During the study abroad tour we have learned a couple interesting things about ourselves. One major thing would be that in Canada we have never really considered the field of foreign affairs. After meeting the trade commissioner at the Canadian embassy in Vienna, we realized that there is a whole world out there filled with opportunities in working in the foreign affairs field. The speakers from the UN were quite passionate about the projects they were working on. This inspired us because the work they do is actually contributing and benefiting the world at large. It made us rethink what we want our impact on the world to be. Before these presentations, we had never considered foreign affairs jobs or jobs with UN. This trip will make us definitely rethink our future paths and where we want to end up working.
A second thing we learned about ourselves after living in Vienna is that, that would be the city we would want to live in. The culture of the city, the convenience of the transportation systems and beautiful views are a couple reason why. Learning german is for sure at the top of our lists when we go back to MacEwan in the fall!
What was your biggest takeaway from your travels?
Thanks for sharing what you’ve learned about yourselves while on this trip! Matt and I definitely agree with your point on foreign affairs. Before this trip, we never really knew the process required to get a job in this field, but now it is definitely something to consider as we plan our futures.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things we learned from visiting Europe is the advantage of being multilingual. German and Spanish are languages that we would both like to learn, and I (Matt) would like to learn French. Many of the people we encountered on this trip spoke multiple languages, something we feel would be a benefit if we ever chose to live or work abroad.
We feel like the Europeans that we met live a less stressed lifestyle. The people walking on the street seem less rushed, and this may be caused by working environments here. Europeans, as we’ve observed, seem to place more value in getting outside and active, taking more time to look put together, and generally being more health-conscious. Whether it be visiting wellness spas or eating GMO-free, Europeans seem to be happier and healthier than most Canadians we observe at home. After having spent two weeks in Europe, we feel inspired to take this lifestyle back home with us.
Something I (Lindsay) learned about myself is that I cannot wait to apply to the University of Vienna to complete my LLM. I have fallen in love with the city, university and program, and cannot wait to live abroad. This trip has offered more insight into my career choice as well, solidifying my desire to dream of practicing and teaching international business law.
I (Matt) was impressed by the cities we visited and would like to experience them sometime as a non-tourist. When I get back home, I am going to start looking for opportunities to come back. I have a couple more years in my bachelor’s degree, so another study tour is not out of the question either!
Reflecting on this trip we both feel we have learned a great amount about ourselves and Europe. This was a great endeavour that has given us a better appreciation for the topics we’ve learned in class.
-Matt and Lindsay
Awesome blog post, I really agreed with your point about the presentation by the trade commissioner opening a lot of eyes to potential career paths. I have learned so much from this trip, it would be so tough to narrow down to one main takeaway. Firstly, I've been really interested in the cultural differences we've witnessed across such a small geographic area. My favorite example would be the use of escalators in Austria compared to Bratislava. After having witnessed the constant application of the 'right side stand, left side walk' rule in Vienna, I was amused by the total indifference to this rule in Bratislava's large mall. Next, I was really blown away by how knowledgeable many Europeans are about their own history. As someone who loves to talk about the past, I encountered lots of people who were both willing and excited to discuss their country's history with me. While I obviously avoided sensitive topics, they were often eager to hear a neutral outsider's perspective on issues of the past and present. I have also learned a great deal about myself on this trip, primarily that my comfort zone is much wider than I had previously thought. For the weeks leading up to this trip, I was probably more nervous than excited. This has been the longest time I've spent away from family and friends, and I was so concerned that homesickness would hinder my enjoyment of the trip. In reality, I have had to force myself to make time to even contact my parents. While I do miss them, I realize that I don't need to be in constant contact with people and things I am comfortable with. This has greatly expanded my sense of possibilities for the future. I now firmly believe that I could live and work somewhere other than Canada. I have already begun looking at options for further education abroad, and believe this trip might have been a pivotal point in my trajectory. I am definitely going to recommend study tours to anyone and everyone who will listen to my rambling.
ReplyDelete-Chris and Erika