My experience abroad has been one of the most amazing opportunities of my life. Each day, there was something new to learn, such as navigating day to day activities, learning in a different academic style and travelling to new places. Throughout this program, I have seen significant growth in myself personally, academically and professionally.
On a personal level, I’ve become much more independent and confident. I’ve had to learn how to handle unfamiliar situations, such as communicating with someone when there’s a language barrier. From the beginning of the program to now, I feel I can communicate with people a lot better and with less fear of miscommunication or judgement. I think the biggest thing I learned was to ask for help when I need it. I’ve had to learn how to be more adaptable and confident in myself.
Academically, I feel I’ve gained a more global perspective on my studies. I’ve seen firsthand how markets and consumer behavior varies across cultures. I was able to connect what I’ve previously learned to real life here. This has helped my abilities to think critically and approach problems from different angles. Just because I think something is right, doesn’t mean someone of another culture agrees. It really helped to see the differences in real life.
Tying together my personal and academic growth, I have grown professionally by becoming more comfortable communicating with diverse groups of people and navigating new environments. I’ve learned to utilize resources, think from multiple angles and ask for help if I am stuck, all things I believe to be important in a career.
I have also developed transferable, or ‘soft’, skills throughout this program, including adaptability, communication and problem-solving. I’ve had to live with constant flexibility from dealing with language barriers, adjusting to different expectations or navigating daily life. I also strengthened my communication skills by interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds and learning how to express myself clearly when there were differences in communication styles. Problem-solving was also a constant practice, as I often had to think quicky to respond to unexpected challenges.
The key things I am taking away from this and with me into the rest of my time with Pitt Business and my future career include my growth and skills acquired. I have developed a stronger sense of independence and confidence that will allow me to take on new challenges and opportunities. I also plan to apply my global perspective to my classwork and career decisions. I will leverage my adaptability and communication skills to work effectively in diverse teams and dynamic environments. This experience has not only shaped my academic and career goals, but has also given me a clearer understanding of the kind of person I want to be – open-minded, self-supporting and globally aware.
