Emily Murphy's Story
I was prepared for culture shock and a huge language barrier. But I did not experience either. Of course I missed home for a day or two, but I was not overwhelmed by a cultural change. Majority of the people living in Austria spoke a little, to a lot of English. What also surprised me was how easy it was for me to network with individuals from other countries. I was nervous that I would become nervous, and stay quiet. But that wasn't the case. I asked questions when it was appropriate and spent a lot of time engaging with people from the US, Finland, Mexico, Italy, Germany, the UK and others from BC, Canada. I really got to know the different issues different countries were facing. A big relating factor was the opioid and housing crisis between Canada and the US.
Participating in this experience has allowed me to get to know myself when put in uncomfortable situations. Understanding what I need to do for myself regarding self care. I also learned more about what I want for my future. I want to be a lecturer for a program like this. I want to present and educate individuals on important topics. Overall this was a motivating and educating experience that no one can take away from me. Not only can I put this on my resume but I can truly use this knowledge and these skills as an asset in my career. I cannot begin to thank all that have supported me to do this enough.