Hi everyone! I’m Alyssa, a current junior at Pitt majoring in Marketing, Supply Chain Management, and Business Information Systems with a certificate in Business Analytics. I am originally from central Jersey but have been so happy to call Pittsburgh home for these past 3 years. I am currently studying abroad through the Global Business Institute in London. I have never been to London, so studying abroad here crossed off a place on my bucket list. I also love traveling and wanted to be in a city that made it easy; luckily London has 6 different airports you can fly out of! From this program, I hope to become more culturally aware and competent, increase my self-confidence, and make myself more open to new opportunities. 

So far, the biggest difference between London and Pittsburgh is what side of the street they drive on. Thank goodness for the words on the road that tell you which way to look for cars, otherwise, I would make the same mistake every American does. The classes at my CEA CAPA education center are also much smaller than the ones that I have taken at Pitt. The largest class I have here is 25 students, much less compared to the 200-person lectures I took at Pitt. One of the biggest similarities is the weather. I felt right at home under the grey skies in London. CEA CAPA students also all take their classes in one building, so just like Sennott and Mervis, whenever I go to class I see tons of friends along the way. 

I live in a flat with 3 other students. 2 of them go to Pitt, but funnily enough, I didn’t know one of them before coming here. The other is from the University of Minnesota. It has been so fun getting to connect with American students from different universities! At home, I live with 4 other roommates, so it wasn’t much of an adjustment to my living situation. The biggest thing has been getting used to sharing a room again and the process of doing laundry. There is no dryer and our clothes must be airdried, so be prepared for your laundry to take 2 days. My flat is in Islington, London and I have had such a fun time exploring the neighborhood. There are a ton of great restaurants right near us. So far, I love London and cannot wait for what is on the horizon!