Capstone Paper

La Dolce Vita

      If someone would have told me the things that I would experience while I have been studying abroad in the Joseph S. Bruno program in Italy, I would not have believed them. Every day I am blown away by the experiences and life lessons that I have learned while living in Italy this summer. The things that I have experienced in Europe can never be truly told through a paper, but I will try to convey the stories as I have experienced them. Here are the four things that stand out the most to me since I have been here: the importance of generosity, hospitality, independence, and fellowship, not to mention the history and beauty.

“Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity." John 6: 37-38 

      There are so many instances where generosity has been seen on my trip. Some of the ways that I have encountered generosity have been through our taxi driver Raymond, classmates, and strangers in multiple cities. These kind people have stood out in my mind among the thousands that we have seen day to day on the streets. 

      One example is of generosity is one of the weekend trips that I took. I knew very little about the city I was visiting and the people I would meet. I went into this trip with limited knowledge of the Alps and perhaps seeing a cute village. However, this trip and my experience blew my mind!  It is one of the most enjoyable times I have ever known. I walked away from this trip with a greater appreciation for life through the people I met such as my friend Raymond.

      When we arrived in the city on a late Friday night, getting a taxi for seven girls can be difficult; either you take a huge van taxi or take two separate taxis. The people that we encountered in the airport were so helpful.  An employee at the taxi counter arranged for a taxi van to pick us up within fifteen minutes. Who would have known that this taxi driver would later become our traveling companion for the rest of our trip? Our taxi driver Raymond gave us a tour of the whole city as he drove us across the border to our hotel. We immediately became easily acquainted with him, he gave us his number and, we then called him everywhere we wanted to go and visit.

      One night Raymond picked us up and drove us to a fondue restaurant. When we got to the restaurant, he waited to make sure that they had room for us.  If they did not have available tables, then he would take us to another restaurant for free. Would we have encountered someone else this nice in the United States?  Maybe, but I haven’t previously. The difference between Raymond’s generosity and a taxi driver in the United States is that sweet Raymond drove his taxi for pleasure not business. He just wanted to see us happy and enjoying a nice dinner.

      The next morning, Raymond picked us up bright and early to take us to a mountain peak in the Alps. Another example of his generosity was while we were on our way to the mountain. Raymond bought us chocolates for the road trip and had American oldies music playing for us. When we arrived at the mountain, we all had to buy jackets because the peak of the mountain was too cold for our flip flops and thin sweaters. So Raymond being as nice as can be, got us all deals at the store where we were buying the jackets.

      When we got down to the base of the Alps, Raymond greeted us and told us he wanted to take us to his favorite town as a special gift to us. That would be two hundred dollars more if we would have planned to go there, but he took us there for free. Once we arrived in the town, we walked through the village with Raymond. He was so protective of us.  When he saw two pick-pocketers, he told us to hold our bags and get away from them.  Then Raymond treated us to the best ice cream as we took a stroll next to the lake. Taking us to his favorite town was more than we could have ever dreamed and extremely memorable.

      On the way back to our hotel, he took us on a longer scenic route of the countryside. It was such as special day! When he dropped us off at the hotel, he didn’t even count the money. We kept saying “you are our favorite, we will mail you a picture” and he started tearing up!

      The memories of this trip exceeded my expectations greatly! I could have never imagined a weekend like the one we experienced. Raymond was truly a blessing to us on our trip and our experience.  I learned through him that whatever you do in your journey through life always be grateful, serve others, and give generously. Knowing and applying that concept made my experience in Italy all the more memorable.

      Another way that I have experienced generosity is through our professors. Marco, Mary Lou, Francesco, Susanna, Rossella, and Maurizio give up their time each day to teach us about art, history, language, and philosophy. They graciously share their knowledge with us. They accompany us to our field trips, such as the Vatican with Susanna, the Sicily- Rome WWII Memorial with Marco, and Tivoli with Francesco.We all can see how passionate they are about their interests, which makes these subjects all the more interesting to us students.

      It never ceases to amaze me the people that I encounter on weekend trips. Just this past weekend, three of us traveled to the Amalfi Coast for our last weekend. The train to Naples was jam packed, so the three of us had to sit on our suitcases in the aisles. After a few stops on the train some seats became available for the other girls. I had just vented to Jamie, one of my classmates, how one of the things that I will not miss about Italy is the fact that men do not treat women like they do in the United States. One example is offering their seats to women standing up. Shortly after I had said those things, I man motioned me to his seat. He helped me with my luggage and offered his seat. We started a conversation about what I was doing in Italy, thanks to the lady sitting across from me that spoke partial English. When the man got off the train, she said that he was a nice man. Indeed, he was a nice man and was very generous to offer his seat to me.

      “Hospitality should have no other nature than love.” -Henrietta Mears

      There are several aspects of hospitality that I have experienced living abroad. From hotel staff personnel to people opening their homes, I have learned the different styles of hospitality in Italy and how they compare to the United States.

      One place where I am currently experiencing hospitality is in Hotel Ariccia. Since the first day we arrived, the hotel staff has been walking beside our summer journey. Everyday, I walk through doors that lead to the reception desk where I receive a warm welcome and am then handed the key to my room. I love that the staff knows where each girl lives and in which room. There are two people that usually are at the front desk, Sonya and Walter. Sonya is a short, petite woman that can speak faster than anyone I have ever met, including myself! Walter is always very interested to know what we are learning and the places we have seen. These two employees can answer any question that we have and are a pure example of hospitality and generosity.

      Within my major, Hotel and Restaurant Management, I have learned the true example of good service. I have had the benefit of comparing the differences and similarities between the United States and Italy. They have two complete definitions on which they base their service. My perception is that the United States has three objectives to service quality: making the biggest profit, the customer is always right, and having the most fast food chains.

      The United States thrives off retail sales, including the restaurant industry. All restaurant want to make the biggest profit, thus quick meals and turning over tables is a very common goal. Italy is quite opposite. Sure they like to make a profit, but they await the chance to sit and enjoy a meal for a long period of time. Meals are a time that Italians can be with their family and friends. This is a time where they relax, take a break from work, and truly experience a good meal, without ever being rushed. No one brings the check until you are ready for it to arrive. No turning over the tables like the United States. This is something that I have come to love about Italy. It will be hard to not eat three hour meals when I return to the United States.

      The second aspect of the United States’ service quality they stress is the fact that the customer is always right and it is their objective to please the customer. I believe this is undoubtedly probably the most important aspect to a business let alone a restaurant. Italians do not necessarily see it as a main objective. Because their culture is straightforward, they will let you know when you are wrong. Since it’s not seen as rude to them, many tourists may be offended when they are treated poorly in restaurants and hotels.

      The third aspect of the United States service quality is the fast food industry. Because the fast food nation is so big, America is the biggest nation of obesity. One can rarely drive through a McDonald’s in Italy. Granted, there are multiple McDonald’s restaurants in the big cities. There is no such thing as fast food in Italy. Their version of a quick meal is a porchetta stand and a pizza stand. There is no drive-through on your lunch break. Because Italy doesn’t have all these fatty foods, their culture’s health is better off as a whole. Their food has no preservatives and is always fresh.

      The restaurants throughout Italy are typically a smaller quaint environment unlike the majority of restaurants in the Unites States. No reservations or call ahead are necessary unless there is a big party dining. There are not many restaurant chains in Italy. Since the food quality is incredible, you can walk along a strip of restaurants and dine at any of them.

      One of the best examples of small restaurants is the BeBop area in Ariccia near Palazzo Chigi. For instance, at the Be Bop Osteria there are about eight tables sitting outside surrounded by benches. At these types of local restaurants, since they are not in a metropolitan city, there is a family style way of operating. There are no menus. Your table can order three pastas and they will bring an assortment of primi pattis. Every night they serve different foods. There is always an element of surprise of what they are going to bring to the table. A typical dinner on a Saturday night can last up to five hours with eating delicious Italian cuisine and drinking local wine. This is something I have come to love about Italian culture, sitting with friends and enjoying the food, wine, and conversation.

      Through the Italian styles of hospitality and services, I have learned several concepts that I will provide to my future employer: adapt to change, make an effort to enjoy genuine hospitality, and don’t always look for a shortcut. Within my future profession of event planning, adapting to change will be one of the biggest obstacles. Being abroad when there are sudden changes in schedules, trains, etc. has taught me to be more patient when things are not according to schedule. In order to serve clients with authentic hospitality, I have to take the time to experience it myself, thus I will know how to serve them better. Learning to not make shortcuts in the hospitality industry will not only be better in the long run, but will provide thorough service.

       I have learned more for my major from my personal experiences as I have explored Italy in these past three months than I ever could by research or in the classroom. I am thankful for my experiences in Italy that have shaped and molded me positively for the hospitality industry I want to pursue.

“You are there…Welcome to Italy. The beginning of an incredible journey!  Look around and begin to start soaking every detail up just like a sponge.” – Mom 

      Through this experience abroad, I have discovered independence to be one of the most vital aspects and gift a person can have in their life. On this trip, I have gained independence through living in a foreign country, communicating with my people, traveling, planning, timing, and comradery with my peers.

      Being in Italy, the communication barrier has definitely been a huge struggle on many occasions. With only knowing multiple phrases of the language, when I sat down to eat our first lunch at a local restaurant in Ariccia, I thought to myself, “How am I going to be able to talk with these people?” Ordering food for the first time was a struggle for our whole group. Definitely not as easy as we thought, however, in Rome and other big cities the process of dining became a lot easier due to English menus. Luckily, we have had one of our sweet professors, Mary Lou help us learn the important phrases in our language class in Palazzo Chigi. I have also learned the importance of communication with our group of ninteen girls. We all have different stories, friends, and experiences. Collaborating together at some times has been very challenging, but with all lows, the highs surpass them greatly!

      From walking to buses to trains to boats to airplanes, I have experienced all possible forms of travel in Italy. Learning how to get around in a foreign country without a car can be very challenging to anyone. We are accustomed to hopping in the car whenever we want to go somewhere. If we want to run one errand, we get in the car and can be back in less and a half hour. These simple things cannot be accomplished in Italy as it is easily done in America.

      All forms of transportation in Italy can be delayed, cancelled, or never show up some days. Our field trip to Milan is a great example of trains being cancelled. We arrived at the Roma termini early in the morning for our train but instead had to wait for four hours because our train was cancelled due to riots in Florence. Relying on public transportation definitely has taught me to be more patient as well.

      One of the best chances that I have had while studying abroad is planning and booking a weekend trip. I have always been used to my parents booking and taking my family on trips for years. Being here in Italy, I have had the chance to do that on my own. From the research and planning of where I want to visit and how to get there by transportation has been my favorite trips this summer. Of course, there have been several instances where we could have booked a better hotel and eaten at a better restaurant, however, money was the indicator. But, we will always look back and laugh about all the situations we encountered and experienced. There have been countless times we have gotten lost and had strangers help lead us in the right direction. On our week vacation, I planned the whole week for my dad and I. Being able to plan trips to Rome, Florence and Cinque Terre and the activities in those cities has been great preparation for my future profession. 

      Living in Italy makes you adapt to their system of getting around. Timing is everything with all forms of transportation. Making sure what bus comes out what stop at a certain time can be very necessary timing. Knowing when the last train comes is a must or else you are forced to take an overcharged taxi because the metro and busses have stopped running at the late hour. Once I learned the Rome and Ariccia system, it has made the other cities easy as well. The only difficult part is planning your route and the time you are going. Being early and on time is one of the biggest necessities in traveling. If you are late, it is not possible to just get in your car and speed to get somewhere. Instead, you have to wait another twenty minutes for the next bus.  

      Though I have gained independence this summer, I have also had to learn to be dependent on our group. We have been each other’s family and support. I do not have a sister so being around nineteen girls on a constant basis has been a definite struggle for me at times. The situations with these girls have helped me learn how to interact with those around me. The long dinners together, wine tasting, weekend trips, afternoon coffee breaks, day trips to Rome have all left me with warm memories and a great sense of accomplishment and independence.

      Before coming on this trip, I knew I had so much to gain and so much to learn. Even with that knowledge, I could have never predicted the amount of personal growth that I have attained in Italy this summer. I have always been a punctual and organized person and this experience has critiqued my style of organization for the better. Because I want to pursue a career in Event Planning, these characteristics will further my knowledge and help me in my field of study. Through situations I have experienced on this trip either with classmates or the Italians, I have learned how to adapt and propose other possibilities.

"Good fellowship and friendship are lasting." - William Wycherley 

"We need worship for our spirit, fellowship for our soul and committed subservience for our body. " -Larry Norman

      The importance of fellowship has been a huge aspect of our group dynamic. The friendships that have been formed on this trip and our memories of this summer will carry on at Auburn University. From going on weekend trips to playing countless games of rummy in down times, we have learned so much through our friendships. Even nail and movie parties in our hotel rooms have been some of the most fun times. We have all learned each others strengths and weaknesses over the course of this summer. Real authentic fellowship can never be expressed in words on a paper, but will remain as wonderful in our memories.

“I know you’ll take a lifetime of memories to share. They will last you forever. Very soon you’ll be back on campus and will reflect on your time in Italy and will smile from time to time for no apparent reason that only you will know why. I encourage you to share your joy with others. They will clearly see the outward joy, but please put words to what you’ve seen, heard, and experienced. They want to know.” – Dad 

      Through this program I have been given the chance not only to experience such a unique culture, but be apart of it as well. I have realized that inspiration can come from a multitude of sources. Just like the travelers on the Grand Tour, I have learned everything that Italy has to offer: art, architecture, philosophy, language, film, cuisine, and history. I am grateful about everything that I have experienced here in my time abroad and am confident it will leave a lasting impression on my personal life and in my field of study. Italy has surpassed every one of my expectations!

      These concepts of generosity, hospitality, independence, and fellowship have contributed greatly to my experience in Joseph S. Bruno Study Abroad program in Ariccia, Italy. I will never forget the experiences, the friendships, the laughs, the early morning walks to Palazzo Chigi, parties on the roof at Hotel Ariccia, the hot trains, the pictures, and the value of the Euro. This summer has truly been one of the most memorable and enjoyable times that I have ever spent. I hope that one day I can express to people what I have seen, heard, smelled, tasted and soaked up this summer. I have had the time of my life in Italy and am so thankful for this experience!