Living, studying and working abroad has been an incredibly rewarding experience in which I have seen growth in myself personally and professionally. My internship at the Leonardo da Vinci Museum allowed me to interact with people from a number of different cultures every day, fostering great communication skills that I will undoubtedly apply in my life moving forward. Leading guided tours of the museum I learned the importance of engaging large audience while giving informational presentations. during my International Marketing Course I had the ability to work with and visit real Italian businesses further opening my eyes to a variety of work environments and structures. Additionally, spending four months in Italy allowed me to further my previous education of the Italian language to the point where I am confident speaking with local Italians. This has been a goal of mine since I began studying the language in high school and I am proud to have reached this level of proficiency. I am excited to be continuing my studies of the Italian language and culture back at Pitt in the fall.

Throughout the course of the semester, I have developed a greater appreciation for the impact of today’s happenings on the rest of the world and not only in the United States. Spending time away from the U.S. has allowed me to see different sides of historical events and current events that I had not been exposed to in a normal American classroom. Additionally, experiencing a higher context culture has been interesting and has bettered my awareness for strong communication skills across cultures. Working and studying with Italian professionals proved to be much different than what I was used to. Learning to adapt to this different lifestyle will benefit me in adapting to new locations and jobs in the future. Working at the Leonardo da Vinci Museum also opened my eyes to the importance of the English language. As I return to the U.S. following this experience, I am feeling extremely grateful to have grown up in an English-speaking country as this language is so important all around the world. I was a great asset to the Leonardo da Vinci Museum throughout my internship there as I was able to translate marketing materials into English as well as lead English guided tours for students from all over the world.

These are only a few of the numerous skills that I have developed this semester. As I return to Pitt Business next year, I am eager to apply all that I have learned through my study abroad experience and build upon the skills I have fostered as I continue my professional and academic endeavors at Pitt.