By
CESR Student Assistant
What an adventurous, challenging, and rewarding experience this summer was for me! Being an Accounting and Spanish for the Professions student, I had the opportunity to intern with an Accounting firm specializing in Consulting in Bogota, Colombia for three months. The work was extremely interesting and a bit difficult, especially considering it was 100% in Spanish, but I know that the experience and skills I gained while in Bogota are crucial to my future as a successful businesswoman and Accountant.
Not only did I learn technical skills like Excel and accounting standards, but I also took in the full Colombian culture. I lived with the owners of the firm and their two children鈥攐ne 4-year old boy and a 3-month old baby girl. From being woken up by crying at 3am (don鈥檛 worry, I brought ear plugs) to teaching the boy animal names in English, I learned a lot of family values and cultural quirks of a beautiful country. When I was not working, I was able to and spend time playing with the kids. I visited a friend of mine in Medellin, my sister and I went to the Caribbean beaches in Santa Marta and Cartagena, and I went to a handful of the small towns surrounding Bogota to take in the full 鈥淐olombian vibe.鈥� The Colombian people (as a generalization) are some of the most friendly, helpful, and passionate people I鈥檝e ever met, especially when they were doing so well in the World Cup!
In those few months in Colombia, I learned more about myself, thought about what I want out of my future, and gained a greater appreciation for the and the organizations I am involved in within. I cannot stress enough how unique of an experience it was, and I urge any student to , especially some sort of internship because not only do you gain an immense appreciation for a different people and culture, but you learn crucial skills that will set you apart.
This experience would not have been possible without the support of my family and friends, a Leeds Professor, and the incredible people of Global GAAP.
Study Abroad with Leeds
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