One of the many small towns close to the CIMBA campus

Author: Mason Berres | major: Business Economics | Semester: Summer 2023

Academics:

I decided to attend CIMBA because of the unique experience it offered me, its location in Italy, and the incredible things previous experiencers had to say about it. I had heard about this program through various friends of mine who had attended it, their experiences were all different, but one thing was constant- they all loved it. Each of these people were fundamentally different at their cores, however, they all experienced the same joy and each one of them came back with a different air about them. As a business major this program was very beneficial to me because it is mainly business focused, however, I was still able to peruse my legal studies minor. Additionally, the CIMBA program offers every student the ability to visit companies through program sponsored tours. I was able to see how Italian companies operate up close and personal. As for my professional goals, it enabled me to see the world on a more in-depth scale, to understand international trade and the differences in the legal scope. Through the CIMBA program you take two classes. I chose to take Global economics and Introduction to Law. Global Economics allowed me to think about international trade on a larger scale. We identified tariffs and trade barriers as well as the politics that go into a trade negotiation or decision. Through my Introduction to Law class, I was able to further develop my passion for legal studies. The classes at CIMBA are quite different from those at the U of A in that they are much smaller. As you would expect from a study abroad program, both of my classes had about 30 people in them. This enabled students and professors to get to know one another and have more engaging and intellectually stimulating conversations than you would get in a large lecture hall.

Culture:

There’s quite a cultural difference from life in America to life in Italy. One of the biggest differences is that life in Italy moves slower. The CIMBA campus is located in a small village called Paderno Del Grappa, there’s not much going on there, and everything is a short walk away. On one of the last days in Paderno, I accompanied a couple of my friends to the local café. Now what so interesting is that café rarely offer to-go cups. One can suggest many reasons why for this, but I think the main reason is because heavily engrained in their culture is the idea of enjoying the moment. I saw many people come through that café and all of them took the time to order and drink their coffee while socializing with the people that were there as well.

Advice:

I would absolutely recommend this program to any student, more so to those perusing a business degree or perhaps a business minor since the classes offered are more business centered. However, you could very well still attend this program if you weren’t doing anything business related, you’d just have a smaller opportunity for classes that would contribute to your academic goals. Something I wish I would’ve known before going on the program is how far away from everything the CIMBA campus is. The campus is nestled in at the base of the Italian alps so it’s in a remote location, rather than in a bustling city like Rome or Florence. However, because you are so remote you get to see the real Italian lifestyle, move slower, and take in the breath-taking views of the Italian countryside. Additionally, I’ve never struggled with allergies before and there were some nights where I couldn’t breathe because the pollen was so bad. So, make sure to pack all your medications and allergy pills because it can be a hassle to find those things in a country where you don’t speak the language. Also, the food there is very centered around pasta and pizza so if you do attend, get ready. I ate so many carbs that the first thing I’m going to so when I get home is eat a whole plate of protein.