#6 "After Conference Feelings"

 After Conference Feelings

    The Leadership Conference was amazing for getting to meet the local Italian students. I really got to connect with them and learn more about their culture. This helped me get more immersed within the Italian culture. For example, I was talking with Federico about how I got a cappuccino one evening and he gave me a weird look. I was confused by this so I asked him what was wrong. Federico then explained to me that you only order cappuccino's in the morning. I had no idea that you were looked at differently for getting a cappuccino in the evening so that was really interesting.

    The relationships I made during the conferences have influenced me to dive deeper into the Italian culture. I have found that they are very traditional in the way they do things. For example family dinners are very common and traditional. As well as the way they make their food and the ingredients they use. I have learned this from interacting with the friends I made along with researching for myself.

    Their personal leadership styles are different from American styles. I have noticed that they are more reserved and quite in the way they lead. They do not lead in a bold way, yet they lead in a subtle way. The difference is that the American leadership style is very loud and bold. For example I love to be very energetic and include everyone when I lead. The Italian students lead in a personal, quite one on one conversation to lead.

    I think that it is important to make friends outside of the US so that you can understand more of their culture. For example even their Instagram pages look different. The first time I saw Federico's Instagram I was drawn to the dark mysterious aesthetic of it. I really hope to sustain these friendships I have made while here in Italy. I hope to sustain them so I can see how they are and what they are up to. What I can continue to learn from these Italian students is that I always should give every stranger a chance. This is because even these great Italian students were just strangers that I have never met. Now they are friends that I have shared many conversations with.

Bumper Sticker Activity
Federico Showing me his Instagram
Dinner with Italian Students






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