When in Rome!

Author: Hannah Turner | Majors: Supply Chain Management, Marketing | Semester: Summer 2023

I studied abroad this summer through the CIMBA program, a choice I would make a million times over again. I chose this program for many reasons that all proved to be true. I had heard about it through previous students and continued to hear them rave about their great time in Northern Italy, so I continued to research it. It is located in the small town of Paderno del Grappa. A smaller town holds more comfort and culture, so I wanted to go and immerse myself in it. There are also long travel weekends included during the four weeks, so I knew I would be able to travel to all the places I had been dreaming about easily. Lastly, I had heard how beneficial and entertaining the classes were from former students, so I knew it would benefit my academic career as well. Both of the classes I took taught me academic and professional lessons I would not have learned if I did not attend CIMBA. There are weekly field trips with each class where we were given the chance to tour Italian companies and see how they work in a different country. Both of my instructors were University of Arkansas alumni, so I was very lucky to have made new connections with them. I took the Global Consumer with Molly Rapert and Storytelling in Marketing with Heather Nelson. Both of these courses were discussion based and only had about 30 people in each, which is unlike any class I have ever taken at the U of A. This was something I greatly enjoyed because not only did we learn from our instructors, but we learned from our peers and were forced to think deeply during each lesson. The CIMBA family is one that lasts a lifetime and I will forever cherish the fact that I am now a part of it.

The food in Italy is absolutely outstanding and it is worth every second to wait in line and go out of your way to get the best food you can find! In each city, there is architecture older than we could imagine, so walking miles around these historic cities was so interesting. The culture shock was very real when I first stepped foot in Italy, from the everyday slow pace to the simple dining experiences. The locals really enjoy getting to know their customers, so interacting with them was a blast. Hearing their cultural differences and stories is something I will remember for the rest of my life and taught me so much about the world outside of the U.S..

The CIMBA program was the best decision I have ever made and I would recommend it over and over again. Being in a small town allowed all 300 students to bond in such a special way and I have made friendships that will last a lifetime. The central location also had many benefits, and yes, the transportation in all of Europe is much more accessible than in America, but it can also be confusing. Figuring out how to get from one place to the other was challenging. Then adding the chance of getting onto the wrong train… it can be difficult. My advice is to download the RometoRio app, and simply ask for help when you need it. Something I wish I had known beforehand was not to make plans for anything over the weekends. Plans change constantly and it would have been easier to go with the flow and take suggestions from others on their previous travels. It is very easy to book a train and an AirBNB just a week before. Although the food was great, Italy does not know TexMex, so the first thing I will be doing when I get home is ordering a large bowl of queso!