Choosing to study abroad is a commitment that requires an open and intelligent mind. The point of a study abroad program is to get a whole different feel for the world by gaining cultural intelligence while testing your academic intelligence.
I was fortunate to have CIMBA advertised so heavily at my home university, University of Iowa. The CIMBA program actually has an information office located in the University of Iowa business school, so it was very convenient to learn more about them. With their array of classes, it’s very simple to take classes that you need to pursue your major. I am currently working to earn a marketing degree through the University of Iowa, and CIMBA did more than accommodate my needs. CIMBA actually sparked my interest in pursuing an international business certificate. Not only is this certificate attractive to businesses, but after studying internationally for a semester, I’ve come to think of Italy as a second home.
Ordinarily, CIMBA students choose to take 12-15 total credits to allow time for leisure and travel. I decided to take advantage of the international learning concept by taking 5 classes: International Marketing, Entrepreneurial Strategy, Consumer Behavior, International Finance, and Italy Live. All of these classes except for Italy Live are beneficial towards pursuing my marketing degree. Italy Live is a class I recommend taking if you study with CIMBA; The course dives into learning the Italian language and more about their culture. Coming to Italy, my Italian was not the best, so I was banking on the fact that Italy Live will help me converse with Italians and get around Italy. Now, as the end of the semester is approaching, I can confidently say that I got everything I hoped for and more! In the first week in Italy Live, I asked about common phrases I would need to know like “Do you speak English?”, “Can I have…?”, and “Can I pet your dog?”. The dog phrase was a staple because after spending one weekend traveling in Italy, I learned that Italy is a very dog friendly country.
As for my other business classes, I didn’t know what to fully expect due to the fact the University of Iowa offered all of them at home and I had friends who already took them. The CIMBA classes, however, were definitely more different than what I expected. At the University of Iowa, most of my classes are packed with students, but in Italy, my biggest class was around 20 people. I’ve always felt uncomfortable in a small classroom because I never liked to be singled out, but I’ve now become used to it and actually preferring it. The small classroom set up allows us to truly create relationships with classmates and the professors. It also allows professors to be more engaging, which I really like because until now I’ve never had a personal relationship with my professors. The one thing I do miss about American classes is the duration of the lectures. At the University of Iowa, most classes will last between 50-75 minutes, but at CIMBA, a class is 110 minutes. However, the professors break up this period with a 10-minute period which allows us to get some coffee at the conveniently placed 50 cent coffee vending machines. Luckily, I didn’t develop a coffee addiction, but I did gain a new appreciation for it.