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REFLECTION
One of the biggest PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGES that I faced during this internship was when Tony's previous assistant quit and I was left to learn on my own. Although it started out rough and demanding, I soon became more comfortable and at ease as the days went on. I was forced to train myself, but ultimately it made me become a much more competent intern and allowed me to improve.
CULTURAL CHALLENGES did not impact me all that much. I enjoyed being Tony's first intern that could speak Italian and practicing with him helped me develop better language skills. The only thing that truly got in the way was his accent, and sometimes it would take me a while to understand exactly what he was saying even if he was speaking in English.
Since the cooking school is open six days a week, I often worked there every weekday evening, along with Friday and Saturday mornings (on top of having class in the morning mon-thurs). The unappealing shift times of this internship was a PERSONAL CHALLENGE for me. It was definitely hard to watch my roommates only have to go to class twice a week, take trips without me, etc. because I had this professional responsibility. But, without a doubt, the meatballs and tiramisu made up for it.
Throughout these five weeks, I have gained SKILLS and EXPERIENCE that I never could have in the United States. By working in a truly authentic environment, my Italian language skills improved immensely. Likewise, this position has made me realize aspects of the nutrition industry I like and that I don't like. I was taught the contrast between the diets in the Mediterranean and the ones in America, and can now integrate that knowledge into my life back home. The placement at Quanto Basta was perfect for me and it is something I would recommend to another nutrition student.
Allowing myself to explore the business side of this internship was one of my biggest SUCCESSES. At OSU, I have barely scratched the surface of classes needed for my business minor, but redesigning the social media for the cooking school, and even creating one myself, allowed me to see what pathways lie ahead.
Looking ahead, I recognize that this one-of-a-kind opportunity will push me towards where I want to go in the FUTURE. Whether it is working for a nutrition company in America or somehow finding my way back Italy, this internship program is more than just a resume builder, but an invaluable experience that will create professional opportunities that I did not even know were possible.
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