Alexa
Capozzoli
VEHICLES
Observing the vehicles throughout Italy was very interesting. In the United States we have people driving all sorts of cars. In Italy, there was a lot less variety. The streets are extremely narrow because they were basically built around the already existing buildings. Because of this, the cars were all very small. Some cars only had one seat for the driver! Some very common cars were Kias, buggys, and smart cars as shown in the picture on the right. You can also notice how narrow the streets are. The style of cars did not vary from city to city. Even though the Ferrari headquarters are in Modena, we did not see many. Taxis were never seen either- even in the big city of Milan.
In terms of people driving, we did not even see a ton of cars. Majority of people, especially in Milan, seemed to walk and take the subway. When people were driving, they were aggressive when it came to pedestrians and would just fly by you once you got out of the way. When they were dealing with other cars, not many people were beeping at all. I even saw people getting frustrated at other cars sometimes and not beep once. I found this very interesting because in cities in the United States you always hear a ton of beeping.
COMPARISON TO USA CITIES
If I had to compare Florence to any city in the United States, I would compare it to Boston, Massachusetts. I'm from the Boston area so I know it well. Florence does not have a subway like we do, but they do have a bus system. There is also a lot of dynamics to both cities. I felt as though there was a lot to do in Florence and a lot of it was within a 20 minute walk which is how majority of Boston is. Both cities also have a lot of history to their respective countries in them. Boston has taller and more modern buildings than Florence. Boston is also the home to many corporate headquarters. Italy in general does not have bug corporations that run multiple businesses. Boston and Florence are two of my favorite cities in the world.
I would say that Milan is most like New York, New York. Obviously New York is more updated than Milan, but they are both major cities in their respective countries. New York and Milan are both known for fashion. New York has fifth avenue and Milan has a whole fashion sector. Both cities have a strong subway system to get around since they are large cities. Milan is a lot cleaner than New York is though; there is a lot less litter in Milan. With both of these places, you can tell that you are in a city as soon as you step in it. Even though Milan has a more modern feel to it, New York still has it beat. New York has the Empire State Building and other large skyscrapers that Milan does not have. Overall, mostly because of the city feel and strong fashion sense, these two cities are very similar.
PERSONAL CHANGES
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To put it simply, this experience was incredible. I was able to experience so many different things in different parts of Italy. When I was there I caught myself appreciating the history of the buildings, the churches, and the museums. So much of what we have in the United States originated in places like Italy. To see some of the origins was surreal. Meeting so many different people and talking to them about their lives was incredible. It expands your horizon of what you thought you knew. Because of this trip, I have been able to expand my thoughts on the world and grow as a person. People always say that going abroad will change you and they are not kidding. Your perspectives will change for the better. I now know more about the differences in retail businesses in Italy and the United States which has already helped me in the professional world. We can learn a lot by looking into other countries and seeing what they do. The last time I was in Italy I was just enjoying the views and the food. This time around I learned even more by going into a variety of stores and talking to the owners. Since being back I have noticed myself becoming more observant of the stores around me and noticing tactics they are using that I did not notice before. I was extremely fortunate to have these experiences and will cherish them for the rest of my life.
