This is the conclusion to a wonderful six-week semester here in London. After this experience, I can truly reflect on it and see how amazing of an opportunity it was. There were many things that I gained from it that future students who are looking to study abroad can look forward to. This involves the educational, professional, cultural, and personal growth this program offers.

First, for me the educational experience that I got was exactly what I was looking for from this program. As an accounting major, the accounting course that I took, International Accounting Issues, was very informative. I was able to learn about how my desired profession interacts with global business. I got to learn through interesting lectures and exciting site visits to major businesses and organizations. This was helpful immensely and I learned a lot about my respective field.

The professional experience gained from this opportunity was extremely valuable as well. I got to learn a lot from my internship. This ranged from soft skills and hard skills. Some soft skills that I gained was time management, communication skill, and creative problem solving. Some hard skills that I learned was understanding the company structure and logistics as well as the software systems used by the company. These are important because now I have quality experience that I can articulate to future possible employers in interviews. Along with the internship, the class that was paired with the experience was helpful as well. This class was perfect for helping me realize in a very real sense why this internship is such a valuable asset to my professional background. I would certainly recommend the internship experience to anyone who is considering it.

Third, the cultural experience of being abroad is something everyone can gain something from. It opens the mind to new experiences and helps us to become more literate in interacting with those who are different than ourselves. I have gained a certain literacy of culture through this experience. I feel a lot more confident in interacting with other cultures now, and I believe this will be a good skill in all contexts from professional to personal interactions. Through interacting with Londoners and the myriad of other cultures within London I have learn so much about cultural competency. I have come to keep an open mind to those I am talking to and listen to their perspective. I have also learned how to find common ground to unite us together to grow closer in friendship. These are important to keep in mind when discussing with others in a different culture.

Lastly, this experience was a time for personal growth. I learned a lot about how to travel well and in a safe manner. I also got to meet new people and make friends along the way. I learned more about myself, and I made it a point to make sure that I keep a journal that I can always look back to reflect upon my experience. I think I have grown greatly from the experience and I feel more prepared to take on larger, more difficult tasks more than ever.

Thank you, Pitt, so much for this opportunity. It has truly been a blast, and as you can see from what I have laid out here, I find this study abroad very valuable to my growth in a range of different markers from professional to personal.