My name is Shawn Khurana, and I am in the business school at Pitt. I am not 100% sure what I am going to major in, but it will most likely be accounting or finance. I still am not sure what type of job I want to have, and I am excited to explore the different types of opportunities in business. On campus, I am apart of a fraternity, and I am on the Club Pickleball Team. This first year was a major adjustment but it has been so fun.

I am from Upper St. Clair, which is in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. I live about 25 minutes away from campus. I have a sister named Kiran, and a dog named Barkley. In high school, I played soccer, basketball, and tennis. I love to play all sports, and I really enjoy any type of competitive game. I spend a lot of time watching every sporting event that is on. When we are in Morocco, I will definitely be watching NBA/NHL playoffs during our free time. My favorite activity is hanging out with my friends and family. When I told my parents that I was considering going to Morocco, they laughed at me. I do not like travelling, and I have never been outside of North America. Hopefully, that changes.

I chose Morocco because I wanted to experience something new. I am from Pittsburgh and go to school at Pitt. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. I picked Morocco because it seems like a “new” type of country. I thought Morocco was cool, and it is a young, growing country. I can’t wait to travel all over Morocco and explore the various sights. I am excited to learn about the culture of Morocco and experience what day-to-day life is like. I want to learn about the economy and what entrepreneurship opportunities there are in Morocco.

Academically, I want to become better at presenting in a professional way. Instead of having notecards, I want to have everything prepared mentally beforehand. Eventually, I will have interviews, and I need to be able to present myself in a professional way. Through this experience, I want to become better at working in a group. We are going to be in a foreign country, so I need to be alert and be a good communicator. I know that I am going to learn a lot from this trip.

I have some personal goals when we go to Morocco. I want to explore the different food options and make an effort to eat whatever is made for me. I am a pretty picky eater, so I will have to step outside of my comfort zone. I am excited to bargain for a taxi or items that I want. I want to stand my ground and make sure I do not get scammed. I am excited to walk around Rabat, Marrakech, and Casablanca and compare it to Pittsburgh. Lastly, I am going to make sure that I am safe and I will not lose any important items.