Ordinary Moments - Powerful Revelations

I had one of those moments today, where I was able to just revel in where I was as who I am right now. As a human being, I often take for granted the blessings that I have been given. However, today as I stood on the roof of Oslo’s Opera House and looked out on the beautiful city that I have found myself in, I was taken aback by the simplicity of the moment. There were not large monuments standing out, big lights, or fancy buildings; rather a simple white building which had been built in a way that accentuated the aesthetics of its surroundings. Rain trickled down slowly, and I found myself lost in a moment; a moment which stamped Oslo on my heart forever. You see, traveling, like all things in life, is often challenging. We find ourselves in situations which stretch and challenge our minds, pushing us out of our comfort zone and into something new. Now, those nostalgic moments like the one I experienced today come in many different ways and vary from person to person, but the effect it has is often very similar, and those situations are often the ones that shape us when we return to our home countries. No matter how many times I study abroad, I will never grow accustomed to how much changes by the time I return ‘home’.

The nostalgia I experience today made me hyper aware of how thankful I am for my experience in London for so many reasons; but one of the main reasons is because I have experienced being abroad in a completely different light. Rather than falling in love with the people in a place, I fell in love with the city of London itself. That is not to say that the people I met along the way did not have a huge impact on my time abroad, but when I left I was not crying the same way I cried when I got on the plane to head back to Texas after my year in Belgium. It was not crying for people and the relationships that I had built that would change with time, I was crying because the city, London, had molded and formed itself in my heart in ways that I had never experienced before. Having lived in different cities and having relationships with people around the world, there are pieces of my heart in every corner of the world. However, London had been home for two months and it somehow felt more like home than anywhere else in the world. I heard somebody mention the other day that London is home to more than 300 nationalities, and the reason so many people are able to call London home is because of its diversity. I was welcomed and loved so well by everyone that I came into contact with, and it was absolutely life changing. For the first time since I left for Belgium, I felt like I was becoming what I was made to be, and the growth that came from that is priceless.

I hope to return a changed person, one that approaches everyday with joy and hope, and looks at every situation as an opportunity to learn. More than anything though, I hope to never lose my sense of wonder and that I am able to appreciate every second of everyday, regardless of where I stand in the world. 

Internship Update

First weekend in London!

Just under two months have passed since I stepped off the plane to begin my next journey. I arrived with the expectation that I would grow in my understanding of business abroad, broaden my network, and enhance my cultural understanding. However, I have done so much more than just worked during my time abroad. As with any experience abroad, I have lived life here. It is not simply just a vacation or a break from reality, it is my reality. With that being said, I now have one more day at my internship, and I wanted to provide you with a brief overview of my internship abroad.

The Hounslow Chamber of Commerce has put on many smaller networking events including the Chiswick Park Business Breakfast, Hounslow Business Lunch, Business Breakfast at the Bulldog (which has amazing English breakfast), and the Chiswick Business Lunch in my time here, as well as bigger events like the Summer Celebration where we had upwards of eighty people, and the International Trade Summit where SMEs gathered to hear from trade experts. I had the opportunity to help administrate and run the events mentioned above, as well as partake in networking with attendees. 

As I reflect over the past two months, I am made aware of the growth that has taken place in me. As I mentioned above, I am more confident in professional settings, but more than that, I am aware of the importance that relationships bring to the business world. I have become more prone to asking those I work with for advice and guidance as I prepare to embark on the journey ahead of me, and I have been met with encouragement and honesty from those that I have asked. They have approached me with a willingness to teach, but also a willingness to learn from my own experiences and opinions. However, with willingness comes accountability and authenticity as I continue to strengthen the relationships that I have built. Business, in its nature, is very driven and purposeful, however the people that conduct the business, are often just as prone to engaging in life events with the people around them as they are with other non-related companies and people. 

My boss has spoken often of generational gaps. He has observed the difference as two things; strategists and techies. Strategists plan the path that a company or business will take, and techies find more productive and innovative ways to achieve the same end goal. Stephen is working closely with businesses in the surrounding boroughs to bring forth opportunities for strategists and techies to work together to achieve an end goal, and has in turn created a sort of productivity that could not have otherwise been achieved.

While I cannot say that my internship will directly impact my major, however I will say that my experience here has enriched my knowledge and growth as a young adult and future businesswoman. I truly feel as though I am able to walk into any professional setting with confidence, and I hope that I will one day be able to return to England to do business as a permanent resident in the UK. I also hope to be able to use the connections I have made on the journey to project my career abroad and to continue building upon the ground work that I have laid and the relationships that I have made during my time here. I might not have learned what I thought I needed to learn, but I have no doubt that what I did learned is a step forward in my journey.

Sally Smith, Stephen Fry, and I at one of the Chamber meet ups

A view from my daily commute to work

Independence Day with the Chamber at Jackson + Rye

London Bound

Two years have passed since I left Belgium at the end of my exchange year, but the travel bug has kept a strong grip on my heart. Today, I have found myself headed on my next adventure abroad to London, England. For the next two months, I will be interning at a Chamber of Commerce near London where I will be working closely with a number of the surrounding businesses. One of my focus’ through this internship will be to gain a better understanding on the international workplace, and to expand my knowledge and understanding of international businesses. I believe that this is something that can only be learned with experience, and I look forward to gaining a hands-on experience with international business. With that being said, I would like to shed a little light on what the past two years have looked like since I last wrote to you all.

After I got back from studying abroad, I attended South Plains College, a community college near my home-town in Texas. I studied general business, worked a few jobs, and attempted to adapt back to life in Texas. After a lot of soul searching and asking myself what I wanted to do with my life, I decided to move up to Seattle, Washington to attend school in pursuit of a degree in International Business and Economics. I have just finished my first year in Seattle, and look forward to studying in Washington for another two-years in order to finish out my undergrad before entering the workforce and/or attending grad school.

As I write this, I am currently sitting on a plane reflecting on a few of the most pivotal years of my life and I am finding myself reminded of the people in my life that have impacted and pushed me to be who I am today. My goals and aspirations have changed a lot over the past few years, but my love of travel and different cultures has remained prominent. I have also been lucky enough to learn the value that comes with change and to enjoy being pushed out of my comfort zone. I have found comfort in knowing that life is always changing and evolving into something new.

The main purpose of this blog will be to let my friends, family, and readers of where in the world I am and what I am learning at any given time, however I recognize that with life changes also come goal changes, so it will be changing with me as I learn and grow more throughout my travels. As I mentioned earlier, traveling is one way of pushing people out of their comfort zones, but what most people don’t realize is that it comes with many ups and downs just like normal life. When your comfort zone is no longer a part of your daily life, growth and development accelerates, and that is what is so invigorating and enjoyable about traveling, and why I cannot stop my heart from wondering what else is out there. With that being said, I look forward to taking you on this amazing journey with me!  

Bisous,

Kaitlyn