Hello! My name is Jaimini Patel. I am a rising junior at the University of Pittsburgh. I am majoring in Finance and minoring in Law, Criminal Justice, and Society. I am also pursuing a certificate in Public and Professional Writing and am on the Pre-Law Track. On campus, I am involved in a few organizations. I serve as the Member Engagement Director for my sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma and as the VP of Finance for the club Empower. Additionally, I am a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity and the Service Dog Training and Education Program (STEP@Pitt) club. In my free time, I love to shop, spend time with friends, try new foods, and explore different places.
This summer, I am participating in the Global Business Institute (GBI) program in Florence, Italy. My program is six weeks long, starting in mid-May and ending towards the beginning of July. I chose Florence because of its rich cultural heritage, beautiful architecture, and the opportunity to immerse myself in the vibrant Italian lifestyle. My goals for studying abroad are to broaden my global perspective and gain a deeper understanding of different societies and traditions. Through this program, I am enrolled in 2 courses – Creative Writing and Urban Studies. Both of my classes place a strong emphasis on applying information to explore Florence and understand the city’s dynamics. It has been extremely interesting and exciting to take such interactive classes in a lively city.
My first two weeks here have been a mix of excitement, adjustment, and exploration. It has been really fun to discover the local environment and start to immerse myself in the experience. In Florence, my friends and I have already visited the Boboli Gardens, Piazzale Michelangelo, Uffizi Gallery, and various markets. We’ve also tried many different restaurants – our favorite places are Cacio e Pepe and Yellow Bar. Over the weekends, we’ve been able to travel outside of Florence. In Venice, the picturesque canals and iconic landmarks were even better than we had imagined! In Cinque Terre, we had the chance to visit four of the five fishing villages to see the vibrant houses and rugged coastline. In Pisa, we admired the famous leaning tower and even climbed to the top of it. I am so grateful to have this opportunity to study in Florence and travel around Italy. Everything has been amazing so far and I’m super excited for the next few weeks!
Ponte Vecchio