AS: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
DL: Hi ! My name is Damien, I'm 24 years old and I'm French. I come from the South-West of France, Tarbes. I'm attending Cornell as an exchange student in the spring semester, 2008. I'm studying Industrial and Labor Relations as a graduate student in the ILR School. I am a graduate student at ESCP-EAP, the School of Management in Europe - Top European Business School with five campuses in Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid and Torino. I have also studied law for five years (DEA in corporate law) in France. One of the requirements of my program was to go abroad for 4 months. Therefore, I decided to apply to Cornell!

AS: Why have you chosen Cornell?
DL: Cornell University is one of the best schools in the US, it is very famous back in Europe, and courses that are offered seemed very interesting. I have also heard from Marine and Leatitia, who were here last semester, that Cornell is an incredible place. Also, this is my first time in the US, so I really wanted to come and experience life here. I wanted to practice my English, too. In fact, I haven't had a chance to study in English before.
Well, that's not true. Some classes at ESCP-EAP are in English. But you know, it's kind of “French English”...

AS: What do you like most about Cornell, so far?
BL: There are two sides to that: academics and social life. From the academic perspective I like being here because everything is very well organized, especially compared to most universities in France. ESCP-EAP is very similar to Cornell as far as organization goes, but other universities in France not so much. Actually, not at all. What I mean by "well organized" is that everything is developed in order to make studying easier for students: great libraries open late, excellent textbooks, great professors, nice environment. On the other side, I live in College town, center of all the fun. I have met wonderful people, already made some friends, and I think that this is definitely a fun place to be. My favorite places to eat in College town are Stella's and Sangam and then I like to go to Rudollf's and Level B, but house parties are the most fun of all. Definitely! Another thing that I like about being here is that great travel destinations are easily accessible. Everything is so close, and for me that is important because I really want to see as much as possible while I am here. I have been to NYC and I am planning to go to Boston, Chicago, and Montreal.

AS: What is your least favorite thing about Cornell?
BL: It's really cold here. The weather would be my least favorite thing (I come from South of France), but I have to admit it is nice sometimes, I mean the snow and the landscape. Also, it is difficult to find organic food and a great variety of wines. Well, generally speaking it's difficult to find good food if you don't have a car. However, burgers are fine, and College town has some nice pizza places. I'm a big coffee fan, but I don't really like coffee here: it is too weak! As for the US in general, I was very disappointed by TV. I know I say it all the time, but I really mean it. I used to watch American TV shows in France: Prison Break, House, etc. And I was so excited about watching them "live". But I just cannot! Too many commercials! As for the sports, it too feels just like watching commercials.

AS: What surprised you the most when you came here?
BL: People were very nice to me at ILR from the very beginning. From administration to students, everybody was really helpful. I can't say that surprised me, but it was definitely something amazing. There is a huge gap between Europe and US and you can quickly experience it as soon as you land. For instance, you can feel patriotism in the US as soon as you arrive – flags are everywhere, people love the country (the first bus
driver I met did anyway), they are very involved in and love what they do (as the bus driver was). In Europe that is not so obvious at first sight. The opportunity to meet so many smart people coming from all over the world is exceptional ! It's a huge asset for the ILR School. To my mind, it's a prominent asset. I mean, I have met very smart people.

AS: Coming from a country famous for its art and fashion can you compare art and fashion in France and the US?
BL: Well, fashion in New York City is very similar to what you can see on the streets of Paris. There are nuances, of course. But it's interesting. I am not a big fan of fashion, though. I am a fan of literature and politics. Thanks to the forthcoming elections, the timing is perfect. I can read and hear a lot about it. I think that these elections are determinant for the future of the US and the global role they are going to play in the next years. By the way, a grocery seller explained to me that he did not use to "serve" the French and that he had changed his mind since Sarkozy's election and his speech in front of the US Congress. That is amazing! As for the literature, you guys have a great country - the most powerful one in the world - and therefore you can count on a lot of great authors. You certainly have some of the best writers today. But I feel sometimes that they are more famous in Paris than they are here! Bret Easton Ellis, Philip Roth, T.C. Boyle, Tom Wolfe and so on. And of course, Harlan Coben and Stuart Woods ! I do like American mystery novels. They are great!

AS: Can you compare ESCP- EAP and Cornell in terms of studies, social life, etc?
BL: What is similar is the diversity of people, small classes, great interaction. I guess that ESCP-EAP was built on the US concept of education. I think that the biggest difference is simply location. ESCP-EAP is located in the heart of Paris in a very busy place. I can't really say whether I like one better than the other, it's simply different. ESCP-EAP is expensive, but I think that Cornell is even more so. I see students here working to support their studies. All the students at Cornell seem very organized and efficient, and you feel like a part of the community. You can see people wearing Cornell t-shirts, sweatpants, hats, and I believe that school spirit is much stronger here than it is in schools in France. Especially in the Ivy League, I guess.

AS: Thank you Damien. Is there anything else you would like to add?
BL: Another thing that I would like to mention is that I was so pleasantly surprised how socially responsible people here are. Professors that I am taking classes with are very concerned and involved with US policies that affect the world. Both professors and students have extensive travel experience. Everybody knows and is concerned about global issues. Honestly, in Europe, we don't always feel that way about the US.

- Ana Stojanovic