So far, through the program, the most transferable soft skills that I have learned have been being able to adapt to uncomfortable situations and to spend time around people who are very unlike me. Being in a new environment that I am not as familiar with constantly forces me to adapt, which is a valuable skill that I can bring back to Pittsburgh and any future opportunities that I may have. I have also learned to be more comfortable being around people unlike me because I have never spent this extended period of time with people of totally different cultures than me. I feel like I am expanding my cultural intelligence every day. This is an incredible quality to bring back because it will help me to integrate into a wide variety of roles and groups in the professional world.

A couple hard skills that I have learned have been perfecting my Excel skills and learning how to make and fine-tune financial models. I learned this all for my internship, and they are both important skills that I will use in the future and that can be the difference maker in my getting hired. They are great skills to have.

So far, I have had great luck with cross-cultural interactions. I think I go into conversations and any interactions with people from a foreign culture with a very open mind, as well as a true kindness and respect. I think when you treat someone with respect and dignity—of any culture—they will be inclined to be nice to you, even if you are accidentally rude or make some sort of minor offense. I also think people in general love to talk about themselves, so when you ask about a person’s culture, many of them are not just willing to share—they are extremely eager. This idea has allowed me to learn so much over the past couple of months. I am a chatty guy, and everywhere I go I feel like I am meeting new people, taking on new ideas, and vicariously exploring other people’s cultures.

I have also enjoyed my interactions with fellow Americans. It has, in a lot of ways, made me realize that there is so much of the USA that I have yet to explore and interact with. A lot of areas I know nothing about, and in that sense, I feel more culture shock when interacting with fellow Americans than with true foreigners.

The photo is of my Airbnb view from my balcony in Mykonos, Greece.