Reflecting on my experiences in London, I am so happy that I decided to participate in this program. As someone who has never left the country before, the duration of six weeks was the perfect amount of time for me to go abroad, and with the combination of classes, my internship, and exploring the city, there was never a dull moment. While I was abroad, I did my best to explore as much of London as well as other places during my time there. I traveled to Cambridge and Brighton Beach, as well as Amsterdam and Dublin. With multiple trips to Borough Market under my belt, as well as many other iconic London spots, I feel that I got a good sense of the city, and I cannot wait for the opportunity to return. 

This experience allowed me to develop as a person, student, and professional. The class I took while abroad, called Writing the City, was a class I am so happy I chose to take. Our professor was knowledgeable and easy to connect with, and included field trips once a week so that we could see the places that our readings were discussing. It was fun to read pieces like the origin of Peter Pan and walk around Kensington Gardens as we discussed it, allowing the literature to come to life. As for my internship, working with people from different cultures and countries was extremely rewarding. I learned a lot about my coworkers through conversations over lunch and coffee, and they shared stories from their early days working in London after coming from another country. These were always comforting, as everyone had a funny story of a mistake they’d made when they were still adjusting to cultural differences. It helped me understand that it is okay to make mistakes as long as I am open to learning, and becoming comfortable with the fact that when I enter a new professional space, there will be things I do not know and need to adjust to. As for the growth I experienced as a person, studying abroad truly opened my eyes to the rest of the world beyond the United States. Up until this experience, it was easy to think that as much as I wanted to travel the world, if I never had the opportunity it was okay. Now, after my six weeks abroad, I cannot wait to go back and see the rest of the world that is out there. As soon as I got home I started researching for my next (hopeful) trip back to England, Ireland, and other countries I have not yet been to in Europe and beyond. 

I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity through Pitt Business, and I would not have been able to attend without the scholarships I received. I never thought it would be feasible for me to study abroad, between the costs and the number of remaining credits I had to take to graduate. Thanks to this program and the scholarships I received, I was able to have this wonderful experience in London, earning credits and learning about the professional world. Thank you!