A New Country, A New Language

Completing an MBA at CIMBA is both a remarkable and extremely rewarding experience. Not only do you earn a degree, but you also can immerse yourself in a culture that is different from yours. People who move to a different country have the unique opportunity to experience firsthand the many differences and similarities that we have as humans. After completing a period abroad, most students will go home more susceptible to interacting with others.

However, moving abroad comes with many difficulties. When moving to a different country, you must learn to adapt to the culture of said country. One of the most difficult aspects about adapting comes when the language spoken in the country differs from your native tongue. Therefore, it is vital to begin learning the language before you move and when possible, take a course for the language while living. Taking the course while living in the country helps you practice what you are learning immediately, as you will be surrounded by situations where you can.

At CIMBA, we provide a course for all our students to help them learn the principles of the Italian Language. This course allows students to learn Italian while being able to practice it not only with the professor and between each other but also while going to the local shops.

For the CIMBA Students, our Italian course has enhanced the experience of living abroad since it allows and encourages the students to go out and practice every chance they get. The students come into the class eager to learn and with many questions on translating, pronunciation and spelling of words.

To many students, myself included, this course has in many ways has forced me to get out of my comfort zone and practice. In the past, when I have taken language courses, I would fail to take them seriously as I had no urge to practice. However, while living in Italy I am practicing the language every day, which has made learning more challenging but also more rewarding.

For me, it is difficult to imagine enjoying the country and program as much as I have without a course in the Italian language. As I mentioned before, obtaining an MBA from CIMBA is more than just a degree, it is also being able to immerse yourself in a culture and learn to connect with people from a different background than yours.

Marcella Williams, MBA Assistant (MBA '22)