What seemed like a trip that was so far off has finally arrived and we are already 2 days in! After a long flight from Indy, our group checked into our hotel in Strasbourg, France Sunday afternoon. Strasbourg is about a 4 hour drive, east of Paris, in the Alsace region. It borders Germany and you can definitely see both countries' influences in the architecture and food! I hope to post some pictures soon.
Since yesterday it has been a complete whirlwind of activity! An hour after checking in, we went on a walking tour of the city seeing La Cathedrale, Gutenberg's monument, the Chamber of Commerce, and numerous unique shops & restaurants. La Cathedral took centuries to build and is beautiful! It's one of the tallest buildings in the city and the only way to reach the top is to climb the stairs. David, Professor Bonser-Neal and I plan to embark on that adventure tomorrow as you can see for miles at the top of the highest tower! After our walking tour we went on a relaxing boat ride that also provided a tour of the city and some interesting history along the way. Afterward for dinner we tried some Alsatian cuisine...I had a "traditionale tarte" which is kind of like a flat bread pizza without the tomato sauce. Delicious!
Today we hit the pavement and mass transit to the various European government organizations that are centered in Strasbourg. Both the Council of Europe and European Parliament are positioned in this city. The Kelley students attending the trip had a plethora of knowledge regarding these organizations because they are currently taking POLS Y350 - Politics of the European Union, I'm pretty confident that the guides and speakers were impressed with their questions! As a newcomer to this, I definitely learned so much about how the Council and Parliament interact and the role that each plays. The Parliament focuses more on the European economy while the Council focuses on human rights. Of course, there is MUCH more, but that's the basics.
While touring today, there was another group of business students from Boston College. We noticed them because they were speaking American English. It's funny how quickly you can distinguish your language when 99% of the people around you are not. Makes me really appreciate our international students at IUPUI even more. Being immersed in a culture where you know bits and pieces of a language can be a struggle. Patience is key and I appreciate everyone here in France that has been patient with me as I try to communicate with them. :)
Ok...after a fabulous dinner with our University of Strasbourg colleagues...it's time to turn in. Another eventful day at Mercedes Benz and Kronenbourg Brewery awaits for tomorrow! Oh yeah...and that hike up to the top of the Cathedral!
Au revoir!
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