I chose the Global Business Institute Program in London, England because I wanted to challenge myself by living in a city that was completely unfamiliar, but had enough similarities to the United States that I would be able to easily find my footing. Specifically, the fact that they speak English in London has been very helpful. I have always been drawn to large cities with a faster pace of living and so many opportunities to explore, and London has been a perfect mix. London is full of so much culture, history, and is also a very large hub for business and marketing.
When entering this experience, I had hoped to push myself out of my comfort zone, both academically and professionally. In my classes here, the learning environment is much different than what I am used to at Pitt. The classes are very small here, and therefore are mainly discussion based, which is different from how my large lecture operates in Pittsburgh. In terms of professional experiences, London has definitely exposed me to very valuable real-world experience through my internship at Kind Community. Throughout my internship, I have learned so much about how important communication and teamwork is. I have also learned some hard skills such as how to utilize CapCut and Klaviyo. These skills will help me in any future jobs. On a more personal level, I have grown so much in terms of my independence. I have not only learned how to get around a huge city like London, but I have also had to navigate the feeling of constantly feeling lost and figuring everything out as I go.
London has also surprised me in ways I was not expecting. I knew that I would fall in love with this city, but there is also a side to studying abroad that is overwhelming. While this experience is once in a lifetime, there are always those feelings of culture shock mixed with confusion that turn into being overwhelmed at times. However, I think this is important to acknowledge, since these moments have helped me to reflect on how I handle change, and how I can grow from these challenges. In the end, this experience has been everything I had hoped for and even more. I will carry the lessons learned from this experience with me for the rest of my life. London is a part of me forever!