Gabrielle Randiga, Global Business Institute: Fall 2025
During the fall semester of my junior year, I was fortunate enough to attend the Global Business Institute with CEA CAPA in Florence, Italy. Though there were ups and downs, I learned so much about myself and the world that will stick with me forever. The most valuable part of my program was being able to complete a part-time internship with a local Italian clothing business called Tiche. Throughout the semester, I was afforded a hands-on experience as to what my life could look like if I continue my career aspirations in the world of fashion and international business. Connecting with business owners in Italy through different events and helping to organize a community fashion show event with an almost non-existent budget served as learning opportunities for me that I never would have discovered had I not studied abroad.
Studying in the heart of renaissance art history was another aspect that stood out to me while living in Florence. Many of the streets and buildings I had passed everyday have hundreds of years of history behind them which was incredible to learn about. Consequently, this made me appreciate how easy it was to be present in my daily life, since I was surrounded by buildings and churches full of ornate frescos and centuries old town squares. Lastly, what really stuck out to me when living in Florence was the “working to live” attitude rather than “living to work”. In the United States, it is expected of citizens to constantly be productive and hustle in their everyday habits and work day. However, I truly valued how Italians cherish their downtime. The midday closure of businesses for lunch and lack of 24-hour convenience stores was shocking at first, but I slowly grew an appreciation for this perspective towards life. Overall, there are many ways that this experience will stick with me as I step into the workforce, and I am glad that I cherished the time I spent in my host city of Florence.
Leave a Reply