My final reflections on my study abroad experience will likely be many years away.

These reflections are only the beginning. Experiencing another culture in a far-away place is an experience that one ponders and attaches meaning to for many years. Final reflections, the end of thinking about an event, would unnecessarily negate its value. The following thoughts are the beginning; the requirement will be met and then the personal introspection will continue. Opportunities to socialize with the Italian people were limited. Of the people we encountered, the locals were quite friendly and eager to provide directions or a recommendation. Austria seemed like a combination of German and Italian culture. The Austrians, oddly enough, voiced a general distaste for Italy, calling it weird and silly. They seemed to think that Germany was quite weird too. The Austrian students said little to back up their opinion. We were in Germany a short time; however we were able to talk to many students from Munich University of Applied Science as well as the professor there, a tour guide, and a few locals. The culture seemed similar to what I expected however I was really surprised at how shy the students there were. Perhaps this was due to the short time that we spent with them or the difference in genders. We were also in Slovenia for less than a day so I am not sure of the cultural norms. The tour guides at the paper mill we visited and the tour guide that we met at the cave were all quite friendly and enthusiastic. The emphasis that Europeans place on alcohol was a really surprising part of European culture! I knew that alcohol was a part of their culture and that drinking for socialization or relaxation was common however not the norm. I did not know that bankers would have a drink with a new client for opening a new account or other seemingly simple business deals. One of our Austrian friends, Christian, was quite amazed that in America we commonly have a celebratory cake for social events, or business-related accomplishments rather than serving alcohol in a professional working environment. It seems that alcohol is used in European social and business settings to symbolize a new friendship or some sort of celebration, be it big or small. We considered how Americans were viewed by Europeans before leaving for Europe. The general idea from our group was that Americans were viewed as spoiled, lazy, or similar to American celebrities such as Miley Cyrus. I was pleasantly surprised that our university friends from TU Graz seemed to be quite savvy and realized that Americans were portrayed this way through media but were not necessarily this way in real life. We asked our friends specifically how Americans are viewed by Europeans and they said that generally more educated people are quite open-minded and curious about Americans. They felt that less educated people stereotype Americans as lazy, spoiled, and rude based on media images. The European paper mills did indeed seem to be high-tech and clean as I predicted before leaving for this study abroad trip. I was quite surprised at how well-educated the general work force is in Europe. We were informed that in order to get a good job upon graduation, a student must have a masters degree. The bachelors degree in Europe is highly theoretical and is not applied to anything specific. The masters degree is a practical application of the bachelors degree focus. For example, at TU Graz there was a bachelors degree in chemical engineering and a masters degree in paper science. In order to study paper science, the student must have completed a bachelors degree in chemical engineering.

At this university, paper science is considered a specialization of chemical engineering. Since a masters degree is required to attain a good job, Ph. Ds are also quite common in Europe. In contrast to America, in Europe, a Ph. D. can work in a plant environment as a regular engineer and this is not considered out of the ordinary. They are not considered over-qualified for the position and are highly sought after. I was quite surprised at how much education is emphasized in Europe and the role the government plays in structuring the high school graduates choices. This trip affected me quite personally. I will never view Europe and European students the same way againpeople speak of how different European culture is and how Europeans seem so different than Americans but the European students that we met seemed very similar to American students. They had fun in slightly different ways including much more adventure sports. One difference I did notice is the European students seem to spend much more time socializing and having fun with their professors outside the classroom. Students and professors in the field often go on ski trips together and socialize together. The countries we visited all were quite welcoming, clean, and friendly. I was really surprised that Oliver and other Graz students came in to class the first day to welcome us and others showed us around their lab space. It was nice that so many students came to greet us and spend time with us during evenings, dinners, mill tours and ski trips. Professionally, this trip helped me to see more of the global perspective of engineering. The focus on research in European paper plants was quite impressiveI would never have guessed that masters and ph. D degrees were common among factory engineers in Europe. This experience will benefit me in terms of professional relationships as wellsenior year when I have a major paper project I may consider reaching out to Christian, Wolfgang, or Oliver. This trip helped me to view the paper industry from another perspective personal growth through fostering relationships with colleagues within the industry. Relationships with colleagues dont seem to be competitive and really can enhance ones personal enjoyment and growth within their chosen field. The best social aspects of the workshop were spending time with the TU Graz students to see what their daily life is like and what they do for classes and work. My favorite social aspect of the trip was the networking with the TU Graz students as well as the sightseeing trips. I particularly enjoyed New Years Eve night and the fireworks and celebration overlooking the whole town. The most difficult non-technical aspect of the trip was trying to get other students to take the trip more seriously and stay sober. I was surprised that the upper classmen did not take on more of a leadership role. They seemed to use their class rank to coast. I would have liked to see more group effort and team spirit go into the learning opportunities that we had. I was really surprised by the educational system in Europe. The masters and bachelors classes at a public university in Europe require only final exams. One can sign up for a class and attendance is optional. The only requirement is to pass the final exam. A degree in Europe seems to be comprised of multiple tests or certifications stacked together. I was also quite surprised that a bachelors degree doesnt lead to a good job. It was interesting that so many university students study paper. I did not realize that there are six paper mills in Styria, the south east state in Austria. TU Graz is located in Styria

and I am sure the location and concentration of all of this research and industry led to the students choice of the paper engineering diploma or degree. I was also impressed that universities in Europe contribute so much to the paper industry. It was amazing to me that the student research funds so much of the university and that so many plants send projects or samples over to the university for analysis. The amount of research sent over to the university seems to really advance the paper industry in Europe and this system of paying university students to do research seems to advance the universitys practical application of a degree as well. This is a premier example of industry and education working together in a productive and profitable way. The tours of paper mills were very unique. Most mills freely shared technical information with students (very few exceptions). In American paper mill tours less information is shared even when the information is not very technical or necessarily something that should need to be kept secret. I was also amused that so many places that we went served drinks or candy during the introduction presentation. Each tour that we took served beverages and welcomed our tour group. Hospitality seems to be very important to Europeans. I was also amazed that we were able to tour the Fedrigoni paper mill. We were able to see the water mark being made as well as other high security areas. I was quite impressed by the amount of equipment made by the university students and by the specialized testing in the Wattens mill. I was very surprised to see a smoking machine to imitate the way a cigarette is smoked in real life! The most difficult adjustment that I experienced during the transition to life in Austria was definitely the living with so many people at a time. I am used to some personal space and private time which was in short supply. Fatigue did not help my patience at times. The food was also a major adjustment. Food is a major part of my family life and social gatherings. I missed the familiarity of some of my favorite foods; especially when I was tired or stressed. These things should seem reasonably insignificantthey were not. I dont think that the transition to work life in Austria was necessarily difficult other than the time change. I think that starting in Graz and staying there so long was really beneficial. That initial time frame which enabled us to get academics out of the way made the trip less stressful. It also helped us adjust to European culture in one place before travelling all over. When I arrived home, the most difficult adjustment was moving back to Oxford and starting semester long classes with different subject matter courses quickly and efficiently. I was quite surprised at how long it took my body to re-adjust to my schedule. I think that my study abroad experience will be something I will always remember. I learned a great amount about myself and about human nature. I also will always take this experience with me as I grow in my professional role and prepare for a career in paper science and engineering.