Hello, everyone! My name is Kayhaan Farahbakhshian, I am from Sudbury, Massachusetts, and I am a first-year student in the College of Business Administration studying Global Management and Marketing. This summer, I’m prepared to embark on one of the biggest trips of my lifetime and travel to Ecuador with around 15 other students from Pitt CBA, and I can’t wait to get started. Some of my activities at Pitt include the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity—Beta Phi Chapter, where I serve as the ritual chair and a member of the apparel committee. Additionally, I am a member of the Men’s Club Water Polo team, while I also enjoy working out, cooking, thrifting, and the local music scene in my free time! This summer, I want to improve my Excel skills and seize any chance that arises!

Studying abroad, especially in a South American country, was one of my primary ambitions before starting college, so when I found out about the Pitt Plus3 Ecuador Program, I knew it would be the right one for me. With years of outdoor experience as an Eagle Scout and a member of the Boy Scouts of America, I can’t wait to apply the skills that I learned in that program to living in the Amazon Rainforest and the Iyarina Lodge while we are in Ecuador! Another one of the key factors that led me to Ecuador was the unique opportunities that we will have when taking a deep dive into the chocolate and flower industries. I’ve always been fascinated by the process of how the products we consume from grocery stores or restaurants actually get there, and this trip offered the unique opportunity of seeing those industries, especially the chocolate one, firsthand, giving me hands-on experience with business owners, farmers, and people within the industry.

Some of the other parts of the trip that I am excited to experience are exploring the capital city of Quito, the Andes Mountains, and the Amazon Rainforest and meeting and interacting with the Waorani people for several days. I can’t wait to make incredible memories with the other Pitt students and the people we meet in Ecuador, blending a unique cultural experience with the learning of organizational and business skills. We head out to Ecuador in just 11 days, so I’ll see you then!