Practical training somewhere else than in Finland has been always a dream of mine. I got very lucky and had the chance to do it in Italy! My place for internship was Scarpa Villas, luxury villa resort in Verduno which is in the middle of the Langhe, one of the best places for wine in the world. My title was assistant property manager and the tasks included everything from check-ins and check-outs of the clients to booking them activities, making them breakfast, taking care of the villas etc. As a part of my internship I also got to visit Scarpa Wine, a fine winery that is part of the Scarpa family. During my trip I learned about hospitality, professionalism and of course about food and wine.
In my spare time I loved to experience the authentic Italian countryside. Running, swimming, eating and drinking and reading just to mention a few activities. I was also lucky enough to have my relatives and friends come and visit me, it was truly one of the best moments to have and to share the moments with loved ones. But I also got my Italian family, my co-workers and they were so welcoming, warm and kind towards me. It really made me feel like home even though I was in Italy.
Working culture in Italy differs quite much from Finland. People are much more chill and take it easy with the tasks. I noticed that I’m almost too effective or too fast with my tasks, so I had to learn to slow down and be as chill as my co-workers. Also the concept of time is very much different than in Finland. From Italians Finns could learn to be more relaxed and not to hurry up with their work, but otherwise maybe Italians could learn to manage time a little bit better. One thing I loved was that lunch break was one hour long! In Finland, at least in restaurant industry it is 15 or 30 minutes depending of the length of the work day.
This internship truly changed something in me, I feel more independent, relaxed and happy with my life. Maybe that’s something that would be good to experience for every person. And for that, I would love to recommend a good trip to Italy!
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