Howdy! My name is Juliana and I am a junior accounting major! I have never traveled to Europe before, so this study abroad program will be my first time across the Atlantic! I am doing the Italy Business program that travels to Florence, Rome, Venice, and much more!
Ever since I was little, it has been a dream of mine to go to Italy, so I’m super excited to see all the history and culture it holds. When first arriving to Florence, my first impression of the city is that it’s a lot older than most of the modernized cities we’re used to back at home. Although most of the buildings are old, the entire city holds so much character and makes Florence so unique. The architecture is so intricate and detailed that it amazes you on how beautiful some of these buildings are. With the modernization of buildings in the US, not everyone gets the privilege to see such impressive structures. When walking around the city, my first impression was mind blowing. You get to experience the beauty of the small shops and restaurants on the base floor, the apartments on top of them, and how Italians interact with tourists and each other.
There is a lot of culture shock when traveling to a city like Florence but I couldn’t appreciate the city, the culture, and the people more. When I think about our upcoming business trips, I assume my first impression would be how dedicated each business is to make sure what they produce is made with the highest quality and care. I expect these businesses to take pride in what they do and they truly care about their work.
Over the next four weeks with this program, I am expecting to gain a lot of cultural knowledge about Italy and the way of Italian business but also learn about global leadership and how we can use that when interacting with other cultures. I am so excited for the next four weeks and to experience so many new things!
