Reflecting on my time abroad, I’m struck by how deeply this experience reshaped both my professional perspective and personal outlook. Two of my favorite company visits were Design Bridge and Partners in London and the Swiss Paraplegic Center in Switzerland. I enjoyed them for different reasons, but both left me with a lasting impression of how powerful business can be when it’s used to improve lives. It was interesting seeing how collaboration and creativity were at the root of both of these successful business models, which are focal points I want to emphasize in my internship this summer and senior year looking forward. Design Bridge emphasized the creativity and strategy behind brand storytelling, while the Swiss Paraplegic Center showed how innovation and care can restore dignity and mobility to individuals facing life-altering challenges. In both settings, business wasn’t just transactional—it was transformational.
At the start of the trip, I expected cultural differences to feel overwhelming or isolating. Instead, I found the opposite. While each country had its own customs, I quickly felt welcomed and at home everywhere we went. Whether through the kindness of strangers, which was often, or simple passing conversations, I realized that connection doesn’t always require common language or background.
My perspective has shifted in more ways than I can count. Some of the biggest takeaways for me: slow down whenever you can—life doesn’t always have to move a million miles a minute. Get outside and walk when you’re able. Learn people’s names, and use them, whether it’s your waiter or the dog walker in the park. Everyone has a name, and acknowledging it builds respect. History matters—it shapes the present and the future, and I want to place more value on it in my own life. And finally, in the words of one of my professors: “A smile goes a long way. There’s no translation needed or cultural barrier to overcome, so smile.”
