It has now been almost a week since I returned from my trip to Italy, and I cannot be more grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was very fascinating to interact with the Italian business owners and learn about the business culture. Everything for them stems from family, whether it be running a family business or making time for family meals. I enjoyed seeing how they lived out their priorities. I think that in the United States, we have too much of a fixation on professional success that we miss out on the things we derive the most joy from. I really enjoyed the way Italians have meals. I am used to grabbing a quick bite for lunch, and then I might have a little longer dinner, but in Italy, even lunch is at least an hour event. The food isn’t the focal point of meals; the conversation is. As a group, we got closer over the meals that we shared together, telling stories or making toasts. It was also incredible to realize how longstanding everything is in Italy and the rest of Europe. We visited a balsamic producer, and they showed us the cellar where they age their different lines of balsamic. It was wild to see barrels that were over 150 years old. There was a big holiday while we were in Florence that celebrated Saint John the Baptist, and it was neat to hear about all the traditions that have been kept for generations, including a violent rugby-style football game. Everything in Italy is saturated with culture, from the art to the food to the traditions to the business world. I am going to miss being surrounded by the genuinely kind Italians, absolutely incredible Gelato flavors, and the relationships that I formed along the way. Ciao Italy!
