Upon arrival in Strasbourg, we were greeted by our program coordinator. She walked us through the city a bit and showed us some things we should know before our five weeks ahead. I expected the city to be smaller. From the pictures, I imagined a town square and that was about it. However, Strasbourg is among the largest cities in France. It has several city subways running through the city as well as malls and staple stores we have in the U.S. The culture in France is quite different from my norm. For example, a custom I am becoming familiar with is greetings upon entrance to almost every store. It is necessary and polite to say ?Bonjour? when entering a store. Another difference in culture is that French culture is much more laid back. In the U.S. we, including myself, want everything as quickly as possible. Here in France, there is no ?rush” and this can be seen especially at dinner time. Dinner is an event; it starts late and can take about three hours. One other aspect that I am adjusting to is the language barrier. I do not know any French, and I am learning a few important phrases that should help communication throughout our time here.
As for what I am hoping to gain from this experience, I hope to gain more appreciation for other cultures and a deeper understanding of international perspectives. Since this is a Finance centered trip, I came into it wanting to learn about global market interaction as well as what role this could play in my future career. This global experience has already taught me so much about French culture in only a few days. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and I cannot wait for what the rest of the trip will bring.
