Week 0 - Assumptions

What assumptions am I bringing with me about Italy?

Most non-metropolitan areas of Italy are filled with aging populations, as many younger people move from small towns to big hubs. I am assuming this will create a general disdain for mental healthcare, as these older generations are generally less supportive of treating disorders, and more prone to the "rub some dirt on it" method of just dealing with it.

I am also assuming Italians will not be extremely welcoming to Americans in the current political climate, so I expect to make an effort to blend in with local culture instead of standing out as American.

I am also assuming Italians (even in a technical field) will have a very go-with-the-flow mindset about work and life, creating a much lower stress workplace experience than that in America.

Also enjoy this picture of my brother and I chasing pigeons in Siena!