Ciao everyone! I am excited to go more in depth about my academic journey in Firenze. As an accounting major, I knew that finding classes relevant to my specific degree would be more difficult to find, as the United States accounting principles are different from those of other countries. Thus, prior to my program, I had bulked up on accounting and other business classes so I would have more free range in the academics I explored.

Currently, I am taking four classes, which is less than my normal course load at Pitt. I am taking international finance, as it relates most to my accounting major and coursework. The class meets once a week for three hours. Most of my previous classes at Pitt are not this long, so it has been a more difficult adjustment to be able to focus and retain the information in class. In contrast to my Pitt finance classes, my professor focuses more on concepts than the math. As a Pitt student, each of us is taking an Italian course, whether it is an introductory course or a more advanced course. This is a shorter class that meets three times a week, with some interactive activities outside the classroom. Often, we have listening and speaking exercises to complete outside of the classroom. Additionally, we are learning a lot about vocabulary that we would use in a typical day. My class went on a class excursion to the main Florence market and were able to practice ordering in Italian firsthand. In addition to International Finance and Italian, I am taking Oil Painting and Cross Cultural Psychology. These courses are a nice switch up from my typical business and math filled course load.

In order to be successful in the academic environment at CEA CAPA, students need to be able to manage their time very well and effectively. Obviously there is so much to explore in the culture around you and fun activities, but as a student, you need to figure out when and how to prioritize your schoolwork. Additionally, not being afraid to speak up in class is necessary. I particularly dislike public speaking but discussions are a huge part of the classroom environment. It helps that classes are much smaller than big lectures.

Compared to the United States, the classroom environment is more interactive. Our participation in the classroom is more heavily encouraged. Many of my classes have open discussions and peer interactions. Furthermore, classroom attendance is expected. There is not a ton of leniency when skipping class. There is not too much work outside of the classroom. Most of the courses have a couple of readings or reflection assignments each week. Overall, course expectations are pretty similar to those at Pitt. Professors expect students to fulfill their assignments in a timely manner and to complete the necessary steps to be prepared for class.