Spending the weekend in Venice

Author: Kate Tournillon | Major: Marketing

This summer, I embarked on a journey like no other when I spent four weeks in Rome, Italy. I studied consumer behavior and global marketing at the University of Arkansas’s Rome Center. I initially chose this program because I was looking to learn about how Italian and European markets differ from the United States’ markets and use that information and cultural understanding in my remaining time at the University of Arkansas and once I enter the workforce. During my courses, I was part of an in-depth dive into the Italian coffee market and compared it to the United States coffee market. I soon learned that in my research, the researcher could understand the cultural influences at hand to research a market comprehensively.

Rome’s nickname is the Eternal City because of its rich history and strong sense of identity; I’ve learned that both flow throughout everyday Roman business. Learning that coffee is driven by the distinct way Italians prefer to enjoy their coffee and not looking at the market solely through an American lens allows me to gain a skill to use in the business world and in my everyday life. I found that while traveling around the country of Italy, especially in Venice.

When I first stepped out of the train station in Venice, I was greeted with a sea breeze and a breathtaking view of the grand canal. It truly felt like a fantasy to be able to wonder and marvel at the streets. After the original shock and awe were gone and I woke up one morning looking for a fresh pastry and cappuccino, I walked into a relatively crowded bar or what the Americans would consider a coffee shop. There seemed to be no structure in how customers placed their orders. People were trying to get a place to stand at the bar to order while some were there sipping espresso and chatting to their friends without care. Once I made my way to the front, I was greeted by one of the employees and asked what I wanted. She made my cappuccino right on the spot and grabbed my croissant, but she didn’t take the Euros I had to pay for my drink. Instead, I had to go through the same process to get to the cash register. The whole process took about 7 minutes, and when I left the café, my first thought was that it was crazy. Where were the lines? But after walking and snacking on my croissant, I acknowledged that I was looking at the situation through my American eyes. I realized that no one in the café was stressed, even the workers. Everyone acted like what was happening was part of their usual morning. While I tend to like a bit more order when ordering my morning coffee, there was nothing wrong with how the Italians were ordering their coffee. It was just my perception of it.

I believe that while I have learned a lot about consumer behavior and global marketing, the most valuable lesson I learned was how to adjust my way of thinking from a closed-minded American to accepting that the way other cultures may do the simplest feels like ordering coffee differently. Still, it doesn’t make it an incorrect way, just unique to their culture and morning routine. Preparing for the cultural shock of a study abroad experience can be challenging. Still, I think the most critical mindset to arrive with is to leave our American attitude behind and appreciate the cultural difference for their beauty.