The world is all around you...

Hej! Hej hej hej! I am back from Copenhaguen where I spent these last ten days for the Klimaforum09. It. Was. Awesome. And really weird sometimes. A mixture of hope and despair and stress and love and hate and tiredness and music and noise and laughter and tears, and yes I do believe I'm out of clichés XD

It was very exhilarating and if you add all the excitement to the message and the depressing-ness of the situation, you end up with being perpetually on the verge of some kind of break down. The kind of state where you start crying because your keys fell to the very bottom of your handbag, and you fall in love with anyone who says hi to you in the corridor. The kind of state where you want to hug people half the time, and kick the furniture and scream the rest of it. Nothing in between. It is all very exciting. And very tough to describe. But here are 5 things I wanted to tell you about more particularly. My top 5 Copenhaguen "Here's to".

1) Here's to guitar playing hippies Yes indeed. Guitar playing hippies. Here's to vegan people, here's to the Via Campesina, here's to love and vegetable soup. Here's to woolen hats, here's to yogis, here's to trees and raisin bran, here's to organic coffee beans and to activist T-Shirts, here's to that lady from Tibet, and the other one from Bolivia, here's to you all who came and went and changed the way I see the world like nothing that happened to me before. Here's to me becoming a little less cynical and a little more sorry.

2) Here's to the danish pølse (and to those danish letters with the slashes and the ° on them...) Pølse is a type of special Danish hot-dog, with pickles and three types of sauce on top. They are very inexpensive, and they include some meat. Pølse are murder. Here's to vegans indeed, but I needs my proteins.

Pølse saved me from turning into a turnip at day 5, or falling into the dark pit of vegetable-spread induced depression.

Look Marion! Cool stuff on the walls in Copenhaguen too!

3) Here's to the Danish people in general, to their English skills which helped me a lot throughout the trip, to my hosts who were very, very kind and accepted to give me a bed for 10 days even though I came home at crazy hours every night. I need to find some kind of karmic offset for my hosts.

4) Here's to the Danish currency, which also saved me from starvation (had the prices been in Euros, I would probably have eaten nothing but the free vegetable soup they gave at the conference center). Honestly, Denmark, what's with the crazy prices ? 5€ for a coffee ?

5) Here's to the booth technician P, J from GoodPlanet, and the grey-haired lady who believed our tales of peanut and chocolate-fueled interpretation and brought us sweets and water all the time : Just seeing them got me in a good mood. I really like those people who are always, always in a communicative good mood.

I forget many, many things like the guy in the black hood talking about "ze pipole of ze Bretagna", the øko-chocolate cake of the conference center, my pillow and my blanket, the little christmas gnomes they have all over the place in Copenhaguen, my awesome lipstick from Japan which helped a lot with the frostbites, MSN and IT in general, all my colleagues and cinnamon rolls, but if I go on for too long, I'll start crying and saying things like "we are all part of one big human community" or "spread love" and then we will all be sorry .

PS: Sorry about the layout of this post, blogger seems to have gone wild

Standard de Liège, olé olé olé

Well hello reader ! It's been quite a long time since I last wrote, but I've been very busy (for real, what a nice change...) Indeed, it's exam time again, and I took the first of a long and dreadfuls series of oral exams on monday (I started with German, which is a good thing, insofar as it's... well... not my main strength, let's put it that way so I'm just glad I'm done with it. Till September anyway... -_-'')

The other exams were not that bad, but it's not finished until the Big and Evil Jury of Death which is on Tuesday. I don't know yet if I really am going to go. I consider a lot of alternative careers, nearly all of which involve the words "vodka", "country singer", "under a bridge" or all three... Anyway. Since I am going to leave Brussels soon, whatever the outcome of the exams, I wanted to tell you about another Belgian top 5 : The top 5 things I'll remember about the Place du Luxembourg.

1) The European MP's walking around in their nice charcoal suits and shiny shoes. They are all very serious and elegant, and they always have their name tag hanging around their necks, which oddly reminds me of the "Unaccompanied Minor" things that they make you wear when you are taking the plane alone. Like "If lost, please return to seat 234, European Parliament, Brussels"...
And also I love how they all have backpacks with teeeeeny tiny straps and then their backpack is stuck just under their heads and their suits are all crumpled up. It looks a bit like their backpack is holding their arms up. I whish I worked at the European Parliament, then I'd get to see them wriggle and writhe to try and extract their arms from said straps. But don't mind me and my evil mockery, I'm just jealous is all. One day I'll work at the EP too, and I'll be wearing the shortest backpack straps of them all... Just wait and see.

2) The Liege Football team winning the Belgian football cup. I was "working" on my Big and Evil Paper from Hell, and then I heard quite a lot of noise downstairs, so I decided I'd go and have a look (I had been working for 5 minutes straight, and thought I deserved a break.) Never seen that many people peeing on such a small surface at once before. Amazing. All the supporters in a line, peeing on the wall of the sport's bar. I wish I'd had my camera...

3) The homeless guy who asks for money downstairs. He always says he accepts checks and credit cards, and he cracks me up. He looks a little like crocodile dundee, and once told me I had saved his dog, because he would have had to eat it if I had not been there to help him out with his lunch money. I then said "well, it would have been nice with a little ketchup and stuff" and he looked at me like I was weird. Anyway.

4) The unbearable crazy drunk who wanders under our windows screaming rubbish all the time. I don't mean screaming "RUBBISH" all the time, I mean screaming rubbish as in... well, you know. He's rude.

5) The Delhaize downstairs where I spend 85% of my money buying a lot of very unhealthy stuff. Especially now that it's exam time. I pretty much feed on sugar and fat now. I am always afraid that the students who work at the Delhaize downstairs think I am some sort of alien creature who eats only broccoli and mars bars. I do have the complexion of a broccoli eating alien right now, so I don't blame them, I just hope they won't call the FBI or anything. But then again, I might get a Dana Scully autograph for my brother...

Anyway. I'm going to get back to work now (trying to find some interesting speech in German...) I hope you aree doing fine. Oh, and if you've got a little time, go see Craig Ferguson singing on Malinky's blog. She's got the greatest YouTube channel ever, and uploads Craig Ferguson's show every night. I'll be forever thankful, Malinky!

Have a nice day!

For those who've come across the seas we've boundless plains to share...

Hello Reader!

I have good news! One more expat interview!! Having a big family really is a blessing... Here is the interview of Eva Schonstein, one of my relatives who lives in Sydney, Australia. I spent three and a half month with her and her family in Sydney, which were absolutely great and helped me a lot with my English, of course. Here are her answers to my little questionnaire! Thanks Eva, for taking time to answer!! It's really nice of you!

1. How long have you been living in Australia

I have been in Australia since 1978

2. Why did you decide to move there?

For two reasons essentially: I met my (then future) husband, and most importantly I liked the openness of Australia, its proximity to the sea, and the friendly, open people (by contrast with Alsace people) (Hey reader?? It's me! Do you copy?? We're lovely in Alsace!! I promise!! Come and see for yourself!! ;) )

3. Did you run into any difficulties when you first arrived (concerning integration, paperwork, and such)

Well, yes of course, no emigration is totally straightforward. Firstly I had language difficulties as I started my university studies few days after arrival, and whilst my English was good, attending 5 hrs of lectures/tutes in English every day gave me headaches. I also had difficulties with assignments such as essays etc. Paperwork was easy, compared to France, Australia had at that time a very simple bureaucracy, it has greatly changed since, I am told. Integration was not so easy, either.

In Sydney, what school you go to seems to have been (and still is) very important, so I was often asked the question, and when I said I did not go to school in Australia, fellow students had difficulties in "classifying" me. The other issue was the marked difference between sexes in Sydney, which was far less marked in France; that is, there were norms in Sydney of what "girls" could drink, do, or even wear. For example, girls did not drink beer, this was for boys! I liked windsurfing and again, I was one of the only girls doing this. This has changed since then, and now Sydney has become a much more cosmopolitan city, and this difference between sexes is almost gone.

4. Do you think your experience would have been different if you had had a different nationality of origin?

Yes I do. I know this as I emigrated twice in my life: once as a Romanian into France, and the other as a French into Australia. The latter was easy, as it was seen as cool and sexy to be French! The first was far less pleasant as French people firstly did not know which part of the world Romania was in (Africa was often the belief, due to my somewhat dark skin color) and because of this, I was considered to be some kind of strange animal, coming from a very far away, unknown place. I coped with this by learning french very quickly, and trying to blend in as much as I could, and only then people in France approached me as a "normal" person.

5. What are the 2 aspects of the Australian culture that you like best?

Openness and multiculturalism. Australia is I think one of the countries most acceptant of other cultures. Australians are friendly people, helpful on the street, smiling most of the time.

- The two you like least?

Friendliness has a superficial side to it: it is difficult to make close friends in Australia when compared to France, for example. It is more the English way. The other aspect of Australians I like less is their apolitical attitude. Most Australians feel so far removed from the World's problems that they behave as if it is none of their business. There is also a confusion of identity in Australia as historically and culturally we are Europeans, but geographically and economically we are part of Asia, and a lot of people cannot somehow reconcile these two facts. It is a young nation with little real history of its own and a great guilt complex towards aboriginals, so there is much confusion in our identity.

6. Do you intend to stay there for ever?

The world is becoming smaller and smaller and for ever is a big word! I call myself a citizen of the world, and I intend to remain one. I will always have close ties to Australia I think, but I can easily envisage living somewhere else for some time. My old age will be spent mostly in Australia, I think.

There you go reader!! That's one more expat interview!! I need to go now, and eat my lunch before I come to class tonight!! I have a funny problem with my jaws... They are stuck open and I can't chew... It's very annoying... Maybe it's going to help my English pronunciation though, or magically give me an Austrian accent when I speak German... I wish...

My girl's a Yorkshire girl...

Good evening!! Well, my wrist is kind of sore, reader... Wonder why... :)

I'm pretty blue, as well, don't really know why either, I miss France even more than usual, and feel like calling home, but my phone is blocked, and I can't!! I want my mum!!!! Anyway. What I can do, and I'm sure it will make me feel better, is share my sister with you guys!! Well, actually, not exactly my sister, but her answers to my questionnaire. She spent a school year in Bradford as an Erasmus student, and here is what she has to say about her experience!! Thanks for answering, Marion!!!

1. Why did you go to an English speaking country?

Essentially because I already knew the language. Not only was it easier for me, it was a requirement of my university too, (I spent a year abroad as part of an Erasmus exchange program). I also chose England because it was not too far from my own country: I was very enthusiastic about moving abroad, but only if I was able to go back when I wanted to!

2. Did you run into any difficulties there? (integration, paperwork...)

As far as papers are concerned, no problem whatsoever, but the Erasmus effect makes everything very easy. Integration was not that hard either, once I got over the phase when I only dared to enter the common kitchen if there was no one in it

It was also a little difficult to integrate in the city of Bradford, where there was a lot of violence, and a tense atmosphere between the different communities. Indeed, Bradford welcomes an important percentage of immigrants, who essentially come from Asia. Their integration into the "white" society is not always easy, and among the immigrants, there are frequent conflicts between Idians and Pakistanis, because of their religious differences and the tension which exists between their two countries.


The town I come from in France is fairly small, quite touristic, very rich... And very very peaceful, so the contrast was quite stunning. But, well I wouldn't really call that difficulties. Just a little trouble adapting!


3. What are your two favourite aspects of the English culture? The two aspects you like least?

My two favourite aspects would probably be:

- the warmth and generosity of the English. They are a little difficult to get close to, but once their door is open, they are very thoughtful and extremely nice.

-Coming from France, I enjoyed the non-Latin atmosphere a lot. In England, people are not as careful about clothing as in France, girls can wear sportswear even outside the gym, can eat or drink whatever they like, and nobody will bug them about how it's not very ladylike... It was a pretty refreshing atmosphere, even if there are downsides to this, too (including, for example, the fact that I put on a few kilos during my stay)

The two aspects I liked least? it's a bit more difficult to find those... Let's say...

-The lack of respect for food, and therefore for one's own body. I did not miss the French gastronomy too much, I found it pretty easy to buy all the ingredients that are necessary to prepare very French dishes, (except, of course, for bread). What's different is not so much the food as the relationship to food. For the English, it has mainly a useful purpose. You eat only to prevent being hungry, and if it's nice, that's bonus. Completely different from the French mentality, which considers food first and foremost as a pleasure.

-The fact that the English are awfuly xenophobic. I sometimes had the impression that they divide humanity in two categories, themselves, and the rest of the world. This high consideration of England leads of course to a certain contempt for the rest of the world. Not to mention of course their hate of the French, but that's another thing...

4. Do you think that your experience would have been different if you had been other than French?

Insofar as by and large, the English hate the French, and vice versa, I guess it must have changed some things. But I also think that the country you are born and raised in changes your idea of a lot of things, from the role of men and women (see above, for non-machism) to the way you judge a country's political system, and one's own relationship to his or her country, or the way one structures his or her thoughts (one year of philosphy for everybody is a French idea...) Of course national culture is modified by a lot of individual factors, and therefore has a different impact on everybody, but in my opinion, it still is a determining element. In a word, yes.

5. Now that you're back, whot would you say of the outcome of your stay? Is it a country where you could live on a longer basis?

Well, general outcome is definitely positive, in every area (more experience, language skills, kilos...) I really loved my year over there. And I think I could live there for a longer time, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

Now reader isn't it amazing how people seem to be very different in different parts of England?? There are quite a lot of differences between the answers of my two sisters!! Maybe it's because of the high percentage of French people in London compared to Bradford; they see a lot of us, and learnt to appreciate our undeniable perfection... :D

Well, I guess I'll stop there, I might write another post tonight, I got sudden inspiration from my revision program of this afternoon... but then again, since I am a lazy butt, I might also just turn on the TV and watch... what... WHAT??? An add for fish pâté in a tube, with a guy saying "voulez vous pâté avec moi?"???? Oh my!!! Oooooooh my!!! I'm just about to re-faint!!! What the hell happened to you Austrians?! I turn on the TV, and that's what I find??? Amazing... truly amazing... I need to focus on this!! See you!!!

All the way from China

Hello!!

Well, usually writing a post is the last thing I do in the evening, for once, it's going to be the first thing I do in the morning. And it won't be very long, because I have to run (I think I have some kind of test tonight, but I can't really remember the subject... I know it's important, but.... Ooooooh!! Yeah!!! Just came back to me... :D)

Anyway, the reason why I'm writing this instead of focusing on learning by heart the five first chapters of Jaywalking is that I had one more answer from an expat which I wanted to share with you!! It comes from a woman who lives in America, and she studies in the same lab as Sabrina, my brother's wife, whom I would also like to thank for passing my questionnaire on!! Very very thoughtful of you!!

So, as I was saying, the answers come from Ting He (Thank you sooo much for answering!!), who is from China, and is now working as a scientist at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Here is what she answered:

1. Why did you go to America?

I came to America to study Biomedical sciences and get a Ph.D degree.

2. Did you run into any difficulties there (Paperwork, integration...)

Yes. I think I have a lot difficulty in learning the language and integration.

3. What are your two favourite aspects of the American culture? The two you like least?

First, I think most American people are friendly and patient and care about the other’s feeling which makes me feel good.
Secondly, I think the detailed laws and rules make the society run smoothly.
In terms of the worse aspects, first thing is that I sometimes feel a little insecure (it seems some neighborhoods are not so safe). Because the law allows individuals to have guns, and that makes me feel endangered.
Another thing is that there is no or little public transportantion, which makes life harder for those people who don’t have a car.

4. Do you think that your experience would have been different if you had been other than Chinese?

I think it would make a big difference if I came from a European country or a country whose native language is also English. I know most of the European country are not English-speaking, but they learn it much more easily than us. Also, they share a lot of food habits, culture and even some history with America.

5. Generally speaking, on a personal level, is your experience abroad positive? Would you like to make it longer?

Overall, I would say it is good to stay here, especially for my professional development. But for us who come from Asian Countries, it takes a longer time to adapt to this situation. My husband and I would like to stay in the US for our Post Doctoral job after we get the Ph.D degree. But we can’t tell now where we would like to go after that.

There you go reader!! I would like to thank Ting He once again for answering my questionnaire, it was really nice of you!! And also, while I'm at it, "Personal message time", I'd like to wish my brother good luck once more, his big presentation is today!! Good luck, good luck!!!

London Calling -now this one was OBVIOUS!!

Good evening! Or should I say good morning? I'm not quite sure anymore...

I had a funky day, really, fainted on the Schlossberg!! I went for a walk there, with one of my Austrian friends, but I hadn't eaten, and I don't know, the sun, the beauty of it all... such a shock to my poor nerves, that I ended up chewing on the turf, amongst dog droppings and quite a lot of astounded Austrians... Nice, interesting experience. Have to do it again some day...

Anyway, I'm not writing this post to tell you about this, I want to share with you, reader, the interview of my sister Françoise, who is a translator in Paris now, but who also spent some time working in London. Her answers are really interesting!! Thanks, Françoise, for taking time out of your busy schedule!! And for teaching me how to spell busy!! I would probably be studying accountancy now, if it wasn't for you!

1. Why did you go to and English Speaking country?

For a whole lot of reasons! I always loved the Anglo Saxon culture (US and UK), literature, movies, music, and especially the language itself. After spending two stays in the US, I thought it was time for me to give a try to the UK English -- and especially London, which attracted me particularly ever since a flash visit there when I was 13: I promised myself that "one day, I'd live in London", in front of Regent Street at dusk.

2. Did you run into any difficulties there? (Integration, Paperwork...)

Not really... The hardest part was probably the everyday life: The exorbitant prices, even for basic products, the housing difficulties (extraordinarily expensive, for sometimes barely acceptable living condition), unbearable public transporation that would get me into weeping fits of rage, unbelievably low quality medical assistance... And the accent of course! Until then, I never really had a problem understanding Americans or English, but arriving in London, I was really shocked! I was completely lost for the first week, I did not understand anything. And then, little by little, I got used to it... I even ended up learning a bit of cockney!

3. What are your two favourite aspects of the English Culture? The two you like least?

Hmmm... Only two?

Let's say, the good sides of the English is their willingness to let you live your life without staring at you and commenting on everything you do. I also like their pragmatism, insofar as when you are in a sticky situation, well, you just try to make the best of it, look at the bright side, and try to make things better, without dramatizing or launching into tragic tirades. I think in France, we should follow their example a bit more.

Bad sides would be the downsides of the good sides: Letting people live their lives, it's also sometimes indifference and coldness, a "fend for yourself" philosophy, that is particularly visible in London. As for pragmatism, the downside of that would be an opposition to change, and people who are too willing to "make do", when sometimes it would pay to get moving and complain (like we do in France!) in order to make things better. Oh, yeah, and this too: on a national level, the English have a kind of superiority complex which make them very arrogant and is often doubled up with an astounding primary racism.

But in the good-things-that-happened-to-me-while-I-was-there department, I'd add: the lively and cosmopolitan side of London... Summer evening in "pub gardens"... mostly free museums... Foyle's giant bookshop on Charing Cross... and of course the essential English humour, in any situation.
And for less good things: Gastronomy... rush hour in the tube... and the weather!!

4. Do you think your experience would have been different, if you had been other than French?

I think so, yes. It's a bit of a shame to say it, but as a French, you've got a little headstart (accent, French girl's reputation, Beautiful Paris, and the whole legend...)There are some tough-skinned Francophobes, but even they respect the sacrosanct English politeness. And I was quite priviledged, I had a job, some acquaintances etc. I think things are very different for a freshly landed Pakistani, Bulgarian or Chinese girl with nothing to start from.

5. Now that you're back, what is the general outcome of your stay in England? Is it a country you could live in for a longer time?

Excellent outcome: I learnt a lot, both professionnally and personally, (not to mention the language, of course). Living abroad is tough, sometimes even despairing... but the discoveries and the things you learn largely compensate the blues and the obstacles. And yes, I do think I could live there for a longer time without too many difficulties... keeping in mind that in London, one had bettter be young, rich and healthy.

There you go reader!! I should have a fifth one of those pretty soon! I hope you are enjoying them as much as I am!! I tried so sneak some other questions into those, in order to extort money from my siblings, but it never works!! I think they're just too clever. As for me, I'm getting sillier and sillier, so I guess I'll just follow my sister's advice and get in bed now... Hmmmmm... Pillows...

PS: I almost forgot, but there was a presidential election in France today, and I want to thank any one who can hear me for not voting for Le Pen (the Awful Extreme Right-Wing Candidate), first of all, because having him at the second ballot makes me feel ashamed to be French, and second, because being ashamed to be French when you're the only one around is really terrible. So thanks guys, for not putting us through 2002 all over again!!

Brand new state, gonna treat you great!

Good evening!

See! I'm back again! Two posts a day, I don't think I'm going to be able to keep that up for long, but I got the answer from my Oklahoma based brother, so I couldn't wait to share them with you reader!! He took time out of his busy schedule to answer them, so I'm really grateful for his being so fast!! And I take this opportunity to wish him good luck for his presentation next week!! Break a leg, bro! (Can anybody tell me why I pretend to be Snoop Dog? What I meant was "Bonne chance!" I guess starvation has damaged my brain...)

Just in case you were wondering, my brother Philippe left France for Oklahoma, initially to complete work training, and he was subsequently offered a research job over there. His wife Sabrina, who was initially doing a research job in Canada, found a job there too and joined him, and they are now living in Oklahoma City.

1. Why did you move to an English Speaking country?

Because it the easiest place for me to find a job that requires my qualifications.

2. Did you run into any difficulties in this country (integration, paperwork, etc.)

Well, yes and no. As far as work is concerned, not really. At first, people are very welcoming, especially in a university-town like Norman, where people are quite used to strangers because of the proximity of Oklahoma University. But then, when we moved to Oklahoma city itself, it became funny, and people started gawking when I was chatting with Sabrina, waiting in line at the WalMart cash register. The difference of language matters a lot. I can remember coming home dead tired during the first weeks, because it's hard to get used to the new "linguistic landscape" (everybody speaks a foreign language, from the cashiers to the teachers, the people on the street...).
Luckily enough, I come from a very Anglophile family, so I could integrate pretty fast, but I know several French people for whom the language barrier was so important that they could not communicate well enough with their boss, and were therefore unproductive. For them, the experience ended up being more enriching because of the people they met, than because of the work they achieved. But that's part of the good thing about going away: meeting a whole lot of people (Like Russians and Indians, Coreans and Australians, people from all over the world, really. Being able to communicate in a common language is then again very handy.)

Paperwork is very boring, but I guess that's about the same everywhere. Actually, coming from France might be an advantage in this field, because even though it seems long, it's nothing compared to the awful stories told by the Russians and the Indians (like how some people needed to stay 6 months in Moscow during their post-doctorate studies because they were waiting for a bloody Visa...)

3. What are your two favourite aspects of the American Culture? The ones you like least?

Pros: -Freedom (whatever this means right now...) Maybe they couldn't give you a precise definition of what it is, but they sure value it.

-The Melting pot: Everybody can achieve, provided they work hard enough.

Cons: -They are spoilt by money and complete slaves of corporations. For example, the credit card buisness is booming, and it has a huge power, because of the influence it has over the customers' purchasing power.

-Their conventionality. They have all kinds of freedom, but they are still all the same, they invent norms, it's quite strange.

4. Do you think your experience would have been different if you had been other than French?

Yes, it would have been very different. I don't think you could deny the importance of your background, and the influence it has over the people that you meet.

5. Generally speaking, on a personal level, is your experience abroad positive? Would you like to make it longer?

Well, why not! It's a scientific's paradise here, they give you your chance very easily, and trust you very soon, even though you have not yet proved worthy of their confidence. And on a personal level, well, part of me dies everyday from not being close to my family, but luckily, we live in a time when distances are getting smaller and smaller, and communication easier and easier. And Sabrina is here as well, so it's not too bad, but the main -nearly exclusive- reason why we stay here is the job. Oklahoma is not really my cup of tea!

Well, reader, here you go!! Two interview from two people, living in the same place, but not giving quite the same answers! I hope you found it interesting! And thanks again for answering Philippe! We're missing you too.

Good news!! -- Expat Interviews Episode One

Well good news!!

Today, I have something original and relevant to tell you about!! Thanks to my brother, and one of his very very kind colleague, I can here present to you... Tadaaaaaaam... my very first expat interview!! Since I am very lucky (and a cheat, as well), it should be the first one of a series of at least 5, most of which will be of members of my family, who will answer my questions in French. I hope you'll find this first one as interesting as I did! The questions were answered in English by Mr Narcis Popescu, a graduate research assistant at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, who comes from Romania. (I did not even need to translate them, how about that?!)

1. Why have you gone to an english-speaking country ?

Most of the recent high-profile work in our field (Biomedical Research) is published in English, therefore this was a language that I needed to understand and be able to communicate in if I were to follow the career path that I have chosen. As a result, English became the foreign language that I improved the most and was most comfortable with, and consequently English-speaking countries were the first option when looking for study opportunities abroad. From my experience, knowing the language of the country gives you a much better chance for integration.

2. Have you had any difficulties there ? (integration, paperwork, etc...)

I myself do not consider that I had difficulties adapting here. Nevertheless I do not consider it to be an easy process, everything (integration, paperwork, etc.) takes time and effort but I find it similar to, but definitely slower than, moving into a new situation/environment even inside your own country. Even in Romania I moved around, getting into different places and environments, so I had my share of adaptation processes, but here it was much slower and required much more effort than back home. As long as you don't give up, you'll be all right in the end.

3. What are your two favorite aspects of american culture ? Two worst aspects?

This is kind of a trick questions that I never took the time to really analyze. Out of the hat, I would say that I like the most the diversity and the drive towards efficiency, while on the other side I don't like the exacerbated competition around here (the other side of the coin for the drive for efficiency you might say) and the individualism.

4. Do you think your experience would have been different had you been of a different nationality ?

That depends. I don't think nationality had the most influence over my experiences around here. Provided that I would have come from a similar background (Christian, southeastern Europe) I think I would have had a similar experience. Nevertheless, coming from a totally different region, like Western Europe, Asia or Africa, being Christian or not, I think that would have changed a lot of the integration process and the experiences lived so far.

5. Overall (personal and professional), would you say your stay abroad was good/bad ? Would you like to stay there in the future ?

Definitely my experience abroad was, and still is, good. I think it helped me grow a lot, professionally and personally. Nevertheless the second part of your question is not easy to answer. I will stay and continue my training here even after finishing my present studies, but in the long run I haven't decided yet. At this time the balance inclines towards getting as much experience as I can here, in the US, then implement my experiences in Romania and continue my career there.

There you go reader!! I would like to take the opportunity to thank Mr Popescu once again for his time and kindness!! And my brother, of course, for passing on my little questionnaire!! I guess that's it for tonight, though please, don't hesitate to leave comments, if you see a way for me to improve my questionnaire! Good night, reader!!