When arriving in Milan, I had very little clue as to what to expect. Upon arrival from my flight from Newark Airport, I was able to learn much about the culture and certain “norms” visible in the city. We were greeted by IES representatives after getting our luggage, who took us on an hour long bus ride to our accommodation. When on the bus, I was able to get an idea on what living in a “town” in Italy looked like. Houses were very close to each other, and there were many hills within the landscape. After arriving at Aparto (our living accommodation), and viewing my living space, I set out for my first meal in Milan. At this restaurant, Mescusi, they make their own pasta, and you can order a pre-made combination, or customize your own dish. To get between restaurants, Aparto, and other areas, I had to learn how to navigate Milan’s well-developed public transportation system. There are trams, buses, and the Metro, that make getting around the city accessible.
One of the first large cultural differences I noticed occurred when I attended the welcome reception for the IES in Milan program. It was a dinner reception, but it only had small plates that we in the United States would consider appetizers. I soon learned that in Italy, lunch is the big meal of the day, emphasized by the fact that work offices take a full break for at least an hour for this meal. After this reception, some friends and I walked to the Duomo, which was filled with celebration since a Milan soccer team had recently won.
On our second day in Milan, we had orientation to IES. We visited some of the buildings we will have to frequently use during our stay, including the IES center and our classroom for our course on corporate social responsibility, as well as the internship seminar. After this, we had dinner with our IES representative Francesco. I find having Francesco around to be very fulfilling, since he can help me better understand the life of an Italian student vs. the life of a student from the United States.
This summer, I will be working at Clarkson Hyde, a firm that includes accountants and lawyers. I started work there on Wednesday, where I was greeted by the employees, only a few who speak English. The employees were very interested in my background: where I was from, what my education is like back home, but to even be able to ask me these questions, they had to first ask one of the employees who could speak English, going through a sort of translator system. While I have not yet received my project assignment at Clarkson Hyde, I spent at least the first day learning about the difference in regulatory accounting rules between the United States and Italy.
My first days in Milan were mostly devoted to acclimation. I wanted to adjust to living in a new country, understanding the area I was in, and learning about cultural differences that I will have to adapt to. Now that I have the fundamental tools and background to explore Milan and engage with the culture, I am excited for the coming weeks, where I can make the most of this opportunity I was given.
