Today's the Day!

It's so hard to believe that today we are beginning our travels to Chile! When I was accepted to the program and started attending the group workshops, our trip seemed so far away. Time has flown! In a few hours we will be heading to the airport to fly to Miami, and from there to Santiago. I'm sure it will be a long, tiring day of travels, but I know it will be well worth it!

Yesterday we had a group orientation on campus at Pitt with all of the Plus3 students- including those headed to Germany, China, Vietnam, and of course, Chile. It was a lot of fun to see everyone and interact with the other students. We were divided into groups based on the country we will be traveling to and from there created skits representing the "do's and don'ts" of business etiquette pertaining to each specific country. I had no idea how much professionalism could vary across the globe- for example, in Chile, it's considered normal to greet each business partner individually with an affectionate hug and a kiss, while in Germany, such behavior would be viewed as completely crazy! It was a great way for us all to learn a little bit more about the culture in each of the different countries.

I know that traveling to Chile will be an all-around awesome experience. While abroad, I hope to better my Spanish, learn more about the country's industries and economics, build friendships, and learn more about the culture and general way of life of Santiago and Valparaiso. I can't wait to start our adventure!

That's all for now...time to finish up some last minute packing! Hasta luego!