Living in Italy has made me much more aware of the importance of communication, especially when it comes to greetings and the level of formality.  One thing that I initially noticed when I first arrived was how important it was to greet people properly. Every single time you walk into a store, restaurant, or any…

Before coming to Italy, I found myself pretty nervous about building a new community. I did not really know anyone coming into the program, and that uncertainty made me feel a bit anxious leading up to my departure. I was unsure if I would be able to quickly adapt to this new environment or whether…

Ciao! Now that I have fully settled into Florence, I am starting to feel more and more like a local. However, when I first arrived I definitely noticed a lot of cultural differences, both in the class and in everyday life, that I was not used to. Initially, this adjustment was a bit difficult, but…

Hi everyone! My name is Crista Amaya and I am a junior double majoring in Finance and Global Management, with a minor in French. This semester I decided to study abroad in Florence, Italy through the Global Business Institute Program. I initially chose to study in Florence because I had never been to Europe before…