Pitt Global Experiences Students' Blog

  • To the Soul through the Stomach

    Not only is food the window to the soul, food is the backbone of culture and will define your experience abroad. Every culture develops a cuisine influenced by the environment and tastes of the people and cultural groups who call the area home. While we often think of things like barbecue and burgers as “American” cuisine, a trip down any street will display a variety of restaurants and eateries with roots all across the globe. Every culture develops its staples based on what is available and can be made into a delicious meal, or what warms the heart and soul while providing nourishment to... Read More

  • Locals Know Best

    Interacting with locals is the easiest way to learn how a new place functions, but is perhaps the most difficult fear to overcome. Being an “American” abroad often involves the preconceived notion that we are loud, stand out like a sore thumb in public, and are unable to integrate into the society we find ourselves in. While it is accurate that Americans are generally more opinionated, will share said opinions, and do so loudly, it is possible to blend into a crowd due to the shared language. This is one of the most notable things I found while abroad, as a first pass to a conversation was... Read More

  • Talking to Belgians

    I was really nervous about talking to people in Belgium because I had never been abroad. Plus, I didn’t really know their languages too well. I took four years of French classes in high school, but that wasn’t terribly helpful because we were mostly in the northern part of Belgium that spoke Dutch. However, there wasn’t really anything to be afraid of.
                I was hoping to at least make it to the meeting with my class without having to talk to anyone or make a fool of myself. Sadly, that didn’t even happen. I didn’t even make it to Belgium before it happened. I landed in the... Read More

  • So Much To See, So Much To Do

    Ever since I was a freshman in high school, I have wanted to travel the world. That year, I took my first French class, and I started really getting into European soccer. I was already fascinated by Roman and Greek mythology from history and literature classes as well, and I loved my world cultures class in middle school. Freshman year was when I truly recognized how much I wanted to see of the rest of the world.
    I thought I was going to get my first chance to go abroad to France in high school with my French class, but staffing changes prevented that from happening. I thought I... Read More

  • Walking Around Town

    One of my favorite things about Belgium, and Europe in general, is that their cities and towns are largely built around walking or cycling. We spent hours walking around Leuven, Brussels, Ghent, and Bruges, and it was so easy. Sure, you needed to look out for the occasional car or bike barreling down the street, but it was otherwise smooth sailing. You could see any landmark you wanted just by walking around the city.
                This is something I wish cities in America were more like. It is not exactly easy for me to walk from Oakland to downtown Pittsburgh. Say I wanted to go eat... Read More

  • What to Pack and What to Bring Back

    When planning to travel abroad, the essentials always come to mind first. Whether it's your favorite pair of socks, a specific kind of toothpaste that you always have to use, or a hoodie that holds significant value to you, everything has its place within your suitcase. Things like your passport and ID will always travel with you, but I’ve found that it’s mental preparation that catches you off guard before something you forgot to pack. For example, while traveling to Belgium, I accounted for the six hours of sleep I would lose by staying busy all day and crashing hard onto the hotel bed... Read More

  • A New Culture - Belgium

    Arriving in the Flanders region of Belgium, I had expected culture shock, having never truly immersed myself in a foreign culture before. Now returned from Belgium, I recall a culture that was in no means shocking. If anything, their culture of preservation and the personal transportation that resulted from preservation are both inviting and intriguing. Over those ten days of May, our group of nineteen travelled to Leuven, Bruges, Ghent, Brussels, and a variety of smaller vistas, each of which had no shortage of architecture wonders from the 11th to the 18th century.... Read More

  • A Window to the Soul - Belgium

    As someone who believes food exemplifies the titular sentiment, the food of Belgium was no exception. During our short but eventful study-abroad in the Belgian region closest to the North Sea, our group relied primarily on local restaurants and the occasional fast-food joint to meet our dietary needs. While eating out proved more costly, these restaurants revealed to us an array of either hearty or aquatic cuisine. Based on the prior reading of a provided cultural guide, I entered the country knowing the national culinary identity of northern Belgium consisted of Flemish stew, meatballs,... Read More

  • How to Make the Most of ENGR 1920

    Prior to leaving for your Engineering a Craft Brewery: Belgium study-abroad program, you may feel overwhelmed by the packed schedule awaiting you, which is perfectly normal. I can assure you that each scheduled tour is unique and engaging, and plenty of free time is available in the evenings. I do recommend a couple tips for managing the lofty expectations of your itinerary and making the most out of your study-abroad in Europe.

    The study-abroad experience truly begins about two months prior to leaving for Belgium. To make the absolute most out of such a limited time abroad,... Read More