Hi! My name is Sachi Ailani. I am a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business Administration. I am majoring in Finance and Business Information Systems, minoring in economics, and earning a certificate in Business Analytics. I am a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity, the finance freshman chair for Pitt’s South Asian Student Association, and a member of Smart Women Securities.
I am from South Brunswick New Jersey. As for my personal interests, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, trying new foods, solving puzzles, and going on walks. I really enjoy traveling, and just last month I went to Guatemala and in December I went to Aruba. A week after returning from Plus3, I will be going to Cancun. I also love listening to music. My favorite artists are Weston Estate, Taylor Swift, Dominic Fike, and Drake. This summer I will be attending a Taylor Swift concert which has always been a dream of mine.
In 24 days, I will be in Ecuador and I am so excited! I chose this program because I am interested in learning about international business and fully immerse my self in it, which cannot be done in a classroom. I chose Ecuador specifically because I appreciated how the activities and expeditions mentioned would allow us to learn more about the culture like staying with the national tribe for a night! I absolutely love animals and nature, and am beyond excited to experience Ecuador’s biodiversity. I am so happy to have the opportunity to study abroad so early in my academic career.
I would like to learn more about and immerse myself in the business culture and practices of Ecuador. In my Business Communications class, we did an international business etiquette research presentation. I learned that their business practices were extremely different than ours in many aspects. I am excited to not only learn about Ecuador’s business practices but also first hand experience it during site visits. As a Finance and BIS major, I unfortunately will not be taking classes in supply chain. I value being well rounded and having background knowledge in all aspects of business so I am thankful for the opportunity to learn about the supply chain of the Chocolate and Rose industry which I am unfamiliar with.
Traveling to Ecuador will hopefully push me further outside of my comfort zone. Going to Guatemala last month with my sister was my first time leaving the country without my parents. However, I was still able to rely on my sister for many things. I think that being on my own in Ecuador will make me more independent. I also plan to study abroad for a full semester next spring in Florence, Italy. I hope that this trip will give me a feel for being on my own and prepare me a full semester.