Hello everyone! My name is Alex Tindale, and I am from Fort Mill, South Carolina. I am a first-year student in the College of Business Administration doing a dual major in Marketing and Finance. I am looking forward to the adventure to Ecuador this summer and all it brings! This school year I have been involved with Chi Alpha, which is a bible study ministry on campus. I go to a small group and am involved in their campus activities. In my free time I like to hang out with my friends, play sports, and travel. I also enjoy spending time outside and enjoying nature. This is an amazing opportunity to study abroad! This will be my first time out of the country, and I am excited to travel and immerse myself in new experiences!

The Plus3 Program I choose to pursue is Ecuador! The Ecuador study abroad program dives into the supply chains of Ecuador’s world-famous chocolate and roses. When I found out that Pitt Business had a Plus3 program and what it involved, I was instantly hooked. I knew that I wanted to go abroad, and this Plus3 opportunity was perfect for me. After deciding that I was going to apply for Plus3, I had to decide which program to go for. I ended up deciding on Ecuador! I thought about the programs attached to each Plus3 location and found that Ecuador’s chocolate and roses sounded the most interesting and enticing, while also having an engaging educational aspect. I thought that learning more about the supply chain of chocolate and roses sounded unique. In my opinion it sounded like the best program and a great opportunity to experience a new culture! I also did some research on the different countries that Plus3 was offered, talked to friends and family, and checked out blog posts. I think it will be really cool to learn about the deeper aspects behind the supply chain of chocolate and roses and what they entail. Ultimately, I decided that Ecuador was the program for me!

I hope to personally grow and become more comfortable and open to trying new things. I think there will be plenty of times on the trip where there will be new opportunities for me, and I want to take them in and make the most of them! I hope to academically grow through the program I will be engaged in as well. I hope to truly get a better understanding of not only the chocolate and roses supply chain, but supply chains in general. I hope to learn about how they function and the work that is put into them. I hope to grow professionally through problem-solving and engaging questions throughout the experience. I want to be involved in the culture and environment as much as possible and become adaptable to changes. Overall, I think I will professionally develop through the skills and experiences I encounter on the trip. I am super excited for the trip and all that I will learn! I am ready for Ecuador!