My initial impressions of the global business program, city, and country have been very positive and have already exceeded my expectations. Florence is such a beautiful city filled with so much history and art (and great food), it has been a great home base so far. The classes so far have been interesting and really eye-opening because it is one thing to read about these things from a textbook but to actually apply and see first hand what we are being taught about international business while in Italy is amazing.
The main differences I have been seeing and have learned is that the pace of life is much slower and relaxed than the U.S. in both business and social aspects. People take time to enjoy meals, partake in longer conversations, and want to grow a tight personal connection, which seems like the opposite back home since everything feels rushed and very schedule-oriented, and business in the U.S. seems much less personal. This difference has really stood out to me during our company visits and group meals. During the company visits, the local founders/employees that we talk to seem very passionate and could talk for hours to make sure they build that understanding and connection, which I think is very different from the U.S.! Also, from our group meals, I have learned that meals are an “experience” and should be fully and slowly enjoyed. Restaurants in Italy also pride themselves on fresh and good quality food and will not serve something they don’t think is up to their standards which is not common at all in the U.S.- which means it might take longer for preparation and they might have all menu items available.
Overall, the three things I hope to get out of this global experience is culture awareness, personal and educational growth, and travel opportunities. I love getting to learn and appreciate how people live and interact in different parts of the world because I think it affects how and why people do business which is something that has always interested me. I want to be able to experience what is being taught to me and maybe use these experiences for future classes, business exchanges, and social interactions. Finally, a big reason I chose this particular study abroad was because I want to experience Italian culture and learn about its history! This is already something that is being accomplished through guided visits from locals and SAI program directors and immersive activities like the Italian cooking class, but I can’t wait for the other cities we will get to visit because of this program (looking forward to Milan next weekend)!
