Hello again from London! I have been here for just about two months now and can confidently say that I have learned so many new things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. My classes have certainly taught me various hard skills relating to each of their focuses. In my advertising class, I have gained so much knowledge regarding the behind the scenes of the advertising industry. Being a marketing major, this is an area that I am familiar with, however I have never taken an advertising specific class before now. I am currently in the process of crafting an entire advertising campaign to rebrand KFC in the UK. This real-world experience is incredibly valuable for my future endeavors. Additionally, I am greatly improving my drafting, writing, and editing skills in my writing class. My professor is a professional author and editor for the BBC and has passed on so much of her insight. I personally love writing and sometimes find that business classes do not allow for much of it, so this has been very refreshing. 

More importantly even, I have developed many soft skills throughout this program, both from my classes and just personal experiences living abroad. I have learned the importance of cultural sensitivity and adapting to the place you are in. While I may be used to other cultural norms than what I have experienced in the UK and other places throughout Europe, it is important to respect where you are. I have also learned so much about adapting and overcoming unexpected change. Living abroad and traveling can come with a lot of unpredictable circumstances. Being able to deal with those head on and overcome them is an important skill that can really be applied in any environment. Finally, I have learned the ultimate importance of time management and organization. With traveling so much and just wanting to explore London in my free time, I have had to really be diligent about getting my work done on time.

While all of my peers are American students, my professors and most other people I interact with daily are British. My professors have been very informative about all things London and very understanding about the fact that my peers and I are used to a different style of learning than the UK. My interactions with other British people just out and about have also mostly been really positive! London is such a cultural hub that I don’t feel too out of place being an American here. As much as I try to blend in with the locals, my accent gives me away pretty quickly, but usually that will just strike up a conversation and end with me learning something new! My identity has truly grown so much since being here. My perspective on the world has expanded, my understanding of myself and what I am capable of has grown, and my passion for traveling and experiencing new cultures is at an all time high. I cannot wait to see how this experience changes me even more in the next month!

I love going to different museums around the city. Last week I checked out The Wallace Collection and it was beautiful!