Tips, Tricks, & Advice – Page 8 – To GT-Europe…and Beyond!

Eleven Days Down

With eleven days in Europe under her belt, Kaela recounts her experiences arriving in Paris and Metz. Read her blog as she details her first solo travel!

Monday, September 14, 2020 | Written by Kaela

Today, I came to the realization that I have been living in France for 11 days– in Metz, for a single week. In this brief time I have: met people from all different backgrounds, traveled to two countries, visited Cora excessively, and timidly inquired “Parlez-vous anglais?” more times than I can count.

Let me backtrack and lay out my experiences from the beginning of these hectic, but exhilarating 11 days.

The view out my airplane window crossing the Atlantic.

PREPARATION FOR DEPARTURE:

While rushing to finish packing the night before my flight, I attempted to wrap my head around a new realization: I would be apart from my family for the longest I have ever been. With everything that has happened this year, three months seems like an eon and simultaneously feels like a flash. Ready to see what lies ahead of me, I was eager to leave the next day.

In an attempt to more quickly adjust to the seven hour time difference, I tried to get as much sleep on the plane as I could. I arrived at 10am CEST (3am to my CST acclimated body) and felt relieved that I had finally made it to Paris. With the ongoing pandemic, I had to present 5 additional documents in addition to my passport when going through customs, a moment I had been anticipating to go wrong in some way. While packing, I was expecting to be back the very next day having run into some kind of issue: my airline wouldn’t accept my Covid test, I would miss my flight, the french government would bar students from travel, I wouldn’t have the correct documents on hand. To my surprise, everything went as planned. I didn’t expect to make it from ATL to CDG, let alone for it to be so seamless.

MY ARRIVAL IN PARIS:

La Basilique Sacré-Cœur in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris.

I planned on staying in Paris alone for a couple of days before journeying to Metz for the start of the semester, so I could acclimate to France on my own. I arrived feeling exhausted, somewhat detached from reality, and anxious. My knowledge of the French language, the maze like airport, and the country overall was limited. On the ride to my hotel, I made an effort to observe the differences between the US and France: the landscape, the people, how they drive, etc. I was confused (and slightly concerned) why my driver was going 100 miles an hour, despite our slow pace, when I remembered the speedometer is in kilometers. My general first observations on Parisian traffic? Cars are much smaller. Motorcyclists are more daring. Everyone stops for bikers and pedestrians.

Though short, my stay in Paris was very meaningful. It was my first solo trip, my first interaction with Europe, and the last vacation before classes began (although definitely not my last of the semester). I stayed just a 10 minute walk from the Eiffel tower, so after a nap, shower, and quick lunch, I headed over to the famed landmark. Overall, my stay in Paris was amazing, but a bit lonely. I FaceTimed my family and boyfriend when I could to show them everything I was experiencing. My timidness, in addition to the language barrier, kept me from connecting with locals. I kept to myself and did my best to visit as many places as possible; my goal was to see as much as possible in the short time I had. However, I enjoyed that traveling alone gave me the freedom to choose what my day looked like. I could change my plans on a whim, make detours, enter a museum spontaneously without having to worry about what anyone else wanted to do. Everything I did was up to me.

PLACES IN PARIS I VISITED AND RECOMMEND:

Eiffel Tower, Palais du Chaillot, Louvre, Sainte Chapelle, Notre Dame, Montmartre, La Basilique Sacré-Cœur, Pantheon, Luxembourg Garden, Les Invalides

MY ARRIVAL TO GEORGIA TECH-LORRAINE IN METZ:

With Covid-19, our arrival was slightly different from how a normal arrival might be for our safety. Our luggage was unloaded for us, we left the bus in groups of five, masks on all the time, hand sanitizer at every checkpoint, went straight to our rooms. It felt amazing to finally get to my dorm, unpack, and settle in. A large group of students went to Cora almost immediately. This first trip there was chaos. None of us spoke much French or had the data to translate it, the market is organized differently than ones back home, and not a single person knew what they needed to buy. Needless to say, we all returned multiple times the following days. They have countless options for every item you could ever want; I swear I saw 3 aisles with cheese!

I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to study and travel at Georgia Tech-Lorraine. Almost everyday I have a moment where I go, “Oh wow, I’m in FRANCE!” I still cannot believe I am here. I am excited to see where the rest of the semester takes me.

QUICK TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL MOVE TO GEORGIA TECH- LORRAINE:

Soak your shower head and sink faucet in white vinegar and water. Don’t bring electrical items besides your devices (I almost set my hotel on fire trying to use an American steamer). Get a bike in Metz through the rental service Georgia Tech-Lorraine has.

A Series of Almost-Very-Unfortunate Events

Traveling, an epic adventure, that despite careful planning can always go awry. Blanca is back on the blog, here to give you some traveling tips for those unplanned moments that *almost* go wrong.

Friday, February 28th, 2020 | Written by Blanca

Ask any GTL student studying abroad for a semester and probably trying to squeeze in every last hour of travel between classes, homework, and exams, and they’ll likely tell you that they’re no stranger to train travel. With the convenience of a Eurail pass that can be activated for the duration of a semester-long stay, one can hop on a train to any of almost thirty countries in Europe, and as the train system in Europe is quite well-organized, getting to a city as close by as Luxembourg or as far as Vienna is usually relatively breezy.

Gare de Metz-Ville, the starting location for many a weekend excursion

Usually. Other times, things can go a bit awry, which was the case last weekend as my friends and I were traveling to Prague by train. Upon arriving at the Gare de Metz-Ville with plenty of time to spare on Thursday night, we approached the large departure and arrival screens in the station to see which platform we were to approach for our first train. There, next to the 19:38 time slot for a train heading to Forbach from Metz Ville was a blinking notification that read supprimé. I blinked at the sign. My travel companions blinked at the sign. Supprimé is French for “deleted,” meaning our train had been canceled. Aside from the occasional (or not-so-occasional, nowadays) strike that cancels train lines, as we’d later learn was the culprit for our “deleted” train, European trains are typically consistent and punctual, and I was surprised to learn that something was amiss. Confused, we approached the information office at the train station and asked the SNCF representatives what was going on and how else we might be able to get to Prague—and by “we,” I mean Noa, the only person in our travel group who could speak French; the rest of us, myself included, simply looked on quite uselessly. Fortunately, after being given our original itinerary, a railway employee was able to give us a new itinerary that would ultimately bring us to the Frankfurt am Main Airport long-distance station, Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Fernbf, to which we were originally traveling. Unfortunately, the first train on this itinerary departed from the Lorraine TGV station in about half an hour, and it would take about that much time to get to the Lorraine TGV station by taxi, which is usually the least-preferred means of communication due to how expensive it inevitably becomes.

Within a handful of minutes, we found ourselves piled into a taxi to Lorraine TGV. Our taxi driver informed us that there would be an additional tariff on our ride due to the fact that it was nighttime, so when we finally reached the Lorraine TGV station with ten minutes to spare and paid an eye-watering eighty euros for the taxi fare, we all breathed a heavy sigh of relief. That is, until we realized that the train that would depart in ten minutes, according to our itinerary, was nowhere to be found on the departures display inside the train station. Once again, Noa’s French skills saved the day, as through a conversation with the SNCF representatives at the station we learned that the train we were to board was some sort of “special” train and thus wasn’t displayed on the station’s main timetables. Sure enough, when the train arrived on time, nothing appeared on the train station screens.

Having finally been able to board the high-speed train through Germany, we were well on our way. While on the train, we inspected the itinerary that we’d received at the train station in Metz and found that, while it instructed us to ride the train until Mannheim Hbf in Germany and transfer to Frankfurt(Main) Hbf, our original itinerary also entailed getting off at Frankfurt(Main), so we figured we might as well stay on the train until Frankfurt. From there, we could easily walk to the airport terminal from which our overnight bus to Prague was scheduled to depart. How convenient was that, we thought, as we sat back and relaxed on what was to be our only train of the night. Despite a rocky start to the night, our travels were to end up being quite auspicious, as there’d be no need to make any further train transfers!

This turned out to be a mistake, we realized as soon as we got off in Frankfurt. While our itinerary entailed a final stop at Frankfurt(Main) Flughafen, we were at Frankfurt(Main) Hbf, and our bus was to depart from the former in a little over twenty minutes. Once again, we shared a moment of silence for our wallets, which we were sure were about to be hit with another extortionate taxi fare. Luckily, Noa, saving the day again for the umpteenth time, remembered that Uber exists in Germany, so she quickly called one. By some stroke of luck, there was an available car right around the corner, and after cramming ourselves into it, we raced to the Frankfurt Airport station. Our bus was leaving from terminal 1-P36, and although our Uber driver struggled a bit in finding it (and we were of no help, seeing as we weren’t familiar with Frankfurt at all, much less the airport), after shouting out a hurried “thank you!” upon arrival, we raced across the lot to our night bus, suitcases in hand and weighed down by heavy backpacks (much to the unconcealed amusement of our bus driver).

And that, dear reader, is where the series of almost-very-unfortunate events finally and thankfully comes to a close; after this, we boarded our night bus and made it to Prague a few hours later. While I’d love nothing more than to regale you with stories of near-disasters and close misses (some of which were our own fault) in a tumultuous weekend travel trip, this narrative actually does have a moral of sorts! Traveling by train is typically rather straightforward, but always leave early to give yourself a bit of time in case something doesn’t go according to plan. In the case that things go amiss, have a backup plan (or a resourceful traveling companion like Noa who can communicate to find one). Last but certainly not least, double check your itinerary to make sure you’re getting off at the correct stops. If you already do all these things, then congratulations! Let this not be a cautionary tale but instead a story of the antics and escapades on yet another one of my European travels.

Food You Can’t Get In America But Quite Frankly Should Be Able To

Blanca has been munching away on her favorite European snacks. Now, she’s chomping at the bit to list some of her favorites you can’t find in the United States in this delectable blog post.

*Disclaimer: Blanca was not paid to endorse any products mentioned in this article, nor does Georgia Tech endorse any of these products.*

Wednesday, February 19, 2020 | Written by Blanca

One of the things which excited me most about studying abroad was the chance to be fully immersed in an entirely novel culture, whether that specifically meant French culture or the broader category of European culture in general. In any event, I was thrilled to have an opportunity to experience the nuances of life in a different place, the small details that truly define what it’s like living somewhere else. To be sure, there have been quite a number of these small details. To name a few, smoking cigarettes is much less frowned upon, for instance, and some forms of public transportation, primarily articulated busses (those busses with the accordion-like connections) and trains, require boarding passengers to tap a green button on a specific set of doors in order for them to open. (This is something which I learned the hard way by patiently standing in front of the doors of a bus and staring, dumbfounded, after it as it drove away without so much as cracking its doors open an inch.)

That being said, the particular objects of my attention today are certain food items sold abroad that aren’t offered back home in the States. America is no stranger to processed foods, but despite the fact that European snacks share many of the same familiar brands, their repertoires are vastly different. I’m fascinated by the different versions of snacks which I’ve encountered here—tasting them has been such a fun experience in itself—and I’m here to enlighten the rest of the unsuspecting world (or Americans, at least) about them. And seeing as I’ve spent many a late night study-session in the GTL Student Lounge with nothing but the vending machine to sustain myself, I can’t think of anyone with more ethos with which to do so.

Kinder Bueno

Upon a quick Google search, it has now come to my attention that Kinder Bueno bars are actually now available in the US. I, however, have never seen them, and I suspect this may be the case for many, so I consider it my duty to break the news. Crispy wafer encloses hazelnut cream and is enveloped by a layer of chocolate (they come in milk chocolate and white chocolate, with white chocolate being my favorite). What better combination to take the edge off of poring over electricity & magnetism problems at ungodly hours of the night?

Paprika Pringles

First introduced to paprika-flavored Pringles on one of many interconnected train rides while en route to Brussels, I now consider them to be one of the many unhealthy (but oh-so savory!) snack cravings I’ve picked up. Subtly spiced, the Paprika Pringle initially tasted little different than the iconic original Pringle, but after a few bites, the balance of salty and savory won me over, and I just might need to buy a few (a lot) of cans to bring back home with me.

Crunch Snack

Have you ever wanted a Crunch bar, but in the even-crunchier form of a wafer?

A crunch bar. The crispy, chocolatey, (wafer-y?), late-night fuel of champions. — The crispy, chocolatey,( wafer-y?), late-night fuel of champions.

Perhaps this is instead something that you, dear reader, much like myself, didn’t know you needed. Take it from me—a combination of milk chocolate, wafers, and crunchy rice cereals is an unexpectedly perfect way to both satiate your newfound sugar craving (from all the Nutella you’ve been eating, since the French seem to favor Nutella quite) and refuel yourself during a long night of writing your ECE lab report.

Europe: Through the Looking Glass

At Georgia Tech Lorraine, new experiences are never-ending, and sometimes show up in unexpected places! In her latest post, take a look through Blanca’s eyes as she details her observations of daily life in Europe!

Friday, January 31, 2020 | Written by Blanca

Being at GTL for the semester makes for an incredibly auspicious location from which you can conveniently traverse much of the entire continent of Europe (a perk of which I have taken advantage multiple times already). But, while it would bring me no greater joy than to inundate everyone with my tales recounting weekends gallivanting cobblestone streets and misty mornings among Flemish architecture, each façade with more character than the last, I think that the most insightful portrayals of European life actually emerge from the little details. Sure, I’d anticipated that studying, eating, and traveling might be entirely different experiences in places with so much culture and history (and they are!), but nobody informed me about more mundane aspects of life, like that grocery stores here stock milk in six-packs and that a lactose intolerant person like myself can simply puncture the six-pack and remove a single bottle instead of having to buy an entire six-liter package of milk. (On a side note, scenarios like this one are ones in which it becomes especially useful to employ a hawkish eye in observing the local residents and their grocery store behaviors.)

Experiencing the nuances of life in a new place are, dare I say it, perhaps even more fascinating than sightseeing, picture-taking, and general tourist-ing. While I’ll still be doing plenty of the latter, I thought I’d share some of the quirks and unique details I’ve noticed about being abroad as well. Behold! Europe: Through the Looking Glass*.

(*actually through my glasses, which always seem to be smudged and are, at this point, a years-old, outdated prescription because my favorite frames seem to be perpetually out of stock—but rest assured that this takes away nothing from the Authentic European Experience™)

Everything in France seems to be smaller: chairs, elevators, cars—and by extension, the width of roadway lanes. Public transportation (i.e. busses) are also widespread, and for the bus lines that don’t drive along designated bus lanes, I’ve been left to marvel at how their drivers are able to maneuver the large, cumbersome busses through such narrow and meandering roads.
While there are definitely still traffic lights scattered at intersections, European cities increasingly employ roundabouts/traffic circles instead of traditional four-way junctions. Perhaps they’re on to something: studies have shown that roundabouts significantly reduce injury crashes at intersections.
On the topic of transportation, it seems that the vast majority of cars driven in Europe are hatchbacks. I haven’t the slightest idea why this is so.
The fruit stalls at Marche Couvert in Downtown Metz
Fresh produce in even the most generic of European supermarkets is, put quite plainly, on another level. The carrots? Simply sublime. And, despite avoiding grape tomatoes like the plague in America because they always seem to be so watery (and not much else), I’m pleasantly surprised to announce that I’ve yet to encounter a European grape tomato that I didn’t like.
Many restrooms, commonly referred to as water closets, in public spaces require a payment to use, usually a Euro or less. Beware of those which ask for a specific amount of change, like €0.50, though. If you instead insert a €1 coin, assuming that you’re essentially paying double for entry, prepare to be left bewildered when the coin collection slot simply eats up your Euro and then defiantly refuses to budge.
A classic cone of frites from a Belgium friterie—a must-try
Many Europeans are multilingual, especially those that live in areas where there are a multitude of languages spoken, and even more so, I’ve noticed, if they are young. Maybe this is out of necessity, but as someone who speaks, reads, and writes only English fluently, I am equal parts impressed, grateful, and feeling slightly under-accomplished. Perhaps it’s time to brush up on my Duolingo lessons after all.
The best ‘French’ fries I’ve had since arriving have been in Belgium. Go figure.

Lots of food, all of which I ate.

Are you hungry? If you aren’t now, you will be after reading Blanca’s next blog! Check it out for mouthwateringly delicious looking pictures and the details of her first week food adventures!

Thursday, January 23, 2020 | Written by Blanca

After wrapping up my first full week in Metz, I think it’s high time to address a topic about which I’m sure everyone back in the States is wondering:

What is the food like in Europe?

As the GTL blogger for the semester, I feel that it’s my duty to showcase all the aspects of life abroad, and foreign fare is no exception. This is a duty not to be taken lightly, so in order to adequately address the above inquiry, I made a point to try as many foods as possible, and as wide of a range of foods as possible, before and during my first full week in Europe—for the sake of furthering everyone’s collective knowledge, you know?

Aux Petits Choux, 207 Avenue de Strasbourg, 57070 Metz

A low-quality image of a high-quality sandwich — A low-quality image of a high-quality meal

Only a ten-minute walk from the GTL building, and an even closer walk from the Lafayette residence where many GTL students reside, this bakery offers a selection of baguettes, viennoiseries (baked goods), and the best sandwiches at affordable prices. I ordered the Toscan sandwich (€4.10), which encased cured ham and piquant tomatoes, not unlike sun-dried tomatoes, in a near foot-long baguette. Enjoy the blurry eating-while-walking photo of it to the right!

McDonald’s, 43160 Rue du Palais, 57000 Metz

The good ol’ Golden Arches-- lots of mcDonalds! — The good ol’ Golden Arches

To conclude our first week in France, a few friends and I made a 10PM trip to McDonald’s—because what better cuisine to eat in a country heralded for its culinary eminence? Nevertheless, the trip yielded some interesting insights: McDonald’s portion sizes are noticeably smaller than those in America and are significantly more expensive. That being said, the offerings in France are much lighter and healthier than those back home, and some menu items are unique to France, so it may be worth checking out for those interested in the differences.

Burger Kebab, 5 Rue du Palais, 57000 Metz

Burger Kebab’s Kebab Burger—say that 10 times, fast

Disillusioned with American fast food chains after my trip to McDonald’s, that weekend, I instead went to Burger Kebab, a French joint serving a range of menu items from tacos to kebab wraps and burgers. It seemed fitting to order the kebab burger, which did not disappoint; in addition to being more affordable than Americanized fast food, the burger also featured more complex flavor notes from its combination of kebab meat, fresh vegetables, and a house burger sauce.

Technopôle University Restaurant, CROUS, 4 Boulevard Dominique François Arago, 57070 Metz

A convenient lunch spot frequented by many a GTL student, the Crous Cafeteria is a practical choice due to its proximity to GTL and its competitive student pricing, so I decided to try it for myself. For a mere €3.30, students are able to grab a baguette roll, a side salad, an entrée (check the menu for each week’s offering), a serving of cheese/dairy, and a dessert. If you’re looking for a quick and easy-on-the-wallet bite to eat on a weekday, the Crous Cafeteria is hard to beat.

Di Clara, 3 Rue Dupont des Loges, 57000 Metz

Last Thursday night, and incidentally also the night of the last day of the first full week of class (a cause for celebration, for sure), a group of friends and I traveled to downtown Metz in search of sustenance that we would not need to prepare ourselves. We decided on pasta, and after inputting a few vague phrases into Google Maps, we meandered the streets of Metz, where we were found, fifteen minutes later and completely off-route, by a group of local French residents. Fortunately, they spoke English, and after a short chat with us fired off a list of Italian restaurants in the area. Ultimately, we found ourselves in front of Di Clara, an ambiently-lit restaurant boasting a diverse menu of pastas, risottos, and pizzas in red and white sauces, and despite not having a reservation for our party of six, we were ushered in.

I ordered the asparagus risotto (risotto di asparagi), a creamy and perfectly-balanced risotto with green asparagus, fresh tomatoes, leeks, and Italian cheese. Other orders at the table included shrimp scampi tagliatelle, tortellini in gorgonzola sauce, and Tuscan rigatoni, and after stealing a bite from many other plates, I can say without a doubt that this was one of the best meals I’ve had in France so far. Though on the pricier side—this is no Crous Cafeteria—like the locals, I definitely recommend paying Di Clara a visit if you’re in Metz!

Metropolitan, 35 Rue du Fort Elisabeth, 1463 Luxembourg

A Metropolitan meal in a metropolitan city

After an early start to the day and an hour-long bus ride to Luxembourg City, my Luxembourg travel companions and I dropped into Metropolitan for brunch. Bordering a bustling square, Metropolitan’s contemporary, glowing lighting and cozy seating were invitingly warm, much like its menu. I ordered Oscar’s Classic Burger, which comprised a juicy burger patty, crispy bacon, buttery melted cheese, and fresh vegetables on a toasted bun, all served with a side of thick, golden fries.

If burgers aren’t for you, there are a variety of other menu items to try! Other orders at the table included fragrant Moroccan lamb chops, a savory Mexican-style breakfast, raspberry cheesecake, steak and potatoes, and the classic brunch staples of pancakes and eggs on toast.

A Whirlwind First Week

Blanca has finally arrived in Metz! After a long flight and experiencing the wonders of Cora, Blanca recaps her first taste of life in France. Check out her blog post to hear her describe one of the many amazing adventures ahead of her!

Monday, January 13th | Written by Blanca

Bonjour à tous! Je m’appelle Blanca Zhang. Puis-je avoir une table pour trois s’il vous plaît?

Hello, everyone! My name is Blanca Zhang, and while I don’t actually need a table for three at the moment, I’m thrilled to be posting again! (These are the only three sentences in French that I currently know.)

This time, I’m writing to you not from my desk in the North Avenue Apartments, but from my (substantially more spacious) desk in Crous Lorraine, Campus Technopôle. Since my arrival, I’ve already seen more sights, experienced more cultural nuances, and eaten more bread than I could have hoped. But wait—*record scratch* *freeze frame*—you’re probably wondering how I ended up in this situation. For that, we’ll have to turn back the clock a week.

Sunday, January 5, 2020, 6:00AM EST: I am rudely awakened by my alarm, a cacophonous sound which evokes in me more rage than empty staplers, comma splices, and drivers-who-don’t-use-their-turn-signals-until-they’re-actually-turning combined. Cursing the past three weeks spent waking up at noon and ruining any modicum of a sleep schedule that remained after the fall semester, I blearily finish packing (yes, I am that person, and no, I don’t recommend it) and am soon on my way to Queens, New York.

Fun fact! The boroughs of New York City are where I spent the first few years of my life, but this time, instead of going home, I’m heading far, far from it.

Sunday, January 5, 2020, 3:00PM EST: Maybe my roots in Queens are stronger than I thought, because I cannot seem to leave. My flight has been delayed for the umpteenth time, and I count the flight departure update messages I have received from American Airlines since that morning; there are eleven. I am sure to miss my connection in Philadelphia. I consider my options: 1) cry, or 2) frantically message my much more knowledgeable friends in hopes that one might know what to do. I choose the latter and decide to revert to option 1 if it isn’t successful—luckily, it is, and I’m given a crash course on how to ask for a flight change. Here are the steps if you ever find yourself in such a situation:

Find a different flight with your airline that shares your current location and intended destination.
Explain to the airline representative at your gate that, due to the delays with your flight departure, you are going to miss your connection at a different airport.
Request to be reassigned to a flight that will arrive at your destination. If you must arrive before a specific time to, say, catch a shuttle to campus, as I did, be sure to emphasize so.

Sunday, January 5, 2020, 5:45PM EST: I board my new plane and settle in for a six-hour flight. Already, most of the passengers around me are speaking French—this comes as little surprise, since we’re heading to Paris. I recall that I, however, do not speak French, so I try to draw upon my Duolingo French expertise but remember that I quit halfway through the first lesson. Should I reinstall the app on my phone and practice during the flight there? I try, but a flight attendant asks that I switch my phone to airplane mode, and I am left without WiFi. Such is a modern tragedy of our day.

Monday, January 6, 2020, 4:00PM CET: My flight touches down at the Paris-CDG airport at half past 7:00AM, and after boarding the GTL shuttle and falling asleep almost immediately, I wake up to foggier skies, the incandescent glow of street lamps, and yellow stone façades with wrought-iron terraces. We’ve made it to downtown Metz!

Soon, however, the neo-Romanesque structures begin to fade, and cobblestone gives way to paved roads. As the shuttle rounds the bend of a pristine lake, I’m greeted, after a long day of travelling through unfamiliar sights, by one I know very well: a glass building that reads ‘Georgia Tech.’

Monday, January 6, 2020, 6:00PM CET: A couple other GTL students and I have decided that we are not tired enough yet, so we’ve made the 15-minute trek from Crous to Cora, a walk that was well worth it. While I’d been aware that Cora is dubbed the ‘French Walmart,’ nothing could prepare me for its sheer magnitude. I’m a lover of grocery stores, bakeries, furniture/homewares stores, and garden centers, so you can imagine my awe at a single store that combines all those and more.

An image of lots, and lots of beautiful sweets! — The Cora bakery section, also known as “what dreams are made of”

Armed with my list of room essentials, I wander around Cora without a single idea where anything is located but not caring one bit—this is objectively the most amazing supermarket I’ve ever visited. Not knowing French poses a slight inconvenience when you find yourself on a wild goose chase around Cora in the hopes of finding Brita pitchers and can’t read any of the aisle signs (but hey, at least you can get your steps in)! I’ve always heard that European culture involves much more bread-eating and walking than in America (among many other things, of course), and Cora is, unexpectedly, a place where you can do both!

Present Day: The past week has been exciting, exhausting, eye-opening, exhilarating, plus a bunch of other adjectives that start with ‘e’—and it’s only been a week! I’m looking forward to many more of them, and since I plan to write all about it, I hope you are, too.

The Final Recap

Karsten’s back for one last blog to reflect on his semester at Georgia Tech-Lorraine. He’s got favorites stories and advice for students planning to attend the program in the future. And best of all? He would do it again!

Monday, December 16th | Written by Karsten

I’m now back in my home in Augusta, Georgia, and have had some time to reflect on this past semester. Before I get into my thoughts, I’m going to lead off with some stats. This semester was just shy of 17 weeks, including finals and travel. In that time I’ve been to 15 new countries and 25 new cities, been on 180 hours of trains and buses, spent 5 nights in airports and train stations, been on 9 flights, wrote 21 postcards and bought countless more, and traveled thousands of miles all while taking 13 credit hours of classes.

Favorite Trips

There were three trips in particular that were beyond special: Tromso, Spa, and Monaco. I’ll start with Monaco. I’ve been watching Formula 1 for as long as I can remember, and one of the races is in the streets of Monaco. Because of Formula 1 and my dad’s influence, I love cars, and because Monaco is so rich, there are an insane amount of luxury cars and super cars. I’ve always wanted to be able to go to Monaco to see these cars and to be able to walk the track, and because the circuit is just streets for most of the year, studying abroad allowed me to do that. Also because of Formula 1 and my love for cars, I wanted to go to a Formula 1 race while abroad, since about half of the races are in Europe. My favorite race track in the world is in Spa, and the race happens to be at the beginning of the fall semester every year, so I wanted to go. My mom made it happen, and my dad got to come too, so that was an unforgettable experience. Lastly, Tromso—it was by far the most expensive trip that I planned, as well as the furthest distance from Metz (and therefore the most difficult to get to). After traveling for 20 hours, a couple of friends and I got to see the Northern Lights on both nights that we were there. They are absolutely stunning I could not recommend them enough if you have the ability to go see them.

Things I Did Well

I would like to think that I did quite a few things well during this semester. I managed to travel tons – almost every weekend – and got to see many things that I never would have thought I’d be able to see. I was able to take 13 credit hours (I have been taking 14-16 every semester before this one) and still be able to do this traveling and be social. Another thing I did well was being social: I’m an introvert, and therefore being social is usually a problem, but I was able to be pretty social among the group of students at Georgia Tech-Lorraine. Lastly, I don’t think I got lost at all this semester—I had limited data and though a couple of wrong turns were taken, I always made it to the end destination relatively quickly.

Things I Didn’t Do Well (and Advice for Future GTL Students)

First, I would advise getting the Free Mobile plan that is mentioned during orientations. You do get a new number, which is annoying, but I was paying substantially more with Verizon and had very limited data. Second, plan your trips decently in advance. There were multiple occasions where I had to make last second plans to go to a city that wasn’t my first choice because all of the trains were sold out to get there. Another reason to plan bigger trips in advance is that planes are cheaper when tickets are bought in advance. Third, talk to people outside of the group you’re with. I struggle with this because I’m such a shy person, but I heard some really cool stories from people who talked to locals. Lastly, do focus on school some on the weekends. While I did well enough, I rarely did anything school related on the weekends, and therefore caused a bit of unnecessary stress for during the week.

Final Words

This semester has been the craziest semester I’ve had yet. I’m not going to lie, only knowing two people coming to Georgia Tech-Lorraine with me terrified me; I thought I was going to end up being quite lonely because I wouldn’t talk to people, but I actually didn’t really have to try to be social. Everyone was so extremely nice and generally outgoing. I think I met almost everyone in our program, and I did something – be it playing cards or traveling – with about half of the group. I got to do so many things and travel to so many places and make some good friends, and that’s what made this semester so special. I wasn’t fully sure I had made the right choice to come study abroad, and while it was difficult at times, I would do it again and not change a thing if I had the option (well maybe some small things, but you get the point).

One Final Update

The end of the semester is coming to a close, and Karsten is trying to fit in as much travel and family time with his end-of-semester obligations! Check out his latest blog to see how he’s balancing it all.

Sunday, November 24, 2019 | Written by Karsten

With classes nearing an end and the semester coming to a close in a couple of weeks, I figured I should give everyone an update on what’s happening in my classes, as well as what I have planned for the final two and a half weeks.

In this upcoming week, I have two classes with the final assignment due. In my HTS class, we have to give our final presentation about the Motor Valley Region in Northern Italy on Tuesday. After that, we have one more class on the following Tuesday. In my circuits lab, I have my final exam on Wednesday. It’s worth 35% of my grade, so I need to do well on it. In thermodynamics, we have three more classes with three more evaluation periods and then a final exam slot, which is essentially three evaluation periods put together. I was hoping to not need to come to the final to get an A, but it’s looking more and more likely that I will need to go. In my probability and statistics class, we have a couple of classes left, one homework assignment, and then the final exam, which is also 35% of my grade, so it’s a similar scenario to circuits. In French, we have a couple of review classes and then a final exam.

Outside of classes, I have a few plans, but most of what I do will be spontaneous. This Tuesday, we have a Thanksgiving dinner potluck, since we do not get a Thanksgiving break. This weekend and next weekend, I’m traveling with my family.

On Saturday, my family flew in to Stuttgart, Germany, and I took the train to meet them there. Stuttgart is the home to both Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, and since my family loves cars, they decided this would be the perfect place to start their Thanksgiving break. Since traveling by train is quick, I was able to leave Metz the morning of and arrive at roughly the same time as them. Today, we did the Porsche and Mercedes-Benz museums and then tomorrow morning, we will do the Porsche factory.

After, I’ll head back to GTL and present in HTS, take my circuits final, and do two thermodynamics evaluations and then head to Strasbourg to meet back up with my family. My mom is extremely excited to see the Strasbourg Christmas market, which is one of the best in Europe. After Strasbourg, they’re gonna come see my home base in Metz, and then on Saturday, they’re heading back to Augusta. Once they leave, I’m gonna prepare for my final two days of classes and then start studying for finals. Unfortunately, my exams are very spread out, so I won’t be able to take any more extravagant trips and will have to instead likely settle for a day trip to another Christmas market. FC Metz plays a home game on the Wednesday before finals start, and Metz also has a Christmasmarket, so I’m excited to see both of those. Lastly, there’s a Ferris wheel by the Cathedral as well as an ice-skating rink that I’m sure I can find some people to tag along with me to.

Cooking at CROUS

The BDE did it again! Students at Georgia Tech-Lorraine this semester were able to make pasta a chocolate fondant from scratch at the local cafeteria CROUS. Check out Karsten’s review of their handiwork.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | Written by Karsten

About a week ago, we got an email about having the chance to cook with a couple of chefs at CROUS, a cafeteria close to Georgia Tech Lorraine’s campus that lots of students go to for lunch. Set up by the BDE, students would be learning to make pasta and pastries—this alone enticed me enough to sign up, as my Tuesday afternoons are very free. However, when I talked to my friends, most of them didn’t sign up for one reason or another, so it was my goal to try to convince them to go so I wouldn’t be alone. I managed to get a couple of them to come, so I knew it’d be a good time.

Pasta

We started with pasta. On the tables, there was 100 grams of flour, one egg, and salt and pepper. We poured the flour onto the table, made a gap in the middle for the egg so it wouldn’t go everywhere, and mixed the two together by hand. From there, we added a pinch of salt and pepper and then let it rest for twenty minutes. Since we were making tortellini, we were able to make the filling while the dough rested. The filling was cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, pepper, a little bit of olive oil and an even smaller bit of truffle oil. Next, we put the dough through the pasta press, which made our dough into a very thin sheet. In the end, the dough was only one to two millimeters thick. From there, we used a circular cookie cutter to make as many circles of dough as we could fit. We put a little bit of our cream cheese mixture into the middle of the circle of dough, put some water along the edges of the circles (so the dough stuck to itself upon folding), and folded the pasta. Once all of our pasta had been folded, we dropped them into a primarily water, boiling, water-oil mixture. They only needed a couple minutes in there until the tortellini was done. There was no sauce for the pasta, but it was still some of the best pasta I’ve ever had—not that me making it had anything to do with that.

Pastries

For the pastry, we were making a chocolate fondant—better known in the U.S. as molten chocolate cake. We actually didn’t get much in terms of amounts of each ingredient, but we did mix eggs, flour, sugar, chocolate chips, and butter (chocolate chips and butter made a chocolate liquid when heated). That was all we had to do, and so we scooped some of the batter into a little cup and into the oven it went. When it came out, it was very molten—so much so that it didn’t stay in the cake shape when we took it from its container. Though it probably should’ve been cooked a tiny bit longer, it tasted phenomenal and I had three, as my sweet tooth can’t be contained at times.

Conclusion

I’m really happy that I signed up to do this, as I’d never done any form of homemade pasta before. If my hands weren’t so dirty, I would’ve enjoyed taking more pictures of the event, but luckily Katia was there with her camera and got lots of pictures for us. The chefs were interested in doing another event in the future, so if you’re reading this from GTL, please come out, it’s a good time.

Managing Time with Travel (Part 2)

Balancing school with travel can be difficult, but Karsten has hit his learning curve! Check out his latest blog for his insights and tips.

Friday, September 27, 2019 | Written by Karsten

Last Wednesday, I had my first true exam of the semester. Next Wednesday, I have my second. In between, I’ve had thermodynamics evaluations which are like miniature exams and need to be prepared for in a similar manner. Even so, I’ve been traveling (as evidenced by my travel-related posts). Here’s how I’ve managed to travel and try my best to keep up with school and the blog.

French

My first class of the week is French. This is the class that has its first exam next Wednesday. I’m not prepared for it yet, but thankfully one of the people I’m traveling with this weekend is also in French, so we can practice on the way back. Madame Sonia Serafin gives a very fair amount of homework during the Monday class so that she doesn’t have to give us any (except practice) on the Wednesday class and subsequently the weekend. I feel like I’ve learned a pretty good amount from class, but then when I’m out and about in French-speaking places, I understand absolutely nothing that’s being said.

Probability and Statistics

Probability and Statistics is immediately after French. This class’s first exam was last Wednesday, and though I didn’t do amazing, I did well enough. I think I learned how to be better prepared for the next one, which is an important takeaway from any class’s first exam. For this class, the best way to stay caught up is to pay attention, and therefore go to all of the classes and doing the homework. I’m good with the latter, but I definitely need to work on the prior.

Thermodynamics

My only Tuesday/Thursday class is Thermodynamics. We’ve already had three evaluation periods and five available points, of which I think I’ve gotten three. That doesn’t sound great, but since we get to make attempts each week, I’m pretty close to on track (and I’d be in good shape if I hadn’t made a dumb mistake during the evaluation period yesterday). To stay caught up with this class, it is necessary to watch all of the video lectures that are posted as well as to practice with problems that’ll be attempted during the next evaluation period.

Science, Technology, and the Modern World

To prepare for this class on Tuesdays, I usually read the readings that are posted while I’m traveling. In fact, I’m going to read this week’s readings after I finish writing this. The other part of the reading is posting thoughts on it and replying to other’s thoughts which are posted on Canvas. Doing this helps us be ready for the discussion that occurs in class, which makes it my most interactive class.

Instrum and Electronics Lab

To prepare for lab on Wednesday, my lab partner, Jake, and I print out and read the lab for the week we’re on as well as glancing at the prior week’s lab. Looking through both labs allows us to be ready for the lab quiz, which happens every week. Other than the lab quiz, we must complete the labs, but so far we’ve been able to get those done in lab and haven’t had to go in outside of our class time and hopefully it stays that way.

Blogging

Keeping up with the blog hasn’t been as easy as I would’ve expected, though I’m still glad I’m doing it. Having ideas for what to write about has proved to be moderately difficult and staying on top of editing the pictures I take has always been a struggle of mine. However, working on the blog while traveling is another productive way to spend my train and plane rides.

Overall

I think the biggest thing I’ve taken away from this semester is how important it is to pay attention in class, as that saves so much time outside of class. Being at home on the weekend means I can catch up on what I missed during that week, but I don’t want to be trying to catch up on school while I’m traveling on the weekends, as I might miss a once in a lifetime opportunity to see places I’ve never seen before and may never see again.

To GT-Europe...and Beyond!

Category: Tips, Tricks, & Advice