Sam Culture Shock

I am finally home from spending 3 months in Europe and I will not lie in that it feels good to be back. However, there are many parts of society I still cringe upon each of my returns. Obesity, apathy and naïve people that constantly complain are all aspects of our culture that I despise. I have read through the other reflections and I see that everyone else has also heavily realized these major flaws in our society upon return.

It was really sad yet amazing to realize how ahead most of Europe is over the U.S. with ‘being green.’ I have fallen in love with the SmartCar, yet it is not even approved in the U.S. yet, go figure, instead our streets are packed with gas guzzling SUV’s, giving people far more space than they will ever need. People here constantly complain about our climbing gas prices when we are only facing half of what it costs over there, ringing in at $6/gallon. With concerns to obesity, I realized that people just typically eat a lot less with portion sizes. I know this is also something the other girls noticed as well. As previously mentioned, the apathy of our society toward politics is downright sad. I really wish there were more classes or even a major devoted to learning about the world and current events because I believe that alone is so important. I have been happy to see that bit by bit it seems like more and more people are jumping on the issue of global warming, yet I cannot help but think it might be too late before we are really able to make a true difference.

While I was traveling around with my mom, we could not help but yet again cringe at all the loud, rude, obnoxious American tourists. The volume of our culture is typically much louder than most others and here at home, that is fine and really does not seem out of place. However, even when my mom came over I constantly had to remind her to tone it down because as a whole, most countries are much quieter (except for Italy, hah we felt right at home!).

I was continually impressed yet also had the constant growing feeling of incompetence as I met so many people that on average spoke up to four languages fluently. I have decided I do not feel I would even be very comfortable returning to visit until I am fluent in at least another language.

The last bit I am happy to return to is the U.S. dollar! I finally feel like the costs are reasonable again, of everything! The dollar continually went down in value to the Euro as we traveled and it seemed like everything was just so costly. I am happy to be back in the land of baseball, as my Cubs are finally doing decent this year, or at least they were. However, I am excited to share these experiences with others this coming fall.

Allison Culture Shock

I apologize for not getting around to blogging until now.

When I first arrived home, the main culture shock I experienced related to laziness and its effect on the environment. Americans are just lazy. My community isn't very big, but I would get stares from the passing cars every time I walked up town. I even had some people pull over and ask if I needed a ride, who were then very shocked when I told them I wanted to walk. I see people every day using their cars to drive only like 4 or 5 blocks and then I hear them complain about gas prices. I have noticed that even though my town is half the population of Wageningen, it is twice the land area. We really have made everything cater to lazy lives.

With this, I have also noticed more and more obese Americans, children especially. It is really something I hardly ever saw in Europe, especially France and Italy. This really is something that needs to change in our society, but when discussing it with friends back home, they seem to just have an attitude of acceptance.

The final culture shock issue was one that I realized while in Europe but had never noticed the extent, this being xenophobia and naivety of other societies and even our own politics. I had been asked several times in Holland whether it was true that Americans don't pay attention to government issues. I unfortunatly had to say that it was true. I would say that only about half my friends even know who is currently running in our primaries. And if Americans don't know about our own government, they surely don't know what is happening in Holland or Italy or anywhere that we are not at war with. I found myself fumbling when asked about the Italian system.

Xenophobia is also still an issue. Right when I returned, my boyfriend began traveling around the midwest with his company. One night he began discussing how he wanted to get a job that would send him to other countries. The coworker he was traveling with was very confused by this and told him that there was no reason to ever want to leave America and that all other countries were worse than us. He just couldn't understand why someone would ever want to even travel. Since I was told about that conversation, I have had more and more people tell me that they just aren't interested in going anywhere outside of the U.S. and "what is the point of learning about thier culture." I understand that some people just don't like traveling, but this seemed more like a dislike for international travel.

I don't want to ever be one of those Americans.

Alanna: Culture Shock

After returning home from Denmark my family and I took a few weeks off to travel, some of which was very unexpected. I was therefore not able to write down my initial thoughts upon returning home from Denmark.

During the past few weeks I have gone to Toronto and New York and throughout these travels I have noticed several outstanding differences between North American and that of Denmark.

Prices on groceries and every day items were the first thing that struck me. After spending 9 weeks converting everyday items from Kroner to Dollars it really made me realize how much more expensive things were in Denmark. It gave me a greater appreciation and understanding of how taxes work and how each country handles their tax system.

The second thing that shocked me when I got home was the profound rudeness I experienced while traveling to New York. New Yorkers, or American city people in general, are not friendly and welcoming. While trying to travel through midtown Manhattan I mistakenly entered the wrong subway terminal. I backed up and went to the information booth to ask for help and was immediately scolded and was told with attitude to go through another gate. In another instance while standing in time square the other day a few foreigners were trying to ask for directions. Several people gave them the cold shoulder and one guy even had the nerves to mutter under his breath, "Learn some English" as he walked away. I was disappointed by these American's behavior. Even though I spoke another language and was placed in a different environment the Danes (and other Europeans that I had encountered) were for the most part friendly and helpful when asking for help or directions. If they could not speak English they would direct me to someone who could. There was no hesitation or disregard towards me. It proved to be very comforting. I'm not sure why people in the U.S. are so unwilling to help. Whether it's the fear Americans have distilled upon themselves or the sheer lack of respect, I can't help but wonder why Americans have become somewhat narcissistic. Perhaps it's the crowded population or the hustle and bustle of a large city that makes Americans unfriendly. Whatever it is I feel that it is giving the world a negative image of Americans.

Although I have experienced some negative things while returning home I still like my country. I just hope that one of these days we can open up to other countries and one another.

Sam: Still in Europe!

I wanted to post a quick note that I will still be in Europe until August 11th. Therefore, I plan to post about my experience of culture shock when I return then. I am currently in England and today I move on to travel to Spain, France, Italy, Belgium and then I finally head back home. I have very limited internet access from here on out, therefore I unfortunately do not have time for much reflection now. However, I skimmed through the most recent blogs quickly and noticed many comments similar to experiences that I have had when returning from previous study abroad programs. Best wishes to all!

Jess-Culture Shock!!

I have returned home to the farm...but that does not mean that I did not experience a culture shock! I would not say that I experienced a culture shock when I returned to the U.S., but I would say that I had a great realization about how it feels to be an outsider.

When we stepped off the plane we were taken to yet another passport check point. We were once again moved through a maze of ropes like a herd of cattle. Then it was our turn to be told which booth to continue to in order to have our passports checked. A man, who was maybe three years older than I rudely asked Alanna and I if we were together. I replied yes and he asked me whether we were sisters or not. I had to smile, but he did not find the question humorous in the least, so I replied that we were not sisters, but we were students who had been traveling together. So, he allowed me to go through the line with Alanna with a warning that we were NOT to "processed" together, whatever that was supposed to mean.

I eventually learned what the young mans “not to be processed together” warning meant. Alanna and I moved into line at the passport "processing booth," but this was not even passport control yet. Alanna was the next person up. She moved to the booth and I, mostly out of habit, followed close behind her. The next thing I knew I had this young man, who was not much older than I, screeching at me..."M’am! M’am! Move behind the red line immediately! I told you! I already told you to stay away from her!" Wow, what a great welcome into the United States!!!

I found this very telling. I now know how foreign travelers must feel when they first enter the U.S. They are all treated as though they are some sort of boogie man that could blow up the entire Midwest at any second. I found this very unfortunate. I know that the U.S. has to keep tight security because of 9/11 and the seemingly never ending threat of Al Qaeda, but that does not mean that we have a right to treat people like they are terrorists. I am a twenty year old, white, woman, who (in my opinion) is not at all threatening looking, and yet I was treated as though I was some huge threat to national security because I stepped two feet across some red line! How must a twenty year old man of Middle Eastern decent feel?

I think this was the biggest shock that I experienced when I returned home. That one instance made me think twice about whether I was really happy to be back in the U.S. or not. I was treated better in Denmark! I do not know that this instance is considered a "culture shock" but it definitely made me see my country in a different light than I had in the past.

The other revelation that I had when I returned home is that Americans truly are fat! I know that as a country we are very well taken care of in the eating department, but when I stepped off the plane and looked around, I did note that people were much heavier than in Denmark. I think part of this is due to the fact that food here is so cheap and readily available. I also think that this is due to the American lifestyle. Heaven forbid we actually get on our bikes to go to the grocery store, work, or maybe even the park! Even though we are fat and lazy as a whole, I think that we should all understand how fortunate we are that we can be fat and lazy. We always have food and entertainment!

Despite these small welcome home blunders I am still very grateful that I was born in the great U.S. of A. and happy to be home!

Jess-Final Blog from Viborg

The final days of my stay in Denmark are coming to a close and as I think back to my perception of the world before living in Denmark, and almost after, I have learned some interesting things about myself. I have changed in several aspects and on multiple levels. There have been changes that I identified before even leaving U.S. soil, but now somehow seem dubious now that I reflect on my time here. Some of these changes include my self confidence, my level of global understanding, and my communication skills. But, the most interesting changes have nothing to do with traveling, agriculture, or living in a foreign country.

In addition to some of the predictable changes that I have encountered, I have become more understanding of how I deal with a perilous situation. I know that I have met people here with very colorful life stories that have shaped them both in ways good and bad. I think I have learned to address the fact that someone’s own life tragedies do not have to become my own. I can tell someone how I feel about how they are treating me and make a change that is better for both of us. I know that this lesson in consciousness and consideration will stay with me for life and I am grateful for that.

On a very different level I feel more confident in my abilities to problem solve. I have been put in positions that require me to make a decision based on finance, time, and language. I now truly understand that there can be plans laid forth for a project and those plans will be altered. In the past I believed in setting a goal in order to accomplish anything and that by following a plan from conception to finality a goal was achieved. That thought has been turned upside down. From my time spent with Peter I have learned that a plan can be altered and the results of that altered plan can ultimately produce a better outcome. I know that this will serve me well later in life, no matter what aspect of science I end up studying.

The last change that I have noted might not have anything to do with being in another country, but it is a change that has occurred none the less. I have always been proud of how I was raised, but since I have been here I have noticed an even greater pride in that fact. I knew that I could connect with farm families and other people working in agriculture, and I felt very fortunate to be able to do so. After speaking to producers here I fully understand that farming is a hard business no matter where you are in the world. I have to commend my parents on how they raised me, but also on how they managed to keep a farm business growing through very hard times and yet still be proud to produce food for the world. I truly know now how fortunate I am for every opportunity that I have been given and I will not soon forget that.

Viborg Last Days Alanna

It’s absolutely amazing that two months have gone by and I will be going home in less than a week. There is a lot going through my head right now in terms of what I have learned and experienced while in Denmark. Although the trip is coming to a quick end, the things I have learned about myself, those who I have encountered, and the issues circling the globe will always be a part of me. Learning is a part of growing and I feel that through this trip I have personally grown to become more aware of my own strengths, weaknesses, and world issues.

The three changes that I have recognized in myself since leaving home that I would like to focus on are confidence, empathy, and a greater understanding of politics.

Confidence
I have noticed that over the last month or so I have developed a greater confidence level in myself and in others. For some reason I have always been hesitant to approach people I don’t know. Whether I need help with directions or just starting up conversation I find it hard to just speak up. Being here, however, has forced me to make conversation with strangers. When you don’t know where you are you have to ask. Just like Allison has stated there is just no way out of it. Being the only native English speaker in my department I found it difficult to adjust to the group. In the beginning all the department members would speak amongst one another in Danish and I would just sit there. My curiosity about the country and culture was what really forced me to speak up. I found myself starting up conversations with co-workers and feeling comfortable talking about myself, my travels, and the issues circling the scientific community and world. Other times in which I noticed my confidence to speak with others were during our travels. Traveling teaches you responsibility and confidence. Arranging trips ahead of time, asking for directions, and mapping out where you need to go all played apart in building my confidence. On another level regarding academics I now have more confidence in myself and my ability to over come difficult tasks. Even if a task seems too hard for you to handle it’s always important to ask questions when you need help, don’t hesitate to tell who you are working with you don’t understand something, and always speak up if your experiment is not going as well as you would like. On this note I would also like to mention how I have built confidence in others. I rarely have to work in groups at school. My department, however, taught me the importance of group work and collaboration. Having confidence in others is vital in science and you can’t always just depend on yourself all the time.

Empathy
In my original application statement I feared that language would be a big hindrance in my stay here in Denmark. For the most part I was proven wrong, however, there were a few instances where I became frustrated because of a lack of communication. On our trip to Copenhagen I encountered a few instances, which made me feel uncomfortable and awkward. For instance, asking to make reservations at a restaurant. Since the owner’s English was not that good she ended up telling me rudely they had no room and just shoved me off and when standing in a line to pay for something the native Danish speaker would be served before me cause I obviously looked like a foreigner. I didn’t really appreciate being treated like that. By no means were these instances a full portrayal of the Danes attitudes and actions, but I did feel some tension being a foreigner in larger city. For the most part most of the people I have meet or encountered have been warm, caring, and amazingly helpful. However, being in a larger city made me think about my own actions and feelings at home. It made me realize that if I didn’t want to be treated like a foreigner who seems ignorant to everything I should not assume that those visiting the U.S. are the same. I can now emphasize with those who come from another country and are visiting the U.S. Even though language can be a barrier sometimes it should never be an excuse to be rude, pushy, or plain ignorant. Being in someone else’s shoes helps one realize how we view one another in the world. I think if more people traveled outside the U.S. we would have a greater understanding of one another’s feelings and concerns. Perhaps less racism would occur if people were just more patient and took time out to understand one another and embrace their differences.

Politics
I will admit that my understanding of world politics is not up to date. Being here has made me realize how out of the loop I really am. I underestimated the amount of concern people outside the U.S. had about our government and the lack of knowledge I have on other country’s governments. I not only have gained a greater understanding of my own country’s politics but of the various issues the European Union has been facing. Understanding how others feel about the U.S. government system helps me reevaluate what works and what doesn’t. I can confidently say I will be walking away with more knowledge about world politics and its effects on the U.S.

Although I have only mentioned three specific changes that I have seen in myself I know there are more. An opportunity like this has shaped me and has significantly changed me for the better.