Getting Lost with No Service and By Myself in the Italian Mountains
Author: Steicy Lopez | Major: International Business | Semester: Fall 2022
It was important for me to choose a program that would further my academic and career goals. CIMBA ended up being the perfect program for me because of the professors, classes, and additional academic activities offered.
The professors at CIMBA are incredibly prepared with extensive international business experience. It was truly so inspiring to hear about their careers and an honor to get to learn from them. The professors were well equipped to answer questions within and outside the classroom. Also, they had very different backgrounds that really enhanced the classes. Not only, that but they were great at teaching and explaining the material in an approachable way. Due to this, the classes were structured with a practical mindset. Everything I learned in these classes I know I will use again, and they will be part of your job if you plan to go into international business.
In the same vein, some of these classes are just much more practical if taken while studying abroad. For example, in international marketing, we were able to understand the culture shock marketers face when doing business in a new country by reflecting on our own experiences. The level of understanding and weight of what you learn in the classroom is heightened when you are also living it.
Lastly, CIMBA offers other activities that brought the entire experience together. LIFE I and LIFE II are leadership programs that will demand 100% of your attention and effort. I learned through these programs that I am capable of much more than I imagined, and I gained clarity on my academic goals. Included in the program were two company tours where we gained insight into local Italian businesses. Talking to the CEOs, asking about how they approach international markets, and learning about their failures has given me invaluable knowledge. We also had the opportunity of taking dining etiquette, KT problem solving, and decision-making workshops.
Of course, while studying aboard many experiences outside of the classroom are just as important. The CIMBA campus is located in a small town with a population of around 2,000 people. This was one of my favorite parts of the program because it forces you to fully immerse yourself in the culture. It is the exact opposite of a tourist location and allows you to build real relationships with the people there. That said, there were many opportunities to venture out. Some of the highlights for me were hiking up and paragliding off of Mt. Grappa, finishing the Path of Gods on the Amalfi Coast, getting a personal pizza making lesson, watching the Christmas lights turn on in Ljubljana, and riding a camel on a restricted national park in Lanzarote.
I hesitate to say that I recommend this program for all students because of the intensity and rigor. However, if you are a business student that is looking to challenge themselves, earn real-world experience, and build lifelong relationships, this is the program for you. With that said, my biggest piece of advice for students attending CIMBA is to be flexible. This sounds so simple, but it is one of the most difficult things to practice. It is almost guaranteed that something throughout your study abroad experience will go wrong. I noticed that students who didn’t have set expectations and fixations enjoyed the experience significantly more. Still, if this is difficult for you, don’t get discouraged. Personally, I love to plan and have things go as expected. But the LIFE program at CIMBA prepares you to roll with the punches. My phone was stolen while traveling, I got lost by myself in the Italian mountains with no service and got COVID-19 during my study abroad. These are all things that would have been so devastating had I not been through the program and been surrounded with such optimistic people. From the someone who got the superlative “A series of unfortunate events”, there is a solution to every situation. Make an effort to be flexible, if you aren’t already, this program will help you improve.