Living in Strasbourg, France

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Introduction

Welcome to Strasbourg, the City of Roads! Your decision to leave your familiar surroundings and discover what life is like across the Atlantic will be a life-changing and unforgettable experience.

Strasbourg—Capital of Alsace, and one of Europe’s capitals too!

The geographical center of Europe and a commercial hub since Roman times, Strasbourg is the capital of the Alsace Region. It is a dynamic city, with a university that has more than 40,000 students, and a wide offering of cultural activities, from classical ballet to hip hop. In addition, the presence of major European institutions has made Strasbourg into one of Europe’s most politically important cities.

Academic Environment

The Syracuse University Center in Strasbourg

The SU Center, which is located in the diplomatic neighborhood, is within easy walking distance of the European Institutions, the University of Strasbourg, and the downtown area. It houses classrooms, administrative offices, a small library, a student lounge, and two computer rooms.

We also organize activities that take place outside the Center such as “Family Night” (when the students get the chance to cook dinner for their host families), hikes in the Vosges Mountains, excursions along the Alsace Wine Route, a cooking class at a professional school of hotel management, and outings to plays and sports events.

European Institutions in Strasbourg

The Council of Europe, headquartered in Strasbourg, is the largest pan-European political organization. It includes not only the members of the European Union, but also such countries as Russia, Turkey, Georgia and Armenia. The Council was founded in 1949 to work for closer European unity, to protect democracy and human rights, and to improve the daily lives of all European citizens in a wide variety of areas.

The European Court of Human Rights, which is the juridical arm of the Council, is also located in Strasbourg. This unique institution allows individual European citizens to bring complaints against countries in cases where they believe their human rights have been violated.

Many of the faculty members who teach at the SU Center also work at the Council or the Court. They are thus able to bring into the classroom first-hand experience from the “real world” of international politics.

The European Parliament is housed in an architecturally spectacular building in Strasbourg. This elected body of the 27-member European Union divides its time between Brussels and Strasbourg, but can only vote during its sessions in Strasbourg.

All three European Institutions—the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, and the European Parliament—are located on the banks of the River Ill, just down the road from the SU Center.

Academic Life in Strasbourg

You may find the approach of teachers in Strasbourg to be somewhat different from that of their American counterparts. The important thing for students is to remain flexible and open-minded to new ways of teaching. Language courses, of course, require active class participation. Lecture courses, on the other hand, often place less emphasis on class discussion than on an American campus. You are expected to attend ALL your courses on a regular basis. Unexcused absences will inevitably have a negative impact on your final grade.

Field Trips

OOne of the advantages of studying in Europe is that you have the chance to supplement your course works with excursions to many fascinating cities and sites. French language classes often go out into the city to visit open-air markets, typical cafés, and museums. Students in the “Policy Seminar” have a four-day trip to important EU institutions in Luxembourg and Brussels; and those taking art history spend a long weekend in Paris visiting the Louvre and other less well-known museums. There are also a number of all-school trips that are not course related. In the fall semester, the SU Center organizes a three-day trip to Burgundy, and in the spring to Reims, the Champagne capital. Other one-day excursions will take you to the Alsace region, the Vosges mountains, and the enchanting city of Heidelberg in Germany.

SU Abroad Academic Options

The Syracuse program in Strasbourg offers a wide selection of courses detailing European political, economic, cultural, and social issues. These include contemporary Europe and EU studies, French language and culture, human rights, international relations, and economics. Other areas of special study include music performance and public communications. Students at SU Strasbourg choose from three distinct options based in part on language level:

  • Studies at the SU Strasbourg Center: Option I
    The majority of students take all their courses—some taught in English and some in French—at the SU Center. The Center offers language instruction for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students of French. Option I students are expected to register for at least 12 credits each semester (not including the 2 credits for the European Identity Signature Seminar), with the maximum being 19 credits. All students are required to take either a French language course or a non-language course taught in French.

  • Studies at the International Institute: Option II
    This option is designed for students with at least one year of college-level French who want to focus on the study of French language and culture. Students from around the world enroll in courses offered at the Institut International d’Etudes Françaises (IIEF), which is part of the Université Marc Bloch (UMB). This is an intensive language program with all instruction, papers, and exams in French.

  • Immersion Studies in French University Programs: Option III
    For students with advanced French language proficiency who want to take courses alongside French students, placement is possible in selected departments of the Universities of Strasbourg: Université Marc Block (UMB) and Université Robert Schuman (URS), including the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP). Students who choose to study in these immersion options should have junior standing with a GPA of 3.0 and should have completed at least one semester of French beyond the intermediate level.

  • Music Performance at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg: Option IV
    Music performance majors combine courses taught in English and a French language class at the SU Center with music lessons at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg.

What to Bring

Passport

Have your passport handy to present at passport control upon entering Europe. You will then need to have it whenever you travel outside of Strasbourg.

Luggage

Travel light! You will be carrying your own luggage. Most students bring two suitcases (or a backpack and a suitcase) and one carry-on bag. You’ll find that the best luggage to take will be light, easy to carry, and resistant. Be sure to inquire about airline restrictions before packing.

Clothing & Climate

Remember the word “practical.” Autumn and spring are lovely seasons in Strasbourg, but winter can be cold and damp. Also, the French tend to be energy-conscious about central heating and so you will have to dress more warmly indoors. Winter wear, rain gear and warm footwear are essentials. Don’t forget warm pajamas. Jeans are fine for every day, but French “chic” is not a myth. Take one or two dress outfits. Plan on doing more walking than you ordinarily do, so take comfortable walking shoes, and low-heeled dress shoes. You may also wish to bring hiking boots, as the SU Center organizes a day hike to the Vosges Mountains or the Black Forest. Although not essential, it would be a good idea to bring slippers to wear around the house, as well as “shower shoes” if you plan to stay in youth hostels. Bring towels, too. Your host supplies bed linens—that’s it. Most youth hostels and inexpensive hotels do not furnish towels, washcloths, or soap, so you will need these items for travel.

Summer students should be prepared for both warm and cool weather, so think of layers and versatile outfits. Pack a light jacket, sweater, and long pants along with your summer-wear.

Personal Computers & Appliances

IYou may want to take your laptop with you, but be sure to take it on the plane as carry-on luggage.

  • You must ensure that your computer will work on 220/240-volt 50-cycle current. Nearly all laptops work on 100 to 240-volts 50/60-cycle current, in which case all you will need is a plug adapter. For other small American appliances, such as hairdryers, you will need a small transformer as well as a plug adapter. These are available from most electronics stores (e.g. Radio Shack).
  • At the Strasbourg Center there are cables that can be used by students for connecting laptops to the Internet. There is also wireless access in certain areas of the building.
  • At home: Occasionally, there are host families who have ADSL unlimited access to the Internet. But this is the exception, not the rule; so please don’t count on it.
  • Additional E-mail/Internet Access: There are several local Internet cafés where you can pay to use computers with Internet or where there is wireless access.

Health, Safety, & Wellness

Please let us know if you have a special academic concern (such as a learning disability), or a medical or psychological concern (such as depression, anxiety, or an eating disorder). We cannot provide appropriate support and assistance unless we are provided with information in advance of the start of the program.

Personal Safety

The French have certain expectations regarding drinking, dress, and social behavior. Acting contrary to these expectations can lead to uncomfortable situations. Observe the locals around you and be aware that the best way to guard your personal safety is to conform to cultural expectations. Do not take risks that you would never take in the United States (such as crossing a park alone late at night).

Female students can protect themselves from unwanted attention by adopting a more French style of dress. Occasion dictates apparel: the French dress up for the evening; an overly casual appearance is not acceptable in churches and is frowned upon in museums and upscale restaurants. This disapproval may not be direct, but you may be treated a bit rudely and not know why!

Medication

French customs officials are extremely strict on the importation of medication. Make sure you bring the maximum amount allowable for your semester and the appropriate prescription. Do not attempt to have medication mailed to you. Your physician should include the generic name and breakdown of the dosages in your prescription. Please, consult your physician and the Consulat Général de France to get more information on possible restrictions restrictions.

Eyewear

Bring any glasses or contact lens prescriptions and preferably an extra pair; mailing replacements from the U.S. could take 10 days or even longer.

Medical Care

Syracuse University is a member of International SOS, a service that provides students with information about, and access to, a full range of medical and emergency services including travel, health, and safety advisories, referrals to English speaking doctors and care assessment and translation services in case of hospitalization. See http://www.internationalsos.com for further information.

TThe SU Center in Strasbourg provides students with lists of English-speaking doctors. The relationship and consultations between students and physicians are private and do not involve the university. Payment for all medical care is the sole responsibility of the student. In most cases, you pay a French doctor “over the desk” (at the time of the visit). The doctor then gives you a French social security receipt and, if necessary, a prescription. This receipt (and the prescription) should then be submitted to your American insurance company for reimbursement.

Banking & Budgeting

Managing Finances and Banking in France

There are several ways you can handle your personal spending money abroad. We recommend the following:

  1. A Visa or MasterCard bank debit card (i.e., ATM card) with an international PIN (personal identification number). Check with your bank to be sure that your ATM card can be used in foreign countries.

    It’s a good idea to set up a transfer system so that parents and other family members can provide you with funds during the semester by depositing money directly into your U.S. bank account.

    As there is usually a service charge for each ATM transaction, you should check with your individual bank to get information on the service fees.

    Cash advances against a Visa or MasterCard credit card incur interest charges immediately and should be avoided.

  2. Opening an account with the local CIC Bank in Strasbourg. Through a special deal granted to SU students, you pay a one-time fee of 15 euros to open the account. There are no other monthly fees or closing fees. You receive a Eurocard Mastercard that can be used to withdraw money from any ATM in the Euro-zone without charge. (If you withdraw money from an ATM outside of the Euro-zone, in England or Switzerland, for example, you’ll be charged a small exchange fee.) The card can also be used for payment in stores, and for online payments to web sites based in France.

    Having a CIC account also allows you to receive funds via wire transfers from your parents and/or to deposit personal American checks. Wire transfers take only a couple of days to go through; personal checks usually take less than one week.

    Accounts are opened at the start of the orientation period, upon your arrival in Strasbourg.

  3. Travelers' Checks. These are easily cashed throughout Europe, but a commission fee is charged in most exchange bureaus and banks. Also, the exchange rate will probably be lower than when you withdraw money at an ATM. We therefore recommend that you have only a small amount of funds in travelers’ checks as an emergency back-up when you travel outside of Strasbourg in case your ATM card is “eaten” or doesn’t work.

  4. Do not bring a large amount of cash with you!

Transferring Funds

Family members can send students money during the semester by depositing money in a U.S. account accessible to the student through ATMs. For complete advice on transferring money overseas, we recommend that parents check with their bank or credit card company before their student leaves.

Credit Cards

It's a good idea to have a credit card in your name, as it can come in handy in emergencies.

Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted all over Europe. Cash advances against a regular Visa or MasterCard incur very high interest charges immediately and should be avoided if at all possible. American Express is not as widely accepted in local shops, but students have access to the network of American Express offices located in most major cities.

Syracuse University Abroad recommends you let your bank and credit card company know you will be living abroad for the semester so that the bank does not suspect fraudulent activity when you access your account from abroad.

Budgeting Your Money

SStudents can end up spending anything from $1,500 to $4,000 per semester, or from $750 to $1,600 for summer students, not including airfare home, textbooks and extra meals. The amount you spend will depend on the funds you have available, your tastes and your travel plans. A good way to estimate your budget is to calculate your expenses for a semester on your home campus, and then add travel costs. Your own personal spending habits will be your best guide in planning your budget.

Beginnings

The European Identity Seminar (Fall and Spring semester students only)

The Strasbourg program begins with a Signature Seminar for students in all options (except Option IV Music Performance, which has its own seminar). This 2-credit course serves as an introduction to some of the most pressing issues facing today’s Europe. During the seminar, you will visit major cities and important historical sites, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet with local politicians, academics, and activists. You will get to see firsthand how history, geography, and politics are woven together to create multilayered European identities.

The fall seminar begins in Berlin and takes the group to Wroclaw (Poland), Prague (Czech Republic), and Nuremberg (Germany). This fascinating region has a history of shifting borders and populations, which in turn has led to the formation of complex identities. Students will learn about the post-1989 transition from communism to capitalism and liberal democracy, as well as the recent accession of the Eastern European states to the European Union.

The spring seminar begins in Paris and then travels north to Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. The course focuses mainly on national identities—still the main organizing groups in European politics—but also investigates how these identities are being challenged from above by the supranational European Union and from below by the presence of large immigrant populations.

Your overnight flight from New York will arrive in Europe the following morning, and you will be met on-site by members of the Strasbourg Center staff. Please remember to pack everything you need for the Identity Seminar in one suitcase. The rest of your luggage will be taken directly from the airport to the SU Center in Strasbourg.

The seminar is an exciting, exhilarating, and, yes, sometimes exhausting introduction to life in Europe. Students who have participated in it in the past generally agree that it’s also a great way of building group spirit and making new friends.

Non-U.S. Citizens: If you are not traveling on a U.S. passport, you must contact the consulates of those countries we will visit on the European Identity Seminar. The itinerary varies from semester to semester, so please consult your program calendar for information on the seminar sites. In some cases you may be required to obtain tourist or transit visas. Also, remember that during the semester there are course-related trips to such places as Belgium, Germany, , Holland, and Luxembourg. Prior to departure, you can find links to consulates in the United States at http://www.embassy.org.

At the end of the Identity Seminar you will finally arrive at the SU Strasbourg Center. There you will meet the staff and receive information about your host family. A short time later your French family will come to pick you up and take you to your new home. This can be an anxious moment for everyone involved, but the staff of the Strasbourg Center has planned accordingly and will see you through the experience as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Orientation (All Students)

Once in Strasbourg, you will receive detailed information regarding:

Life in Strasbourg

  • cross-cultural issues
  • the city and its many resources
  • adapting to life with your host family
  • practical and security concerns

Academics

  • description of courses
  • class schedule and registration procedures
  • academic regulations
  • library and research resources
  • text book purchasing
  • internship possibilities

Administrative

  • registration for your carte de séjour
  • CTS bus/tram card
  • CROUS university restaurant card
  • BNU library information
  • Bank Account opening procedures

Life in a French Household

Living with your French host is definitely one of the most important parts of the SU program in Strasbourg. Day-to-day contact with your French-speaking host exposes you to French culture, first hand.

You will very naturally find many things quite different from life at home. But after a week or two you will begin to feel at ease, your French will improve, and you’ll find yourself participating in dinner-table conversation.

Our Strasbourg hosts come from many walks of life and professions. Children and dogs are not always included! There are older families, widowed, divorced or single women, young couples—a little of everything. In the long run, your personal experience will count more than whatever label we give your host environment.

The Strasbourg Program has an excellent record regarding student-host adjustments. There are very few problems each semester, and when problems do arise every effort is made to alleviate them. Students are strongly encouraged to openly discuss family problems, or any problems, with the housing coordinator.

Here are a few suggestions from former students about living with a host family:


  • “Always keep an open mind and observe, observe, observe.”
  • “Spend time with them from the start.”
  • “Don’t run up to your room after dinner all the time. Stick around and watch TV and chat with them. Ask a lot of questions—take an interest in France and Alsace.”
  • “Try to be as flexible as possible and then the anxiety will not become overwhelming. Always remember, they are in the same position as you are.”
  • “Don’t be tense. Of course the first week will be hard and really you’ll be petrified, but just ask questions, no matter how stupid they may seem.”
  • “Talk openly with family members, especially if there is a problem.”
  • “Be assertive. Don’t wait for them to ask you everything—ask them, too. Most of the time they won’t bite. Try to feel at home.”
  • “Be conscious of the way your host likes to live and be considerate of that.”
  • “Remember that you are always a guest in your hosts’ home, and treat them with respect.”
  • “Do not be bothered by first reactions or tone of voice. Inflections in French can sound stern and disapproving.”
  • “Remember that the French have expressions (body, facial) that seem rude by American standards but are not in their own culture!”
  • “Be natural, be you.”
  • “One must make an effort, because at first it can be very frustrating and difficult. Once your hosts know you’re interested and really trying to get to know them and France, they will help a lot. But you must make the effort. Don’t be afraid to speak French. After all, that’s why you came here.”
  • “It takes a while to be accepted by your hosts, but once you’ve made it they are fantastic people.”
  • “It’s very important to want to be corrected and not care that you make mistakes. Try to speak with the family as often as possible.”
  • “Get involved—they are open, friendly, generous people.”
  • “The abrupt change into a new home, new school, new lifestyle, new people and a totally different language was a challenge and I conquered it in my own way, all by myself. It is a boost to the ego, and enables me to look at new experiences with a note of confidence. My French ability is about 100 percent better. I have become more understanding of other cultures and of language itself. One realized good and bad points about one’s culture, and that others are not simply “weird,” but different with their own sets of values.”
  • “Nothing turns out as expected. My French ability turned out to be more than anticipated and German less, but overall, I grew far beyond what I had imagined.”
  • “Being in a new country, meeting new people, and traveling all took part in the education—the new discoveries were like those of a child’s.”
  • “I feel like a much stronger individual now. I know how to act and what to say in unfamiliar situations and I know what it’s like to be on the other side of the fence”.
  • “Before I came here I tried not to have many expectations. You can’t go to a new country bound with preconceptions, for words (even not counting the language difference) have different meanings. People are brought up differently and must be judged through eyes that only see straight ahead.”
  • “You cannot help but become filled with knowledge about so many things, and this in turn makes you more open minded, hopefully more accepting. A new way to look at Americans. The language, too, will be great for a job. Stay here for a year—even a year isn’t really enough!”
  • “Learning to function on a fairly independent basis in a foreign country may only minimally increase self-confidence within that given foreign country, but it definitely increases self-confidence regarding life in one’s own culture and in general. It also makes traveling in other foreign countries a less traumatic experience than it potentially can be. Naturally, this self-confidence produces a certain measure of growth in maturity, understanding and perhaps patience. Perhaps not everyone will grow in these areas, but these are the areas I grew in and they will help in decisions to come for the future.”
  • “Always keep an open mind and observe, observe, observe.”
  • “Spend time with them from the start.”
  • “Don’t run up to your room after dinner all the time. Stick around and watch TV and chat with them. Ask a lot of questions—take an interest in France and Alsace.”
  • “Try to be as flexible as possible. Always remember, they are in the same position as you are.”
  • “Don’t be tense. Of course the first week will be hard and really you’ll be petrified, but just ask questions, no matter how stupid they may seem.”
  • “Talk openly with family members, especially if there is a problem.”
  • “Be assertive. Don’t wait for them to ask you everything—ask them, too. Most of the time they won’t bite. Try to feel at home.”
  • “Be conscious of the way your host likes to live and be considerate of that.”
  • “Remember that you are always a guest in your hosts’ home, and treat them with respect.”
  • “Do not be bothered by first reactions or tone of voice. Inflections in French can sound stern and disapproving.”
  • “Remember that the French have expressions (body, facial) that seem rude by American standards but are not in their own culture!”
  • “Be natural, be you.”
  • “One must make an effort, because at first it can be very frustrating and difficult. Once your hosts know you’re interested and really trying to get to know them and France, they will help a lot. But you must make the effort. Don’t be afraid to speak French. After all, that’s why you came here.”
  • “It takes a while to be accepted by your hosts, but once you’ve made it they are fantastic people.”
  • “It’s very important to want to be corrected and not care that you make mistakes. Try to speak with the family as often as possible.”
  • “Get involved—they are open, friendly, generous people.”

General Information

Getting Around

Bus and Tram Transportation

Strasbourg has an outstanding public transit system, the CTS. During the week (Monday to Saturday) buses and trams run frequently from early in the morning to approximately 12:30 a.m. For late-night travel, there are special bus lines. On Sundays and holidays, trams and buses run on a more limited schedule.

Students receive as part of their program fee a monthly bus/tram pas which permits unlimited travel on the CTS network. The SU Center purchases the pass for the first month and then gives students a cash allowance to renew their passes for the rest of the semester.

Taxis

In France customers don’t flag down taxis in the street. Instead, they either call to have one come pick them up, or they wait at a taxi stand. Taxi stands can be found at the train station, the Council of Europe, the Place Arnold and many other points around the city. But use them in moderation, as they are quite expensive.

Keeping In Touch

Cell Phones: Most students end up purchasing cell phones during their stay in Strasbourg. Although these are not cheap, they do have a number of advantages: you can be reached anywhere in France; you avoid tying up your host family’s phone; and there is no phone bill to sort out.

If you choose not to buy a cell phone, you can still purchase various types of phone cards that will allow you to call from phone booths (“cabines téléphoniques”) or from private phones. Further information on cell phones and phone cards will be given out during orientation.

Snail Mail:Your mail should be sent to the SU Center at the following address:
Your name
Université de Syracuse
7 rue Schiller
67000 Strasbourg
France

France has some of the world’s most beautiful stamps. So be sure to ask for “timbres de collection” and not just ordinary stamps when you go to the post office.

E-mail: The SU center in Strasbourg has a computer lab for student use, as well as wireless access in certain areas of the building.

Travel Opportunities

Alsace

Alsace is a living tapestry of picturesque villages interspersed with museums and monuments. Every village has at least one restaurant in which you can savor local Alsatian specialties. Local festivities, such as wine festivals, are announced in the Strasbourg newspaper, Les Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace (DNA). It is possible to rent a bike at the Strasbourg train station, take the train to one of the main stops along the Alsatian plain, and then bike out from the town into the surrounding area.

Rising above the Alsatian plain to the west are the Vosges Mountains, running for 200 kilometers from the north to the south of Alsace, which provide a natural border from the rest of France. Discover the villages nestled in the valleys, the pine forests, or the vineyards planted on the lower slopes of the mountains. For those who enjoy the outdoors, the Vosges are a constant source of pleasure throughout the year with skiing in the winter, spectacular colors in the fall, and a welcome haven from the heat of the plain in the summer. Hiking trails wind through the mountains, and it is not unusual to come upon the ruins of medieval castles.

And on the other side of the Rhine river, just a ten-minute bike ride from the SU Center, you will discover the German city of Kehl, one of the gates to the Black Forest. This region is famous in Europe for its cherry and apple orchards, its pine forests and extensive network of biking and hiking trails.

Airport

The local Strasbourg airport is located in Entzheim, a 10-minute train ride from the central station. You’ll find there convenient flights to destinations throughout Europe. Another possibility is to take the Lufthansa Shuttle Bus from Strasbourg to the Frankfurt Airport, Europe’s second-busiest airport. There are also a couple of nearby airports that service low-cost airlines such as Ryan Air or Easy Jet. One is situated about an hour north of Strasbourg in Baden-Baden; the other is between Mulhouse and Basel, approximately one hour south of Strasbourg.

Train

Nearly all students end up taking the train at some point during their stay in Strasbourg. You can hop on the new TGV (fast) train to Paris and be there in just a bit over two hours. Check out the web site of the SNCF (national train company) at http://www.voyages-sncf.com/ or go to the ticket office at the station. Students under the age of 26 are eligible for reduced rates on most train travel. You might also look into purchasing a “Eurail pass” before leaving the States.

Travel Agencies

There are many travel agencies located throughout the city, some of which offer very reasonable package deals for vacations and reduced-rate air tickets. Prices on the Internet are not necessarily cheaper.

Remember

Adjusting to a new culture will affect every aspect of your life. Don't be satisfied with just going to class and hanging out with other Americans. You’ve made the important decision to study in France. Now it’s up to you to be adventurous and open, to become involved in the life of the city, to form new friendships, to discover new ways of understanding and enjoying the world around you. The staff of the SU Center works very hard at offering you all types of wonderful opportunities; but it’s up to you to take advantage of them.

Final Words from SU Abroad Alumni

  • “The abrupt change into a new home, new school, new lifestyle, new people and a totally different language was a challenge and I conquered it in my own way, all by myself. It is a boost to the ego, and enables me to look at new experiences with a note of confidence. My French ability is about 100 percent better. I have become more understanding of other cultures and of language itself. One realized good and bad points about one’s culture, and that others are not simply “weird,” but different with their own sets of values.”
  • “Nothing turns out as expected. My French ability turned out to be more than anticipated and German less, but overall, I grew far beyond what I had imagined.”
  • “Being in a new country, meeting new people, and traveling all took part in the education—the new discoveries were like those of a child’s.”
  • “I feel like a much stronger individual now. I know how to act and what to say in unfamiliar situations and I know what it’s like to be on the other side of the fence”.
  • “Before I came here I tried not to have many expectations. You can’t go to a new country bound with preconceptions, for words (even not counting the language difference) have different meanings. People are brought up differently and must be judged through eyes that only see straight ahead.”
  • “You cannot help but become filled with knowledge about so many things, and this in turn makes you more open minded, hopefully more accepting. A new way to look at Americans. The language, too, will be great for a job. Stay here for a year—even a year isn’t really enough!”
  • “Learning to function on a fairly independent basis in a foreign country may only minimally increase self-confidence within that given foreign country, but it definitely increases self-confidence regarding life in one’s own culture and in general. It also makes traveling in other foreign countries a less traumatic experience than it potentially can be. Naturally, this self-confidence produces a certain measure of growth in maturity, understanding and perhaps patience. Perhaps not everyone will grow in these areas, but these are the areas I grew in and they will help in decisions to come for the future.”