Reflecting on my first week in Italy

Just seven short days ago I made the long journey to this beautiful town at the base of the Dolomite mountains called Paderno del Grappa to start my study abroad program with CIMBA . Everyone I talked to before I left for CIMBA told me that these four weeks would be some of the most influential in my life up to this point. I was hesitant to believe what those people said as I couldn't fathom these weeks that make up less than one percent of my life up to this point making that impactful of an impact; I couldn't have been more wrong only one week into this program. Lots of this can be attributed to Molly Rapert 's Global Consumer Course which has opened up my eyes to so much of the world we don't hear about today. From the classes I have had the pleasure of taking for a week so far and personal experiences, I have five takeaways.

1. Expect the Unexpected: I have always liked having set out plans in place for anything I'm doing. I challenged myself during this trip to "go with the flow" more often. This was referenced in the first weekend I traveled when I went to Trieste. Whether it was calling my Airbnb host at midnight to have him help me out with being locked out or walking up on a military celebration yesterday with the Minister of Defense of Italy talking to thousands of Italians where I couldn't understand a word they were saying, you have to take every day one step at a time while studying abroad. I couldn't understand a word during their celebration in the town square, but I was able to take in the moment of people playing music and chanting in support of the Italian military showing patriotism that I haven't seen in a while.
2. Immerse Yourself: This point I can specifically reflect on through the two courses I'm taking at CIMBA. Both of these courses have an emphasis on exploring the global side of business. While taking classes at the University of Arkansas and just reading mainstream media, we can get into a sense of comfortability with the processes of the United States and push the international part of it to the side. The reality of it is, which I have learned over this short week, is that a large part of how the United States functions is due to international factors. Never would I have imagined I would be learning about the main sources of energy for small European Union countries or the Cultural Revolution of China in a small town in Italy, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
3. It's a Small World: While I was in Trieste, I often found myself as the only American in many of the places I went to. I took this as an opportunity to talk to almost everyone I encountered so that I could gain insight from either locals or tourists from other countries. Two people that stuck out to me specifically that I talked to. First was Teo. Teo was a server at one of the restaurants I went to and talked with me for probably an hour about all things America as he lived there for a few years during his high school years to play soccer. The other was a girl I met at a restaurant who said she was an exchange student less than an hour from my hometown. Many of the conversations I entered into had people asking where I was from and I would respond, "You probably wouldn't know the state." To hear someone say they knew my small hometown in Northeast Arkansas made me gain a new appreciation for how small our world of eight billion people can feel sometimes.
4. Take it all in: So many people nowadays get caught up in social media and what is happening on their phones even while studying abroad. Every day at CIMBA I get to wake up and walk to my classes to look up at the beautiful mountain range only a few miles from campus. On my three-hour train ride to Trieste, I made it a point to put my phone down and enjoy the world I was seeing even if it was some small Italian countryside. The world is vast and everyone at CIMBA has a unique opportunity to experience something many others cannot. Allowing yourself to immerse yourself in everything you can especially since we are only here for four weeks is pivotal.
5. Learn New Things: Whether it was in the two classes I am currently taking or the random Italian I met on the streets everyone has so much valuable information to provide. Whether it's learning new phrases to get around the city or learning about the global economic and marketing landscapes through your classes, everyone you encounter while studying abroad has so much to offer. Lean into the people that are locals or have been here before and allow yourself to make the most of what will come to be the best experience of your life.