Ciao from Florence! Over the course of studying abroad, I’ve seen myself changing in so many ways; personality, routine, and maturation that I believe has made me a better person. So far, I have developed a variety of soft and hard skills that will stay with me throughout the rest of study abroad and my college career. 

My communication skills have evolved in ways I would never have expected nor most likely have developed if I was in the US. Using hand gestures and relying on words such as cognates that are similar in both English and Italian have allowed me to speak with both my coworkers at my internship as well as local business owners we have talked with. Adaptability is a major soft skill I have developed over the course of my study abroad, with so many changes occurring at once at the beginning and various experiences and opportunities always around the corner, I have learned to embrace new experience as much as I can. With this being my first time in Europe the places available to travel are nearly endless, and with such possibilities and lack of steady income, it has been vital to budget our trips and align such with the day-to-day expenses of living abroad. Prioritizing safe travel and accommodation, as well as developing an avid grocery shopping routine has allowed me to adjust to this new lifestyle whilst being money-conscious. I believe that such will be one of my most important takeaways from this experience, and I feel I can utilize this practice in budgeting for the rest of my life. I have gotten much on-hand experience in restaurant operations during my time interning at Melaleuca bakery and bistrot, with developing ways to maximize efficiency on the floor as well as analyzing how inventory turnover can be altered to savor the freshness of ingredients. I have also enjoyed the creative freedom given to me to create new marketing products such as business cards and experimenting on different platforms for the needs of the restaurant.

Navigating cross-cultural communication has gotten much better during my time here. I have become more confident in using Italian in day-to-day life and have my daily bakeries I go to where I can enjoy small talk. During my travels, learning to ask questions has aided greatly to navigating cities and finding the best and most authentic places to eat. I am excited to move forward into the rest of my academic career with these experiences!

Arrivederci!