Ciao! My name is Melissa Flaks and I am a junior in the College of Business Administration studying Marketing and Supply Chain Management and getting a certificate in Digital Media. On campus I am usually involved in a social sorority and a professional business organization, however, I am currently spending my semester in Florence, Italy though Pitt Business’s Global Business Institute. Through this program, I am living like a local in a Florentine apartment with roommates from various different universities while attending four classes per week, and spending the rest of my time exploring the exciting city of Florence and surrounding regions (and countries!). 

I chose to attend this program because ever since applying to college it has been my dream to study abroad, and the format of the CAPA program provides the perfect environment to take classes for credit that counts towards my degree, freedom to explore the city and immerse myself in the local culture, and meet new people from all over the US. The Florentine setting is so unique and a drastic change from the bustling city of Pittsburgh, which is exactly what I was seeking in a study-abroad location. By the end of the program I hope to be able to find my way around the city on my own, understand more of the history and culture of Florence, and carry a basic conversation in Italian. 

So far, I am really enjoying the new style of classes that I am taking through CAPA. These classes are all located in an old, historic building, and many of the classrooms showcase traditional Italian art. While some of my classes are traditional lectures, I am taking Beginner Composition Drawing where we apply different drawing techniques and draw throughout each class period, and Analyzing and Exploring the Global City, in which we go on a different walking tour of Florence each week to visually understand the concepts that we are learning. I am really enjoying this more hands-on learning experience, which is unique from the format of Pitt classes. 

I am living on Via Cavour in an apartment with 11(!) other roommates. While we are closer towards the outskirts of the city center, the Duomo is only a 15 minute walk away located right at the end of our street. I am loving getting to know all of my roommates, both from Pitt and other universities, and we have been getting more comfortable exploring our surrounding neighborhoods. We have discovered some of our favorite restaurants, nightlife, museums, and even grocery stores around our neighborhood. I am having the time of my life so far and I can’t wait to share more about my experiences and growth as the semester progresses!