The past 8 weeks in Madrid have been an incredible experience and one I am super thankful for. Coming here was both an exciting and nervous time, but I can positively say that this experience has been wonderful and one of a kind. Over these past eight weeks I think I have seen and experienced a lot of personal growth within myself. Being in a new country with a different language alone for 8 weeks is going to change a person in many ways. As I said above, when first coming I was nervous about what would lie ahead. I think just by participating in this experience a person will experience personal growth. It is a risk and challenging to come to a place like Madrid to work with no previous experience similar to this beforehand. By the end of it though, I think I am much more confident in my ability to fit in anywhere. Through this I have seen how capable I am of making connections and settling down into new environments, even when the language is not the same. I think the confidence and self-assurance I have received from this is very important and evident. Secondly, from an academic standpoint I feel I have learned a ton here. This was my first internship experience in my field of study, so basically everything I did was new to me. The company I was at was very in line with what I am studying, and the work that I was doing was very similar to things I have learned in classrooms, but I actually got to apply that knowledge in a real world situation for the first time. Seeing in real time how different policies can affect different sectors of public and government life is something that cannot be simulated in a classroom. In addition, the policy analysis that is done here is much more in depth than anything I have done in a class. Lastly, being able to actually think and create new programs and policies that could have effects on real people is a very unique and rewarding experience that can only be taught outside the classroom. While school gave me a good basis to work from, interning in Madrid has furthered my education and subject learning so much through being able to be hands-on in the real world. From a professional standpoint, Madrid has also helped develop me a lot. Being in an office with new people who speak a different language can make it hard to really become a part of the team. I think the biggest professional skill this program has taught me is communication. Being able to interact and converse with all your co-workers, even when they are super different from you. Learning how to relate to someone who speaks a different language is very hard, but by practicing and doing it the communication skills gained are invaluable. It really makes me feel like I can find a way to relate and work with anyone in the future. This communication aspect has been the biggest piece of professional development I will take from the program. 

In addition to that, this program has given me lots of things I can take back with me to Pitt. Like I said above, communication is one of these things. I feel that I can really make connections with anyone now as I was able to over these past 8 weeks with people I have nothing in common with. Along with communication, I think my global competency has improved, which is always important to have. Coming back to school I think I have a better understanding of culture and how culture is related to the individual. This in turn will help me be more open and understanding of people I encounter. Similar to that, I think this program has widened my perspectives and has allowed me to see the different ways in which people think and act. People from different parts of the world have different cultures and these different cultures have different common perspectives. Seeing these new perspectives and understanding why they are held has helped me widen my mind and I can come back to Pitt much more open then I was before. Going into the future with a wider mind too will help keep new possibilities open for me. Overall, I think I can take back everything that I experienced and use it in some way to help me to continue to develop both personally and professionally. As a whole, I am super grateful to have taken part in this wonderful experience and have learned invaluable lessons and skills that will stay with me for life.