My initial impression of Italy and what it has to offer has been positive so far and filled with many new experiences. We spent the beginning of the trip in Rome and visited all the major sights including the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and St. Peter’s Basilica. My favorite thing has been walking around Vatican City and seeing all the historical buildings and artwork. It was super fun traveling with the group, and I am glad I was able to experience all of it with them. We then took a bus to Florence which offered beautiful views of Tuscany and the landscape. Although this was not my first time seeing Florence, it was still just as beautiful as I remember it being. I have loved seeing all of my friends’ reactions and first impressions of the city and we have already seen so much so far. Our apartment is located in a super cute area and has the Italian charm that we have all grown accustomed to so far. The classroom is located on the famous Ponte Vecchio River and the walk to class takes us past many major sights. Class so far has been very informative and helpful for our time here so far. The Italy business program offers beneficial experiences and lessons that have already impacted how I go about traveling around Italy so far. During the first week we attended a cooking class where we learned how to hand make fettuccine and ravioli as well as strawberries with cream dessert. The chefs were very knowledgeable and loved teaching us what they knew. We also had 4 company visits including the St. Regis hotel, a wine company, sustainable mushroom farm, and a recycled leather goods company. My favorite visit was the leather company because we made our own card holders. The largest difference I have seen between Italy and the US so far is the way they go about work and balancing their personal life with that. It has been very evident with the business visits because they all had a more laid back but still serious nature to the way they go about business. The wine company in particular seemed very traditional in the way that they were casual, did not want to market to tourists, and seemed to prioritize their work life balance. Another example of this is the stores closing for a siesta in the afternoon and the streets feeling emptier. Italy so far has been amazing, and I have already learned so much through this program, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of my time here brings!
