14 countries and 25 cities later, my study abroad trip is coming to an end and as I leave Venice it’s very bittersweet. When we first arrived in Venice it was miserable, but over these past 4 months I’ve grown to love everything about it. I?m definitely going to miss the beautiful views and delicious pastries the most. During my time abroad, I’ve made some of the best memories of my life. I laughed a lot, cried a little, and ate more than I should have but I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity to study abroad and I wouldn’t have wanted to change it in any way. 4 months really flew by and even though I?m happy to be home Venice will always hold a piece of my heart.
The Venice university school system is completely different compared to the US school system. It was an adjustment and took a lot of patience, but I was able to learn a lot from this obstacle that I faced while being abroad. I learned how to improve on my communication skills, taking initiative, and asking for help when needed.
Doing business in Italy, has many similarities and a few differences compared to the US. The first difference is punctuality. In the US, punctuality is key however in Italy it?s not so much so. Italians will set a certain time and sometimes they will be 10-15 minutes late. Secondly, the culture in Italy compared to the US is very different. There are different standards of professionalism in Italy vs the US. For example, for a group presentation I had there was no dress code. However, in the US there would be either a business professional or business casual dress code. Overall, every country has different ways of doing business, however if you take the time to learn about their country and their norms everything will fall into place.
Thank you Texas A&M University and Mays Business school for encouraging studying abroad. This experience has expanded my global perspective and has encouraged me to further explore the rest of the world. I’m looking forward to using the skills that I learned abroad and sharing my experiences with other students.
