Once arriving in America, Gisele immediately noticed the differences in between her homeland and Massachusetts. Moving from a European capital, with all its cultural offerings, to a suburb of a small provincial city in Western Mass was a shock in many ways. “I found the absence of public transportation particularly difficult. I had been taking public transportation my whole life; since fourth grade I went to school by myself, and was responsible to arrive on time regardless of the circumstances or bad weather. I believe that this freedom of movement fosters an early self-reliance and sense of responsibility. In Western Mass, I could only go as far as my feet would take me. I had learned to drive the family car when I was 18 years old (the earliest one can drive in Belgium) but had very little experience, because it was far more practical to take public transportation. My husband and I did not even own a car, we could go anywhere easily without having to worry about parking or traffic. Suddenly obtaining a Mass. driver’s license as quickly as possible became an absolute necessity.”