I received the Thomas Angelo Honors Scholarship in order to help me go on this study abroad to China. I am extremely grateful to have gotten this opportunity to go and I couldn’t have done it without this scholarship. I was able to explore different facets of the business industry and see it on a global scale because the lifestyles in countries are completely different. For example, it is quite commonly known that people in China ride bicycles as a source of transportation while residents in America usually drive cars. This affects a lot – especially the shopping and buying lifestyle in China. Most people grocery shop for the day instead of the week because they can’t transport a lot of things back home. Online shopping is also huge in China – with same day delivery services & free shipping most of the time! Traveling to China through this scholarship allowed me to understand and experience the domino effect one slight change can have on a whole market.

My time abroad was eye-opening. I have traveled abroad many times before, but this was my first time traveling without my family. I learned how to buy things using pictures and hand gestures when I don’t speak the country’s language. I got to immerse myself in the culture and rich history of China by trekking up to the Great Wall of China and navigating the busy market streets with billions of vendors. I also became THAT foreigner when my card got eaten by the ATM Machine, and then I learned how to NEVER do that again. And finally, I realized that authentic Chinese food is definitely not PFChangs.

This experience was the first of many trips that will help me understand the business industry a little bit better. My future academic plans at the University of Pittsburgh includes double majoring in Finance and Business Information Systems. I hope to eventually go into the consulting industry and help companies succeed and expand globally!