While on my study abroad in Italy, I am taking a class on global leadership. Learning from our professor about cultural intelligence through our book and his own experiences has been eye opening. Being able to take a new point of view on the global mindset has been transformative for my experience in Italy.
The most important takeaway that I have gained from this course is the importance of planning and checking. This means that you may need to plan cross cultural interactions before they happen and then be aware of how your plan is playing out while the interaction is going on.
Being aware of this need was truly helpful for me to have the best interactions while abroad. This may have looked like planning how to say my order in Italian before the waiter came to the table or even having google translate ready to ask a question about directions. Showing that you are making an effort to acclimate to the other person’s culture creates an ease in building relationships among the people you meet. Having these positive interactions will pay dividends towards the experience and memories you make along the way. Attached are some of the amazing foods I was able to eat while in Italy. I will miss the endless choices of pasta, sandwiches, and pizza when I am back in the states!
Ciao,
Karli Siptak
