Our first week in Milan was finally here! The first few days here consisted of a lot of orientation meetings, and learning about how to navigate the city and transportation system. We had some walking tours where we learned where our classrooms would be, and where the IES center was. The first day ended with a welcome apperetivo where we went to the top of a tower for a great view of the city. As Friday approached, so did our first trip. We visited Lago Maggiore on Saturday with the IES program. I loved visiting all of the islands by boat, and exploring the gardens. Isobella was the final island we visited, and was definitely my favorite. I have added some pictures below from the trip. The very next day, some of us had planned to go to Cinque Terre, Monterosso. This was truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve been, and it was so relaxing to swim in the Mediterranean Sea. We ate breakfast and lunch right at the beach, and enjoyed the food, drinks, and view.
For my internship, I am working at a start-up company called Simplifhy. Their mission is to reduce carbon emissions by implementing hydrogen as an alternative energy source. They mainly consult for other companies, and produce and connect them with the right products that are needed. On my first interview call, we discussed how I could help their team, and we decided that I would create a business plan for one of their current ideas. On my first day, I was greeted by my boss, Sergio, and we got coffee together. When we went into their Milan office, I learned that no other people there spoke English except for me and Sergio, so he had to translate what the others working there were saying. I found it interesting how it seemed like the people working there were all connected in some way – either they were related or had known each other before working there. Sergio introduced me to the granddaughter of a woman who oversees the office, and we got lunch together that first day. It was great to talk to a person native to Milan, and she shared some insight with me about what it is like to live here.
In terms of the class, I especially enjoyed discussing whether or not the government should focus efforts on protecting investors. I had never considered that investors would need protection because, after all, they get to decide what they invest in, so I always thought they should assume all the risks that come along with their decisions. It was interesting to see the class poll results as they pertained to questions regarding what the government should and should not be more involved in, and how these responses could sometimes conflict with each other. After reading two of the articles posted to Coursesite, I learned more about the open market structure, and what types of stressors can affect our current economic system. I am looking forward to more discussions in the coming weeks, as I feel this class will be very valuable and relatable to my future endeavors.
