Lisa Shibata, Comparative Healthcare in Graz Summer 2024
This picture was taken in Maribor, Slovenia where we gathered for dinner with four students from the University of Maribor since the tour guide was a professor at the university. The two students on the right are Maribor students and the other two are sitting at another table. The person holding the guitar was in a band and he played many songs that all of us requested such as “Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars, “Perfect” and “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran, and “Riptide” by Vance Boy. One also requested, “Sweet Caroline” and we sang along, “Let’s go, Pitt!” This is one of my core memories, just relaxing and talking with everyone while enjoying the beautiful weather and view from the top of the mountain where the restaurant was. I was getting slightly emotional, not wanting to leave. After having a nice dinner, three other Pitt students and I stuck with the Maribor students to find a nice place to sit down and talk. We talked about life, what sports we did when we were younger, our favorite movies, places we traveled to, or even the craziest thing we did. We sat in a circle taking turns sharing our stories no matter how embarrassing it was. One of the Maribor students and I were having a conversation finding common ground, and we had both been to Japan. We discussed the similarities and differences between Europe and Japan, as well as the cultural shocks that we experienced. We empathized with how much of a struggle it was to get used to and now it’s just a story to laugh and share with others.
Being “American” abroad felt welcoming but sometimes the opposite. It was common for people to stare at us, whether because of how we dressed or if we were too loud in public since according to other countries one stereotype of America is that we are very loud. I only could laugh when I answered, “We’re from America.” to an elderly person on the bus who asked and she said, “I can tell.” On the other hand, I always felt welcomed when waiters or the staff at the supermarket helped us guide what we needed and held a conversation because they were curious about where we were from. It’s an unusual feeling when I see their reaction when I say America since that’s where I live and that’s normal for me, but not to them. One factor I learned in this program was realizing the importance of having the mindset that my normal is not normal for others. I encountered many struggles and it was one inconvenience after another. However, developing this mindset made it easier for me to take in the cultural shocks.
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