Throughout my time abroad I hope to gain class credit and see Germany, but I also hope to gain a new perspective of the world along with it. I hope to gain insight on things I didn?t even know I didn?t know while getting to see how Germans live and function as a society here in Europe. After the couple of days that I have been here, I have already seen some of the cultural differences in how they live. First of all, Germany seems more environmentally conscious compared to the United States. They have systems such as bottles deposits and returns and paper straws to recycle and reduce waste. Germany is also a much calmer, quieter place. The people seem more kept to themselves and reserved compared to our typical US atmosphere. Overall, it seems more peaceful out and about compared to back home. They also prioritize working to live instead of living to work. While we might emphasize the hustle and bustle of back home and the typical American work ethic, most Germans prioritize living their life outside of work. Most of the shops close around 8 here and not a lot of things are open on Sundays to prioritize this lifestyle. The biggest surprise that I have had since being over here is the American/ English music everywhere. While they have German music and German songs, a majority of the places in the city and surrounding it have been consistently playing American/ English music. In regard to the business program itself and the class credit, I am excited to learn and take classes over here. First of all, it is exciting being able to learn about the European Union in class and then go out and see it after class. It gives the places we go and the things we see more significance and meaning knowing how it came to be and what it is a part of. It has also been exciting getting to travel with my classmates. Building relationships outside of the classroom has cultivated an environment of comfortability and openness inside the classroom. Overall, it has been such a great time since I have been here, and I can?t wait for the weeks to come!!
