Though my 6 weeks in Florence has come to an end the memories and lessons I have learned will last a lifetime. Throughout my study abroad experience, I have taken a total of 6 credits of classwork and learned so much about my host country, especially the rich history and culture of the city of Florence.

In terms of soft skills, I would say the two I have grown on the most would be time management and teamwork. Taking courses that are compacted into 6 weeks can be challenging and feel like a lot at times. I had to really perfect my time management skills to help balance when my courses got challenging with my want to continue to explore this beautiful city I am in. My classes were also very focused on group work to help learn the concepts. I did multiple group presentations in my International Marketing course, one of which was a semester long presentation where we created a marketing plan to bring Michaels Craft Stores to Italy. I became very close with my teammates and we executed an amazing final product. When I return home, these skills will help me greatly personally and professionally. There are always areas where I will work with others and be on a deadline, so these skills will be used for the rest of my life.

Throughout this program, I have watched myself be even more confident in my work and the things I can do. I have been so willing to try new things and make the most out of every experience. I don’t know when, or if, I will ever be back to Italy so I have made the most out of every day. I have made so many more connections now both in the United States and abroad. Being in such an important city in Italy has also allowed me to see so many places throughout Italy. Below is a picture of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, something I never thought I’d be able to see.

This program has given me a million stories to talk about for years to come. I plan on incorporating this stories and my journey into my professional career. I have grown so much as a person, especially in my knowledge of international business. This will be super helpful in my future career as I never know what kinds of companies I will be working with and from what areas they may come from. I plan on using these soft skills that I have learned to make me a more well-rounded person.