Home Sweet Home...

Doing this study abroad program was an experience like no other. I will take the teachings I've learned from this program back home with me and apply them to everyday life. Learning about Hofstede's dimensions of culture has taught me to compare and contrast different cultures in various ways. Not only have I learned from the business class itself, but also from the Italian people and culture in everyday living. Different from how we operate in the United Staes, in my opinion, Italians are much more connected with one another and show appreciation, love, anger, and more in an abundant way compared to Americans. I greatly appreciated that aspect about Italians because, being Indian, we Indians are very expressive as well. 

When I was younger and would go to the grocery store with my family, I felt as if we were the only loud ones among the quiet, calm individuals around us. I would be embarrassed by the fact that we would just stop wherever and start conversations with people and not just go about our day like everyone else. Through this experience, I have learned that it's not just a Punjabi way but also an Italian way to be loud, expressive, and connected which contrasts with the very individualistic, American culture.

This adventure has taught me patience. Being from an area of the world that is always go, go, go, I am glad I had the chance to experience Italy where things go at a much slower pace. For example, the dining experience in Italy was much slower paced, involved less conversation with the server, and, overall, took longer than the average American dining experience. I really believed that, throughout this experience, I would be more of a control freak like I had said in the first blog. But, I learned to slow down and take things day by day. Sometimes things did not go as planned which is normal especially for a trip like this. So, having patience and understanding that it is okay for things to go differently than planned is very important.

One thing I have definitely noticed about myself is I am independent and self-sufficient. These are qualities that I did not know I had. I think because I had most things done for me as a Punjabi daughter, I didn't know I was capable of doing things on my own and being okay with it. Throughout some stressful moments, I pulled myself together and got through it. I was not expecting that because I didn't realize I had that in me. I really like the new person that has emerged from this experience, or the person that has always been there but just not seen. As fun as this adventure was, I am ready to go home. I miss my family, my room, and my favorite foods. I am planning on jumping into a huge bucket of wings as my first meal when I get back to Seattle.