Hi everyone! My name is Anna Sheppard, and I am a freshman at Pitt studying Marketing and pursuing a certificate in Business Analytics. This summer, I will have the opportunity to study abroad in Ecuador as a part of the Pitt Business Plus3 Program! I couldn’t be more excited! At Pitt, I’m a part of American Marketing Association, Pitt Dance Marathon, and Women in Business. I am also the Vice President and co-founder of my own student organization, Corporate Connections at Pitt Business! In my free time, I love getting coffee, going on walks or runs at the trail, and spending time with my friends, as well as working on my cycling instructor certification so I can prepare to teach spin classes this summer!
When I chose to attend Pitt, Plus3 was one of the biggest factors in my decision. I was impressed that I would have the opportunity to study abroad so early on in my college career! I’ve always wanted to study abroad in college, and the 2 weeks of Plus3 will be a good taste of what it is like without committing to an entire semester away from Pitt. All of the locations and topics seemed so interesting, and it was difficult to narrow my options down to my top 3 when I completed my application. However, there were just so many factors pointing me towards Plus3 Ecuador!
I chose to study in Ecuador because of the country’s amazing biodiversity, culture, and most importantly, the interesting topic- who doesn’t love chocolate and flowers? I took 5 five years of Spanish language and culture classes in high school, so I had previously studied the nation of Ecuador. Our trip to Ecuador has a jam-packed itinerary, from site visits to hikes in the Amazon rainforest to spending a night with an indigenous tribe! I am ready to make so many amazing memories and get lots of cool pictures- hopefully my blog will reflect that! One of the most fascinating aspects of Ecuador is its diverse climate; throughout our trip we will go from the Andes Mountains to the Amazon rainforest, and we will end our journey on the coast. It is difficult to choose just one part of this trip to look forward to, but I am most excited to watch the bean to bar process of making chocolate, see all of the different flora and fauna in the Amazon rainforest, and hopefully being able to go snorkeling along the coast!
On this trip, I hope to learn more about the many cultures in each region of Ecuador that we visit, and make connections with the businesses, locals, and with the rest of the Pitt students who are a part of this unique experience! I would love to be able to interview some of the business owners during our site visits for my student organization while on this trip, so I will have to polish up my Spanish and interviewing skills. The trip begins in less than one month from today…see you in Ecuador!