Hi! My name is Ava Keller and I am in the Spring 2024 Global Business Institute London study abroad program. I’m a junior at Pitt double majoring in Marketing and Business Information Systems pursuing a Certificate in Leadership and Ethics.
I chose this program for many reasons. Traveling and living abroad is something that I want to experience in my life whenever I can, and Pitt’s Global Business Institute program was the perfect opportunity for me to do that in a safe, easy, useful, and unforgettable way. I chose London because it’s a vibrant city with limitless opportunities and experiences. I’ve never been to Europe before and wanted to explore as much as possible. Some goals for my time abroad include trying new foods, meeting people in my program as well as locals, exploring different parts of London, England, and other places in Europe, and getting more comfortable with traveling solo.
I am attending classes at the CEA CAPA center in Kensington, which is a super nice part of London. It’s about a 30 minute ride on the tube from my apartment. I’m living in Whitechapel with 3 other roommates. Living in a shared apartment is similar to how I live back on Pitt’s campus, besides the fact that I share a room here which I’m not as used to. My neighborhood has so many things to do, whether it’s exercising, walking around, sightseeing, going to nice restaurants, and more.
As someone from Manhattan, New York, a big city with lots to do – similarly to London – I feel pretty comfortable. The fact that everyone here speaks English definitely helps that too. The tube is easy to figure out and there are always a lot of people walking on the streets. The drivers are a little more aggressive though, and it’s been hard to get used to drivers driving on the opposite side of the roads. I do miss home, but I also know that’s normal. Going to my classes and meeting new people every day has been a great way for me to start getting used to having a schedule and things to do here, which has been helping the homesickness.
Either way, I haven’t even been here for a week yet, so I know there is so much more to experience and learn while I’m in London. I’ll make sure to give more updates in the future blog posts! Cheers 🙂
