Our plane touched down in Houston three days ago, marking the beginning of the adjustment back to “normal” life. There are no more confusing train connections, no more difficult conversations with a language barrier, no more 7 AM alarms, and finally, I have A/C. Although life in America may be convenient, I would fly back to Europe in a heartbeat if given the chance. My four-week experience was remarkable and enrolling in this program easily constitutes the best decision I have made in my academic career. I am saddened this program was my first and only study abroad as I graduate next May.
Before leaving Croatia, we needed to wrap up our consulting projects. One of the most fascinating aspects of Croatian business was the perspective of business owners on growth. For many of our clients, growth did not mean adding more and more clients to become the largest company in Dubrovnik. Rather, growth meant delivering a better experience to an existing set of clientele. Our clients wanted to preserve their current lifestyle while adding more to their client’s experience. This mindset is much easier to understand when you see the gorgeous environment they live in. It was hard to leave the pristine blue water and stunning sunsets. We also dreaded saying our goodbyes to the architecture students who had joined our program for the first two weeks. They remained in Croatia while we moved on.
In Belgium, we were always on the move. Our program featured day trips to many cities, including Dinant, Luxembourg, Aachen, Charleroi, and Maastricht. Each city was unique and fun to explore. We also had two Belgian students, FG and Corinne, accompany us on most of our visits. They served as our guides, translators, and ultimately great friends. During one of our free weekends, a couple of friends and I traveled to Bruges and Ghent. We walked over 30 miles in an attempt to see as much of Belgium as possible. While we were in Bruges, I tasted the best Belgian waffle I will ever enjoy. It was drizzled with sweet, melted milk chocolate. FG agreed that it was the best waffle he had ever eaten in Belgium – high praise from a Belgian resident. It is stories like these that fill my mind and remind me of all the wonderful memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. I am supremely grateful for all of the faculty who played a part in orchestrating this unforgettable experience of personal and academic growth.
If you are thinking about studying abroad, do it! You will not regret it!
