Hola a todos!
My name is Maddie Boulware and I am super excited to be participating in the International Internship program in Madrid!
I am from Avondale, PA, which is about an hour south of Philly. At home I love spending time with my family and friends and going to the beach. I am currently a rising junior at The University of Pittsburgh studying Supply Chain Management and Global Management with a minor in Spanish. I hope to be able to use my degree in a job as a Supply Chain Analyst. I am extremely passionate about traveling, exploring new things, and trying new food! At Pitt, I am a member of the Ski and Snowboard club, Spanish club, and I am a die-hard fan of Pitt sports. Although this will be my first internship, I do have a lot of work experience. I have worked at a summer camp, in a cafe, in a surf shop, and at a Philly Pretzel Factory.
I chose the International Internship Program in Madrid because I wanted to capitalize on an opportunity that allowed me to explore not only opportunities in business but in Spanish as well. I hope to gain an increased level of fluency in my Spanish skills after this experience while also embracing this leap outside my comfort zone. Professionally, I hope to use this experience as a way to make connections and to increase my cultural intelligence. I am eager to use the skills that I gain from this experience to further help me in future with job interviews and working in teams of diverse people.
I have been learning Spanish for 7 years now and I am nervously excited to use my skills in a real life setting. I think the biggest challenge for me on this trip will be confidence in my words. I don’t have complete confidence in my Spanish abilities and my goal for this trip is to not let my doubt hold me back. I keep reminding myself to slow down and take my time, which is something I rarely do in English. I want to be able to embrace my mistakes and recognize that I will gain more by making the mistakes and learning from them.
While in Madrid I will be staying with a host family. I have reached out to my host mom through email a few times and she already seems so welcoming and I cannot wait to meet her. The apartment is in the middle of the city and it’s super close to one of the two major parks in the city. My host family has 3 daughters that live at home and they are all close to my age. To me that sounds like built in friends who are familiar with the city!
Although I am feeling all the feels; nervous, excited, overwhelmed did I say nervous? I am trying to remind myself to take this one day at a time. It is easy to get caught up in the pressure of having the most perfect moments that it always seems like everyone is having. I am constantly reminding myself that behind every perfect instagram post is a messy, stressful, and crazy backstory. My goal is to really push myself outside of my comfort zones and do things that scare me (like working in a spanish environment). The things that will create an unforgettable experience for me will be a mix of the big and little things. Whether it’s getting lost on the metro, getting coffee with coworkers, or traveling to other Spanish cities. Expecting the unexpected and accepting it all will make this trip something I will be talking about for years.
True to my nature, I started packing two days before I had to leave with no plan on what I was going to bring. This left me rapidly digging through my closet and all my drawers Marie Kondoing my entire wardrobe. “Will this bring me happiness in Madrid?” In the end I ended up with one checked bag (under 50 Ibs!) and two lightly packed carry ons. Which means I have plenty of room to bring home souvenirs! One of the things I am looking forward to is shopping while I am abroad! I love to see how the culture shapes the fashion in another country.
But seriously, how many pairs of shoes should I bring? I feel like I need a shoe to go with all of the outfits that I overpacked. Please send help (or extra bags)!