I am so glad I was able to study abroad in Milan. I grew as a person because being on my own for a whole semester in Milan made me more independent and resourceful. I also learned so much about Italian culture and other cultures in Europe by visiting historical landmarks, museums, and by conversing with locals. Moreover, I came to appreciate the rich history and culture Milan and many places in Europe have going back over 1000 years. I forget how young of a country the United States is compared to some of these places in Europe.
Some of my assumptions about Milan have been right. Pretty much everyone I talked to was willing to help me out if I got lost or if I was looking for something. Also, throughout my time abroad not many people spoke English which surprised me because I thought English was taught to most students. Lastly, I was right about the lack of options for food. After a while, I got tired of eating Italian food, McDonald’s, and KFC. I was wrong about the size of the city. The city was much larger than I thought it was going to be and it took a while to get from one side of the city to the other side.
After being in Milan for a few months, I learned that Italians take their time to do things as they prioritize the work-life balance and are not always rushing from place to place like most Americans. For example, many Italian restaurants are closed in the middle of the day and lots of museums are closed on Monday. Also, I realized that when I emailed Professors or other Italians they wouldn’t respond as quickly as my professors at Texas A&M. Overall, however, conducting business in Italy is very similar to how it’s conducted in the United States.
