Hi! My name is Maansi Shah, and I’m a junior studying Finance and Business Information Systems with certificates in International Business, Leadership and Ethics, and Business Analytics. I’m also involved in a few clubs such as Phi Chi Theta and Smart Women Securities. 

This semester, I’m studying abroad in London through the Global Business Institute. I’m also doing an internship with Winnovart, a management consulting company that works to gain equitable funding for smaller start-ups. I’ve been looking forward to this experience since freshman year, especially since I have always been interested in traveling to new countries and gaining experiences I could not obtain at home. This is my first time traveling to a new country by myself. So, I chose to study in London over another country because a majority of people speak English; I felt that I would have an easier time getting around in the city. Some of my goals for this semester are to gain a new sense of independence and make new friends/memories along the way. 

I’m taking classes through CEA CAPA and one similarity to Pitt is the different clubs available for students. During orientation, I was made aware of the clubs and organizations I could join while studying here. This reminded me of the activities fair that Pitt has every semester and even made me feel more comfortable knowing I could have a similar college experience by becoming active in clubs/activities. One difference between Pitt and CEA CAPA is the class length. Most of my classes at Pitt meet twice a week for an hour and fifteen minutes. In London, my classes meet once a week for three hours and fifteen minutes!! This will be a bit of a struggle for the first couple weeks, but I’ll eventually get comfortable with a three-hour class.

I’m living in the Bloomsbury neighborhood, which is right next to University College London. I love living here as my flat is right next to the campus, so it feels like I’m at home in Oakland. Conveniently, there are many libraries, coffee shops, restaurants, and shops in the area as well. I share my flat with two other girls who are also studying through CEA CAPA. My flat is very spacious and the view from my bedroom is so pretty. I even had the chance to meet the other CEA CAPA students in my building; I’ve met students from many different universities in the US.

So far, I’m adapting pretty well to London. Aside from the jet lag, I have no complaints about where I’m staying. I think I’m adapting quickly to the city because London resembles some major US cities (except for the fact that people here drive on the left side of the road). I’m very excited to study in London for the semester, and I can’t wait to see what this experience has in store for me!