Ciao! My name is Ryan, and I am a junior at Pitt studying finance and economics. I am from a small town outside of Allentown, PA. This semester, I am studying abroad in Florence, Italy, through the Global Business Institute. It has always been a goal of mine to step outside the U.S. and live in a different country. The GBI Florence program is a fantastic opportunity for me to experience life in Italy, while exploring many other parts of the world.
When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to spend part of my summer in Guadalajara, Mexico. This experience sparked my interest in international business and goal of traveling abroad in college. Last summer, I interned at the Carnegie Mellon University endowment as an investment analyst, working with many international investors and business owners. This summer, I will be living in NYC, interning for Deutsche Bank in their investment banking division. I believe the opportunity to live abroad and see how businesses operate first-hand will help me succeed working for a large international investment bank.
Outside of school and work, I enjoy spending my time skiing, playing sports, and cooking. I also love traveling, which is why the GBI Florence program is perfect for me. I am studying through an abroad program called CEA CAPA. All of the faculty and staff are incredible kind and helpful, making the transition much easier. My favorite class is Italian 101, which is taught by a Pitt professor. She does a great job at keeping the classroom engaged and the mood light and fun.
Life in Florence has been amazing. The culture is very laidback and positive, even in the busiest parts. Compared to America, Italians value quality time and enjoying the moment, rather than always trying to get to the next thing. I am living with five other Pitt students, some of which were prior friends. We live about a 20 minute walk from the main city center, which felt far at first, but I’ve learned to enjoy it by soaking in all the little things about the city. I will say, it has been awesome getting to experience this adventure with my friends and I can’t wait to make many more great memories. Since coming to Italy, I’ve really enjoyed getting to try new things, see new places, and create new friendships. My goals for this semester are to travel throughout Europe, improve my Italian speaking skills, try 50 new resturants and cafes, and create lifelong memories.
With that being said, the first couple of weeks have flown by already, which has reminded me to appreciate the little things. I am looking forward to seeing what this semester has in store for me, both the expected and unexpected.
Arrivederci!