For the past few days, I shut off my phone, lived with no electricity or soap, and opened my heart to the amazing Waorani People. When preparing for Ecuador, the concept of being a flexible traveler was stressed above all else. With almost no itinerary, my expectations for the trip were formed off of my own imagination. My group is the first ever to take the Plus3 program to Ecuador, so our advisors could not exactly tell us what to expect either.
Not only was I apart of the first Plus3 Ecuador groups, I was a part of the the first group of students to visit the Gomaton community.... Read More
Pitt Global Experiences Students' Blog
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Throughout my time studying abroad in Berlin, I encountered many challenges I had never faced before. This was my first time in Europe and my first time living in a foreign country so I had to work to adapt to the culture. Overall, I feel like I did a good job overcoming the challenges I faced in Germany. I went into the program having completed cross-cultural training which helped with the cultural challenges, and it sounds dumb but my positive attitude helped me with all the other challenges. I came in knowing there were going to be hiccups along the way so I tried my best to laugh off... Read More
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I experienced a lot of growth personally, academically, and professionally throughout my time in Berlin in a short period of time. For me, I learn best when I’m put into new situations. Although stressful at times, I almost like that feeling of being “thrown into the fire”. This program was the perfect balance of being thrown into an uncomfortable foreign environment without feeling like I was completely on my own. Sure, I was in Europe the furthest I’ve ever lived from home working my first ever internship, but at the same time, I was with a group of students all in similar situations.... Read More
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My Berlin accommodation is a cozy European-sized apartment at the Citadines, an apartment hotel located in Kurfürstendamm. If you go on Google Maps, it’s southwest of the word Berlin. Our in-country advisor arranged for all IIP students to stay here, and so far, it’s been great and I absolutely love the area that we’re in. There are lots of restaurants and small shops, and it’s close to bus stops and train stations that can take you anywhere in the city. It’s on a street we call the “Rodeo of Berlin,” so we’ve seen a ton of supercars. I have one roommate who is also in the IIP program. I... Read More
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Hello from London! My name is Hannah Oliver, and I am a junior majoring in accounting and finance, minoring in economics, and pursuing a certificate program in international business. I currently serve as the Vice President of Finance for the Lambda chapter of the co-ed professional business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi, and am an associate in Pitt Smart Women Securities. Outside of the classroom, I work as a Finance employee for the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA). As you can probably tell, I am a finance fanatic! With this being said, I am beyond excited about... Read More
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Being in London for a few weeks, I love to reflect on all of the lessons I have learned along the way. I am so grateful for this unique opportunity to grow and understand my strengths and weaknesses coming into this journey. Here are three pieces of advice that I would share with anyone interested in studying abroad in general or in London specifically:
1. Communication can still be tricky. I had the misconception that I would not encounter any communication barriers because I was studying in another English-speaking country. You can imagine how astonished I was when I first... Read More
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Before attending my study abroad program in London, I was worried about whether or not I would be able to adjust to the living situation there. However, it was not as hard as I expected and the living arrangements I was given were in a great part of the city, right near the iconic London Tower Bridge! The university coordinates with a study abroad company to send students abroad and they arranged all the housing accommodations for us. We were given a housing questionnaire before the program started asking about our daily schedules and preferences. Based on this, we were assigned our... Read More
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Living in Rome was like living in a museum. The eternal city is ripe with culture and history at every corner and ingrained in every brick or piece of travertine. While abroad, I took a class called “Roman Art and Civilization: From Antiquity to the Present.” I learned all about Roman history from before the monarchy to present times with a particular focus on Rome’s material, cultural, artistic, and architectural evidence. We analyzed the Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque, as well as the modern and contemporary features of Roman art and civilization through frequent visits to... Read More
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France, comme un reve, was rich in culture and natural beauty -- exceeding my expectations and presumptions about French life. Although Rennes was adorned with cobblestone streets and charming architecture, the ignorance and racism was overt. I was adopted from China as a baby and grew up in a predominantly white area in rural Pennsylvania. After taking many French language and culture courses over the past 8 years and my life experience as a POC, I assumed I was prepared to encounter the racial ignorance in France.
Ironically, the tiktok linked below popped up on my for you page... Read More -
The best advice I could give others who want to study abroad is to be open and understand the power of yes and no. When planning to travel outside the country and step out of your comfort zone intentionally, it is imperative to be aware and accountable for your preconceived biases and boundaries.
Before embarking on my summer adventure to Europe, I wrote out some learning objectives that I wanted to have achieved by the end of my trip.
(I wrote these goals on January 20, 2022)- “I hope to facilitate a paradigm shift from ethnocentrism to... Read More