Wow. It feels like it was just yesterday when I blogged about our first day at Liberty Mutual. Now, in the blink of an eye our time in the U.S. is over and I am back in the Burgh.

It was with bittersweet symphony that we packed our things and made for the airport on Saturday. For five of the fellows, Boston has been home for the last seven months. Our experience here was nothing short of spectacular; we thrived in Boston’s entrepreneurial spirit, made new friends and business partners, learnt to work in a new culture, and even – as professed by our tighter fitting clothes - developed an appreciation for America’s generous servings!

Last week we made final our presentations to senior management at our respective placements. For me it was a humbling experience; for one I was overwhelmed by the level of interest we received. We presented to top level management of multinational orgnisations; those who had seen and done it all; yet they still made time to listen, challenge us and appreciate our work. Secondly, I was amazed to discover just how much I’d truly learned and how much more confident I had become in a matter of months; confident enough to deliver a presentation, communicate my point of view and make recommendations of value  to an organization like Liberty Mutual. 

A big thank you goes to Liberty Mutual for an excellent externship, and to all those who have been so supportive to us Saltire Fellows during our time in the U.S. We plan to keep in touch and hope to see you all soon!

I am now back in Scotland and raring to go. I can’t wait for Learning 2 next week and externship B with Ciqual. Part of me worries that I’ve become addicted to the fast pace of things, but I’ll deal with that later… For now all I can say is ‘bring it on’!