Lessons in Politeness

Since I was little, it has always been my dream to live in the USA. Probably influenced by too many Hollywood movies and American books, I wanted to experience studying at an American university and just living the American way of life. Honestly, I still cannot believe this is what I am actually doing. I left Switzerland on the 12^th of January and flew to Laramie with a stopover in Denver. Laramie is the third biggest town in the state of Wyoming, the state with the second lowest population density after Alaska and the lowest number of citizens. Due to its small population and the vast natural landscape, the residents go through life more slowly and are very friendly, because in a town like this the residents know each other.  

From Winter Wonderland to the Desert

The semester in Canada starts in January and finishes by the end of April. Therefore, my exchange semester in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, is already over. I finished all my assignments and packed my stuff. It was hard to say goodbye to all the people I met here, but at the same time I was very excited for what was to come! I flew to Denver in the US where I met my brother for an eight-week road trip on the Westcoast. 

Getting used to the American way of life

When I first arrived at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater I was expecting a lot of unfamiliar habits that I had to adjust to.

Sometimes English is not English

Since I am studying in the United Stated of America the language used at my exchange university is English. In my opinion I had a pretty good knowledge of the English language even before I arrived here. Still, I faced a few challenges which are linked to the English language.

Clubs and Communities in the States

I have been at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the United States of America for a little bit more than a month. Right from the start of the semester I recognized that a lot was handled differently than in Switzerland. Some differences are more relevant and impactful, such as there being only 20 to 30 students per class, others are minor like Americans tend to eat earlier than people in Switzerland.