Category: Why GTE?

Find out why students are choosing to go to Georgia Tech-Europe!

That’s All Folks! Parting Words and a Small Surprise

Written by: Alex Stallworth and Ashlyn Willis

As a final goodbye, we’ve decided to come together to create an exhaustive list of advice for surviving and thriving at Georgia Tech Europe! The program can definitely feel overwhelming at first, but after 10 weeks of trial and error, we’ve picked up a ton of knowledge that should make adjusting to life in France a whole lot easier. So, without further ado, here is essentially everything we wish we knew before we got here.

Do’s and Don’t’s: 

Living Situation and Shopping

  • Don’t try to get absolutely everything for your room the first time you go to the store, especially if you go to Carrefour, which is essentially French Walmart. My first Carrefour experience was not ideal in the slightest: I was very jetlagged, very confused because I don’t know how to read French, and very tired after I had to carry my large-ish haul on an over-25-minute walk back to my dorm. It’s best for your first visits to be small trips, just for the basics, then you can come back for larger items later, after you are more acquainted with the store. 
  • As for other stores, Normal is good for “around the house” items: think 5 Below, but with better quality. For food, the best options are Carrefour Express or Auchan, which are more like grocery stores than “everything stores”. 
  • Don’t exclusively buy in bulk, and that goes for both food and dorm items. That’s not to say that you should only buy small-scale items; just keep in mind that you will have plenty of time to go to the store throughout the semester, and it’s better to go back and get more of something rather than end the semester with a bunch of wasted food or product! 
  • Make sure you have enough room for souvenirs on the way back. I recommend putting aside an extra packing cube or leaving additional space in your suitcase for anything you may buy while overseas. 
  • Don’t buy a bunch of additional Tupperware or dishes if you are planning to cook or meal prep. You can do a lot with what is provided, and you can always clean and re-use store-bought containers, like jelly jars. 
  • The dryers in Europe are more energy efficient, but unfortunately, less effective, meaning that your clothes will likely still come out a bit damp. I recommend buying a cheap drying rack or a few hangers, either in addition to typical drying or as a substitute for it. 
  • Getting a haircut in Metz might seem a bit daunting, but a good strategy is to go to the barber shop with a collection of pictures of what you want, as English hair terms like “fade” or “taper” naturally don’t translate into French. The good news is that Metz is a pretty diverse city, so you can easily find a barber who specializes in your hair type. This was one of my biggest apprehensions before coming to GTE, but in my experience, the barbers here do pretty good work, usually for much less than it would cost in America. For someone with type 4 hair, I would recommend going to KAL Coiffure Metz or Kacy Afro Center. 

Academics

  • Do as much work as you can during the week. You may think it’s a good idea to do work either on a train or during free time on a trip, but that will probably lead you to being less productive. Some trains have wifi, but some don’t, and if they do, it is often slow or spotty. This goes for hotels and hostels as well. Moreover, unless you explicitly plan otherwise, it is very unlikely that you’ll have a lot of free time on the weekends that you travel on. And plus, you don’t want to be solving equations or writing essays instead of exploring a new city, do you? So, try to optimize the amount of work you get done during the school week, to avoid working on weekends as much as possible. (Make sure to explore Metz and hang out with friends on the weekdays when you can as well; time management is essential!)
  • Work in the GTE building when possible! Although I am someone who usually prefers to work alone in my dorm room when on the Atlanta campus, the GTE building has a much cozier vibe than many of GT’s academic buildings, making it much more appealing to work in, at least in my opinion. Besides that, the GTE building has something for everyone! Want a busier, CULC-like vibe? Study in the student lounge, where the majority of students find themselves throughout the day. Want some fresh air? There’s plenty of outdoor seating around the building, from benches to tables to hammocks. Want some peace and quiet? The GTE building has several study pods and a few quiet rooms throughout the building, which remind me of the 7th floor of Crossland Tower.

Travel

  • (For some tips and tricks about trains, visit Alex’s latest blog!) 
  • We highly recommend you purchase a Eurail pass for your time in Metz, as a 3-month pass is just $839, and for someone who has taken over 70 trains in 10 weeks, I have more than gotten my value back and then some. Even if you prefer to travel by plane, it still has some value, as Metz doesn’t have a major airport, meaning that if you want to fly anywhere, you first need to go to a different city (which will probably have to be by train). As for where to fly out of, you have a couple of options:
    • Luxembourg is the best place to fly out of. The airport is very easy to navigate, and the public transportation to get there is completely free. It’s also a hub for the region, so there are plenty of routes to and from the city. Finally, and best of all, security there is an absolute breeze to get through; the last time I was there, the line was literally non-existent. 
    • Brussels is your next best option. With the Eurail pass, it only costs 8 euros to get to the main airport. The secondary Charleroi airport is free to get to, although it is some 35 miles out from the city. Both airports are bigger than the Luxembourg airport, so there are more routes to and from the airport, at the cost of longer security lines. It also takes around 4 hours to get to either airport from Metz. 
    • Flying out of Paris is a bit tricky. Firstly, even with the Eurail pass, the cost of your round-trip will be anywhere between 20 to 40 euros more expensive, as you have to catch a TGV to get to Paris. Then, each Paris airport is 45+ minutes away from Gare de l’Est, and it of course costs money to get to each airport as well. Granted, Paris probably has the most plentiful flight options in Europe, but their air traffic controllers have a tendency to go on strike, which dissportationally leads to the cancellation of budget airline flights, which is something that a few of my friends have encountered over the semester.
  • On the topic of budget airlines, they are all very serious about their baggage policies, and they will fine you a lot of money if you violate them. It’s best to plan accordingly and measure your bag to make sure you are within the allowed dimensions before you go to the airport. 
  • To keep prices low, budget airlines usually don’t fly to “main airports” within a city. (i.e., going to London-Stansted instead of Heathrow or Paris-Beauvais instead of Charles de Gaulle). Most of these airports will have trains or shuttles to get to the main city, but they usually will cost something, so make sure to do some research before you get on your flight. 
  • Don’t wait for the last minute to plan or book things. It’s more expensive, more stressful, and you’re more likely to overlook something important at the last minute than if you planned ahead. That’s not to say that you should have your entire summer booked before you come to Europe, but booking things 2-3 weeks in advance can be quite helpful. 
  • Avoid short connections on trains as much as possible. On the Eurail app, you can set a filter to only show journeys with connections longer than 10 minutes. This is a good measure to take to lower the chance that your whole trip gets derailed, but more than likely, it will still happen, at least once. The best advice here is to be adaptable. Have a plan B or C for any long trip, whether that be another train that can still get you to your destination, or a bus that plays the same role. 
  • On that latter point, buses operated by companies like Flixbus or BlaBlaCar are quite good in Europe; they don’t have the negative reputations that companies like Greyhound have in the US, and they are actually the favored method of transportation among a lot of European young adults and teenagers. With that being said, buses usually won’t be faster or more convenient than taking a train, but it can be quite useful if you find yourself in a pinch, especially for an overnight journey.


General Advice and Information:

Items to Bring/Buy

  • Portable Charger/Adapter: Whether it’s an issue of trains and planes not having charging outlets, hiking in remote places, or not having the right plug for the charging ports (emphasis on Ireland, the UK, and Switzerland for this one), a portable charger can be a lifesaver!
  • Tote Bag: In Europe, most supermarkets don’t provide free plastic bags, meaning that you either have to buy your own plastic bag or bring a tote bag. Neither are particularly expensive: each plastic bag is maybe .30 euros, and you can get a tote bag for less than 5 euros, easily. But, it might be worth packing, considering that they are so light and take up virtually no space in a suitcase. 
  • Ziploc Bags: Super useful for getting through airport security with liquids (make sure your bag is no more than one litre to make things go more smoothly), as well as keeping things organized on trips. Also, I recommend bringing a separate bag to store your dirty laundry in for each trip, so that you can keep your clean clothes nice and fresh. 
  • Laundry Detergent Sheets: A personal favorite of mine, laundry sheets are not only more eco-friendly than most laundry pods; they also are lighter, take up less space, and are just as effective! You still can handwash your clothes with the sheets too, which is something you’ll probably do once or twice at GTE, as laundry does cost money, and sometimes, you just need a few things clean without doing a whole load. 
  • Travel Containers: Not all living situations on your trips will have shampoo or bodywash, let alone conditioners or other products. I recommend bringing travel-sized containers to fill up with your preferred hygiene products. 
  • Your Favorite Hygiene Products: On that note, I advise you to bring at least some of your favorite hygiene products to Metz. As we talked about before, it’s not a good idea to buy too much too fast for your dorm in Metz, and unsurprisingly, it’s a little difficult to purchase hygiene products that you may be fairly particular about in a language that you aren’t fluent in. I know a couple of people who bought the wrong products and had to eat the cost of it, so to try to avoid that, come with some of the more important ones. 
  • Shower Shoes: Most hostels have communal showers. While you may luck out and get a private bathroom, it’s best to bring shower shoes just in case. 
  • Towel: Most hostels and GTE dorms do not provide towels (although for the former, you can usually rent one for a couple of euros).  Plus, you probably will want one if your travels take you to a beach or a lake! While you can buy towels at Carrefour for less than 10 euros, if you have additional space in your suitcase, it is something that I would prioritize. 
  • Fan(summer): A majority of GTE dorms, and to a greater extent, buildings in Europe in general, don’t have air conditioning. The temperature may get up to a max of like 92 degrees over the entire summer, which doesn’t seem bad, but because of the lack of AC and the way European buildings are built, it will often feel warmer inside your room than outside your room. Although it’s only hot like that for a week, buying a fan can help that week feel much better. You can get a decent one from Carrefour for 20 euros or so, or pick one up from the GT donation drive when you arrive. The donation drive is a system that you get to partake in at the beginning of the semester,  where previous students leave unwanted supplies for the new students, which usually entails a lot of fans.

Items to Leave Behind

  • Hangers: Although you’ll need hangers for your room, hangers are inexpensive to buy and quite bulky to transport in your luggage, so you’re better off just getting them at Carrefour or the GT donation drive.
  • Lots of Shoes: You don’t need a lot of shoes. They take up a lot of space in a suitcase, and since you’ll be walking a lot, you don’t really have much need for athletic shoes. One to two pairs of walking shoes, the aforementioned shower shoes, and maybe a pair of sandals or slides should serve you very well.
  • “Just in Case” Items: Now, this one is a bit vague and can mean different things for different people. For me, it’s the extra books,  just in case I wanted to read, or the pair of gloves,  just in case I went somewhere extremely cold. As I pack up for the end of the semester, I look at the books and the gloves and sigh, as they never left my primary suitcase. While it is good to come prepared and limit buying more items that you could’ve brought from home, definitely make sure you are thinking twice about those non-essentials before you bring them.

Travel Locations

While everyone has different preferences and options, we have included some of the places we have visited and enjoyed! Europe is a huge and diverse place with so many countries and cities to explore, so don’t feel limited by just what the majority of people visit. The biggest piece of advice is to use this opportunity to explore what you want, whether that is just around the city of Metz itself or across the continent!

  • Amsterdam, Netherlands: A city with an interesting history, we recommend taking a boat tour on the canals, as you will be able to learn a lot of information about different parts of the country and city, with lots of fun niche facts. The stroopwafel there is absolutely delicious as well!
  • Interlaken, Switzerland: This is a great place to have a “home base” for a weekend if visiting Switzerland, as it is just a short train ride away to the more elevated villages of Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, or other good hiking towns, yet very accessible. (Note for popular hiking destinations in Switzerland: many towns are based in the valleys, so to do many mountain hikes and trails, you may often have to pay for a gondola ride up and occasionally back down a mountain if you want to avoid a very timely and strenuous additional hike upwards, which can sometimes be expensive.)
  • Luxembourg City, Luxembourg: While not a large city, the city of Luxembourg is a great place for a day trip! Although often overlooked just for being an area of connection for travel elsewhere, the old city area built into a fortress is a beautiful and green place that makes for a relaxing day of exploring. And once more, the public transit is completely free, which is a great bonus!
  • Vienna, Austria: If you like classical art and intricate buildings, Vienna is a perfect city for this vibe. It has a very regal feel to it, with many museums and lots of beautiful architecture to admire!
  • Bruges, Belgium: A very pretty and quaint city to visit. There are a lot of walkways along the canal as well as markets and shops to go through; it makes for a good day trip if you are staying in Belgium.
  • Edinburgh, Scotland: Although the UK is definitely more of a trek to get to than the mainland European countries, Edinburgh is an absolute gem to lovers of an academia vibe, history, and mystery. It is a beautiful city with Gothic architecture everywhere, and it is built in the valley of steep hills stretching to the sea, making for lovely scenery and hiking opportunities as well. If visiting Scotland for longer, taking a tour of the Highlands and lochs is also recommended!
  • Florence, Italy: Definitely a popular choice and justifiably so, Florence is another hub for art and overall beauty. There are so many museums and historical points to see in the city, and the food is absolutely spectacular.
  • Marseille, France: If you want to visit more of France, Marseille is an interesting and unique city to visit! Being a port city so far South, it has a completely different vibe from Paris and other cities in France, and has a beautiful coastal area along with lots to explore.
  • London, England: Between West End shows, sporting events, the copious amounts of museums, and the most famous monarchy in the world, London is the perfect place to go for an action-packed weekend. 
  • Budapest, Hungary: Although a bit far from Metz, Budapest is one of the cheaper cities in the EU, with a charming beauty from the dual influences of Western and Soviet architecture.

And…well, that’s it! Thank you for reading along. We hope that our blogs have been helpful, inspirational, or made the decision to sign up for GTE just a little easier. While we may sound a bit irritated while discussing some of these topics, these are just some growing pains with being abroad. Trust us, GTE is an absolutely amazing experience that we would both do again, 10 out of 10 times. 

Now, for a bit of a surprise. You may be wondering, “Why are both of the bloggers working on one post?” Well, that’s actually because we are quite good friends outside of work, and we have traveled together on a lot of the weekends during this semester!

(Ashlyn, Alex, and Friends atop Arthur’s seat in Scotland)


With that being said, this is Ashlyn and Alex signing off for the final time. Au revoir!

Art Beyond the Frames

Written by: Ashlyn Willis

One of the most rewarding parts of studying abroad through Georgia Tech Europe has definitely been how the weekends offer a constantly changing backdrop for adventure, learning, exploration, and more. Each place has its own charm and tempo. I have experienced countless breathtaking moments from cathedrals in Bratislava to grand parliament buildings in Brussels. But two in particular in my experiences so far have made a definite impact in my memory. Vienna, Austria, and Florence, Italy struck me for the thing that felt as if it was ingrained in their very stones–art. In these two cities, art does not just exist inside museums;  it flows throughout the structure and culture of the palace itself. On every wall, around every corner, it is embedded in the very way life seemed to be designed there.

Both cities felt like walking through a living museum. In Vienna, I was not just taken aback by the quantity of beautiful architecture, but how detailed it all was on seemingly every other building. St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the City Hall, for example, are absolutely awe-inspiring in both size and detail. They are definitely Gothic masterpieces, with towering spires reaching straight up to the sky. Even beyond its landmarks, Vienna’s everyday cityscape felt like a celebration of some sort of grand ornamentation. Whether it was the embellishments carved into public buildings, golden adornment and filigree in shopfronts, or the way the street gates curved gracefully, everything had a certain elegance that felt like the city was designed by artists, for artists. It made perfect sense that this was the home of Gustav Klimt, a workplace of Mozart, the subject for Billy Joel’s classic song, and so many more.

Images of Vienna City Hall and St. Stephen’s Cathedral

With Florence, the city felt like an art piece itself. Walking through its streets could have very well been like travelling back in time to a visual scene of the Renaissance. The Duomo looks like a bold painting come to life, with its intricate green and pink marble pattern and a dome too impressive to be real. I was constantly swiveling my head around just to take in the buildings and their terracotta-looking rooftops all around me, all decorated with some kind of flourish, whether subtle or bold, be it a statue, a fresco, or some ornate doorway. Florence definitely does not let people forget it was once the heart of an artistic revolution. I think what I loved most was how naturally the art felt embedded into the city. It wasn’t just limited to its impressive galleries like the Uffizi; rather, walking out of this museum felt like I was just stepping into a larger exhibition. It was the way the simple alleyways opened up into the sunlit piazzas, where artists were in markets selling drawn sketches, and the way at sunset golden rays complemented the sandy tones of the city’s skyline from the Piazzale Michelangelo.

Images of the Uffizi Gallery, a view of the Florence rooftops, and the sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo

What struck me in both cities was that art was not treated as something separated from regular life to be only admired in the isolated pockets of museums and showcase attractions. Rather, it seemed to be a part of life, with people walking past sculptures and ornate buildings all around. I realized in reflecting on my time in these two cities, as they have stuck with me so heavily, how much I love that blend of old and new, of beauty and function, of history and casual life. My classes this summer have definitely helped me to appreciate these layers with connections in what I have been learning about and what I have experienced in each city. In many ways, Vienna and Florence have helped me deeply appreciate the importance of the arts and how important they are to history as a whole. However, this is not limited to just these two cities, as everywhere I have been so far has had its own form of incomparable beauty. There is so much to appreciate in how each city, each town, each place, something I am greatly thankful to be able to experience in such a way.

Forgotten Metz: The Value in the Local City

Written by: Ashlyn Willis

I, along with many other students in this program, was initially enthralled with this program for all it offers on the international scheme. Travelling across Europe every weekend for the entire summer? Say no more! Like clockwork, we scrambled around booking trains, sketching itineraries, and drafting packing lists every week, all in the pursuit of new cities, new experiences, and more. Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, the list goes on. However, between the excitement of these outbound journeys and the exhaustion of returning late Sunday nights, these past few weeks, I began to realize I had begun overlooking the city we were actually living in. 

Not long ago, if you had asked me to point Metz, France, out on a map, I wouldn’t have even known where to look in the country. And yet, it has slowly become a quiet place of significance in this movement-filled summer. Particularly in the last week, as I spent much time downtown, I found myself wandering down the cobblestone streets and admiring the softness of the town. It has a gentler rhythm, with less broadcasted stories than larger, more tourist-drawing cities, but the history here is anything but quiet. From its Roman ruins to its huge cathedral, Metz itself is rich with history. Even for its beauty alone, Metz to me seems like something from a fairytale or storybook. The Moselle River, the main river running in its center, is always so magical to me with how lily pads float on the edge of the water, washing up against the stones of the pathways lining its bank. It is a nice calm, especially walking down alongside it on the lower levels with a tree-lined park by the marina.

Images at sunset of the Metz marina on the Moselle River and the Temple Neuf.

One of my favorite discoveries has been the small corner near the Temple Neuf, the castle-looking building where the river splits and creates a little island park. You can sit under a tree or on the benches and watch boats drift by or people walk along the streets, with the sound of the many tree leaves rustling or the church bells in the distance. Just uphill from the river lies the cathedral, so mentioned, one of the biggest draws I have found myself to in Metz. The way its towering height appears out of nowhere never ceases to amaze me. One of my favorite things about it is the color scheme; the sandy gold stone matches the colors of the town, so despite its intricate Gothic engravings, it still blends in seamlessly.  

Metz has reminded me that exploration and travel aren’t always about how many miles have been travelled or how many cities have been visited; sometimes it’s about looking a little harder into what’s right in front of you. Don’t get me wrong; I still catch plenty of trains on the weekends (having travelled 2 days, 22 hours, and 52 minutes worth of time so far according to my Eurorail app) and I love the thrill of stepping into a new place, but I have definitely come to realize Metz is so much more than a place to sleep and attend classes. Whether it’s wandering around at dusk with gelato from Amorino’s, reading the stories about the dragon Graoully, or catching the MB bus from Francois Arago to visit the train station for a field trip, Metz has grown on me immensely for all it has to offer!

The Graoully dragon, hung up in the street or “village” of Taison.

History and Humanities: The Promises They Offer

Written by: Ashlyn Willis

Walking into the first day of classes was rough; it was a quick and immediate turnaround from the nine hour flight and four hour bus ride from Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta to Frankfurt, Germany, and finally to Metz, France. Furthermore, there was no masking the fact that it was indeed at its core, school. However, soon after the first week of classes I was quick to count my blessings. I have made several friends enrolled in classes like computer science, math, and more, and although I am a science major as well, I am using this summer as an opportunity to complete my free-elective credits. I therefore strategically designed what I deem to be a spectacular schedule:

Monday and Wednesday

10:25 am – 12:20 pm: History, Science, and Technology

Tuesday and Thursday

10:25 am – 12:20 pm: Creative Writing

1:30 pm – 3:25 pm: Documentary Film

(On Tuesdays, the occasional 6 pm – 8 pm GTE 2000 lecture as well)

I was able to choose classes I was passionate about, rather than ones I directly needed for my major of environmental science. Because of this, I have been able to take what feels like a much-needed breath of fresh air after my first year academic experience completing core classes at Georgia Tech. I am incredibly passionate about history and the arts, and given that I am a person who is motivated for schoolwork when I am interested about the subject, I was incredibly grateful to be able to take these classes. Furthermore, I was unaware of the fact that many of my GTE classes would overlap in content. In GTE 2000 and field trips to the local Metz museum with Creative Writing, we discussed ancient Roman architecture and its impact on the region.

Images of Roman baths and carvings in the Museum of La Cour d’Or based here in Metz, France.

In History, Science, and Technology, and another outing with Creative Writing to the Gare de Metz, we discussed architecture choices and Gothic builds. In Documentary Film, we covered how to conduct a good interview, of which I will be doing with peers for this very task as a GTE blogger! (Another shout-out to Creative Writing, as the overarching focus of the class for this summer is travel writing…convenient with helping me to better my skills in writing blogs!) Not to mention, these classes have helped me appreciate my travels even more. Up to this point, I have utilized my weekends to visit Luxembourg, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Vienna, Budapest, and Bratislava; all places with diverse and rich histories. Given the subjects of my classes, I have been able to notice certain things with different cities that I may not have fully understood before. For example, in my GTE 2000 class, we learned how the use of flying buttresses in Gothic architecture helped to raise ceilings so much higher than before, lending way for the massive cathedrals found all across Europe. In visiting Vienna, I was able to see a magnificent example of this with St. Stephen’s Cathedral; a towering build with the most intricate designs I had ever seen. In my History class as well, we have an individual project for our case studies to present to the class, and I chose to discuss building Gothic architecture, a topic which I now feel quite knowledgeable in due to these classes.

Images from inside and outside St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna, Austria, showcasing its towering ceilings and spires.

The experience of being able to travel to learn more about our topics has been incredibly beneficial to deepening my appreciation for both my classes as well as for weekend trips. I have also found myself doing research on different places in an attempt to learn more about what I will be seeing. For instance, it was interesting to note how both the city of Luxembourg and Bratislava were somewhat built into cliffs as fortifications. Both were cities that I had not known too much about before visiting, and in reading about them, I was able to gain a better appreciation and understanding for their impressive construction. Taking these humanities classes has helped me to realize there should never be a lack of underappreciation of all that they have to offer; you’ll never know how the things you gain from them could help you appreciate more of the world we live in and all the unique perspectives there are!

Views from Bratislava, Slovakia and Luxembourg City, Luxembourg showcasing their fortress-like build.

I’ll Return Soon

Written by: Katherine Sanders

At 3 pm, my phone buzzes every five minutes, notifying me of my friends’ locations. Life360 lets me know that they’re leaving “home,” some arriving at “culc” while others go to different buildings for lectures and GTXR meetings. Although the knowledge of their locations doesn’t give me any benefit right now, the notifications remind me of campus life. I’ve missed it a lot. 

In a couple of days, I will fly to Montana. I leave my apartment at 1 am, fly to Dallas at 2 pm, make my connection to Billings at 7 pm, and hug my parents before going to bed at 10 pm. I will return for six days before leaving for Florida on May 9th. 

The flight from home to Paris was daunting, but the journey back and quick turnaround are nothing compared to the travel I’ve experienced this semester. It has taught me perseverance and strength. Maddie and I stayed up for 36 hours straight to save money on accommodation in Barcelona. This 24-hour travel day will feel like nothing.

The past four months have felt like years. Our “EUROPE” shared album holds pictures from the cities I loved. I often think about how I’ll visit them in the future. In Prague, I’ll go inside the castle. In London, I’ll take my time to look around the museums. I’ll go to Paris in the spring rather than the winter. I think about who I’ll go with–children? Parents? New friends? Old friends? I look at the nice hotels in convenient locations. When I’m older, my family and I will stay there. 

I look back on this semester and am proud of my choice to study abroad, but wish I did many things differently. Here’s how you can do better than me (and please, do better than me): 

Don’t overpack 

I packed two suitcases full of heavy winter clothes. They are near the 50lb limit, and as I look at my overflowing drawers, I wish I had left more room. Traveling each weekend requires you to pack light anyway, so there’s no need to bring tons of shoes or jeans (you will rewear them whether you want to or not!) 

Clean your room 

I’m not the cleanest person, but my room at GTE is the dirtiest I’ve ever let my room get. Every time I arrived back from a weekend of travel, I carelessly unpacked my items, knowing they would just be packed up again soon. As dishes piled and trash filled, I started telling myself, “I’m leaving again anyway.” My room never felt like my room. I dreaded returning to it. My bed was never made, and my desk was never clear, but I didn’t have the energy to fix it. 

Explore Metz 

The streets of Metz are picturesque. When the weather got warmer, we sat by the Temple Neuf for the entire afternoon and talked. The view across the river was beautiful, and listening to locals talk was calming.

Start your work early 

I started all of my homework two or three days before it was due, and it overwhelmed my short weeks. If I had made it a habit to finish my work as soon as it was assigned, I would have felt more inclined to clean my room or explore Metz! 

Truthfully, I don’t know how you wouldn’t make these mistakes. Maybe you’ll start your homework early, but let it catch up to you. Maybe you DO need 50 lbs of clothes. Maybe one trip into Metz was enough. I made all of these mistakes, but it didn’t make this semester less rewarding. 

I learned how to navigate Eurail. I learned Assembly, C, and numpy functions. I learned how to stay calm when I miss a flight. I learned how to triple integrate! I’ve been on tens of trains, fourteen countries, and consumed ten pounds of Persian food (most of which is fessenjān).


If you read my blogs to prepare for your semester abroad, stress just enough. Plan your trips. Book things in advance. Clean your room. Cook real food sometimes. But don’t worry about executing everything perfectly. It’s okay to miss home, and it’s okay to adapt to new routines, because you live in a new country now, and not everything can be the same. 

If you read my blogs to gather insight into what your children/siblings/friends do while they’re gone, I bet they’re having a lot of fun, but I bet they’re missing you. 

If you read my blogs to keep up with my adventures: I’ve had the best time containing these memories into short pieces for you to see. Every weekend trip, every stupid mistake and every six hour layover was worth it knowing someone might laugh about it.

In four months, I will check Life360 to know if Zach is coming back to our apartment for dinner. We will make Persian food–fessenjān, tahdig, geymeh and shirazi salad–and we will gather around our dinner table to catch up. My phone will ping with notifications of our friends arriving. They will tell us about their 2025 and we will tell them as much as we can remember about ours.

Eating My Way Through Metz

Written by: Katherine Sanders

I take food VERY seriously. For me, experiencing a new country primarily means experiencing a new cuisine. In Germany I needed schnitzel, in Italy I needed gelato, and in Belgium I needed chocolate. My willingness to eat out on the weekends usually means that in Metz, I take advantage of all the free food opportunities I can get. 

Breakfast is catered by Paul. You can expect to get a different breakfast every day of the week, but there isn’t an assigned food for each day. It rotates between full size croissants and pain au chocolats; mini croissants, mini pain au chocolats and mini gourmandises; powdered jelly-filled beignets and nutella-filled chocolate-dipped beignets; and chocolate chip brioche with an assortment of breakfast cakes.

Coffee, orange juice, and apple juice are always provided. There is also a vending machine in the lounge that serves lattes, cappuccinos, americanos and potage “tomats” (tomato soup???).

As I’ve mentioned before, lunch at GTE is provided by the nearby high school, “Crous.” The lunch period for French high schools is very long. In French culture, lunch is a time to take a break and socialize. Working while eating is unacceptable and fortunately, I comply. 

Unlike in the U.S., where lunch is usually a grab-and-go situation, French organizations take their lunch seriously. The local cafeteria available to GTE students serves lunch consisting of a savory side, main, and sweet side. Students are allotted ten points. Five of those come from the main course and the other five come from two sides. You can mix and match however you like, but your plate cannot exceed ten points.

Sides are usually carrot, celeriac root, beetroot, green salad or potato salad. Depending on the size, these are usually worth two points. Sometimes, there’s fish, liver pâté or hard-boiled eggs. These sides are worth three points. Every day, a new type of cheese is given as a side for two points.

The main meal is typically a combination of meat (or substitute), grain, and vegetable stir fry. Students have a good amount of power in what they get on their plate. You can mix and match a single protein with different sides. There are two types of meats, one a vegetarian option and one chicken, turkey, or beef. Couscous, rice, or mashed potatoes are the grain, and the constant vegetable stir fry always has green beans and carrots. There are a few odd days where french fries, lasagna, or kebab are choices. If you tell the servers you are “grosse faim” (very hungry), they will give you “une grande portion” (a large portion). The same goes for if you are “petite faim.”

For dessert, fruit, coffee, flan and vanilla yogurts are always offered. Typically, there are one or two flavors of mousse or pudding. Since these desserts are prepackaged, they are worth two points. If students are lucky, there can be hazelnut fritters, crepes, tartes or cake. These are all three points. Fruits are always bananas, kiwis, apples and oranges. A large piece of fruit and two small pieces of fruit are two points.

At the end of the line, you place your prepaid “Izly” card on the scanner. I’ve seen some French students pay by card, and it looks like the total is only 3€. After paying, you offered a free “pain” (roll of bread.) I’ve described the cafeteria multiple times, but again, it’s like a high school cafeteria. Water pitchers are at the tables, and students fill them up with a pedal-powered water fountain. 

Even after weekends with nice meals and authentic European food, the cafeteria never disappoints me. 

P.S. I have a food account (@nibblesbitsandbytes on Instagram (it’s a play on terms for binary strings)) and write food reviews!!!

Student Concert

Written by Guest Blogger Lila Noble

Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a student concert in downtown Metz. I learned about the event through my professor, who leads the French program I’m part of, and she encouraged all of us in the program to go together. Naturally, I was super excited about it. The entire group met up with our professor beforehand for some snacks and conversation, which was such a great way to start the evening. The concert itself was scheduled to begin around 8:30 p.m., and it felt so refreshing to get dressed up for something special and actually get out of the dorms for a change.

All of the students in our group took the bus down to the city center, where we met our professor. It was so nice to see her in a non-classroom setting. She’s actually a super sweet lady, and I really enjoyed getting to know her better. We chatted about her kids, her passion for teaching, and how our program connects French language learning with climate change. It’s rare to connect with professors on such a personal level, and it made me appreciate her even more. Before we knew it, we were walking across Republic Plaza to the concert hall, which sits right along the beautiful Moselle River. The setting was stunning, especially as the city lights reflected on the water.

We arrived about 20 minutes before the concert began, and the atmosphere was electric. I could feel the excitement building as students poured into the hall. I also forgot to mention that this was a free concert for all students in the Metz area, which made it even more incredible. The hall was absolutely packed—I’d guess there were about 1,000 students in attendance, and every seat in the massive venue was filled. It was also really cool to see other students from GTE (Georgia Tech-Europe) there, representing our program.

When the concert finally started, the entire audience gasped with surprise as the 25-year-old conductor walked onto the stage. He was clearly decorated and well-respected, and there was something magnetic about his presence. He led the orchestra into the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, and it was breathtaking. The music began with a powerful, ominous fanfare from the brass section that immediately grabbed everyone’s attention. I’ll admit, at the time, I didn’t know anything about the piece or what to expect—I’m very new to the world of classical music. But even without that background, I could feel the emotion and energy radiating from the orchestra.

After the first movement, something unexpected happened: the conductor turned to the audience and began speaking. In French, he explained that this was not just a concert—it was meant to be a learning experience for all of the students in attendance. He wanted us to walk away with a deeper understanding and appreciation for orchestral music. He started with the string section, having the first chair of each instrument (violin, viola, cello, and bass) play a small part from the first movement so we could hear their unique contributions. It was fascinating to hear how the different strings blended together yet each carried its own distinct voice.

The concert was also interactive, which made it even more engaging. At one point, the conductor asked the string section to play an eight-count from a famous piece, and one of them turned out to be the iconic melody from Jaws. I thought that was so cool! As someone with very little experience in this kind of music, I was amazed by how much depth there is and how recognizable some melodies can be, even to a newcomer.

After the musicians played the second movement, the conductor paused again to tell us about Tchaikovsky. I absolutely loved this part. As a ballerina, I already knew a bit about him because he wrote the music for The Nutcracker ballet, but it was so interesting to learn more about his life and struggles. Hearing about the composer made the music feel more personal and alive.

The conductor then introduced the woodwind section, which turned out to be one of my favorites. He had them play several melodies, and I was so proud when I correctly recognized one from Swan Lake (another famous Tchaikovsky ballet). The woodwinds had such a rich, melodic sound that I couldn’t help but fall in love with their tone.

The orchestra moved on to the third movement, which quickly became my favorite. The string section played almost entirely pizzicato (plucking the strings), creating a light, playful, and dancing effect. It was such a sharp contrast to the heaviness of the first two movements, and I loved how it felt like a breath of fresh air. This contrast made the symphony feel even more dynamic and expressive.

After that, the conductor introduced the brass and percussion sections, giving each a chance to shine. He also took a moment to explain the role of the conductor, which was super interesting. To demonstrate, he invited a volunteer from the audience to come up and try conducting the orchestra. It was hilarious to watch but also surprisingly impressive—with the conductor’s guidance, the student volunteer actually managed to create a beautiful sound. The whole audience cheered, and it was such a fun, lighthearted moment.

Finally, the orchestra played the fourth and final movement, which was nothing short of spectacular. It was grand, powerful, and beautifully written, leaving everyone in the hall on a high note. I was blown away by the sheer talent of the musicians and the energy of the performance.

After the concert, there was a small mixer where students could mingle and chat. It was super fun, and I loved meeting and talking with students from other programs in Metz. It felt great to be part of such a vibrant and diverse community. Eventually, I caught the bus back to the dorms, feeling so grateful for the experience. It was truly a magical evening. One that deepened my appreciation for orchestral music and gave me memories I’ll cherish for a long time.

A Homestay, but Not

Written by Guest Blogger Lila Noble

I think my best day abroad happened when I truly noticed my French improving. It all started when I volunteered to go with my speaking partner from my French conversation class to visit the home of a French family. I was both excited and nervous for this experience. I knew that I’d have to speak French the entire time, and because I was at a higher level than my partner, I felt responsible for carrying most of the conversation with the family. Adding to the pressure, the visit was scheduled to last from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., and the thought of speaking French for five hours straight felt a little overwhelming. I was nervous but determined to give it my best shot.

About three hours before the event, I got a text from my partner. She had to cancel because she had a big exam the next day and needed to study. Suddenly, my nerves skyrocketed—now I was going to do this visit entirely on my own, without the support of a friend. My anxiety grew, but I reminded myself that this was an incredible opportunity to push myself.

I walked to the Georgia Tech building, where I was supposed to wait for the family to pick me up. It was drizzling as I made my way there, and while the light rain did little to calm my nerves, I tried to focus on the excitement of the experience. As I stood with a few other students, waiting for our host families, my mind kept racing with all the possible ways the night could go. Finally, my family arrived. It was a woman named Rebecca, along with her stepdaughter Sarah. They welcomed me with such warmth and enthusiasm that my nerves started to ease a little bit. Rebecca was chatting with some of the program administrators, and I struck up a conversation with Sarah. She was a senior in high school, and it turned out that she spoke a bit of English, which made me feel a little more at ease. Her specialty in school was English, so I knew that if I really got stuck, we could communicate in English if necessary. Once we got into the car, they immediately asked if I was okay with their dog. I enthusiastically said yes—I love dogs—and I was thrilled to see a small, adorable white poodle. Her name was Jazz, and she ended up sitting on my lap for most of the car ride. Having her there helped calm me down a lot, and it made the drive to their apartment much more comfortable. We chatted in French the whole way, and it felt surprisingly natural.

When we arrived at the apartment, I met the rest of the family. Rebecca’s son Ewen, who was eight, and Sarah’s older brother Thibaud, who was nineteen and studying English at university. We all introduced ourselves, and I could feel my confidence growing as the conversation flowed. I spent a little more time talking with Sarah in French, and then we all sat down for dinner. Dinner was lively and full of laughter. I was completely immersed in French conversation, and it felt like a breakthrough moment for me. Despite my initial nervousness, I found myself keeping up with the flow of the conversation and even contributing. After dinner, I continued chatting with Sarah and Thibaud, and we spoke entirely in French. We talked about their studies, my experiences in France, and even shared a few jokes. It was the first time I really felt like I could hold my own in a full-length French conversation.

Before I knew it, it was 11:30 p.m., and it was time for me to head back. As I said goodbye, they warmly insisted that I come back next week, which made me feel like I had truly made a connection with them. The whole experience was wonderful, not only because of the home-cooked meal and the warm, familial atmosphere, but also because it gave me a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. It felt amazing to see my French improving in such a real and meaningful way, and it was incredibly rewarding to feel comfortable speaking the language for an entire evening.

Looking back, that night gave me so much more than just language practice. It gave me a sense of belonging, a feeling of being welcomed into a family, and the satisfaction of knowing that my hard work in learning French was paying off. I absolutely loved the experience and am already looking forward to returning to my makeshift “homestay” family for many more evenings to come.

Metz Part 2: Mirabelles

Written by Matteo Ruffo

I am an overzealous traveler and in my desire to see the world, I seemed to immediately forget about the historical city right in front of me after arriving at GT-Europe. My mind immediately raced to my first trip: a tour of Luxembourg and Belgium. I booked my buses and trains, my lodging and museums, and then received an email that conflicted me: the Mirabelle Festival was this weekend! And so, I cut my (absolutely wonderful) Belgium trip a day short, and booked a 6:00 am bus back to Metz on Sunday in order to experience one of Lorraine’s most important traditions firsthand.

Out of all of Metz’s traditions, the Mirabelle Festival is certainly the most famous. Mirabelles are a tiny golden plum that have been harvested in Lorraine for a few hundred years. The two variations are the larger, more bruised Nancy Mirabelle, and the smaller, more tart Metz Mirabelle; the latter of which is the subject of the festival. Mirabelles aren’t only eaten at this festival, they are cherished. There is mirabelle art, concerts dedicated to the mirabelle, and any assortment of food or drink that you can imagine made from mirabelles. Now, why are Mirabelles so beloved? In order to understand, let me paint a bigger picture for you.

Metz was founded as Divodurum by the Romans, and quickly became rich due to its grapes and the wine that those grapes made. Divodurum prospered for a while, until it didn’t. During the Year of the Four Emperors in 69 AD, the pretender emperor Vitellius inexplicably sacked the city, massacring its citizens. The Franks invaded in the 3rd Century AD- and the city was sacked and destroyed again by Attila the Hun in 451. Metz slowly recovered, and soon prospered once more: as long as humans lust, there will always be a market for grapes and wine.

Metz then proceeded to survive the middle ages through many sieges, battles, and attacks, but happened upon incredibly tough times in the 1800s: the city fell to the Germans in 1870, and a horrible infesting pest called the grape phylloxera destroyed the region’s grapes. Throughout history, when you lose a major source of your economic prowess, as well as a major crop, a few things generally occur: famine, recession, and poverty. A replacement for the grape was necessary to quell these horrors from being realized upon Metz, as well as Lorraine as a whole; and so, a small yellow plum from Anatolia was imported, where it thrived in the conditions of Lorraine, particularly in Metz and Nancy. Mirabelle quite literally means “looks beautiful”, if you take the etymology of the word; while there is no definitive evidence of why it was named this, I like to think it looked beautiful to the people of Lorraine, as a savior to the destruction of the grape vines and as a beacon of hope in a time of perennial darkness.

Thus it began: every year, around the time of the Mirabelle harvest, Metz would have a festival dedicated to the crop. Rows and rows of tents filled the local park in Metz, and a concert pavilion was constructed to hold singing events; carnival games were set up, food stands were propped up, and the festivities commenced. In the tents, you could buy an assortment of goods: pretzels, wines, juices, and arts and crafts such as handcrafted bird boxes, watercolor paintings, and comic displays; but most of all, you could buy almost anything Mirabelle based that you could think up. There was Mirabelle beignets, Mirabelle cola, Mirabelle gummies, Mirabelle candies, Mirabelle jam, Mirabelle juice, Mirabelle cakes, Mirabelle ice cream, and just about anything else you could imagine that Mirabelles could be used in: there was a stand specializing in Mirabelle fusion into Guinean food; there were Mirabelle floats twice the size of any man; but most of all, there were people proud of their city, celebrating themselves and their heritage through the means of the small yellow plum that not so long ago gave hope to the people of Metz.

Just as peaches represent Atlanta, Mirabelles represent Metz, and this longstanding tradition only epitomizes what my peers and I have come to learn: even the smallest of cities can have the biggest of hearts. So whether you’d like to call it the Green City, Garden City, City of the Dragon, or City of Mirabelles, one thing is for certain: we at GT-Europe are all lucky to call Metz home.

Metz Part 1: Magnificence

Written by Matteo Ruffo

It’s Pronounced Messsssssss…
All I knew of Metz before arriving to GT-Europe was that the city had a massive cathedral, as well as a soccer team that jumped between the first and second divisions of France’s professional league system. I expected a small town, a quiet place with pretty sites but not much else to do. Naturally, I was hideously mistaken.

There is much and more to do around Metz. There are the classic museums, restaurants, cafes, and churches that have become so attributed to European cities, yes; but there are also festivals, craft shops, a thriving nightlife scene, river activities, parades, gardens, parks, carnival rides, and a stadium where thousands support their beloved soccer team.

You learn upon arriving in Metz that it isn’t pronounced with a natural Anglophone “tz” sound at the end: it is pronounced as “Mess”. The city doesn’t have a pleasant history with the Germans, so any instance of Metz being pronounced as “Metz” instead of “Mess” is very immediately corrected. This is fitting: the people here are proud. They are proud of their city, they are proud of their history, and they are proud of who they are.

The “Green” City
So, what is Metz, and what is its significance? If you look it up online, the internet may tell you that Metz is the Garden City, or perhaps the Green City.

In Morocco and India, you will find the Blue Cities of Chefchaouen and Jodhpur, for their blue painted streets and homes. Udaipur and Toulouse are the Pink Cities, each for different reasons. Marrakech is the Red City, due to the color of its stones, soil, and the hues of the desert sun that shine so brightly upon it. Metz, where Georgia Tech-Europe is located, is dubbed by some as the Green City, named for the many trees, parks, and vegetation that grow in tandem with the imperial and classic architecture that line the city streets.

I confess, I feel as though “The Green City” is a misnomer. It is undeniable that Metz has greenery, but so do many other cities throughout France, let alone the globe. If you go to Metz, the countless trees and parks and plants will be pleasant, but it will not be what you notice the most. You’ll instead notice the enormous High Gothic cathedral, spotted with hundred of dazzling stained-glass windows, and dozens of mythical monstrosities in gargoyle form. You’ll notice the rows of Imperial German and Renaissance style buildings, built out of Jaumont, the dimmed golden limestone that gives the city its Medieval-blonde hue; and you’ll notice the dragons, the great green fiery beasts meant to represent Graoully, the legendary dragon of Metz who terrorized the townspeople for decades before being defeated, captured, and thrown into the river by the equally legendary Saint Clement of Metz.

There is a river front with views like something out of fairytales. There is a vast Imperial Quarter, dotted with quaint cafes and fortifications from centuries ago still standing as tall and proud as they had through the sieges and wars that passed beneath their walls; and there is incredible diversity throughout the city as well. You may find yourself in a cafe or a French brasserie one moment, then an Afghan or Turkish restaurant the next. With such an assimilation of culture, Metz is a city of people; with such an opulent history, Metz is a city of legend; with people with such love for their golden-hued city, Metz is a city of pride; with such glamorous architecture, Metz is a city of beauty; and with all of these things, Metz is a city of magnificence and tradition.

And luckily for us, we were able to witness one of Metz’s finest traditions firsthand in our first week on campus.