Submitted by Jessica Kolesar on the 2013 winter session program in Italy sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics…
After spending a week in the hills of Volterra, we packed our bags and headed to the Filippin Institute in Paderno del Grappa. Here, we have started classes in Finance and in International Business. We have the privilege of being taught by Dominic Standish, author of Venice in Environmental Peril. In his international business class, we have begun discussing culture and how to assess individualism, uncertainty avoidance, status/power differences, time perceptions, and the importance of personal relationships in different countries. We will begin learning about Venice in preparation for our trip next week.
However, relocating from Volterra to Paderno del Grappa was not as simple as I expected. We endured a long day of traveling and arrived on campus late afternoon. The location of the campus is ideal, situated in a quaint town with local shops and restaurants, and surrounded by mountains. The campus itself is beautiful and the staff is very helpful and personable. I was surprised, however, by the size of our rooms and the layout of the bathroom. We were all placed in single dorm rooms within a narrow hallway. The rooms are small, with only a desk, bed, and night table. The bathroom was a complete culture shock and it took me time to get adjusted to the “normal” here. The shower is, in a sense, the entire bathroom. A drain is located in the center of the floor in front of the toilet. To shower, a curtain is pulled in front of the toilet and the sink. It was unlike any bathroom I had ever been in. Also, laundry is not as common here, as there are only 2 washers and 2 dryers for the entire campus. Dryers, in particular, are uncommon in Italy, as most people hang their clothing out windows and on clothes lines to dry. I had a difficult time adjusting to what was “normal” here, for life in the United States is entirely different. Although life is different here, I am enjoying every moment. Not being in constant touch with social media and not having my iPhone has been somewhat of a struggle, for we are all absorbed with technology back at home. Here, I am freed from those distractions and I can focus on the culture around me and absorb more than I would ever be able to with such distractions.
I am learning everyday and noticing aspects of life that differ in Italy compared to the United States. It is interesting and heart-warming to see how friendly the locals are. For instance, customers are greeted and welcomed at family owned restaurants and deli’s making them feel a part of the family. Last night, we had dinner at an Agriturismo. The owner of this local restaurant, an older man, introduced himself to our group and even joined us for some portions of the meal. He began to partake in some games, such as arm wrestling against the boys, and even took us on a tourof the wine cellar. This was an amazing experience that is very uncommon for local diners to see. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal there and are eager to visit again before our adventures in Italy come to an end.
