Who am I?Hi, my name is Callie Haapala and in the Spring semester of 2022 I was apart of the Global Leadership and Team Decision Making Minor. Back at NC State, I am a Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management major, with a concentration in Program Management.
I decided to be apart of this program because it has always been a dream of mine to study abroad. Once I heard about this program, I realized that this would be a great opportunity to grow as a person and a leader. Not only did that happen, but I learned a lot about working in a team, being a friend, and adapting to different situations. |
Why this program?
I chose this program specifically because it gave a greater outlook on the world as a whole, was an added minor, went to three different countries, and had a specific group of people that I could connect with and go through the same experiences with. This made it so that everyone became very close over the course of the eight weeks we spent together and grew together into better leaders.
Preconceived notions vs. Actual experiences and observation
Prague (Czech Republic)
Before arriving to Prague, I didn't have a lot of exposure to the Czech culture or tons of knowledge about Czech people. With the limited information that I did have, I assumed that everyone would be self-kept, especially the women, and everyone was very quiet. I also knew that Prague was old but was not aware of the depth and stories.
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While being in Prague, I realized that most of my assumptions were right; Czech people are generally very quiet and reserved but are more open with those close to them. They come off to be very prim and proper in public and normally always sport a straight face. Though the culture of Prague is what shocked me the most. The amount of history in this city goes back farther than I had thought. On our walking tour, we were told about the old wives tales, demonstrations, societal events, and political changes that this area has been through.
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Reutlingen and Munich (Germany)
Whilst I had the most knowledge about the German culture and people, my assumptions of everyone acting like its Oktoberfest all the time was very incorrect. I also assumed that they were more outgoing, loud, and boisterous people compared to those in Czech Republic.
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With the second half of the assumption being correct, there are a lot more sides and depth to the culture and people than I had originally assumed. I learned the most about the German students more German culture due to taking classes with them for two weeks and getting more information on who they are and what they do. I learned that they are all incredibly interesting and intelligent people. They are hardworking and driven but also know when to be relaxed about life. As well as being open minded and able to talk about anything since they seem to know so much about life and the world around them.
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Innsbruck (Austria)
Along with the Czech people and culture, I was not very knowledgable about Austrians. With limited information about them, I still had a few preconceived notions that the people are very outgoing, athletic, and cold natured. For the culture, I thought it was a very well liked and enjoyed location; there were always people going places and exploring because they enjoyed the area.
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With Innsbruck being the last location and only one week to explore, I had the least amount of insight and local interactions in this location. But nevertheless, I was still able to observe some of the habits, tendencies and culture of the locals. Some of the things I picked up on were: very friendly and social, athletic and love to ski, proud of where they live and enjoy the natural beauty of their surroundings.
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Global leaders should have a growth mindset in order to adapt to their surroundings and see things from a wider lens
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