind this place and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to learn here and experience a beautiful city like Strasbourg.