Greetings from Europe! My name is Hailey Hunter and I am a senior Marketing major with certificates in Business Analytics, Leadership & Ethics, and Public & Professional Writing. Outside of the classroom I am a Professional Development Consultant in Pitt Business’ Career Center where I edit resumes and cover letters, conduct mock interviews, and provide general internship and job search strategy advice. I also am an active member in the professional business organization Phi Beta Lambda and currently serve as President of Women in Business.

Now while my program has yet to start, I’ve been lucky enough to do some traveling prior to London, thus me writing to you from Paris, France! The last two weeks have been the experience of a lifetime, traveling from Florence, Italy to Rome, Italy to Paris. With one of my best friends having spent this past semester in Florence, I was able to experience the city from an expert’s perspective as she was our guide through a variety of museums, historical sites, and restaurants– we even took a cooking class where I am now a certified pizza and gelato maker (which is very impressive for me)!

Heading to London in a few days, I am really looking forward to settling down and getting familiar with a city of my own. Through the Global Business Institute, I will be taking 2 courses: Analyzing and Exploring the Global City and Writing the City of London. I chose GBI London, because I appreciate just how much London is a global city, as it’s one of the most diverse In the world. Therefore, I am not just gaining international exposure through one culture, but through a myriad. London is a hub of intersecting cultures, and I am eager to experience the inner workings of the city. Additionally, and like many other students I presume, I chose this summer experience after my initial plans were no longer available due to COVID-19. While I originally wanted a full semester experience, I also wanted the experience of a normal college semester. To compromise, a summer program was the best alternative.

In addition to always dreaming of doing a full semester, I had also dreamed of completing an internship during this time abroad. However, this pandemic has taught me that things do not always go according to plan, and I made the decision that for me to maximize my growth in 6 weeks, it would be more beneficial for me to explore different classes than what I would take in the U.S than professional experiences. Therefore, I am hoping to gain a new worldly perspective through writing and analyzing how a global city functions, and aim to apply that to my thought processes and brainstorms in a professional setting when I return to the U.S.

I cannot wait for the next 6 weeks, and I hope you follow along and enjoy the journey with me!