My time at this program has been going by so fast, I can’t believe that it’s already halfway over. Each day here is different and I feel like I am constantly learning something new about London or discovering another part of this multifaceted city. Immersing yourself into a new city and new cultures can be overwhelming, but it can also be thrilling. Before coming here, I was worried about whether or not I would be able to adjust to the living situation here, but it has not been as hard as I had expected. The housing I was given is in a great part of the city, right near the iconic London Tower Bridge! The area around it is very lively and filled with various restaurants and shops and it has been so much fun trying all the new, diverse food in the area. I live in an apartment style accommodation with a roommate and we have a great view of the city from our apartment! It is quite similar to living in a dorm, which is what I think helped make the adjustment to living here so much easier. We did face some challenges at first, such as finding the nearest grocery store and learning how to use some of the appliances in our apartment as some of them operate differently than they do in America. These were only minor challenges though, and after a few days we were able to figure everything out!
Along with my internship here, I am also taking an international finance class through CAPA, which is the program that coordinates study abroad with Pitt. This class has been similar to my classes at Pitt in terms of things like class structure and I am really enjoying learning about international finance in a different country as it has allowed me draw upon differences between the finance world here in London and in America. We also go on trips sometimes during class to various places around the city. Today, we went to the Bank of England Museum and learned all about the history of the bank and how it came to be. This corresponded with what we’ve been learning in class about the functions of the central bank. We also walked around the area and saw other important financial institutions and learned more about what they do and how they function in the bigger picture of the business world. Overall, I believe that learning about business in a global context is something that I know I can carry forward with me in all aspects of my professional and academic career and I can’t wait to make the most of whatever time I have left here in London.