Sarah's presentation was really interesting. Studying abroad has been something I've always wanted to do and I've often thought that after college I would go teach in England. Ok, not really a stretch, but I've always wanted to live there and I think it would be cool. Anyway, just hearing about the culture was shocking so I couldn't imagine how weird it would be to actually live it. I mean, yes, she prepared for an entire year. She learned all about the culture there, but you can know something without truly understanding it and I feel you can't really understand a culture until you've lived it.
I keep going back to my trip in Spain, it's the only time I've been out of the country, but if fits perfectly. The way they live there is totally different. In class we discussed time and what it means to different cultures. In Spain, like Brazil, time isn't really something to take into consideration. We stuck to a schedule on our trip because we only had ten days to take in an entire country, but as I observed the people around me, I realized they didn't really seem to be in too big of a hurry. It was 10:00 on a Wednesday night and no one seemed to be too concerned with going home. Here in America, on a wednesday, you don't really go hang out in town until late at night, you do your homework or work or clubs or sports... it goes on and on. I just find it so interesting how time is such a subjective thing, I mean how did it get that way?!?Here in America it is not in any way subjective.... "You arrive five minutes early, you're on time. You arrive on time.... you're late" (Drumline 2002).
I agree with you that studying abroad is such a great thing to do and I think that every college student should get a chance to participate in it. I mean, when are you going to get another chance to go to school in a completely different country? It's really a great way to learn new cultures and meet new people. I agree strongly with the point that you made about you can't understand a culture until you lived it. You can read all you want about how Greeks live, eat and sleep; but if you never spend so much as a single day in their shoes, you'll never understand their true culture.
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