Semester Abroad in Milan, Italy

For my STEP signature project, I used my funds to study abroad at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. As soon as I landed in Milan, I was in love. The city was so beautiful, and the food was amazing! I was excited to live in the heart of business activities of Italy.Being a finance student, I wished to broaden my international business perspective by taking multiple finance and international business classes during my time at Bocconi. But, while the semester did not go exactly as planned, I learned more about myself and business in two months than I have up to this point in my life.

 

My abroad experience was transformative to say the least. For myself personally, I have grown to appreciate the uncertainty in life and roll with the punches. I have always been a person who likes to plan everything out. However, when the COVID-19 situation took a turn for the worse in Milan, I was forced to develop a new way of thinking. I was travelling around Europe with the time I had left, balancing my schoolwork with trying to squeeze in as much sight-seeing as possible. I was making travel plans hours in advance, which was something so unfamiliar to me. I was growing in ways I did not think I would or even could, but in the most bizarre way the COVID pandemic helped me become someone who is more “go with the flow” and not so type A all the time.

As for my view on the world, my favorite thing about traveling during my time in Europe was getting to interact with the local culture everywhere I went. I loved talking to my waiters and waitresses and getting recommendations from them. I loved experiencing the local places to see—not just the well-known tourist sights. I saw that no matter where I went there were good people, who all had the same mindset. Everyone I met had such an open view of the world and traveling, it was something so unique to experience. Before January, I had only been to Italy in Europe, so seeing all the different cultures from each place I went was really cool. I enjoyed comparing each place I went to see the differences in the cultures and tried to understand why each culture was the way they are.

 

Off the top of my head, the COVID situation was definitely an event that caused a lot of transformation in myself as well as in my project. Not only did COVID teach me to roll with the punches and be quick on my feet, it showed me how much love there is in this world. Even after I left Italy, I really enjoyed seeing the social media posts about “One Italy” and How everyone, especially in Milan, had come together to fight the pandemic. Seeing and experiencing this firsthand truly transformed my view of the world and what it can be. While the COVID situation was not ideal, it made me realize that when everyone comes together, we are stronger than any unforeseen circumstances.

Another event that really stuck with me in my time abroad was when I was in Munich, Germany. Each year they have a costume festival, where everyone gathers in the center city square to celebrate the Munich culture. There was dancing, singing and everyone ate traditional German dishes like Bratwurst. It was really cool to be there for this event, I loved seeing everyone celebrate their culture with such pride. Everyone was so friendly and loved to share stories about what Munich meant to them.

My last experience that really stuck with me was going to the Sunday market in Sicily. I really enjoyed getting a taste of the culture by experiencing it hands on. The Sunday market is a really big deal in Sicily, where thousands of people come every weekend to get fresh fruits, spices and meats. This was probably one of my favorite days in Europe. We walked around for hours trying all the different dishes and talking to the workers themselves. I really felt like I immersed myself in the Italian culture this day, and I have felt a connection to it ever since.

 

All the challenges I experienced in my two short months in Italy are ones I will value for the rest of my life. I know that in both my career and personal life, I will not get upset when one thing doesn’t work out how I planned. Instead, I will develop a Plan B, C, or even D to ensure I accomplish my goals. I have developed a new sense of grit, which is very important for my success in my career. I have also developed a new love for travelling that I hope to continue for the rest of my life. I know that everything I experienced abroad happened the way it did for a reason, and while it may have been unconventional, I am forever thankful for the time I spent in Europe. There is truly nothing else like Europe, and I am grateful that STEP allowed me to experience and grow in this place. I have grown and learned so much about myself and I will use the tools I acquired over the past few months for the rest of my life.