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My internship has offered me an interesting glimpse into Italian culture. Everything about my job, from the people I work with to the physical environment, has taught me something new. The experience is fun and exciting, and I definitely understand Italy in a way I would not have if I had not participated in the workforce. Since I have some experience working back in America, I have a point of comparison between businesses in the States and Italy. I’ve noticed cultural and professional differences across the people, the relationships, the environment, and more.
The people at my job have been both nice and accommodating. During the early days of my internship, my boss put a lot of effort into using English and explaining my duties in a way I would understand. After a while, however, they began to lapse back into their normal routines and habits, which is when I began to see the true Italian culture come through. Many habits are similar to American - the guys at work joke around together, nobody likes Monday mornings, etc. A definite difference made itself apparent during my second week. I work on a farm, and the physical labor I help with there is similar to most of my American summer jobs. At those jobs I was always expected to work as hard and as quickly as possible. I needed to finish one task as soon as possible so I could start on the next one. Going about manual farmwork such as pulling weeds and harvesting crops, I had the same mentality and sense of urgency. One of the senior members of the farm approached me and genially told me, “Piu piano.” He wanted me to go slower; he told me there was no rush. According to him, it was a rule of agriculture. But having lived here for two months, I now see that it was an Italian rule. Life is much less frantic here in Italy, and it shows in the work environment. During the other portion of my internship, wherein I work on translations and social media research, the employees interact much the same way. People are expected to get their work done but there isn’t too much pressure. The atmosphere is often easy-going and pleasant.
Finding my place in this organization has been slightly tricky. I want to be assertive in asking for new responsibilities and learning opportunities. Of course, coming across as aggressive is a big issue with trying to be more assertive. Thankfully, I have not had to deal with that too much at my internship. My co-workers are eager to teach me and help me try new things, and I am eager to learn. Unfortunately, as we discussed in class, some people have had worse experiences and are stuck with nothing to do, or confused about their place in the organization. My solution has been attempting to come across as helpful yet firm. I don’t tell the supervisor you should be doing more, tell him that I want to do more. Consistency and persistence are key to being assertive. It shows your employer that you are serious about taking on new challenges. Showcasing enthusiasm and eagerness goes a long way in coming off as positive rather than negative, which is an important distinction between assertiveness and aggressiveness.
Certain differences in the Italian workplace are disadvantageous. Scheduling can be a major problem. One day I went in and found locked doors; they had chosen last minute not to open that day but forgot to tell me. Two or three times I’ve gone in on a day where my supervisor said she would be there but on the actual day she never showed up. So in summary the issues center around communication and scheduling. Part of this is a symptom of the being so laid-back. Even in America, scheduling and communication is a large part of daily mishaps and obstacles. But as a student in a novel environment, it can be frustrating. Another difference here is the pressure to act as a good representative of America. Back home when I work, I just feel pressure to do a good job for the sake of itself. Here I am reflecting OU, the United States, and more. I value the experience, but it can be daunting at times. Of course, this is not all bad. My supervisors clearly value my opinions as an outsider. Their desire to learn from me while also teaching me has made me feel welcomed and important. Therefore the general employer-employee relationship itself is a large difference between Italian and American workplaces.
Being assertive without being aggressive is a tricky skill. Considering the task of navigating a foreign language, finding the right words to use in certain situations is all the more difficult. In my opinion, taking the time to establish a positive relationship with one’s boss early on is an important step. Professional employers understand the language barrier is going to be a problem, and if one chooses to confront it head on rather than skirt around it, that problem becomes less imposing. At my own internship, I often ask for the people around me to talk a little slower (più piano) or for them to repeat and explain words I do not recognize. They are happy to oblige and do whatever they can to help. This is one way to use assertiveness for self-improvement; my language skills are already getting better.
After establishing a positive relationship with the boss, one in which you are not afraid to speak up, I feel the next step is understanding one’s place in the organization. Understand the responsibilities expected, and then look for the tasks that are a step or two higher. I think it is important to take the time to make sure tasks already assigned are manageable, in order to be prepared for more advanced tasks. The more capable one feels, the easier it will be to accept even more. Being comfortable with the current position also makes it easy to feel comfortable being assertive. After spending a week getting acclimated to and completing the tasks I was assigned, asking to help with other jobs felt natural. After establishing a relationship with my supervisor where I ask questions frequently, asking to do more wasn’t so out of place.
Of course, coming across as aggressive is a big issue with trying to be more assertive. Thankfully, I have not had to deal with that too much at my internship. My co-workers are eager to teach me and help me try new things, and I am eager to learn. Unfortunately, some people have had worse experiences and are stuck with nothing to do, or confused about their place in the organization. To them I would suggest trying to come across as helpful yet firm. Don’t tell the supervisor you should be doing more, tell him/her that you want to do more. If you get rejected, don’t be too upset, and make sure to follow up and continue asking. Consistency and persistence are key to being assertive. It shows your employer that you are serious about taking on new challenges. Showcasing enthusiasm and eagerness goes a long way in coming off as positive rather than negative, which is an important distinction between assertiveness and aggressiveness.
I’ve enjoyed my internship so far, and I’m happy with the level of work I do. As time goes on and I grow more comfortable with my surroundings, I plan on asking for more responsibilities. With a positive attitude and increasing control of the language, I’m confident I’ll come across as assertive and willing to learn.
Taking into account my experience so far, there are a few improvements I would find favorable in a future employer. As I said, the scheduling and communication shortfalls could be improved. Increased use of emails would be helpful. Most of my communication has been through text, which would be fine in America, but here my phone is much less reliable. Also, I feel somewhat uncomfortable texting these adults I barely know, and email would make me feel more professional. Another improvement would be a slightly more energetic environment. I’ve grown up in America and worked at American businesses my whole life, and while it can certainly be too fast paced and frenetic, it is what I’m used to. I think higher stakes and increased intensity can lead to improved productivity. However, Italians certainly have a positive perspective in terms of not overworking their employees. America could definitely learn from them.
Working in Italy has been a crazy experience for me. There have been a few similarities and a plethora of novelties. In my opinion, it has been a great venue for learning more about Italian culture. I’ve been able to spend more time about authentic Italian people and experience the inner workings of day to day life. The slower pace suits me in many ways and could be a great addition to American work life. On the other hand, Italy could improve from a bit of American energy. The two countries have a lot to offer, and in working at an Italian internship I’ve been able to gain something from both.
