Reflect

I was asked to write a reflection of my journey and experience studying abroad. I believe I set out to do the program to find myself, discover who I am and what I believe in- by seeing how others live and different cultures around the world. Throughout my life so far I have traveled around the USA, Canada, Mexico, and the Virgin Islands, but never to Europe. I was so grateful to have this opportunity to  go somewhere different, where I could experience things outside my comfort zone and se how I would react and adapt to them. 

Denis Waitley  once said, “A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.” I have always had a strong vision for my future and I can say after this program my vision has never been more clear. There is alway something scary about going into the unknown, but I have learned once you take that leap into it you come out learning and knowing much more. I have enjoyed seeing a different way of education, teaching, and interacting with others. 

Seeing how people are in the UK v the US is interesting. I have definitely seen a difference in people and personalities. In a vague and general statement, I feel people in the UK can take “banter” and do not overcompensate in complements or stating appreciation, yet they treat everyone and their mother’s -best friend's - brother-in-law- with respect and care. Whereas Americans can come off as rude and brash yet are not meaning to be, they are just being more to the point. It was interesting adapting to the difference in way people act, but I know it has taught me to take sarcasm in a different light and truly appreciate when a great deed is done. 

Studying fashion and business you are told what a true innovator is, what luxury is, fashion, style, grace, elegance, success, etc... but through this experience I have been able to formulate my own opinions and definitions for several things. Being and living in a different culture and society has let me blend ideas and ideologies to become more of an innovator and risk taker in my personal and professional life. 

This all went by way too fast. I have really learned to live in the moment and stop worrying about what is next. I know that the only thing I can control is the here and now and I must appreciate every minute of it. I have always been one to think for myself, aloud. As Coco Chanel once said ”The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” One thing I that has become much more clear to me is that I have a strong personality, that one day will be great in an board room and as a leader of a company. In addition I can really hear and listen to what others are saying without bias, by doing that it allows a successful and progressive conversation to formulate. 

I would highly recommend this program for those ready to take on the unknown. In order to do this successfully I believe you need to be strong, independent, determined, and extremely hard working. This program is not easy. It is a lot of independent work and many people trust you will figure it all out on your own. When it is all said and done you discover how to do things and will come out a more mature person, ready to take on whatever life throughs at you. 

Bellow are some of my favorite moments of the semester and experiences I had... 

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Recently I went to Rome with my friend Laura. I saw (all the sights), I battled (where to eat), and I conquered (all the shopping). It was such a great experience. I loved being able to see where history was made. Rome is like no other city I have seen before. The buildings and ancient ruins are breathtaking. I had to remember to put my camera down and enjoy the moment. Food in Rome is fresh  and delicious. The language was hard to understand but the people are helpful and are willing to take time to explain things to tourest, like directions. Below is a list of things I recommend on your trip to Rome...

Sleep

Radisson Blu es. Hotel, Rome ✩Via Filippo Turati, 171, 00185 Rome, Italy

Activities

✩Spanish Steps- Piazza di Spagna✩  The Pantheon✩ Piazza Navona✩ Fontana dei Trevi ✩Vatican City ✩ The Piazza Venezia✩ Basilica Uipia (Forum of Trajan)✩Constantinès Basilica✩Forum Romano (Roman Forum)✩ Palatino (Palatine Hill) ✩Colosseum ✩Sinagoga✩Shopping✩

Eat

Meals

Ristorante Mensa di Bacco

• http://www.mensa-di-bacco.com/it/press.php

Osteria la Quercia

• http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1526956-Reviews-Osteria_la_Quercia-Rome_Lazio.html

Trattoria Fiammetta

• http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1517368-Reviews-Trattoria_Fiammetta-Rome_Lazio.html

La Bottega Del Caffe

• http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1517368-Reviews-Trattoria_Fiammetta-Rome_Lazio.html

Trattoria Cecio

• http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1605472-Reviews-Trattoria_Cecio-Rome_Lazio.html

Osteria Spaghetti

• http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d2166681-Reviews-Osteria_Spaghetti_Roma-Rome_Lazio.html

Gelato

Caffe Ciampini

• http://www.caffeciampini.com/inglese/

Kosher Gelato

• http://jewisheurope.org/detail.asp?ID=1193

Gelateria Della Palma

• http://www.dellapalma.it/en/

Paris

School is winding down and I only have one exam left. I decided to get out of London and travel. My first stop was Paris. It was amazing. I love exploring another city and seeing how others live. It was really interesting to be somewhere where the main language is not English, but it was not to hard to adapt to it. Here are some recommendations...



A few Activities: 

✩Musée d'Orsay ✩ Tour Eiffel ✩Champs-Elysees Avenue✩Arc de Triomphe✩Musée du Louvre ✩Pont des Arts- Love Locks ✩1st Chanel Store- 31 rue Cambon✩Rue Saint-Honoré✩Cathédrale de Notre-Dame✩Rue Rosiers (jewish quarter)✩Center Pompidou✩Palace of Versailles✩

Yummy Eats in Paris:

La Terrasse du 7ème (by the Tour Eiffel)

• http://www.laterrassedu7.com/

Angelina (by Musée du Louvre)

• http://www.angelina-paris.fr/

L'as du Falafel

• https://plus.google.com/115347975969490413823/about?gl=uk&hl=en

404

• http://404-resto.com/restaurant/paris/404/menus/

Renoma Cafe (by Arc de Triomphe) 

• http://www.renoma-cafe-gallery.com/

Laduree (by Arc de Triomphe)

• http://www.laduree.fr/

Weekend Full of Street Markets and Art

Saturday: Portobello Market-
Portobello Street in Notting Hill has a great market to visit on a Saturday. It offers many vendors who sell great antiques, vintage, and collectables. I went to it I got to experience the craziness of the hustle and bustle. The market and street are lined with colors and filled with energy. The market is great for people watching. There are some interesting characters to spot while you walk through it. A lot of talented artist also contribute to the amusement of the market. One section is lined with food vendors who sell anything from traditional food to food from around the world. It is a must see for anyone visiting the UK!

Sunday: Day Trip to Bristol- 
This past Sunday I took a day trip to Bristol to visit Liam's sister. His sister was an amazing tour guide! I got to see a new part of the UK and another school. One of our first stops was The Matthew on Bristol's harbor side. It is a reconstruction of the boat used by John Cabot when he discovered Newfoundland in 1497. It was a cool experience to be on the Matthew, it felt like we were children playing on a pirate ship. One of my favorite parts of Bristol was seeing all the amazing street art. Many famous street artists such as, Nick Walker and Banksy, contribute to the colorful walls in the city.  It The use of colors and techniques are inspiring, innovative, and daring.

London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week was more than I ever imagined! It was incredible. LFW is so much different from New York Fashion week. All the people are so posh, fashion forward, and knowledgeable. New York Fashion Week has a strange mix of people and people who want to be in the fashion world, but cannot quite figure out their own style. There are two main tents for shows and inside Somerset House there are exhibitions. The exhibitors are designers and the set up a space to show their new collection. You need a special pass to have access to them, it is mostly buyers and photographers who can go and see the new collections. I was lucky enough the get a pass from my internship because they were showing. Everything at LFW is very exclusive. I really enjoyed being able to see how fashion week worked in another country. It was interesting to compare it to New York. I meet some really cool people and was able to expand my horizons in the fashion industry. Even people watching was beyond words when I stood outside the tents. I cannot wait to go back for another season!

Valentino

I have recently started making a list of things I have done so far in London. I have realized how fortunate I am to have this opportunity, that many others do not get. I have also started to make a list of places I want to go while I am here. 

One thing I did was go and see the Valentino: Master of Couture exhibit at the Somerset House. It was unbelievable to see over 130 divine haute couture designs worn by icons over the past decades. The installation was breathtaking. It is set up like a runway and allows the viewer to get close to all the garments. It was inspiring to see Valentino's work. I cannot believe how much he has accomplished so far. It really proves that anything is possible. 

I am really enjoying my time so far. London is such an amazing city. It reminds me of a BIG New York, which is cleaner and where the people have better accents.

...School Starts

Liam and I in the Snow, V&A Exhibit, & Laura & I at the School Bar

I have completed my first official week of school and my internship. School was great. It was interesting to see how it works in a different country. My grade is based off of one paper and one group project for each class. I am taking London Fashion, Commercial Skills, and Luxury Brand Management. All of my classes seem like topics I will enjoy. I am ready to start learning more in depth about each of them. The class size on average is 45 people, and coming from FIT that is really big. In two of my modules I have 2 teachers per class. It is a lot different from school in the States. School is more relaxed and the teachers depend on you to get the work done on your own time, all you do is turn it in at the end of the semester. I like independent learning, it allows you to research more of what you are interested in, rather than what the teacher tells you to do. 

Working at Paper has been a dream so far. I love the people I work with and the company. It is absolutely amazing to see every aspect of developing a new brand. I am excited to participate in  fashion week. Paper will be showing at New York, London, and Paris. All the people I work with are young and well rounded in the fashion industry. It is great having a boss willing to share her knowledge with you. I hope to work in the high-end market when I graduate, so Paper is a perfect fit for me. 

This weekend the weather has been freezing and snowy. People do not handle snow well here, almost everything shuts down. I got to see the London Science Museum and the V&A . The Science Museum had a cool exhibit called Energy: fuelling the future. The V&A had a wonderful Fashion Exhibit.