Hello everyone!

My name is Sophie Guerrero and I am a rising senior at the University of Pittsburgh. I am pursuing a degree in Public & Professional Writing and French in order to work towards my dream of becoming an international journalist! I have always possessed a fascination for the global and dynamic world along with a deep curiosity towards the different countries, cultures, and languages that exist today. I know that if I become an international journalist I would be gifted the wonderful opportunity to cover interesting stories across borders about our diverse world. I also know that I could start working towards my goal with my chosen major. However, I also realized that in order to be better prepared for a global career it is essential for me to learn a foreign language, which is why I also decided to major in French. Overall, I believe these majors will aid me in placing me on the right path of my intended career!

I am a relatively happy and energetic person who loves a good adventure! I love to travel and I am always ready to go anywhere at anytime whether that is with my friends or family. I am exceptionally interested in international travel due to my background. I was born in the United States, however, because of my dad’s job, I spent most of my life abroad in Argentina, Spain, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. It was while I was living in these countries that I learned the local languages of Spanish, Georgian, and Russian–today, I can speak a total of five languages, that is if you count French! I also was able to learn about the rich cultures of those countries. I believe that my time abroad influenced my passion for travel and love for our diverse world. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to spend time abroad because I think being exposed to new environments is crucial for both professional and personal development.

I decided to apply to the International Internship Program in Paris, France (IIP: Paris), so I could grow my professional portfolio as well as my fluency in the French language. In other words, I knew this would be an exceptional opportunity, since the career that I am looking to pursue is closely related to my internship in Paris. In Paris, I will be interning at a radio station where I will be working alongside other professionals, helping them mostly with every day tasks. For example, I will be translating documents from French to English and creating portfolios for special guest speakers. I will even get the opportunity to speak on air! I think this internship will truly prepare me for my career because it is related to international journalism. In other words, I will be in a foreign country, learning about the local culture and people, while also advancing my French, which will make me stand out as an applicant when applying to jobs in the future related to journalism. Apart from professional development, I will also grow personally. I notice that I get scared especially when I am placed in an environment that forces me to venture outside of my comfort zone. In other words, I believe that I do not push myself enough to become comfortable in an entirely new space, which can become problematic for me personally. I applied to this program because I want to learn how to break out from my comfort zone and learn how to adapt to new environments quickly. I think I will be pushed to do so in many ways. I strongly believe that I will be able to overcome my challenges, I am ready for it all!

Overall, I am excited to embark on this new journey. I am prepared to learn more about international journalism and media through my internship in Paris. I am also ready to advance my fluency in French by talking to my host family as well as my coworkers. I think that there will be some challenges during my time in Paris that I will be encouraged to overcome. For example, I might experience slight culture shock, which will push me to accept and embrace the culture that I will be immersed in for the summer. I might also have to overcome my own personal challenges. Despite the obstacles that I may face, I am looking forward to learning more about the French culture, history, language, and people, while also making meaningful connections and friendships that will benefit me both professionally and personally!