This week in Professor Gupta’s class everyone presented their final presentations on the topic they were given for their research paper. I learned many things about a variety of topics including cancel culture, the negative effects of social media, companies and their environmental disasters, etc.. I enjoyed hearing about everyone’s research, findings, and final opinions on their topic. We also discussed Kiara’s Wall Street Journal entry about Boeing and whether they should plead guilty to the charges they are faced with or go forward to trial. This article was very alarming. If pleading guilty would be their best option to keep prosecutors from finding more evidence against their wrongdoing then what else are they hiding?

In Professor Swain’s class, we started off with a few tips from Professor Gupta about interviewing for future internships/jobs. We then did an activity where we answered sample interview questions with a partner without any preparation which was kind of difficult as I am someone who likes to be fully prepared when it comes to that kind of thing. We then went into our group presentations about the topic of our choosing regarding some aspects of Italian culture. I learned a lot about Italian sustainability considering there were so many presentations on the topic (mine included). It was also interesting to hear about the “Made in Italy” certification as well as how race and stereotypes play into people’s lives here in Italy.

In Sophia and I’s internship this week, we did all of the usual activities but were invited to get lunch on Monday with our boss and with a few of our coworkers on Wednesday which was very nice. We also went to an event on Tuesday after class where our boss, Donato was hosting a Q&A with clients (or potential future clients it was hard to tell since everyone was speaking in Italian). I enjoyed spending time with them outside of the work setting and am starting to get sentimental about leaving. Our last day in person was Wednesday so we sadly had to say goodbye and I will miss working with everyone greatly as they were so friendly and welcoming toward Sophia and me. 

This past weekend was pretty relaxing because I just stayed in Milan, walked around, and did homework. On Friday, Sophia and I went to the QC Terme Milano Spa since Milan is known for its spas. We got massages, swam in the pool, and laid out in the sun. We also ate lunch there and got a free apertivo which was really nice. This morning I went to see the inside of the duomo for the first time since coming here! It was beautiful on the inside and we also got to see the views from the terraces and although there a lot of construction you could still see a decent view of the city. Tonight we are going to Bar Basso, which is the birthplace of the Negroni Sbagliato, and I am very excited! Overall, I am very grateful for this program and all of the new friends and memories I made along the way 🙂

This week in Professor Gupta’s class we discussed many topics including the Apple case study, the movies Erin Brockovich and Civil Action, and multiple Wall Street Journal articles. We discussed the horrors of Apple’s dirty supply chain. This is something that surprised me because even though Apple is a large corporation I have always viewed them as a company that operates ethically and it made me sad to learn that I was wrong. As for the movies we watched this week I found both of them very interesting and entertaining. It is sad that large corporations can get away with so much due to all the money, power, and influence they possess. It is almost impossible to expose these companies because no one wants to speak up mostly out of fear of what will happen if they do. 

In Professor Swain’s class this week we talked a lot about our resumes and watched a video about tips for public speaking. I added Easylife into my resume which felt nice because it kind of felt like an accomplishment. I learned a lot from the video about public speaking, but I think it will be hard for me to implement the advice the man in the video gave because I have so many nervous ticks when I speak publicly. I tend to do things like play with my hair and say like or um a lot. I try not to do those things but when I think about it I almost do them more. I have just never felt really comfortable in front of a group of people even if it is just my classmates. I also really enjoyed the networking even last week. I used it as a sort of bonding time with my coworker since my boss couldn’t attend and it was nice to get to know her more.

In my actual internship this week I just kept working on the competitors’ marketing presentation and helped out with a few Instagram posts. I had Alessia (my coworker) look over my work on the presentations and she didn’t change anything on them really so that must have meant I was doing a good job. We didn’t see our boss this week which was kind of annoying, but he’s a busy man. It’s hard to tell if he is even in the office because his door is always closed. I just kept working with Sophia and our 3 other coworkers. I like them a lot and will be sad when we say goodbye next week. 

This past weekend me and a group of friends went to Florence which was really pretty and fun to walk around. The only downside was that it was extremely hot on Saturday which made it hard to do a lot of things and made everyone really tired. We did a lot of shopping and saw various famous things in Florence like the Duomo and the School of Leather. We also got to the Tour de France racers ride around Florence which was really cool to see as we didn’t know it was even happening until the day before. We went to a couple of really good restaurants and for my birthday I went out to dinner with my brother who is backpacking around Europe and happened to be in Florence at the same time. We also celebrated Cara’s birthday on Sunday! It was overall a really nice weekend!!

The Tour de France racers!

This week in Professor Gupta’s class we watched videos and talked a lot about the topic of stakeholder capitalism and whether or not it is real and actually can be implemented. We debated on the topic of whether the Business Round Table’s 2019 statement was actually filled with substance or not which was really interesting because we got to hear arguments from both sides of the argument. We also had discussions about several Wall Street Journal articles like California’s new transportation laws and Eli Lilly’s new drug controversy which were very spirited. I also had fun writing an opinion piece on the topic of stakeholder capitalism because it’s something that I’ve come to learn a lot about through the class and have been able to form a somewhat strong opinion on.

In my internship this week Sophia and I continued to work on the presentations we were given feedback on last week. I do find it interesting as it pertains to my major, but one day this week we spent two hours sorting/matching up keychains for the company’s apartments which was pretty monotonous and boring but it made the time go by fast. Due to the strike on Wednesday our boss told us to work from home so we wouldn’t have any trouble getting to and from work which was really nice! I asked the girl that I work under if she wanted me to come in on Thursday instead because I am normally remote on Thursdays, but she told me I didn’t have to switch days and could be remote for the rest of the week. Sophia’s and I’s work environment is very relaxed and flexible which I really enjoy.

This past weekend me and a couple of friends explored Ibiza which was such a cool experience! We went to the beach on Friday during the day and at night went to a concert to se Calvin Harris which was my favorite part of the trip. On Saturday we explored the Ibiza castle which had great views from the top, walked around a famous local market, and then laid out on the beach for the rest of the day. I got my sister and I matching bracelets at the market and the water at the beach was so clear, blue and shallow so you could walk out really far. The beaches we went to were also sand which was a nice change of pace from the pebbly beaches we have been to so far.

This week in Professor Gupta’s class we listened to a podcast about capitalism, debated the importance of corporate social responsibility, and finished the film, “The Corporation”. While it was clear that the side of the debate that argued that companies should incorporate CSR was easier to debate I think those arguing the other side did a good job and were able to come up with a good amount of content. The documentary we watched continued to shock me with all of the negative aspects of corporations. The aspects of child labor, the privatization of water including rainwater, and the drugs used on animals that produce items humans consume were all brought up and it made me sad this is our world now.

During our internship seminar this week we talked about different stereotypes that Italians have about Americans, our communication styles, and how ethnocentric we think we are. We talked about bella/brutta figura which is kind of like how someone is perceived and their etiquette. Some stereotypes that Italians think about Americans are that we drink too much and that we don’t dress for the weather. We filled out multiple activities to find out how ethnocentric we are and where we would fall on a scale from denial to fully immersed in the other culture. I put myself in the acceptance category because while I realize and respect our cultures have differences it is hard for me to assimilate.

At my internship this week I got to go to my first apartment photoshoot which was very cool. I watched them stage the apartment with table settings and flowers for the pictures which will then be put on the listing for the apartment. Me and sophia’s boss also gave us some feedback on the presentations we have been working on. He gave us slideshows on the companies competitors which had previous information on them and asked us to add stuff based on what we are doing in school (finance and marketing). Even though we have been emailing them to him for the past 3 weeks he just looked at them today and told us they were unorganized even though that is how they were given to us. He then asked us to remake the presentations completely and add another marketing presentation including all of the companies which was a little frustrating because he could have told us this weeks ago if he had bothered to look at our work.

As for culture this week, we visited Nice which was absolutely beautiful and I want to go back already. The food in Nice was delicious and the water was so blue and not that cold. I wasn’t a huge fan of the rocky beaches because they hurt my feet alot. My brother came to visit along with two of my best friends from home so I got to show them around Milan a little bit and show them my favorite spots. My brother and I also took a cooking class which was very fun and it was delicious. Meals are a lot more enjoyable when you are the one that has put in the hard work to make the food.

In Professor Gupta’s class this week we watched a really interesting documentary based on the book “The Corporation”. It was kind of alarming to watch because it exposed all of the negative parts of corporations and how dangerous they can be. I feel like more people need to do more research about the companies they are choosing to give their money to. Big corporations continue to do what they want because people continue to buy their products without knowing what is going on behind the scenes. If people were more educated on the topic they can actually make a difference by giving their money to companies that actually care about corporate social responsibility.  Every week I enjoy hearing about a new person’s Wall Street Journal article and then debating with the class about the topic at hand. 

 

I really enjoyed the internship seminar this week. I liked the activity where we had to try to explain some aspects of American culture to an Italian. Some of these things are “Why do people wear merchandise from their college?” or “Why do people cry after the presidential election is over?”. It is interesting to find out what aspects of American culture foreigners find weird. I also liked hearing about other students’ workplace culture in terms of whether it was means or goal-oriented or if it was employee-oriented or not. We also talked about different regions in Italy and some native foods of those areas, one of which I actually got to try on the alpine trip the past weekend.

 

Since last week there isn’t much else that is new. I work in person Monday-Wednesday and then remotely on Thursday and Friday which is nice! There have been a lot more people coming in and out of the office this week so I have met more people. Sophia and I have just been working on the presentations about the company’s competitors and we send them to our boss when we are done. We always get offered coffee and snacks by our coworkers which is very nice of them and they are very talkative as usual! I wish we were given a little more responsibility because sometimes I just end up doing work for our classes and not for the actual internship.

 

Since the last blog was at the end of the weekend I have already covered the alpine retreat which was very fun! This weekend we are headed to Nice, France and I am very excited to see the French coast even though I have heard that it is pretty rocky. I want to take more advantage of the weekdays because I don’t explore the city as much as I should. By the time I am done with my internship, and class, and have worked out it’s so late and I’m so tired that I don’t want to do anything but stay in and order food. My brother is coming to Milan this weekend so I am excited to see him when I get back and my best friends from home came to visit! I look forward to showing them around the city!

 

I have really enjoyed the discussion-based classes we have had with Professor Gupta. It is really interesting to hear different points of views people have of different topics like WSJ articles and the assigned readings. I enjoy the topic of corporate social responsibility and everything that falls under that umbrella. This class pushes me out of my comfort zone and forces me to learn about things I am not very well educated on which I appreciate. I have read some pretty interesting articles lately, the one I wrote my summary on being a lawsuit against the NFL. I am looking forward to another great week of class and more informative and spirited discussions with my peers.

I found our last internship seminar class very interesting as I like discussing the topic of ethics and morals since the topic is very subjective. It was interesting to hear everyone’s different take on the case study we read in class as well as the debate at the end of class. I also thought the metaphors of the peach and coconut were very creative. I personally think I’m more of a coconut person because I’m not super outgoing so it takes me a little time for me to warm up to people, but once I do I’m fine. At the same time, I also think I could be considered more of a peach by other people because I am very nice to people I don’t know, but am shy so that is why I think I match the coconut better.

I have finally come to a good understanding of my schedule when it comes to my internship. They are very flexible, but most days we try to be there at 9:30 but if there are issues with transportation they tell us not to worry if we are late. I have started going in 3 -3 ½ days a week depending on the week and the other days work remotely which is a nice balance. Sophia and I are still working on the analysis of the company’s competitors as it seems like more of a long term project. Our boss however rarely checks in with us, most days he comes to say hello and then has meetings or is in and out of the office all day. Luckily the head of the marketing department is who I report to and she is very good with communication.

This weekend a group of went on the IES Alpine Adventure trip which was very nice. I thought my favorite part of the trip would be our day in Lake Como, but I actually liked the day in the mountains more than I thought I would. Earlier this week we had a wine tasting with just the Lehigh group and that was really cool to learn about all the ways to identify wine and how to look more professional when tasting the wine. I look forward to the weekends because that is when i get to explore the most because most days I am so tired because of work or school or both that I struggle to do much else.

Sophia with espresso shot in the Office!

Photoshoot by the Lake!

Made a new animal friend at the hostel!

For my second WSJ article, I found an article that I really thought related to my life and my future in the workforce. It talked about how networking is reemerging as an extremely important tool for those entering the job search. I find it interesting that so many companies are using AI because it says a lot about the company and what they value because they are choosing to shy away from actually getting to know candidates personally. I am looking forward to our first class and am excited to discuss this topic in class as well as the Goldman Sachs article about globalization and what it means for multiple economic factors. 

 

We have not had a second internship seminar since that last blog post, but I am excited to reflect on my week for our assignment! I have learned to be a lot more flexible when it comes to the scheduling and timing of everything which has helped my stress about the internship. I also say yes to every coffee and some of Sophia and I’s coworkers have asked us to walk around the city with them so we must be doing something right! I am excited to start a new week and hopefully get lunch with our coworkers as that is something we haven’t done yet. I have not really seen them eat lunch yet so that might have been after we ended at 1 but I hope they ask us this week!

At work, they have started giving Sophia and me more responsibilities so I think that they are starting to trust us more which is nice! I also really like the girl I work under, Alessia. She gives feedback on all of my work and offers to work through it with me and I help her work on her English so we are both helping each other. Donato, our boss, has given Sophia and I the assignment of doing research on all of Easylife’s competitors and making a presentation on each company which will take a long time to do, but I like having a long term project. Everyone has been very welcoming and I am excited to start another week!

Finally, I did a lot this week in regard to traveling and immersing myself in the culture. I really enjoyed our alpine adventure on Saturday. The hike was and ropes course were very fun and the lake was beautiful and a very rewarding endpoint to the hike. I was not expecting so much snow to be in the mountain in June! On Sunday a group of us went to Saint Margherita, in Genoa and it was beautiful! We went swimming, laid out on the beach, and went shopping. The water was very nice and it was a beautiful day even though the weather wasn’t forecasted to be great. Overall it was a really fun week!

Places our Italian Professor recommended to us to eat!

The view from our hike on Saturday

The boats in Saint Margherita!

As we have not started Professor Gupta’s class yet I cannot report on the contents of the class. What I can talk about is the information I have learned through the WSJ articles I have read due to the WSJ article summary assignment and just the articles I get emails about in general. WSJ has many topics that I find very interesting from sports, to real estate, to food and lifestyle. The article that I chose to focus on was about the justice department suing Live Nation/Ticketmaster to limit their monopoly and foster more competition in the ticket sales and live entertainment market. Other than that I have read a couple of articles about real estate and the arrest of Scottie Scheffler and look forward to reading about more topics! Normally I am not someone who reads the newspaper or pays much attention to the news so I believe this class will be very eye-opening to me and allow me to broaden my knowledge of various topics

I really enjoyed today’s internship seminar. I thought it was really comforting to know that some people are going through the same culture shocks in the workplace as I am. I also liked listening to other people’s experiences in their internships that are different from my own experience so far. Professor Swain has given us very good advice so far about how to adapt and thrive in such an unfamiliar environment and I appreciate her for it. I think it is very cool that things that would be considered not a big deal in the United States like getting coffee or lunch with someone hold a lot more value here in Italy. I am however not a huge fan of how relaxed the work culture is especially when it comes to timing and scheduling. While I am pretty go with the flow in most aspects of my life, when it comes to work I would like to have a routine that is not so much “play it by ear”.

I have greatly enjoyed meeting my fellow coworkers and getting to know the ins and outs of Easylife. The people who work there are all very nice and it is a small company which I like. Every day so far I have been offered coffee and I happily agree although i am still getting used to drinking a straight shot of espresso. I work with a woman named Alessia who deals with a lot of the marketing of Easylife and she has been very welcoming to all of my questions and even likes to ask me a lot of questions about the program and life in the United States which I appreciate! So far I have only worked on small tasks like posts for their social media and translating some of their Italian presentations into English so I hope that I will be able to start working on bigger, more important tasks soon. I will say however I am not a fan about the response I get when asking about my weekly schedule. I would like to know what to expect for the week so I can plan out my days, but most of the responses havebeen “text me on whatsapp later and we can figure it out” or telling me the morning of what time I should come in. It is kind of frustrating, but I am hoping that as the internship progresses we can reach more of a stable schedule

Finally, my favorite part is talking about all of the things I’ve done so far to try tp immerse myself into the Italian way of life. We visited Lake Maggiore this past weekend which was an amazing day trip. It was beautiful and I had so much fun exploring all of the islands and I am greatly looking forward to our upcoming trip to the Alps this weekend! I have also just loved exploring the streets in Milan. So far my favorite area is Navigli, the canal district, which is extremely close to Aparto. Through our Italian boot camp, I have started trying to use the basics we have learned while I am out and about even if I get a laugh back when I try to speak to someone in Italian. I also went to an AC Milan game which was very exciting and fun to watch because the crowd was so energetic!

Went to the AC Milan Game!!

Boats docked at one of the islands on Lake Maggiore

Me and Sophia in front of the lake!

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the class we had this past Thursday I got to learn about what each part of the program will entail and a little bit more about Professor Gupta as well. Through Professor Gupta’s Corporate Social Responsibility course I hope to learn more about topics that combine social controversies and business practices. I also look forward to engaging in spirited debates and conversations with my classmates about topics we read about for class. This also gives me the opportunity to read about issues that I personally find interesting and go out of my comfort zone to be a part of these conversations. I also do not pay a lot of attention to the news so this class allows me to gain knowledge about current events.

Due to the fact that I do not have a lot of experience in the business world, I believe the Internship Seminar will be very beneficial to me. The class can help me build my professional skills and prepare me for life post-graduation. I am not a super extroverted person so situations like interviews and presentations make me kind of nervous and I believe that this course will help me be more comfortable in these situations. Being more comfortable in business-type situations will only benefit me in my search for future internships and eventually a job after college. I think that this class will only help me in the long run.

Although I haven’t gotten an email about my internship opportunity yet, I trust that whatever internship I am matched with will be a good fit. I am a marketing major so I hope that in whatever company I am placed in I will be able to do something in the marketing field. I am also looking forward to having a mentor and someone to teach me the ropes of the company. I am excited to get some professional experience in the corporate world as I do not have much working experience. I am also intrigued to see how working life is in another country. As we learned in our first class with Professor Gupta, they start later in Milan, are more relaxed, and sometimes don’t work on Fridays, compared to the US where the business world is a lot more rigid.

While I am looking forward to all of the educational and professional benefits that this program offers, I am most excited to be able to explore and travel around not just Milan but other countries as well. I love learning about new cultures and their customs as well as seeing all of the touristy sights that each place has to offer. I am extremely looking forward to the two field trips that are planned while we are there. Another thing that I love about going to different countries is eating all of the different foods they have to offer. I want to do and see everything Europe has to offer and I can’t wait to see it all with my friends!