The main reason why I chose my program (IIP Berlin), was because of the location. I have been studying German since middle school, recently completed the minor here at Pitt and this internship location was the perfect opportunity for me to put my German to practical use. During my time in Berlin, I used my German to order food, ask for directions, or check out at the grocery store. The place where I found it a challenge was at work. While my internship was in English, the documents I worked with were all in German. While Pitt does have German business courses, I did not have the... Read More
Pitt Global Experiences Students' Blog
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My day typically starts around 7:30 when I first wake up. Most of the time, I have to be at work at 9:30, so I take a regional train that leaves at 8:59. After getting ready and eating breakfast, I leave around 8:30 to make it in time for my train. When taking the regional train, my commute to work is quick, only 15 minutes. If I take the S-Bahn, it takes about double that. I then get off at my stop, walk through the University of Potsdam Griebnitzsee Campus, and arrive at my host company. My typical work day can end as early as 3 or as late as 6:30. It all really depends on the amount of... Read More
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Since my first year here at Pitt, I knew that I wanted to study abroad, preferably in Germany. I wanted to do this because I had considered living and working in Germany after graduating from college and perhaps even going to graduate school here. Because of these professional and personal goals, I continued studying German at Pitt and even researched companies in Germany that I could possibly work at in the future. When I arrived at Pitt my freshmen year, my advisor told me about the International Internship Program and one of the locations was Berlin. It was a program where I got to live... Read More
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As a participant of the Pitt in Spain Study Abroad Program, I have been selected to stay in the dorms at La Universidad de Alcalá in the city of Alcalá de Henares. Before arriving, I wasn’t sure what to think of the smaller city located on the outskirts of Madrid, however upon arrival I could see that it was filled with plenty of history and culture. This was especially apparent after taking a tour of the city with the rest of the students in the program and learning all about the historical monuments in the area. I lived alone in a single dorm, but I had the opportunity to meet many other... Read More
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Despite having visited the country prior to my study abroad experience, there were still many things that surprised me about my global adventure. The weeks leading up to my departure, I was very anxious as I would be traveling alone for the first time without any friends or people that I knew of. I did not meet many people during any of the orientation days, which in hindsight would have definitely eased my nerves a little. However, a few of the girls from my program made a group chat through GroupMe. This was smart because it allowed us to communicate before the trip and get out... Read More
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For my Food Studies Program in Florence, Italy, I was able to live in a home with five other students in my program from the University of Pittsburgh. I loved the house I stayed in and I am grateful for having such a great landlord and the ability to make amazing friends. Although we faced some challenges living in this house a couple of times, there were many positives about living there and I had such a great time.
I stayed with five other people from the University of Pittsburgh in a three-story house within a nice neighborhood, 30 minutes away from our campus.... Read More -
In Dublin, we did not have the opportunity to stay in the campus dorms like international students in previous years had. Our group stayed in a hotel this year, each of us sharing rooms with one other student. The students that we were placed with were other students from the University of Pittsburgh, not from other colleges on the trip. This group was primarily made up of mostly rising junior nursing students, and seeing as I am a rising senior, I was unfamiliar with most of them before this trip began. When we were paired up in random pairs for housing, I was admittedly a little nervous... Read More
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Ciao! It has been six weeks since the beginning of my program “Pitt in Florence” and it has been the experience of a lifetime. This program offers six weeks, two 3-credit courses, and consists of 120 undergraduate students from around the United States. Six weeks ago, I moved to Florence, Italy without knowing anyone in the program, in the city of Florence, or honestly what to expect from this experience itself. While this experience has been overall one-of-a-kind, there were obstacles I had to overcome throughout my six weeks. Along the way, I had many ups and many downs, downs that... Read More
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My study abroad program in Florence, Italy was definitely an experience to remember. There were many experiences that stuck out to me due to how different everyday life was in Italy compared to the United States. What stood out to me about my academic program in Italy was how many field trips there were and how much of a hands-on experience there was. What stood out to me about the culture in Florence, Italy was the importance of slow food, family connectivity, and how much of an impact cuisine makes on Italian culture.
My academic program in Florence was much different compared to... Read More -
The locals played a large part in my positive trip experience in Ireland. The culture of the Irish people is notably friendly. Almost all of the people I met in any area were extremely kind and welcoming towards us. Many of them would first point out to us that they could tell we were Americans before we even spoke to them. They would further go on to explain that it was a combination of the way we dressed and the way that we looked just before ordering food or asking a question. None hesitated to approach in any setting to ask how we were getting along in Dublin or if we needed any... Read More