The Luxurious Life of an Intern… Week One in Singapore

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Walking down Orchard Road is like stepping into a new world where everything is worth more than a student’s yearly rent. On my first day in Singapore, I saw more designer stores than I had ever seen in my life.  As you would expect from luxury fashion brand, Kwang Sia, the offices were in prime location, looking out onto Chanel, (obviously.)
We are living with the DHL interns in a cute 18th floor apartment. Getting ready for our first day at work involved lots of nerves, excitement and fashion decisions! When we arrived at our very glam offices, (think vogue) we were shown to our departments, Doris, the Boston student was assigned marketing, and I was assigned merchandising.

Kwang Sia is basically the company that franchises out luxury brands in Asia, so they are in control of the Versace, Jimmy Choo, Diesel, Masingaporex Mara, Hugo Boss and other designer brands in Asia. This is because it can be a big risk for Luxury brands to put stores in Asia, without deep knowledge of the market and connections.

Parts of being an intern feel very exciting and glamourous. There is a ‘pressroom’ full of Jimmy Choos, Max Mara, Versace and designer pieces, you

enter the office through scanning your finger print, and the company owners are rocking bold, colourful designer suits at all times.

In my first week I have been putting together the sales information for the bosses to view, a long and repetitive task. Doris has been busy too, putting together the press kits, and now describes herself as a ‘one-woman assembly line,’ she is also learning about loaning out items to stylists, and working on ‘EDM.’

One thing that I have struggled with is getting used to the very quiet Asian office culture, although everyone is lovely and welcoming. I was lucky enough to sit in on a meeting about implementing a new merchandising software into the company, and noticed a much quieter atmosphere compared to the Western business is conducted. Another thing that I have noticed which is different is that the average age is a lot older than it would be in England, and most workers have worked at the company for most of their lives. This is due to the more collectivist culture which values loyalty in workers and bosses.

Outside of work we are all living the expat dream, visiting the rooftop bars, shopping areas, and chilling in our very own roof top pool!! (Perks of the internship for sure!) Also hoping that the company are going to want to give me some Versace freebies but let’s not hold our breath…

GEO Kwang Sia Interns  

Discovering Delhi, Punjabi Dancing and Indian Hospitality: Week 2 with the Bharti Foundation, India

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The team headed into week 2 free of illness and high in spirits. Saturday saw us venture into Old Delhi, the original city before the British built the new capital in 1947, via another pleasant metro ride that is putting the London underground well in its place. We felt this was our first taste of ‘real India,’ and getting lost in the backstreet markets unintentionally added to this experience. We finally made it to the Red Fort after stopping for masala dosas on the way. The fort itself was bredelhiathtaking, and was in remarkable condition considering it was built from sandstone in the 17th century.

On Sunday, the team headed to Qutb Minar in a cosy 36°C (in hindsight, wearing a grey cotton t-shirt was a huge mistake). This was a monument built in 1193 by Qutub-ud-din Aibak immediately after the defeat of Delhi’s last Hindu kingdom. This marked the start of a 5 century long Turkic Muslim Dynasty in Delhi

Sunday night gave us our first taste of Indian ‘disco’ at Cyber-Hub, a collection of upmarket bars and shops in Gurgaon. Our attempts at Punjabi dancing seemed to amuse the locals, although the compliments of two Germans gave us some hope. However, the conversation soon turned to ‘Brexit,’ and the team decided to call it a night there and then.

Work this week had us focusing on preparing for our research that the team is due to conduct next week in two New Delhi Government schools. Monday involved a presentation on our preliminary research task. On Tuesday, the team visited the two schools that will be used to conduct our research. The team was pleasantly surprised by the schools, as they had very good infrastructure, and there seemed to be a very healthy atmosphere among the students. The hospitality was outstanding; we were near force-fed a selection of Indian snacks such as samosas and halwa, complemented with chai tea. Our research is broadly trying to improve the quality of rural education in India and this field trip gave us a unique insight into what we wanted to find out next week.  The remaining 3 days of the week were spent producing our final research methodologies after consulting with Bharti team members.

The team is looking forward to another weekend exploring Delhi, and spending four days in the field next week (trying not to think about four days without air-con). Onwards and upwards!

GEO Bharti Interns

RBI Week 3: Seeing the Sights

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Namaste, time is flying by and week three is proving to be the most exciting week yet. We, Valentin Ayer and Dominic Oulton, are finally getting acclimated to Pune and want to begin travelling outside

rbiweek3of the city. Originally we were planning on visiting the animal reservation in Gir, however due to Monsoon season the conditions were not ideal. Currently, we are working on planning a trip to Goa. An Indian province and former Portuguese colony, Goa is known for it’s gorgeous Portuguese white-wash architecture and beautiful beaches. It is located about twelve hours south of Pune and we are planning on taking the night bus – we’re looking forward to it!

Last Friday we got off work early and the Reserve Bank supervisors took us site seeing a long with visiting central bankers from neighboring countries. Our first stop was the famous Aga Khan Palace built in the 19th Century and made famous by Gandhi’s 2-year imprisonment after his decision to launch the Quit India Movement. During his time there both his beloved wife and close secretary died. In fact, all of their ashes, including Gandhi’s, are buried there and the palace has been turned into a museum commemorating Gandhi’s journey and legacy. After, Aga khan palace, we went to Shaiwar Wada, a medieval fort in the middle of Pune. The views from the wall and towers were beautiful and the garden was quite nice. We capped off Friday with burgers and steaks at the Hard Rock Café as we all missed western cuisine. It was a lot of fun and Dom volunteered for a burger eating contest; he ended up getting first place while also setting a new café record.

During this week we went to the zoo in Koregaon Park and got to see a lot of animals ranging from buffalo weighing a metric ton to white tigers and leopards. We’ve also attended some lectures which were generously planned by the RBI for us. The first one was rather serious and involved India’s monetary policy arbiweek32nd the structure of banking system; we learned a lot about the specific challenges India faced and how their policy was tailored to it. The next lecture was more informal and involved Indian art, culture, and spirituality. Through this lecture we learned about the identity of different regions of India and the sheer diversity in language and culture throughout India.

As for our work, it is coming along very nicely. We’ve just finished our research and have begun outlining and writing the actual report. In fact, our supervisor kindly organized for over 70 bankers to take a survey which we created in order to gather data on our subject: Financial Consumer Protection in the Financial Services Industry in India.

India is colorful, loud, pungent, intense, and we’re excited about our next three weeks here.

GEO RBI Interns

 

Saris, Scots and Stock Exchanges

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Our GEO interns working at NISM, Mumbai tell us what they’ve been getting up to during their second week!

Friday

With the first week of our internship finally concluded, the team ventured to Inorbit mall to celebrate with Western food as a refreshing break from the buckets of (amazing) curry fed to us by NISM. We stumbled upon an American restaurant called Chillis, for an evening of meat and Western charts music. However, the highlight of the night for Nellie and Grace was discovering the gem that is the Happiness Station.

Saturday

After an early start the team got ready for a trip to R City mall in central Mumbai, organised by our supervisor at the institute, Nandini. After wnism1hat the locals consider a short trip across Mumbai, of around an hour or so, we arrived at the mall to be greeted by a giant hamster ball connected to a spinning price discount board which can only really be described as The Price is Right meets Gladiators or some other form of competitive Saturday night television. We were then taken to a restaurant serving up traditional Rajasthani cuisine, which looked rather overwhelming with all 3 courses served on one plate. Although it was delicious some of us weren’t too convinced by one dessert which can be best described as having the consistency and taste of a wet sponge. We were then given free time to explore the mall, resulting in the girls embracing what India has to offer (though we feel some may suit it more than others).

On returning to the guesthouse we had the pleasant surprise of 3 other interns from Edinburgh University joining us. The new group bonded over drinks and football. However, for some of us (especially those of German origin) the extremely tense penalty shootout between Germany and Italy at Euro 2016 created quite the calamity…

Sunday

We had a lazy Sunday spent recovering from a busy first week with some of us exploring more of Mumbai.

Monday

We had a hectic morning filled with literature reviews being analysed by our supervisor Sandeep to assess their suitability, whilst also re-designing the groups and work delegations to incorporate the other interns. Following this we decided to introduce the Edinburgh students to our “local”…Tight Bar Round 2!

Tuesday

Sandip Ghose, Director of NISM, informed us in a board meeting that seemed rather professional that our research projects would be changing to focus primarily on financial literacy and education in India, different from the projects we had originally chosen. In addition, we were told that the next day was Eid, an Islamic festival, and that we would be given the following day off which took us by surprise (not that any complaints were made!).  Back at the guesthouse in the evening everyone played the hat game involving a lot of hilarious acting by Jack (Edinburgh Uni) of several different celebrities including an inventive acting out of Tigger.

Wednesday

Up bright and early we ventured into Mumbai to visit the Gateway of India, a famous historical monument built in the 20th century to welcome Prince Charles. It has since been used as an entry point for prominent visitors including British governors until India gained its independence. We then stopped to grab breakfast which was made amusing by Jack mistaking a fellow British tourist as a waiter and proceeding to give him his order. The rest of the day was spent wandering around Mumbai taking in the sights, sounds and smells (of which there are plenty).

We also visited various prominent buildings associated with India’s economy including the Bombay Stock Exchange and RBI institute, which we will be revisiting soon with our supervisor for an in depth tour and chance to meet influential employees.

After a tiring day on oNism2ur feet  we decided to collaborate the group’s’ financial knowledge to succeed on the Stock Market … or rather the Stock Exchange Bar where drink prices fluctuated in a similar manner to actual stocks.

Thursday

We returned to NISM refreshed from our mid-week break and began to immerse ourselves into our projects, including consulting the vast library within the NISM institute, which we have been gratefully given permission to use.

Friday

The day was dominated by birthday celebrations for Tim, one of the Groningen interns. Not only did we arrange to have birthday balloons and doughnuts brought to him at work, but our supervisor also presented Tim with a present on behalf of NISM. The excessive sugar from the doughnuts lead us to have a productive afternoon continuing our work on analysing the masses of data available to us. In the evening we visited Bandra (the “Shoreditch of Mumbai”) to celebrate the birthday at a fantastic Japanese restaurant before sampling the nightlife and getting the chance to collaborate our cultures through some fantastically awful dancing.

GEO NISM Interns

 

 

RBI Week Two: Insights

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Our second week started off with a well-deserved celebration. After finally focusing our research and fully delving into our projects, we travelled across the chaotic streets of Pune to land in BBQ Nation, a rest bite from curry (the real excuse however was Nick’s coming of age!). The night, characterized by a continuous supply of skewers and unlimited dessert, was culminated with Will’s dance moves in a visit to Miami, a favorite with Pune locals.

Visiting the resting place of Mahatma Gandhi.

The next day, after an early morning struggle, the squad compensated the festivities with some historical sightseeing. The Chatushshringee Temple, dedicated to the reigning deity of the city of Pune, was our first destination. Situated on the mountain side, the view from the summit held a treat, a glimpse of the city from above. We spent the rest of the afternoon walking the streets of Pune, where Jaz and Cristina endorsed another ancient tradition, henna. Although very intricate it was surprising how little time it took to complete.

Midweek the usual work routine was interrupted by the celebration of Eid Mubarak, a Muslim religious festival. The following day we left the office for a visit to Ahmednagar Central Bank, the oldest co-operative bank of the State of Maharashtra. The long bus ride, was made short given the shared stories and interactions with central bankers from a diversity of countries, including Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

During the presentation given by the CEO of the co-operative bank, we could not hide our surprise when first Dom, and then all of us, got presented and awarded a gift, as a gesture of thankfulness for attending the meeting. In contrast to western introductions, the Indian culture showed to be a lot more personal and gracious.

When our meeting concluded, we hopped back on the bus and were taken to a women’s self-help group. As part of any rural ceremony, they granted us the power of concentration, by painting a little red dot in between our eyebrows, and topping the paint off with rice. Paint that we later feared could be permanent due to its high water resistance.

To conclude the week, we were fortunate to meet and talk with Anna Hazare, India’s modern Gandhi. His wisdom and inspirational speech highlighted his motives and actions towards achieving a more sustainable and connected community. Although innovative, ideas such as the ban on tobacco and alcohol may not be very suited to the west … Who can say no to a cold one at the end of the day?

We cannot wait to see what the following weeks have lined up for us. Namaste!

GEO RBI Interns

Vicky Liao – London Internship – Management Track

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Vicky at Big Ben

Vicky at Big Ben

Interned in accounting and finance at the Crowne Plaza’s London Docklands on the London Internship Program in fall 2015.

Internship:  I interned at Crowne Plaza London Docklands’ Accounts Department. Every day I posted credit, commissions and remittance invoices on Crowne Plaza’s internal server for payment processing/documentation. Additionally, I collected cash from all hotel cashiers to verify the amount matched with what was reported. I also checked daily credit card reconciliations to ensure zero variance on the balance sheet.

I Learned: From this experience, I learned both cooking and how to adapt to a country with a different culture. It was difficult in the beginning because the London campus was not as big and convenient as the BU campus. It was hard to find food and stores near to the London campus. One cultural difference I found was that most British don’t like to stock up on groceries the way that most Americans do. Instead, they prefer to buy groceries every day or every other day. Eventually, I started to get used to it and buy supplies at the grocery store in the train station every day after work.

Hardest Part: The hardest part for me was finding time to focus on studying. I had my internship, and I wanted to spend weekends travelling to other places. As a result, it was hard for me to keep my mind focused on studying because traveling and my internship used up most of my energy.

Best Part: Traveling to other cities in UK and to other European countries were the best experiences ever. It was great to see all those places and learn about their cultures.

My Tips: If you are planning to travel a lot, then plan it way ahead of time and be aware of the timing of your courses. Also, I took the course AH381. It was a London Architecture and Urbanism class. It was the best class I had in London because the class was half lecture and half field trip. In this class, I learned a lot about London’s history and got to go to many famous attractions. I would definitely recommend this class to students who are interesting in learning more about London.

Ugne Vaiciulyte – Madrid Internship

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Ugne in Retiro Park

Ugne in Retiro Park

Interned in accounting at a small firm in fall 2015.

I studied abroad in Madrid during my Senior Fall. Although pretty it was pretty unconventional to go fall semester of my senior year, my thought process was “When will I ever get to live somewhere for 4 months and not have to give up any responsibilities?”

Internship: I had an internship with an accountant that worked with small to mid-size companies. My internship was pretty limited: filing, alphabetizing, data entry and similar tasks. There was not much substance, and I can’t say that if I were to do this program again that I would choose to the internship program. I understand for a finance concentrator it can be pretty hard to find an adequate financial internship, especially for a foreign student for only 3 months. In Spain, it is very unusual to have such a short-term internship.

I Learned: While in Spain, I learned not to take myself too seriously in terms of my professional career (aka enjoy myself a little bit more). Over there, they place a focus on enjoying their meals, their time with their family and friends. They don’t rush through those moments and really make sure to be present. Also, in Spain, they don’t include their jobs as part of their identity. This was a huge revelation for me, as here, when we meet a new person, the small talk usually revolves around “What do you do?” “Where did you go to school?” and “What did you major in?”. In Spain, it is considered rude to ask people about their careers or studies, and a bigger emphasis is put on a persons identity being composed of their likes/dislikes, their hobbies, and their personalities. I think we sometimes forget, and it is important, to differentiate who we are as people versus who we are as professionals.

What Surprised Me: What surprised me most about my time off-campus was how interesting the classes were. I love numbers and math and finance, and the classes I was taking were literature, anthropology and cultural ones. However, I found myself really enjoying the material we covered and the essays we had to write. I thought the academic aspect would be such a drag for me, but it really wasn’t.

Hardest Part: So my hardest part of study abroad is a little different than for most people. I took a weekend trip to Paris the weekend of the attacks and actually ended up being right in the middle of all the action about 10 minutes after they happened. I was very lucky, but it was still a pretty stressful experience which made my time thereafter in Spain a little harder. I found myself really missing my family and friends. I stopped traveling. I stopped going out with my classmates, etc. Which just leads me to speak about the BEST part of this experience: my host family. I became so close with my host family, sharing with them not only my daily experiences but really opening up to them about my personal life back in the States, introducing them to my own family and friends via Skype, planning future visits, etc. Having the family there for me as a support system every day was something I was not expecting, but I am so happy with the family that I got. We still keep in touch to this day in our group chat, still sharing our little every day routine moments. This program has given me people that I became so close with that I can truly call them my second family.

Tips: Bring a comfortable cross body bag. You will need to stuff a cardigan, an umbrella, camera, water bottle, etc. almost every day and walk everywhere, so being comfortable is very important. Bring LAYERS for the crazy weather. Take care of your electronics EVERYWHERE as it seems Madrid just breeds pickpockets. Try all the food.

Jessica Chen – Sydney Summer Internship

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ICONIC_InternsInterned in marketing at THE ICONIC in Sydney in summer 2015.

Internship: I interned in the Buying Department of THE ICONIC, Australia’s leading online fashion retailer. My responsibilities included managing order information between internal inventory systems and Excel, analyzing sales data, and writing sales reports. I also sat in on my manager’s showings, where representatives from different brands would introduce next season’s line. For someone pursuing a career in fashion, this experience opened my eyes to the processes that take place behind the scenes of a retail company. On slower days, I would head to the Productions Department and help out with photo shoots. I loved my workplace because everyone was welcoming, and I was given the opportunity to observe other departments.

I Learned: I learned about the prevailing influence that the United States has abroad. American media is everywhere from magazines to movie screens. Every song you hear a bar or club is played in the States as well, so you will have no problem singing along. Australians have an impressive grasp of our pop culture and politics since everything that happens in America has a ripple effect on other countries. Ironically, working at a foreign company gave me a better understanding of the American workplace and why we are such a dominant economic power. While the Australian workplace has an easygoing “work to live” mentality, the American workplace has a much stricter “live to work” lifestyle that is more efficient but at the expense of employee happiness. Both systems have their strengths and weaknesses.

Studying abroad also challenged me to be a functioning adult in a short amount of time. Between class, work, exploring the city, and travelling across the country, I had to find time for basic tasks like laundry, grocery shopping, and cooking (if you want to try it, kangaroo steak is best prepared medium rare). While balancing all of this may seem overwhelming, it becomes second nature before you know it.

What Surprised Me: Australia has a vastly different culture from America, but after a few weeks of living there it almost felt like home. Experiences may vary, but I found it surprisingly easy to adjust to the Australian lifestyle.

Hardest Part: The hardest part was going home after two months. Packing all the cool things you’ve accumulated after two months. The lack of authentic American food (namely pizza and brand name cereal).

Best Part: The best parts were the people you meet and the places you go. Watching Australians’ eyes light up when you tell them you’re American never gets old.

My Tips: Save money and leave the apartment as much as possible. Every neighborhood in Sydney has a different atmosphere that’s worth discovering at least once. Also, don’t be afraid to explore by yourself! Australians will be impressed by the independence. As long as you practice good judgment, it’s an exhilarating learning experience to wander around a new country on your own—it’s the best way to break out of the American bubble.

Hidden Gems:

Sydney – Manly Beach and the Bondi to Coogee walk for quintessential Australian beaches; Mrs Macquarie’s Chair for the most stunning view of the Sydney Harbor; Mary’s for a good burger Newtown; Paramount Coffee Project for Instagram-worthy brunch; Emperor’s Garden for famous Chinatown cream puffs; World Bar for boozy teapots; Standard Bowl for drinks, dancing, and bowling; Pancakes on the Rocks for 24-hour breakfast food; Paddy’s Market for cheap groceries; the Glebe and Rocks Markets for all of your outdoor shopping needs.

Melbourne –
The graffiti in hidden alleyways (check out Hosier Lane); Brighton Beach bathing boxes; St. Kilda pier for wild penguins!

Maddie Dinndorf, Bocconi University in Milan

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Maddie in Vienna

Maddie in Vienna

Studied in Milan, Italy at la Universita Bocconi, the premier business and economic school in Italy in the spring of 2015.

Exchange Program: I chose a program without an internship. I instead wanted to be fully immersed in the academic culture of Italy. All my classes were taught in English, but with a variety of students from Italians to Australians.

I Learned: I learned a lot about learning hands on. In Italy (as compared to other countries in Europe), people speak more often in their home tongue. There were people I would meet that couldn’t speak English, and I couldn’t speak Italian. I learned to embrace and learn from experiences like these. It became fun to learn the Italian hand signs and find my way around. I also learned hands on through travelling. You don’t realize how dependent you are technology until you have to rely on wifi. I learned how to plan ahead for the day while I had Internet and how to maneuver and use maps. It became a fun game. I think this experience has taught me many great ways to think on my feet, which many employers will be looking for.

What Surprised Me: I was surprised by how easy and affordable it was to travel. In Milan especially, there was a train station to get to anywhere in Italy and three airports with an abundance of flights. If you think you can’t afford to travel, go to kayak.com or skyscanner, and you will see. I got a flight for $17 from Athens to Rome! I knew I wanted to travel a lot, and I wouldn’t have been able to go to as many places if I weren’t in Milan.

Hardest Part: The hardest part for me was the beginning. That first week is very much like going back to freshman year where you don’t know anyone. There was only one other BU student in my program, so it was easy to feel discouraged and nervous about finding the “friends of a lifetime” that everyone talks about when they come back. Don’t worry. You will find great people. You just need to stay open to the experience. Once my group of friends was solidified, it was all uphill from there.

Best Part: The best part of my experience was the travelling. I was able to arrange my schedule for classes only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursday, so I traveled most weekends. Some of my favorite memories from abroad are of my friends and me drinking port wine on the beaches of Portugal, jumping into the Mediterranean sea in Malta, seeing the Vienna Opera, and that is just to name a few.

My Tips: I had difficulties with the whole visa process. I didn’t sign up for a slot in time at the consulate, and it was a giant headache. Once you know you want to go, set up your meeting online. It will save you lots of time and nerves to get it out of the way. I would also suggest living in the dormitories. While some people prefer to live off campus, Bocconi has an exchange student dorm that makes finding friends very easy.

Hidden Gems: Go to Cioccolati Italiani;

it is the best gelato in Milan (and maybe Italy). If you are interested in karaoke/open mic nights, there is this small place called Barrios that has music on Tuesday nights. My friend and I went and were the first foreigners to ever sing on their stage! It was awesome.

Amanda Barone – London Internship – Management Track

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Amanda in Kensington GardensInterned in finance on the London Internship Program in summer 2015.

Internship: I was an Analysis Intern for a company called CMD, which tracks the performance of thousands of fixed income securities and uses this information to provide money market analysis to industry insiders.

Because the company is quite small, I was given a lot of responsibility right away; by the end of my first week, I already had four articles published to an audience of about 20,000 market professionals! I primarily wrote articles about Movers & Shakers in the financial industry and weekly bond market reports for SSA, FIG, and corporate bond markets.

As someone who is studying both Business and English, this internship enabled me to learn how to analyze the bond market and gain professional writing experience. Through this internship, I was also able to gain a truly international work experience; there were only eight people in my office, but each person was from a different country!

I Learned: Between take-out, my Mom’s homemade meals, and BU’s dining halls, I don’t have much cooking experience. It was a bit of a reality check to have to prepare all of my own food, but I feel that being thrown right into it really helped me to learn how to plan dishes, grocery shop, and make delicious meals on my own.

When my English class read the works on the topic of World War One, we supplemented the reading with a field trip to the Imperial War Museum. It was so insightful to see history through the eyes of another culture, and I realized that I actually had a passion for learning about the World Wars.

What Surprised Me: What surprised me most about going abroad was how quickly you make friends with the people on your trip! Going into the experience, I did not know anyone who would be in London at the same time as me. Luckily, I met an amazing group of people. We became very close very quickly because we were all learning how to adapt to a different culture at the same time. I am very grateful to be going back to Boston with a new circle of friends that I may have never otherwise crossed paths with!

Hardest Part: I knew going into the experience that London was one of the most expensive cities in the world, but I was still surprised to see just how expensive everything was! The exchange rate was quite shocking. Although it seemed normal to buy a coffee for 3.50, I had to remind myself that I was using the British pound rather than the American dollar, which meant that my coffee was actually costing me closer to $6.00. I realized almost right away that I would need to stick to a budget if I did not want to burn right through all of my savings. Although it was really difficult to resist the temptation of all the amazing London shopping and eating, I know I spent my money on things I really cared about which made me and my wallet much happier!

My Tips: BU’s London campus is so close of the South Kensington museums (the view out my window was of the Natural History Museum), which are some of the best museums in the world. But by the end of the trip, some of my friends still hadn’t been to many of them even though they were literally across the street! Most British museums are free, so my best tip is to pop in whenever you have a free hour. Going to the Victoria & Albert museum for 45 minutes a few mornings before class really broke the museum down and made the entire experience more enjoyable!

Hidden Gems: Anyone who knows me knows that I have a serious coffee addiction. Because the Brits are so obsessed with their tea, I had to do some serious exploring for a great cup of coffee. I researched the best coffee places in each area and worked my way around the city. Some hidden gems included Monmouth Coffee, Brooklyn Coffee, Notes, and Workshop Coffee Co. It was so nice not only to have an excuse to see most of the city, but also to escape from the hectic city and relax with a cup of coffee.

Best Part: The last night of my trip coincided with one of my roommate’s birthday, so my entire friend group decided to have a huge celebration meal at Ottolenghi. The food was some of the best I’ve had in my life, but even more incredible was sitting around with a bunch of people who had been strangers just weeks ago and talking about all of the amazing adventures we had in London.