Bonjour de Strasbourg! Our first week in Europe is finally over and it has been amazing (a little crazy, but so fun!). Strasbourg is beautiful and full of things to do. Our first night here, we walked around the city, had the most delicious dinner in front of the Notre Dame de Strasbourg (their prized cathedral) and then went to watch a soccer match at a local pub. The next day we took a walking and boat tour of the city which was nice because you will be walking everywhere and being able to see the outer city without walking was wonderful. The weather here has been amazing, around 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit, but it is a little chilly in the mornings and evenings. However, it is has been great to escape the Texas summer heat for a bit. Then, our class work started! For our program we are taking 2 classes, one taught by our TAMU professor who oversees our program and one by guest lecturers of EM Strasbourg, the local university where our classes are located. The courses are fast paced so make sure you stay on top of your schoolwork, even if exploring the city sounds way more exciting than reading your textbook. The class is designed to give you the weekends off to do what you please, so don?t fear not having time for other experiences. The jet lag really started to hit the few days after we arrived but once we found the coffee vending machines, all was well. Another thing to note is that studying in Strasbourg has proven to be very monetarily feasible (not Switzerland though, very expensive!). Often, we will grab a coffee and a pastry or a sandwich and a drink for just a few euros. During this first week we had a visit to Basel, Switzerland to visit the Bank for International Settlements, or BIS. After that, we had a free weekend and all planned a trip to Italy, half the group visiting Milan, half visiting Rome.
There have been lots of interesting things people have noticed while on this trip, from those who have previously been to Europe and those who have not. Such things include:
- Air conditioning is not common, do not expect it in most places.
- When drinking out of a bottle, pour the drink into the glass they give you.
- French croissants are delicious, do not miss out on them.
- In general, Americans are very loud, even when we are talking to each other, so be respectful of those around you.
- Rome is very hot in the Summer, but there are little fountains throughout the city that are suitable to drink so bring a bottle to refill for free.
- When trying to find gelato in Rome, do not accidentally wander into the presidential palace.
It has been a busy week with lots of learning, both in and out of the classroom, and a truly invaluable experience. Strasbourg already feels like home away from home and I could not be more excited for the coming weeks!