Taylor interviews Europeans about sporting cultures

The white-hot sun is beating down on Roland Garros and glinting off the silver stadium into my eyes as I step out of security and take in this vast, buzzing, active space. A slight breeze plays with the hem of my dress and my jet-black hair is soaking heat into my scalp, bringing new life into my body, giving me the energy to match the liveliness of this place.

Ahead of me, my professors are herding the class into a protective cluster. Beside me, my friends chat about how excited they are to be here. I move slowly, as I often do, taking it all in. I am always in the back of the group, in my own head. I tune out my friends’ chatter and tune in to the sounds of the crowd around me. I hear rapid French expressing what I assume is also excitement, but I can only guess what the French are saying and feeling.

As an American coming to the French Open, I felt extremely privileged just to attend this event and get a glimpse into French tennis culture, and as a whole, European sports culture. Though it is a global event, I noticed the lack of American journalists and the fact that there were mostly Europeans, mostly the French, in attendance. I wondered if many of them had attended this event for years, if they were here to see a favorite player, and how they felt about American tennis stars. However, I didn’t ask.

I regretted not getting my questions answered that day, so I started asking them for the rest of the program. Whenever I got to chatting with a European, I began to ask them about their favorite sport, about sports culture in their countries, how their attitudes might relate to current events in their countries, and how they feel about American sports and our star athletes.

My interviews were not just satisfying because my questions were answered. They were satisfying because I got to do the thing I was most looking forward to doing on this program, long before I was even accepted into this program. I got to meet interesting people from all over the world and form connections with them.

I had to use my journalistic skills while under the pressure of meeting new people, people who presented cultural and language barriers. These barriers only added to the pressure, and I must admit, made me more nervous than I usually am while conducting interviews. I think this is just because I was embarrassed that I couldn’t speak their languages and meet them on their level of communication, even though all the people I talked to spoke English.

This was the perfect activity for a social butterfly like me. It encouraged me to go out, explore and talk to people. The people I met, the places I went and the conversations we had helped make this study abroad experience unforgettable.

Name: Taylor Truszkowski
Status: Junior
Major: Journalism
Hometown: East Lansing, Michigan
Program: Sports Media in Paris and Rome