My initial impression of this global business program is how non stop it is. Our days are completely filled and I have a constant feeling that the day simply is not long enough. We packed the Rome experience into two short days, which was great to see but it made me so excited to get to Florence and officially ‘settle down.’ Of course, we were in Florence for less than 24 hours before we left again for a weekend trip. But at the end of the day, I only get to experience this study abroad in Italy once and it’s important we make the most out of it. I have been to Italy before, including Rome and Florence so I felt a solid idea on what to expect of the culture. I definitely prefer Florence over Rome and glad that it is our home city. Florence feels a lot more walkable than Rome and generally just somewhere I can actually see as a home away from home, at least for the month. Even just a week into the trip, I feel like I have a good grasp on the layout of this city and feel confident in finding my way around.
Between Italy and U.S. culture there are so many differences and to me the biggest is centered around dining. Meals are not quick activities to just satisfy hunger, they are times meant to build relationships and enjoy each other’s presence. Especially in the very beginning of our trip, sitting down for dinner took well over two hours. Now we have become better at asking for the bill when we are done eating, since even then it is not a quick process. The whole dinner experience shows how much Italians value their relationships with others. Even in business meetings, two people will likely go to dinner first and not even mention any type of business. There are so many differences to dissect and come to understand in our month here and I am more excited each day to be immersed in Italian culture.
