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Culture Shock

Arizona Daily Wildcat

This summer I had the opportunity to attend a summer session in Europe with the Humanities department. Sixteen students and four professors traveled and studied art, literature and philosophy in four countries for six weeks. Drinking age aside, the most stimulating aspect of the trip was the chance to experience and encounter so many interesting people. More than the romanticized landmarks and exotic cuisine, it is the individuals who stand out in my memory. While some were odd and unapproachable, most were willing to be photographed. Whether it was their elaborate clothes, odd mannerisms or picturesque occupations, they attracted everyone's attention.

Many cultural cliches held true on the trip as well. The French were ambiguously impolite and quiet, the Germans were quite strict and the Italians were loud, to say the least. All in all, these pictures, like their subjects, express emotions that are universally understood.