During my semester in Florence, I am taking a mixture of art, Italian culture, and business classes. These have all helped me both improve my knowledge of finance in international settings and learn more about the city’s history. As I reach the midpoint of my semester, especially with midterms beginning, I can see how much this experience has pushed me to grow in new ways.
My classes have required a different set of skills compared to my typical ones at Pitt. While my international finance course is fairly similar to classes I have taken in the past, I have found that one overarching strength required for my semester is patience. It can be frustrating learning a new language, as I am doing in my Italian course. There are times when things come easily and times when it takes a few rounds of repetition for words and grammar to stick; however, I found that practicing my new knowledge outside of class has been highly helpful. For my Oil Painting course, I have learned that trusting the process is a large component. I have not taken an art course since middle school, so I have had to relearn how to commit my time, both in and out of class, to projects that do not involve note-taking, mathematical problem-solving, or research. For my Renaissance Art History course, it is crucial to have an open mind and be ready to learn with each lecture and museum visit. There is so much history within Florence, and there is not a single class that I have left without learning something new. While this may pose a challenge when trying to recall the exact artist, date, and name of numerous art pieces, I have found it highly rewarding to be able to share what I have learned with friends and family.
My classes are much smaller than the ones I take at Pitt, so I have been able to form closer bonds with professors in a shorter amount of time. There is more of a friendly dynamic, as many of my courses require significant interaction with professors, allowing more time for conversation. For the professional culture of Florence, I have noticed a slower pace than in the United States. This is not to say that they are behind or less hardworking, but rather that people tend to be more present in their tasks instead of racing to the next. I have observed that this allows people to be more relationship-oriented in their work lives and to form deeper connections. They also value time outside of work, which is very noticeable, as most businesses are completely shut down during lunch hours. Ultimately, studying in Florence has reshaped the way I approach learning, patience, and balance in both academic and professional settings.
