"Internet of Things"

Today I woke up to a peculiar site; after four snooze alarms and two elongated stretches in bed, I opened my bedroom window and experienced what I can only describe as a Springtime Snowstorm. Puffed up cotton balls of white pollen were floating lightly in the air. Lightly drifting, their destination did not seem apparent, but they were calmly moving through the sky. To admit, it was quite beautiful as they exemplified the beginning of a new season: spring.

After a quick cappuccino I eased my way into the front row seat of Management Consulting 15 minutes late – otherwise known in Italian as perfectly on time. Marco Salvadori, a consultant of Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG), spoke as a guest on behalf of Cisco. When examining Cisco at a quick glance, the company’s purpose is to provide “a variety of technological devices and systems that enable Internet and digital communication among companies and among people,” states Salvadori as he further delved into the company’s vision and overall strategy from the IBSG point of view. For those of you who don’t know, IBSG is Cisco’s global executive consulting organization. Consisting of 180 consultants in 20 countries, IBSG works with the head executives of Cisco to help transform the utilization of digital technologies.

As the lecture progressed, Salvadori spoke of a key phrase that instantly took hold of my attention, the “Internet of Things.” He described it to be a scale up of everything, the newest, innovative leap into the technological evolution of the future. The Internet of Things all starts with a nearly invisible network of radio frequency identification tags (RFID) that are deployed on almost every type of consumer item. These tiny chips have the ability to scan wirelessly and create a global network of physical objects. Now this topic is still seen as extremely controversial, particularly since these chips are being produced in the billions, yet they have not managed to gather much public knowledge of consent.

The ultimate convenience in supply-chain management, RFID tags could allow for a better track of inventories and consumer demand. Companies would not run out of stock, and stolen items would be much more easily tracked and located. In addition, once RFID technology is used, you can place all the products you wish to purchase in one basket, in which these products can be detected instantly and the billing process can be faster. Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest retail, has recently announced that it will begin placing item-level RFID tracking tags on clothing sold in its stores. This allows large corporations  the ability to increase their power in the market, by being able to track all items and the consumers who purchase them. In addition, I conducted some personal research and this technology has been used with human beings in addition to things. Many people advocate its usage by saying it is a better way to curb theft, identify disaster victims and improve medical care. However, critics exclaim that this procedure would be a widespread invasion of privacy, making it easier for government agencies to track a person’s every move. 

Regardless of the consensus, I think the subject is an interesting topic to note upon – especially since Cisco’s consulting team is advising them to utilize this new form of technology. I advise you all to look into the subject and create your own personal decision on the ethics behind the “Internet of Things” and RFID chip implantation. It is each individuals right to be informed of this procedure, and as a human race would this evolution in technology soon allow us to experience the true meaning of interconnectedness? Or shall we remain free from these Orwellian concerns, and experience life like the light balls of pollen, without a straight path, yet within a beautiful journey?

Bobinoooooo

Nothing puts a smile on my face like meeting people who have not only established themselves to the world, but know how to have a good time! Before I embarked on a train voyage to the South of France, I met up with a fellow UC student, Amanda, for aperitivo with her parents.

For those of you who don't know, aperitivo is a typical Milanese custom that began to take shape over the 1920's. It was created as a tactic by local bars to bring in business, while getting the party started just a little earlier than usual. Long story short, it's the Italian version of happy hour, plus plates of food....

Translated as appetizer, aperitivo is a chance for exchange students (particularly Americans) to slightly take advantage of this tradition, and utilize the 10 euro entry as a chance to enjoy a nice cocktail, while succumbing to the endless buffet. This time I was heading to a beautiful venue located along the Navigli, otherwise knows as the canals in Milan.

Bobino is most commonly known as a club, however, before the clock strikes midnight the stage is filled with tables and sofas, reserved for the more serious customers. Needless to say it was Amanda's parents last night out, we were seated up in VIP, and they wanted to go out with a bang. What better way to live up your last night in Milan than with mojitos! Or shall I say mojito? Not sure whose genius idea it was, but we ended up ordering a Grande Mojito...that is 15 liters of pure citrusy, sugary mayhem.

It soon became apparent that this was not just any occasion, but a time to celebrate! I mean.... the drink did come fully equipped with a good 25 straws and sparklers for each and every one of us.......

Don't worry though, despite all the colorful straws, slices of lime, and crazy fireworks, we still managed to keep it classy and ended the night with a trip to Michelle's house for fresh pasta marinara. Everyone got home safe, and with the exception of Luis' delayed trip to Copenhagen, Bobino was possibly the best way to commence our 5 day weekend, courtesy of Italian's national holiday.

Gotta love partying with the parents.

Viaggio da solo

I knew after my travels in Israel that throughout my time in Europe there would come a time where I would fly solo and embark on my own personal voyage. I didn't know where nor when, rather I was planning to wait for the moment to strike. It was the beginning of break and instead of going straight back to Milan after my time in Budapest, I would look up tickets elsewhere. It took nineteen euros, and a whole lot of courage to book my one-way flight from Budapest, Hungary to Paris, France.

In return for spending an extra night in Budapest, I promised to head with my friend Travis to the airport in the morning for his flight. Little did I know I was going to be in the airport from 4 am until my flight departed at 10... so after a sleepless night, and intense day of traveling, I finally made it to the city of romance.

Traveling alone is an invaluable experience, one that allowed for an introspective examination of my own personal strengths and weaknesses. It took a little for me to get used to flying solo, but once the ball started rolling I began to get the hang of things. The day started with a quick trip to Sacre Cour, one of the highest points in Paris, the monument offers a Panoramic view of the entire city. It was absolutely breathtaking, and after passing out on the slightly sloping lawn for a good few hours, I let the day take me where it wanted. A small sign pivoted out from behind the church and my eyes instantly caught hold of it's message, a Salvador Dali exhibit had just opened. After three hours and eleven euros I left the venue with a mind overflowing about theories on the innate nature of time. It was at that moment I realized the benefits of traveling by yourself. Not many people would stand and stare at each composition in their entirety and read the sculptures descriptions one by one. This also leads into my first weakness: art. Between Van Gogh and Salvador Dali it has officially been decided that once I establish myself in the professional world, I will equip my house with ornate masterpieces of art, and surround myself with colors and compositions which allow oneself to question concepts much more grandiose than the individual. 

I continued my day with a short rest along the Seine and before I knew it, I wound up at the Notre Dame. One of the coolest things about Parigi is the fact that the majority of its historical markings are dotted all along the River, allowing for easy navigation through the city and a surprise lurking around every corner.

Two younger girls on a class field trip sketching their own drawings of the Notre Dame.

This group of twenty year olds (participating in the most hilarious dance of all time) had decided to take a year off of school and work to devote themselves to religion. If I could point out anything it would be to embrace the fabulous mullet this dude is rocking.... Regardless of their style, I was informed of their mission from two nuns, Barbara and Ruth, two elderly women who happened to be these young adults' mentors. The three of us discussed our views on God, faith, and at the end of it all, we simply wished each other well and went on our separate ways. It was a beautiful experience.

My favorite picture thus far...

After snapping a good 192371297 shots of the city, I decided it was about time to have a picture of myself actually IN the city. One downfall to traveling alone - taking self shots aren't much of an option.. so I succumbed and asked a fellow traveler to take a picture of me in front of the Notre Dame.

If you are ever traveling alone, I would HIGHLY suggest staying in a hostel. It is a prime area to meet other travelers, especially those who want to socialize. Especially with Paris' high prices, I paid a hefty amount to stay in a room with a college student from Quebec who came to Paris because her school was on strike, a hilarious twenty year old from Rome, a backpacker from Chicago and Elena, a high school graduate from Australia who was taking three months off to teach English in the South of France.

Elena and I happened to kick it off really well and the two of us met up with fellow SB'ers Dave and Kasey for a casual picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower. The baguettes were AMAZING, the wine was savory and the tower was just as beautiful in the day as it was at night.

 

Catching a love parade outside the Eiffel Tower.

Dave doin' his thanggg

This man and his son ran into us playing frisbee outside of the eiffel tower, and after inviting them to join, the two of them quickly picked up the frisbee and gave it a go. The cutest part was the fact that the little boy had never played frisbee before, and he was beyond stoked to be playing with everyone.

For my last night in Paris, my housemate, Colleen, had contacted one of her friends from Boston College who was abroad and arranged for us to meet for dinner. It was an extremely kind gesture and after dinner, her friend Hayle she gave Elena and I a tour of the entire city at night.  Hayley was a history major and gave us a ridiculously informative purpose behind each building. Taking classes only in French, she managed to help me decode the entire menu for dinner as well. Thank goodness, because I was about to order foie gras, otherwise known as duck liver...

The tour ended at midnight in front of the Eiffel Tower. If I could explain it as anything, it was the grand finale to a series of fireworks and it definitely made my night. Sorry the footage is so shaky, to say the least I was awed by the tower's beauty.

After a long day of traveling, courtesy of Ryan Air, I made my way back to the residence in Milan around midnight on the first of April. In honor of the marvelous "pranking" tradition, I was warmly welcomed back by all my best friends to an EMPTY room...literally..

Initially I thought I was being kicked out of Arcoboleno, but I actually had received a new and state of the art set-up out on the balcony.. 

On a brighter note, at least they set out my yoga mat... how feng shui..

True Friendship.

BUDA LOVINNN... Budapest '12

I would have to cast Budapest as possibly the most underrated place I have ever been to. The city is located within the borders of Hungary and is separated into two districts. That of Buda - the historically rich center located on one side of the Danube River, Buda is fully intact with castles and an incredible view of the Parliament; and Pest - the more industrious, bustling sector that comprises about two-thirds of the city's territory.

Budapest truly was the best way to celebrate the commencement of Spring Break, and after a beautiful night of jamming out on my friends Travis and Sheret's patio, we packed our bags and head out early in the morning.

It's hard for me to describe in detail the beauty of my experience, the city was a whirlwind of amazing moments spent with some of the coolest people I know. In order to give you all a better of understanding of the trip, my friend, future entrepreneur, and fellow hall-mate Van Michael composed a video of our time spent in Budapest. The video begins with my partner in crime Colleen walking up the stairway to the Goat Hostel and continues with a series of footage: bathing in the legendary baths of Budapest, dancing in front of monuments, getting down in the open markets, singing our hearts out at the top of Pest and much more.

Unfortunately the video is too large to upload directly to this blog post so in order to access it you can find it through this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_D7dYu8i4w&feature=youtu.be

Well, have a look for yourself, turn up the volume and enjoy ...

Amstadayumnnn

It's been much too long since I've informed you all of the trips I have embarked on, so in an attempt to catch you up I shall start from the beginning. Right before the beginning of classes, we had a four day break and what better way to spend this free time then to cruise on over to Amsterdam.

From the very beginning I knew this was going to be an amazing trip, flying into the city we cruised over snow covered mountains and witnessed the most beautiful sight of all - the sun shining directly onto the alps...

Truthfully, I didn't know what to expect from Amsterdam. Possibly because it holds the most infamous red-light district my vision was slightly tainted and a part of me was envisioning a somewhat unkept, run-down city. I was extremely wrong. The city was absolutely stunning with buildings that were in impeccable condition and architecture that blew me away. Not to mention the city is rich with history. Located in such a strategic position, the city attracts large amounts of trade and is a major commercial hub of Europe. Being the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam has a well-developed economy and it shows throughout their beautiful city. I definitely was enjoying every moment of it...

The one slight downfall was how ridiculously cold it was. Don't get me wrong, I am down to experience the city in a new climatic dimension but I was born and raised in California...I don't do cold. It was so cold the canals had frozen over and people were actually ice skating on them. 

Oh yeah, did I mention we found a lighter frozen into the canals....ONLY in Amsterdam.

After soaking in the sights it was time to delve into the history behind the city. My second day in the city I went to the Vincent Van Gogh museum, I decided to pay 5 extra euros for the audio which provided music, commentary, and stories behind each artistic composition. It may sound cheesy but I was so moved by the Van Gogh's story and paintings that there were times I was brought to tears. My friend Travis (who also bought the audio) happened to fall asleep standing up...

I also managed to make it into Anne Frank's house. This was truly a lifetime experience; I had the opportunity to set foot into the same house that the Frank family managed to remain hidden in for years. The most shocking part of all was looking out of the tiny crevice that Anne would every morning during sunrise. The saddest part is that she spent the majority of her childhood trapped in this location. She was able to wake up early in the mornings right before sunrise and just barely catch the sun's rays on her face. To my surprise, Anne had wanted to become a writer and dedicated herself towards her writings in the hopes of becoming published. It definitely was a reality check when the tour ended with us watching a video of her father, the man who lost his entire family in the Holocaust, and to be able to hear his perspective on Anne, especially after reading his daughters journal and comparing the way she interacted with him on a daily basis to her inner most feelings preserved in the diary.



To sum it up, Amsterdam was a beautiful combination of visual simulation, historical context, and an amazing time. A personal favorite and an experience I will remember for a lifetime.

Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi

As I sit by the study tables on the third floor of the Sraffa building, with my 30 cent cappuccino cioccolato in hand, the concept of being in Italy slowly seeps into my mind. Attending a private school, and more importantly Bocconi University, is very different from anything I have ever experienced, especially at UCSB. The beach has been replaced by a bustling, busy city and the surfers have been replaced by wealthy Italian students. Don’t expect to walk into class with your basketball shorts and sleeveless tank, students here dress to impress and by that I mean fur coats, designer clothing, Prada and Louis Vuitton bags to hold their scholastic belongings. Bocconi prides itself in preparing students for professionalism and success, and this involves outward appearances.

The inside of the Sraffa Plaza

When deciding to journey towards Milano, my main incentive was to attend a school which upholds a high reputation for training in economics and business. I’ve definitely diversified my course selection by taking a finance course, and then experimenting with various Economic electives. My schedule consists of Introduction to Consulting Management,  I am currently walking the tightrope between being extremely impressed and slightly disappointed when it comes to the scholastic environment at Bocconi. I will attempt to explain:

Pros:

1. From the first day of lecture, professors were bringing real life situations into the classroom. The majority of the teachings began as theory based, and were then turned into practical application by discussing what was going on in the world around us. For example in my Social Responsibility course we were discussing the work ethic behind Ryan Air, how they can afford to offer such cheap flights and the toll this takes on the stakeholders of the company. Another example can be seen in my Sustainability course, dealing with sustainable management tactics, we are delving into the problems behind the dismantling and disposing of oil rigs. Its actually quite depressing, many of these installations have lifetime operations that are nearing an end, yet there has been an immense lack of innovation in regards to disposal at the end of their useful life.

2. Classes are smaller so there is an increased amount of student participation (this could either be seen as a pro or con, depending on your stance with regards to classroom involvement).

3. With the combination of café vending machines located around the end of every corner, and heavy chain smoking, professors realize the short attention span students truly have. Therefore, breaks are usually given for a few short minutes in between classes, these pauses are the perfect time to run over to the vending machine and grab yourself a quick cappuccino.

4. Internet in classrooms!!! A pro that only further fuels my last point.

Cons:

1. As stated previously in pro #3, another side of the argument consists of the fact that classes last approximately an hour and a half. In comparison to the fifty minute courses I’ve experienced throughout my time at UCSB, once you past that first hour, it only goes downhill from there…

2. In regards to my accommodation, living at Arcobolena is extremely far from campus. Definitely out of walking distance, but about 25 minutes on the tram. This is not usually a problem, but when you have class at 8:45 am and everyone is trying to get to work, the seemingly 25 minute tram ride can easily turn long. Then again, it could be seen as my fault for signing up for a class any time earlier than 10.

3. There is a strong emphasis based on passing rather than excelling. It’s hard to make a thorough evaluation of why this is the case, but I’m assuming it is either because the exams are so difficult that they are encouraging us to study or because they know a majority of us are exchange students, and that the extent of our readings are done while on a plane to our next destination within Europe. I would probably go with the latter, but I will definitely keep you all updated with the conclusion.

Il Primo Post

Well it is about time I inform you all of the beauty behind Milano. It has officially been a month since I've moved to Italy, and I will say that every day has been a new adventure. In the hopes of maintaining organization, the stories will be split into a few quick segments.

I. Intensive Language Program (ILP)
Arriving as early as I had in Milan, the UC's required students to enroll into an Intensive Language Program. As a UC representative, we are actually extremely lucky to have the opportunity to participate with FREE enrollment. The price ranged around 100 to 150 euros and lasted for approximately 3 weeks. Despite my personal record of already taking two quarters of Italian at UCSB, I still tested in beginners... but regardless, the ability to learn a language in class and actually utilize what you are learning in your everyday life is a true privilege, and now I can officially muster up the ability to have a relatively decent conversation with the locals.  In addition, getting the extra month in Italy allowed me to expand my understanding of the Italian customs and especially delve into the depths of the beautiful city of Milan, a place of excitement, adventure and...SNOW!

II. Day Travels - Venice and Verona
Now I am not too sure if you all are familiar with the University I am attending here in Milan. It is called the University of Commerce, Luigi Bocconi and is a prestigious international institution, renowned for educating famous professionals all throughout Italy. Since it attracts students from all over the world, there is a program called ESN - Exchange Student Network and it is comprised of all the exchange students. The head coordinators arrange dinners, day trips and focus on their mission statement which is to bring everyone together in the hopes of promoting networking and friendships.

When we took a day trip to Venice, the ESN crew took us under their wings and brought us to a beautiful Italian lunch.




The picture below overlooks the famous canals of Venezia.

 

Oh, and did I forget to mention it was Carnivale? Just saying "Ciao" with a few Teletubbies we found.

A couple of the girls living in my residence got in the spirit as well. It was a beautiful day and culminated with us sipping on wine and taking in the beautiful sights of Venice.

Now for Verona, the city of Romeo, Juliet, and LOVE...

Speaking of which, directly above is a picture of Juliet's balcony.

Did I mention that I have a weakness for pizza...

Oh, and as I casually strolled through the town with my good friends Asma and Ellen, the three of us stumbled across a castle. We decided to walk through a garden, up a brick bridge and to our surprise we got to witness this beautiful view at the top.