This week marked the first full week of classes! Surprisingly, I was beyond excited to actually begin my studies in a foreign country. Although my classes are taught in English, the professors all have thick Italian accents and design the class structure differently than at my home institution. Each of my courses has, on average, about twelve students in the class. This is a change from the fifty to one hundred students that generally make up a typical class at UVM. I enjoy this ratio of students to professor because it will allow me to learn on a different level than I am used to.
On Monday I have History and Sociology of Modern Consumerism. The course focuses on the rise and development of consumer cultures while applying theoretical approaches to the study of consumer society now and in the past. At two points during the semester we will be taking little “field trips” to a Chocolate Factory and the Costume Gallery of Palazzo Pitti. The trip to the Chocolate Factory is to help us reflect about alternatives to consumerism and to see, in practice, an attempt to restructure the commodity chain of a product. The Costume Gallery will allow us to see a collection that is one of the most important museums of fashion in the world. Over the course of the semester we will be required to compose journals and essays on various topics ranging from considering the ways that my own class background has influenced my feelings about consumption, to following a particular person’s shopping habits throughout the day and reflect on consumption patterns.
My second class of the day is Italian Food and Culture: Pairing Food and Wine. This is by far my favorite class! The course focuses on the different aspects of regional food in Italy, from ingredients to recipe preparation and cooking techniques. I will also be introduced to the different rules for pairing food and wine. The course will teach me how to look and choose the right wines: understanding their main characteristics and properties, reading different labels, differentiating bottles, and the correct usage of the glasses for serving. Each class includes a hands-on food cooking session and the pairing of a wine to each dish. We are required to take notes on readings and prepare for midterm and final exams which may include individual cooking tests. Included in the course schedule we will travel to a Winery in Chianti, which will include wine and cheese and extra virgin olive oil tasting. Additionally, our professor will bring our class to visit some Florentine Wine shops to learn hints and key rules to remember when purchasing wine. Coming from a family full of “foodies” I am so excited to learn some helpful tricks of my own so I can come home and maybe teach them something!
Tuesday brings my Global Business and Society course. Out of all the classes I am enrolled in, this one will prove to require the most effort. Specifically, it explores the challenges facing modern corporations in organizing cross border activities. By taking the main economic theories of determinants of international business activities, this class offers a global perspective on long-term change in the world economy and the interaction between countries. We are required to compose an analytical thesis paper on a particular topic, prepare a group presentation, and complete daily assigned readings. Although this may be my most challenging course, I am intrigued to take a business class in Europe that encompasses international aspects rather than my typical finance and economics courses at UVM.
To end the day I have the required Italian language class. Having already taken one semester of Italian I have a small foundation to build upon. This particular class meets on Tuesdays and then again on Thursdays. My only Wednesday is another History class called The Social World of Renaissance Italy. It was important to me that I take classes that delve into the cultural aspects of Italy and Europe. This particular one satisfies this goal. From the age of communal civilization to the splendor of the Renaissance and beyond, this course explores the main social, cultural and religious developments that defined one of the most intense periods in Italian history. Along with lectures and readings, the class also brings us on a walking tour and site visit of Renaissance Florence next week.
Each of my classes meets only once a week, other than my Italian language course. This leaves me with ample amounts of free time to explore and learn more about this amazing city that I am able to live in for four months! I plan on utilizing the cafes to complete my readings and writing my papers for all the courses. When the warm weather begins to arrive I hope to find a park bench or sit on the steps of the Duomo to complete any work I have, or even just to people watch.
I enjoy having a schedule and developing a routine. Along with the start of classes, this week I hope to map out the various trips and excursions I hope to take part in on the long weekends. I will write back later and let you know the details!
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