Number Two: The 10 Things I Have Learned in Europe

Well, as of right now, I have only one final and a tea party between me and home. The tea party, by the way, is sounding extremely amazing. A menu has been posted in the hallway downstairs in the AHA building, and I keep reading it because so many delightful goodies will be at our tea party this afternoon! I think I'll have to ask Leah for a copy of it to post in my blog, just to make you readers jealous. Er, I mean, as a memento to myself for the future.

I have taken two finals today; Shakespeare and my novel final. Between the two finals, I have written a total of 10 and a half pages. Hand-written. I now have a little blister on the knuckle of my ring finger on my right hand, and the entire hand feels cramped up and sore. Oh, life. My last final to write is for my art history class, and that should go over easier. Hopefully my hand will survive it, and then guess what dear reader? My junior year of college will be 100% complete!

Alright, without further ado, here is the SECOND TO LAST INSTALLMENT of the countdown, meaning that I go home in two days! Whoo hoo!

The 10 things I have learned in Europe:
2. The American stereotype that everyone in the world speaks English is not too far from accurate. Most countries in Europe teach English in their schools, and so finding somebody who speaks fluent English is never much of a feat.
Naturally, of course, there are exceptions.
In Latvia, for example, younger generations will speak fluent English, but older people frequently do not. So the second you start speaking English, everybody looks at you as if you have come from a different planet. It is a bit disconcerting.
Spain is the opposite of America. In America, everyone speaks English, and in the off chance somebody speaks another language, it's likely to be Spanish. So in Spain, everyone speaks Spanish, and why should they bother to learn any other language?
And in France (because I enjoy bashing on France), most people speak English but they can't be bothered to speak in English to you.
Then, of course, there are countries where the citizens don't all speak the same language, and so the common language among them is sometimes English. A prime example of this is Belgium, where part of the country speaks French, and part of the country speaks Flemish, and many people do NOT speak both.

So, travelers, go ahead. Assume the entire world will speak English for you. Because odds are, most people do.

Alright; one more final to go!