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
Pitt Global Experiences Students' Blog
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Spending the last six weeks living in London has given me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop professionally, academically, and personally. It seems like just yesterday I was pacing around the airport before boarding my first ever international flight. However, since then I have found a home in London, completed two classes and an internship abroad, and took six more international flights to visit Paris, Dublin, and Venice.
I have learned so many valuable skills from the City of London. The three most prominent life skills I am bringing back to America with me are... Read More
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It’s no secret that studying abroad can be expensive. Even after the tuition and the program fees, figuring out how to keep track of and save money on your daily expenses while actually living abroad is essential. Here are a few budgeting tips that I picked up from my time in Florence, Italy on the Pitt in Florence program to help you save some money when studying abroad without sacrificing your experience.
- Cook at home
The food was one of the things I was most excited for during my study abroad program in Italy, and it sure didn’t disappoint... 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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“Home away from home.”
I feel like I heard this phrase a hundred times when I was preparing to study abroad, watching videos and reading blogs just like this one, and I was more than a bit nervous. How was I supposed to find home in Italy when home would be a literal ocean away? These doubts swirled in my head as I made my way across the Atlantic and through the Tuscan countryside, but when I first stepped into my apartment in Florence, my nerves began to subside.
Rather than living in a dorm with only Pitt students or living with an Italian host family, I found the living... Read More -
As a double major in English Writing and Linguistics preparing for my upcoming junior year, my classes back at Pitt were really starting to focus on my majors, with not a ton of variety outside those two disciplines. In contrast, my goal when picking a study abroad program was to find a program that would allow me to fulfill the rest of my general education requirements and try something new. One of my remaining gen-eds was the Geographic Region requirement - what better way to learn about a geographic region than to experience it firsthand?
With Pitt in Florence, the program... Read More -
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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Before studying abroad, one aspect of traveling that I was most excited about was the food and Austria did not disappoint. Before I left, I researched “Austrian foods” and was slightly concerned with the results. I prioritize eating a variety of healthy foods, and every website listed mostly meats, breads, and desserts; however, I was being naïve. Similar to the United States, Austria had a wide array of cuisines and plenty of options. Our trip had the luxury of being able to choose dinner at one of the many surrounding restaurants almost every night. My friends and I had one rule when it... 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 -
Healthcare and history are two subjects I have always struggled with in school. I never realized their importance, and therefore, had little interest in them. I would simply memorize facts given to us on PowerPoints in class. A few weeks later, the crammed information would be forgotten. While abroad, my mindset completely changed. I was able to see and understand the impacts of healthcare and history on a country and its people. We visited historic sites, museums, and healthcare facilities which re- enforced what we learned in the class. I was surprised by how much I was able to learn... Read More