My experience of a week in Rome was amazing. After our first full day in Rome, I told myself if I could only do Rome for one day I would be satisfied because we hit many of the major tourist sights to see. However, our study abroad team had more time to ruminate with the city and make the most out of the time we were given. Going back and visiting things more than once is what really made the trip amazing for me. For instance, I went back to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City two days in a row and I was still blown away by the visuals and grand size of the church. I was also able to find my favorite gelato place called “Giolitti”. Having a full week is what made the Rome experience really special. Something that surprised me about Rome was how big the city is. Comparing it to the week we spent in Athens before, I felt Athens was closer together but in Rome, there was so much to explore that even if I come again and again I feel there will always be something that I have yet to explore.
Another thing that surprised me was the driving culture here, it is very noisy in the streets and reminds me of your big metropolis back in the United States. From the global business perspective, I learned just how family-centered business is in Italy. On our first business visit at Mariotti & Figli, our guide Fabrizio who deals with the production side of their marble company, told us that 80% of businesses in Italy are family-owned. It is neat to see how citizens in Italy can work together, communicate effectively, and still value and respect each other even in the busy workforce setting. After concluding our business visits in Rome, I took away that the drive for progress and entrepreneurship is amazing here. There is motivation and passion involved that is visible to the American eye. We learned that from our last business visit from Lorenzo Di Ciaccio who founded Pedius. One of my favorite key places we encountered was St. Peter’s Basilica was just beautiful and I could spend hours just being in the church. Our professor, Ken McFarland made sure we knew all about the great leaders such as Cleopatra, Julius Cesar, Hadrian, Augustus, and Constantine and how their qualities of integrity, humility, strategy, and a global mindset of cultural intelligence allowed them to be successful and how we should aspire to do the same. My initial impression of Rome was that it was very dreary and dark but that has all changed. When the sun is out and shining down on scenes like the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain, it becomes an unforgettable memory. Since this trip concluded, I can truly say I have such a deep appreciation for international business and cultures and now I am extremely drawn to the idea of it when thinking about my career path.
