Picking up from last week’s entry, on Sunday, Sara, Kat, Sachi, Lilly, Brian, Jimmy, Ian, Sylvia, Neave and I all traveled to Venice for the day. We didn’t go with any set plan in mind, but rather walked the streets and went into shops and restaurants that piqued our interest. I have always dreamed of going to Venice, and it was really a dream come true. The canals were beautiful, and it was fun to see the crowds at Saint Mark’s Basilica. My favorite part was just walking down little alleyways and side streets, as every turn we made brought a new picturesque view and a different vibe. Another highlight of the week was playing basketball against some other Aparto residents on Tuesday. It was fun to see how a sport like basketball can bring people together despite a language barrier/having a completely different life experience. This week, I discovered possibly my favorite pizza yet: Alice’s carbonara pizza. Alice is a chain, and after having their carbonara pizza once, I went back two other times to get it. I am looking forward to this weekend in which I will be traveling to Barcelona with some others.

This week at work, I really have gotten to know my boss Sergio. I can tell he is making an effort to include me and welcome me into their family-like office culture which I have greatly appreciated. On Wednesday, I went to lunch with the head technical director of the company, Mauro. Sergio and a client ended up coming to the same restaurant, so we moved to a larger table and all ate together. They asked me about what the universities were like in America, and about why I chose my specific major. On my way home that day, Sergio and I rode the metro together and talked about what AI will look like in the future. It was interesting to hear his take on the matter, and he said that the Italian government has talked about limiting these technological advancements. Before traveling to Italy, while I have never worked in an office environment before, I imagined it to be very individual and impersonal. When I think of an office, I think of everyone in their own cubicle focused on their own task. My view has since changed, as in this office, everyone works together, asks each other for help, meets regularly to discuss progress, and sits at one large table during the work day. I feel like I am gaining intercultural communication skills and learning how to express myself and my opinions in a clear manner understandable to those who may not speak English the best.

I really enjoyed our Monday and Wednesday classes this week. On Monday, I enjoyed hearing everyone’s take on the student loan forgiveness plan and discussing the expense associated with going to college and how that can be a barrier for many. The debate that followed regarding the business roundtable signed document was entertaining while also educational. I had not considered before that a document such as this, while it does not set specific goals, can at least start a conversation regarding ethical behavior. I like how this class has forced me to critically think as if I was a policy maker or corporation owner. With certain policies and commonly debated issues, I have had strong opinions and sometimes want to criticize business owners for their decisions. Now, I can see how most issues are not so black and white. I have learned that it is really easy to have an opinion as an outsider, but once you are the one making the decisions and have the potential to face major personal consequences it is not so easy. This kind ties into the movie, Civil Action, that we watched on Wednesday. In my opinion, the lawyer, Jan, did the honorable thing in seeing the trail all the way through, and fighting for justice. However, seeing the fallout of that decision proved that maybe his decision should not be respected, and he may have let his pride get the best of him. I am excited to talk further about this film in class, and would like to pose the question: Do you think Jan made an honorable decision in continuing to pursue the trial and try to take down the big corporations, or is this a case of one’s hubris getting the best of them?