Hi! My name is Riley Hensley and I am currently a Junior here at Pitt Business. I am majoring in Business Analytics and Business Information Systems, as well as minoring in Political Science. Outside of the classroom, I love going to concerts and sporting events with my friends, and long-distance running. This semester, I am studying abroad on the GBI: London program.

Until I arrived in London, I had never been outside of the United States. It has been a dream of mine to explore the world since I was young. I chose to study abroad to expand my perspectives and challenge myself. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to meet new people. I was very excited about the GBI: London program because it gave me the opportunity to take classes for my major, general education requirements, and political science minor.

On the program, I am studying at Richmond American University. The environment has been very different than Pitt. The school is small, comprised of only one floor and few classrooms. Classes tend to meet less during the week, but be longer in their sessions. There are students from across the world, such as Italy, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. It has been fun to learn about different cultures at the same time as progressing through my degree.

I have been living in an apartment building, but have my own room. This is the first time I have not had roommates through my college experience! It has been very interesting to go from living with four people to being by myself, but I have enjoyed the independence I have gained. The feeling is very similar to my Freshman year: a whole new environment where I am meeting all new people. In the communal room, I can hang out with my friends that also are living in the apartment building. The apartment is located in a quiet neighborhood, where I have enjoyed morning runs.

So far, I have been loving London. Learning to appreciate public transportation, see iconic spots like the London eye, and trying new restaraunts has been an amazing experience. I have explored other cities within the UK, since as Bath and Oxford. I have met so many amazing people. Although I felt some homesickness at first, each day I am grateful for this opportunity to get more confident in myself. I try to live in the moment and appreciate my surroundings. I am looking forward to the rest of this semester!