My first few weeks here in London have been nothing short of exceptional. I have gotten settled in with my roommates and meet my internship team. I am looking forward to what the next few months will look like. Although I have been abroad before, this time will be a truly different experience, mainly because of the level of responsibility that comes along with this journey. Often being abroad, I believe you are in a ‘’tourist’’ where what you experience is the reality of the city and how the people go about their daily lives. That is why being seperated from family and essentially familiar surroundings will help me learn new skills I would not have acquired had I not studied abroad.
Obviously one of the biggest things I would like to take away from this semester is adaptability but in regard to interpersonal skills. I have worked in an office environment in the USA and had a job for multiple years at the same time, however, the work environment in the UK is different to the US. The UK is much more laid-back and more casual, where things such as politics are a regular topic in the office. Also, the interactions are different because there is a higher level of sarcasm used within the office as well. These aspects are things that I am not accustomed to having worked in the US, but I am hopeful that I can adapt in order to have better relationships with my co-workers. This can also help me develop my awareness in politics because up until this point, I have never been too involved in politics. However, with UK office environments being more open-minded to those kind of discussions, I hope that can help improve my competency in that subject.
I believe I am comfortable with trying new experiences. Being exposed to new things can help you grow and develop as a person, which is why I have such a high level of excitement of being in London. This semester, I will essentially be living as though I was getting an MBA. My weekdays will consist of classes and work until 5:30 at the very least, I have to manage my time after according so I can exercise, prepare food, have sufficient sleep, etc. This will give me the chance to understand what my life will be like after college and what steps I need to take in order to accomplish any tasks and goals. Even after thinking for some time, I do not believe I am afraid of anything. There is no language barrier that I would have to deal with and the UK is fairly similar to the US. I also am aware of different aspects of British culture, such as their football, their music, their humor, the different accents, etc. I only hope to be able to add on to my knowledge of the UK and be able to be a more global citizen.