My initial impression of the global business program, city, and country exceeded my expectations. With the program, although I might have been exhausted from flying, I have loved having the class tours in both Rome and Florence. I think it is such a bonus that we get to go on these tours and learn more about the history and meaning behind so many of these historic monuments we see. Additionally, I enjoy getting to find some of the “hidden” spots that the tour guides tell us about. With the city, I have loved Florence and I am very happy I chose it as my home base. Although Rome was beautiful with amazing history, it is a little too busy for me to have lived there for a bit. I enjoy Florence because it is still a city but on a much smaller scale than Rome. I already know my way around the city and I feel safe walking around here which is something I think is very important. I am missing being able to drive but I am growing to enjoy walking everywhere. Italy has been amazing and the food is great. I knew the country was one of beautiful architecture with great food and I have been able to see and experience that first hand. Going on these tours and seeing the Colosseum, Duomo, Roman Forum, Piazza de Michelangelo, and so many others allows you to truly appreciate the beauty. The USA and Italy have many differences in culture. One of the main differences that has affected me is the style of dress. In America, I wear athletic clothes basically every day and only wear pants/dresses/jeans when I am dressing up for an event. Here, I have not worn athletic clothes once. I put on a nice outfit to go to school, walk to the market, or even go get gelato. Additionally, as I mentioned before, not having a car is a big cultural difference. In the States, barely anyone walks to get from place to place. At home, I think 3 miles is close, here, I think 3 miles is extremely far. Lastly, the lack of air conditioning is a very difficult difference. We are lucky that our apartment has air conditioning but we have rules for how low we can set the temperature. Many restaurants and shops do not have air conditioning or have very little. This is one of the hardest cultural differences that I have had to overcome.
