Many of the students don't know where Minnesota is. They know it is in the United States, but they don't know where. I describe it as in the middle, north, and bordering Canada. On the flip side though, I can't say that I am an expert on where their countries and towns are exactly situated, particularly the Eastern Europeans. Most of the students have also never traveled to the US. The few that have visited the states have traveled mainly to New York, Florida, Vegas, and California. I guess Mpls isn't exactly a tourist destination (unless you like shopping, hockey, and cool people)! :)
It's fun to trade stories and discuss what life is like in our home countries and cities. Many of the students have asked me what the people in the United States are like, and if they are different. I tell them that is a very difficult question to answer, but I generally describe that East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast people are typically different, as are Northerners from Southerners. I can't say that I'm an expert on the people of the entire US so I try to focus just on Minnesota. I discuss the Scandinavian and Polish ancestry of the past, and the make-up of the current immigrant population. I tell everyone that the United States is so big that of course people are going to be different from place to place. Another popular question is what are my thoughts on the upcoming election and who am I going to vote for. I generally stay away from politics and sharing my views. All I tell them is that I'm happy I get a four month break from the campaigning!
This is my third study abroad experience (Spain summer 01, London spring semester 02) and on each program I always tell the people I meet abroad how lucky they are to easily travel to different countries in the EU. You can get on a train for little money, travel for two hours and be in an entirely different country where they speak a different language, eat different food, and have different customs. I've always been so envious of that. At home, I hop in the car, and drive for two hours and end up at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. :) I explain that for an American to travel is very expensive, and the opportunity isn't there as much. Hopefully that helps paint the picture that our understanding of different cultures can sometimes not be as advanced as theirs. I think they understand that because it is very difficult for them to travel to the US as well.
My fellow American Stasha and I (pictured) are the two oldest students here, which suprises me a bit considering the median age of MBAs at Carlson is around 30. The educational structure at this school is slightly different though, and they don't have the well defined Undergrad and Grad programs we're used to in the states. Hopefully my work experience and education will play to my advantage in the classroom, but we'll see.
Most of the students are also here to practice their German, and will often speak German to each other. I don't speak German, so I am a bit of an outsider when it comes to that. Everyone knows English fairly well, and our classes are in English, so it isn't as stressful as you may think it to be. I do get the chance to speak Spanish with the Spanish students though. I'm pretty rusty as I haven't practiced in six years, so I guess Spanglish is the better term to use.
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