The cultural differences I observed between the U.S. and Luxembourg can be summarized by a simple act: lunch. Almost every day, I eat lunch with my colleagues. I received a Fulbright Research Grant to complete a project on the gut microbiome at the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH). I was grateful for the opportunity to expand my microbiology skillset, especially in a lab abroad. The bacteria I study help us digest our food, and the composition of our microbiomes is largely influenced by our diet. Therefore, lunch quite literally affects my research, but my lunches in Luxembourg were so much more than that.
When I first came to the LIH, I was overwhelmed. The plethora of languages that my diverse colleagues spoke, not to mention the lab jargon and foreign measurements, made me feel unprepared. I spent the first few weeks learning as much as possible and trying not to ask too many dumb questions. The only time I truly felt relaxed was at lunch. As an American, I was able to hone my small-talk skills and quickly learned about my labmates’ hobbies and career aspirations. We fell into a routine of always getting lunch together around 12:30. Without these lunchtime conversations, I surely would not have become as close to my coworkers in such a short span of time. Before I knew it, I spent a national holiday at one of their houses for a board game and raclette night, and even attended one of their weddings in January.
One special occasion was the Wine and Cheese Lunch that the LIH organized in the middle of gloomy winter. They encouraged us to bring local cheeses and wines or alternatively any other food that was culturally significant to us. I was assigned to a beverage, so I brought sweet tea, representative of my four years at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. During the luncheon itself, the entire cafeteria transformed to have one long banquet table where all of the members of different labs sat together and indulged themselves. I learned a lot about everyone as we each explained our local specialties. This lunch exemplifies the attitude in Luxembourg, a country where nearly half of the residents are not Luxembourgish citizens. Luxembourg is extremely welcoming to foreigners, even allowing them to vote, and this attitude was ingrained in my work atmosphere, too. The openness and tolerance for others is something I really admire. My favorite cheese that I learned about was Tête de Moine, which is cut on a machine called “La Girolle.” The name describes the shape of the cheese shavings, which resemble chanterelle mushrooms, also known as “girolles” in French.
In addition to showcasing our diversity, the lunches also taught me not only how to value, but also how to implement a work-life balance. Our daily lunches typically last an hour, ending with a 20-minute coffee break. My colleagues and I catch up and chat about our lives without rushing. This is in sharp contrast to the U.S., where it is common to eat alone in front of a computer. Many American workers have the mentality that they must be productive at all times, so they feel guilty taking a long lunch break. Ironically, I think that my lunch breaks made me more efficient. My hour-long lunches gave my brain a chance to pause from thinking about science. As a result, I felt refreshed for my afternoon work and sometimes even approached problems with a new perspective that helped me solve them. The contrasting views of work-life balance extend to holidays. In Luxembourg, workers are given a minimum of 35 vacation days, in contrast to the 14 (or less!) often received in the U.S. I think these holidays prevent burnout and improve productivity in the long term. I plan to take these European values back to the U.S. with me.
The final thing my daily lunches brought me was a chance to build community. If anyone was stressed about their project, they would vent at lunch, and my labmates would all offer support. I saw first-hand how our shared lunches made my lab a close-knit group, but there were still a few coworkers who did not have regular folks to eat lunch with. It reminded me of the high school lunchroom trope, and it made me sad. Therefore, I decided to join the LIH Social Club, an organization that plans monthly social events across all LIH locations. I worked in Esch-sur-Alzette, a satellite location about 45 minutes away from the main LIH building in Luxembourg City. I am proud to say that after my advocacy, the LIH social club finally hosted a pub quiz event in Esch-sur-Alzette to be more inclusive to workers in Southern Luxembourg. In a lot of ways, the cafeteria is a microcosm of coworker dynamics, and I am happy that my lunches inspired me to be a cohesive force. I will miss my friends in Luxembourg and our lunches dearly.
As the recipient of a Fulbright research scholarship to Luxembourg, Summer Bushman spent the 2022-2023 academic year conducting research in biology at the Luxembourg Institute of Health. Her research looks at how dietary fiber can impact gut health and susceptibility to irritable bowel diseases, and she is interested in the ways that biological research can influence public health policies. Summer is a graduate of Emory University, Class of 2022.
Articles are written by Fulbright grantees and do not reflect the opinions of the Fulbright Commission, the grantees’ host institutions, or the U.S. Department of State.