Thriving in Italy
I have never been to Italy before this trip, so everything that I have experienced has left me in awe of this amazing culture, food, art, and landscapes. I spent the first three days of the program in Rome, collecting over 20,000 steps a day while exploring the Vatican, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the numerous fountains and statues, and the food (of course). Every building, road, and statue seemed to be older than our country, with some even pre-dating the birth of Jesus. The food was really good, but I was growing tired of eating pizza and pasta every day for lunch and dinner. Also, our hotel room didn’t have A/C, which is apparently common in Italy.
After a two-night stay, we departed our hotel in the bustling city of Rome for the more relaxed Florence. Our bus driver was required to stop every two hours to accommodate the regulations for drivers, so we used the time to visit the rest stops. I was shocked to see a complete deli and restaurant where you could order grilled food. They had one specialty where you could pick out a fruit, and they would make it into a juice right in front of you. Once we arrived in Florence, we wasted no time going on another walking tour of the city center and surrounding tourist hotspots. It was incredible to see such craftsmanship in all the buildings and the Duomo. We enjoyed a relaxing two-and-a-half-hour dinner of pizza and calzones, followed by the best Gelato I have ever had. Every Gelato place I have been to, I have asked the servers to surprise me with a flavor combination, and it has yet to disappoint (the white chocolate cinnamon flavor was simply divine). The apartment that I am living in is really cool; it sits right on the Arno River and overlooks the Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge that connects the two sides of Florence.
The past week, I have enjoyed learning more about the Italian culture in business through the lectures and the company visits. It has been neat to examine the difference in cultural metrics between the United States and Italy. The company visits have been extraordinarily educational, by seeing Italians’ values embodied in the workplace. Every business cares about the people that are impacted by their services more than the profits, which seems contrary to the American approach.
I am very excited to connect with Antonio Di Giovanni, who is the business person my group and I are consulting for.
