Hi everyone! My name is Sophie Geer, I am currently a junior double majoring in Marketing and Supply Chain Management with a certificate in International Business.

I am doing the GBI Florence semester program through Pitt Business and CAPA. I chose to do the GBI Florence program because I wanted the ease of transferring Pitt credits while studying abroad. I chose to go to Florence this semester because I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone a little bit and have an opportunity to live somewhere I know I will probably never live again. The classes I’m taking are Italian, International Marketing, and Renaissance Art, along with the International Internship.

Here in Florence, I live about 5 minutes from where our classes are held and 2 minutes away from the famous Santa Croce Church. I am living with three other girls who do not go to Pitt and I did not know them before coming on the program. Our apartment is very small and rustic, it has its ups and downs. But I very much enjoy the area I am living in. The area has many great restaurants as well as having lively feel to it. I feel very comfortable in the area and after just a few weeks, I can get myself around easily without using google maps.

The international internship program has been a really great thing to do. I am currently working with a small local digital advertising agency. I have only been working there for 3 weeks but I have already learned so much. Since I am perusing a career with an international focus, this internship will really help me gain the skills and credentials I will need when entering the job market next year. I can’t wait to see what else I learn and what other opportunities may arise from this experience. 

I am very excited to be traveling throughout Italy. So far, I have seen Siena, San Gimignano, and Bologna. I have plans to see Rome in the near future and during spring break, I will be traveling down the Amalfi Coast to Sicily while stopping at Naples, Sorrento, and Capri. Traveling and seeing new places has probably been my favorite thing to do. There is so much culture and history in Italy and I am eager to see more of it. 

They were also not kidding about how good the food here is in Italy. I have not had an average meal since I’ve been here… they’ve all been stellar! The restaurant I frequent the most is called I Fratellini, and it’s a Panini stand with no tables in front of it. The sandwiches are only 4 euros each and you get a mountain of ingredients on a large piece of flat bread called schiacciate. My go-to order is the “Panino 1”, which has prosciutto, cheese, and arugula on it. It’s literally so heavily (and not because it’s right across from a church!). From Verona to Sicily, I can’t wait for all the food I’m going to try here.