There were many more ups than downs in this international experience, but I can recall that during my first week did have a slightly rocky start. As you would probably imagine, I did not know anything about the work culture in Italy, and after my first three shifts at the pharmacy, I ran into a slight problem. The type of work that I am used to in my pharmacy back in the United States is very fast-paced and non-stop all day long. I tried to apply that type of work style here, and although the staff appreciated my high energy and enthusiasm, they needed me to “slow down.” They wanted me to slow my pace when helping customers and instead of jumping around the pharmacy and trying to help out as many customers as I could, they would rather me take my time and help each customer individually, even if there was a line of customers at the door. They wanted to ensure that each customer was fully helped before I moved onto the next client. This was difficult for me since I was used to bouncing around and helping many clients at once, oftentimes multitasking, even with the phone. At my pharmacy back in the United States, my pharmacist disliked lines at the pharmacy and I absorbed the same dislike for lines and usually worked my hardest to keep the lines down. However, while working in Italy I needed to change my feelings towards lines and become more comfortable with a line in the pharmacy. It took a little getting used to, but eventually I became used to this busy but slower-paced work. I came to understand that most Italians understood that we were helping other clients and usually did not mind waiting their turn (this was not always the case, but I understand that some people may be in a rush). This is slightly different in the States, where I feel that it is seen as a bad thing to have a line and usually clients in the States are not as understanding when there is a line at the pharmacy.

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          In addition, during the first week I was struggling to find where I fit within the pharmacy. I wanted to watch how the prescription process worked, but at the same time I did not want to be in the way and I wanted to try and help be a part of the staff. I was unsure of even where to stand in the pharmacy, let alone how I could help. Then, one of the owners, Dr. Fedrica Villa, encouraged me to go to the front and try to help clients. The front of the store is finally where I found my place in the pharmacy, where I could offer the most help. There, I was able to greet all clients, but most importantly, I could help lost tourists. Once they realized that I spoke English, most tourists would flock towards me for help. I believe they felt more comfortable when they knew that I could understand what they were looking for and then be able to recommend Italian products that they may have not seen before. I could relate many of the Italian products to products similar in the United States, that way the client could have a point of reference to see if that is what they truly wanted.