Overall, I have loved my time abroad in Sydney, Australia. I enjoyed exploring the many attractions, restaurants, and beaches in Sydney. I’m so sad to be leaving the place that I have gotten to love in such a short period of time. I have met many new friends and learned a lot in my six weeks here. I am so fortunate to have had the experience of studying abroad in Australia. I have travelled to many new places and learned a lot along the way. Before I head home, I am meeting up with my family to travel.

From the beginning of my program to now, I have grown a lot personally, professionally, and academically. Being abroad and exploring a new area has made me more independent. I gained a whole new sense of independence that would not be attainable in Pittsburgh. Doing little things like using public transportation or going to a restaurant alone has given me more independence. Furthermore, I have grown a lot professionally through my internship. Being able to have first-hand experience in the Australian workplace has made me more adaptable. Each day at work, I was given a different task and most of them did not have to do with my major. I learned to be flexible and complete each task the best of my ability. By doing a diverse range of tasks, I was able to learn more about other business disciplines. Lastly, I have improved with time management through my classes. It was hard to manage 20 hours of work per week, class twice a week for a few hours, and weekend travels. I had to write papers and do projects for my class, and I had to manage my time effectively to get all my course work completed. I came up with a structured scheduled of when I did my coursework to make sure everything was completed efficiently and successfully.

Studying abroad in Sydney has left me with many important takeaways. I learned to be open-minded and to not create expectations. I got the most of experiences when I kept an open-mind. I also learned the importance of work life balance and it’s not always about school/work. It is good to maintain a balance between school work and outside activities. I will take my experiences abroad in Sydney and apply them to Pitt Business. I will be able to apply what I learned in the classroom, to future internships, and further abroad experiences.