This study abroad experience was truly a life-changing experience. I never knew how close I would get with all the other Aggies on this trip. Traveling to different countries gave me the chance to see many different business dynamics in multiple countries. I have a newfound appreciation for bigger companies with operations in several countries. Even though we would see products that are common in the US, they would have their own twist to them in every country. For example, the brands would be familiar when I went to the grocery store. Still, the food items would be slightly advertised differently based on what appeals most to that country’s population. Some of the food products would have different ingredients because of various laws regarding artificial dyes and flavors. Some of the key differences between European businesses and American businesses are sustainability focus and types of communication. When it comes to sustainability, European businesses are much more strict about ensuring their business operations do not negatively impact the environment of their consumers. At any business we would visit, they would have multiple recycling bins for any trash disposal. Another small example of this is businesses using only paper straws to stay away from plastic environmental damage. Overall, protection against pollution is valued more in Europe, which I was not aware of in my initial perspective. The next difference between European and American businesses that I did not initially realize was the communication style. In America, it’s come to have light-hearted conversations with strangers to build a connection with one another. In Europe, having a conversation with someone is typically only for a purpose because it’s highly uncommon to talk to a stranger. When we completed our interviews for each country, multiple individuals mentioned that Americans are way more open and filled with emotion when they speak to one another. Many lessons were learned on this trip, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to have traveled all around Europe to experience every one of them.
