Next week, I am looking forward to starting Professor Gupta’s Corporate Social Responsibility course. The objective of this course is to understand the ways in which ethics play a role in company practices. The main question we are going to explore is whether companies’ only goal is to create profits, or are companies also expected to better society. Our goal is to answer this question by looking at many different present-day challenges that companies are facing. Many of these challenges are due to societal pressures and exploring what is ethical. In my WSJ post this week, I read about commercial real estate and the implications of high property values. This led me to think about retail in a new form by exploring who has power in the market. I noticed that well-known, luxury brands have more power in the market than most other brands. It was very interesting to read others’ posts and view the comments. In this class, we will continue to collaborate and discuss together and in groups so that we are able to hear many different perspectives and opinions on these topics. We will explore different types of corporate governance and how companies use, or do not use, CSR practices.

Today I had my first Internship Seminar class with Professor Swain and Gupta. I gained a lot of insight into some of the differences in the work culture between the United States and Italy. It was very interesting to hear about my classmates’ first experiences on the job. Some common themes that my classmates mentioned were that unlike Americans, Italians put more emphasis on breaks throughout the workday. We talked a lot about the lunch break and coffee breaks that Italians take seriously. Most workplaces have one hour dedicated specifically for lunch which they will spend together. This class was also very helpful as Professor Swain gave us valuable tips that I will take with me throughout my work. Some of her tips included always asking questions, proving yourself first, and being proactive. I also learned to always say yes to coffee, stay in touch, be flexible and schedule your days. Finally, we talked about cultural behaviors and attitudes from the Cultural Analysis Toolkit. This helped me understand the many different ways in which cultures can differ from each other. Some categories included status, authority, involvement, collaboration and time. It is clear that working in Italy is an adjustment, but understanding the cultural differences is important when starting the work. 

On Monday, I started the first day of my internship at SuiteFood. SuiteFood is an organic, vegan food company that produces coconut powder that is used to replace sugar or artificial sweeteners in drinks. According to their website, “​​SuiteFood transforms the passion for sustainable nutrition into delicious coconut-based products. We combine taste and respect for the planet in every bite.” (Suitefood). At SuiteFood, I will be working on the marketing side where I will create videos that can be posted on TikTok, Instagram, or the SuiteFood website. The goal of my work is to introduce SuiteFood to the US market. I was nervous to go in on my first day because I did not know what to expect. I started out by going to my boss, Emmanuela’s house. Something I have learned is that many Italians work from their home if possible to reduce the rent costs. I met her 7 year-old son and her husband, who also works from home. It was very interesting to start my day at my bosses house, but it allowed me to experience more Italian culture. I was able to try the coconut powder, which I thought tasted very good. Emmanuela was telling me about the many ways that this product can be used. It can be mixed with coffee, water, milk, smoothies, or used as an ingredient in meals. Since there was a lot of noise in her house, we walked to a nearby workspace that had many tables of people working and a bar for drinks. Here, I researched more about the product so that I could better understand what I am selling. Before I started making the videos, it was important that I understood exactly what the product was and the benefits behind the product. I spent most of the first and second day collecting this research. There are many benefits to coconuts including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-modulating properties. I plan to implement the research that I collected into the videos that I create. Tomorrow, I am hoping that I will start creating the content.

Upon arriving in Italy on the morning of Wednesday, May 22nd, I was eager to explore the city. After I settled in at Aparto, I walked around the city, grabbed lunch and did some shopping. I was truly taken aback by seeing the Duomo for the first time. It is such a pretty building, and I love that it is right in the center of the city. It is a very lively place which makes it fun to gather with people. The first time taking the tram was a culture-shock as the doors closed before I got in. I would say I have improved my public transportation skills since then. On Saturday, I went on the day trip with IES to Lake Maggiore. Just looking through the bus window on the ride in, I could tell this place was spectacular. By boat, we ventured to three different islands on the lake. The first island was Isola Madre. Here, we walked through the English Garden and the Borromeo Palace. It was hard to believe that the Borromeo Family used to have the entire island all to themselves. Next, we had lunch at Fisherman’s Island. This Island, which is home to 50 inhabitants, had the most buildings with lots of restaurants. I got a great pasta with spinach and ricotta. The last island we went to was Isola Bella. This translates to “Beautiful Island” which definitely fits the name. Also owned by the Borromeo Family, there was a large castle on this island and behind the castle was a beautiful botanic garden. This island was definitely the most touristy out of the three and there were many people at the garden, in addition to the three peacocks. After we got back to Milan on Saturday night, we tried to go to the AC Milan soccer game. Unfortunately, the tickets did not work so we could not go into the stadium. You win some, you lose some, and somehow AC Milan ended up tying to one of the worst teams in the league. It was still fun to see the massive stadium and listen to the erupting crowd from outside San Siro. I loved exploring Lake Maggiore and am looking forward to continuing to explore in and around Milan.