My five weeks in Strasbourg, France have come to an end and I can happily say that I have experienced so much growth. From small things, such as using public transportation efficiently and confidently, to more significant things, like having expanded my knowledge on the European Union and its make up. Being submersed in a different culture has taught me to appreciate the differences and to acknowledge them in any setting including business settings. Because I don?t speak French, the language barrier was probably the most significant difference but learning how to get around it and work through it is a valuable skill I can see myself using in the future.
The energy is much more laid-back than in the US in regard to working. People here value their long breaks and the service industry is almost non-existent. What I mean by this is that a majority of servers in restaurant, or even just the people working the counters treat the customer as more of a burden than a guest. This is a complete 180 from service in the US because good service is highly valued and usually rewarded well. I have found it interesting that the relaxed nature of life here can be found in all aspects. One of the classes I took on my program was called European Integration and the professor was a French national and a professor at the university here. It was an enlightening experience to learn from a professor from a different country because she was almost as interested in listening to what we had to say as we were in listening to her.
My initial impression that people walk everywhere was accurate? I think I have walked the most in these last few weeks than I have in my whole life. While have enjoyed getting to walk everywhere, I do miss driving my car. Another, slightly random, observation I have made over my time here is that when people walk their dogs, most of them do not use leashes! The dogs just walk right next to their owners and stop when they stop, turn when they turn, etc. I was fascinated by this because I have really never seen that in the US and it was occurring in bustling cities. This program has been the experience of a lifetime that I know I will be processing for a very long time. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to broaden my horizons alongside my fellow Aggies. If you are considering study abroad, I highly recommend it, you will not regret it!
