Pitt Global Experiences Students' Blog

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  • Bucket Showers Make for a Fun Birthday Tradition
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    When you study abroad, you usually come prepared for cultural differences like language barriers or new foods. However, you'll also experience new cultures in ways you don't expect to, and it’ll catch you by surprise. You’ll encounter traditions that are unlike anything you've seen at home, leaving you with lots of questions. For instance, I was totally caught off guard by my experience in Tanzania last summer, which introduced me to the diversity of birthday traditions that exist in the world. 
     
    After classes, I would usually find a quiet spot on campus... Read More
  • Gods Along the Ganges: Spiritual Highlights from Pitt in the Himalayas
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    The Himalayas is a wonder of the natural world that has continually intrigued generations of natives and travelers alike. The mountain range extends into China, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan. Its immense beauty has inspired thoughts of the divine from the various religious traditions of these countries and, as a result, the Himalayas hold a complex spiritual and religious power. Tibetan Buddhists and Shia Muslims mainly dominate the Greater Himalayan region in the north – from Ladakh to northeastern India – while the Hindus predominantly inhabit the Middle Himalayan... Read More
  • Essential Guide to Buenos Aires
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    Buenos Aires, situated on the Rio de la Plata and nestled a short distance from Uruguay, is the largest, most multicultural city in Argentina. It's a city where Latin America and Europe collide, and the result is a colorful, vivacious capital reminiscent of Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Known as the “Paris of South America,” Buenos Aries is a city of culture and is filled with opportunities for art, music, fashion, and theater enthusiasts. The weather is near perfect, so locals are always out and about soaking up the sun at the beach, walking about the various parks, or... Read More
  • Chile's Hidden Gems
    Being the longest country in the world with 2,647 miles of land, it is easy to miss some of Chile’s most stunning attractions. If you are looking for a country where you can enjoy art, music, history, and nature, this is the perfect country to add to your list! There is something for everyone to enjoy in this large and welcoming country. Below are some of the few hidden gems that people may forget to visit while they’re south of the equator. 
     
    1. Los Chinchorros
    The Chinchorros were an indigenous community located in northern... Read More
  • Diggin’ the Past: Three Uncommon Must-See Archaeological Sites in Italy
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    If you are at all interested in archaeology, or if you just want to see some really awesome old stuff, I’d recommend you spend some time in Italy. Of course, the country is famous for its fabulous food and beautiful shoes, but Italy has so much to offer in terms of history, as well. We owe many aspects of Western Civilization to the Ancient Romans. I found walking in their footsteps to be incredibly enlightening. There is something magical about learning on-location; reading about a site will never be enough for me now. Most people will see the Colosseum and the Roman Forum when they... Read More
  • Transportation 101: South Korea
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    So you’re going to Seoul, and you’re worried about how to navigate your way from Incheon Airport to your host university. For those of you as “transportationally inept” as I was, I can’t boast enough about Seoul’s infrastructure and how kind it was to me. Not only are the subways and buses clean, spacious, and efficient, but they are also incredibly cheap and foreigner-friendly, with each one-way trip anywhere around the city costing you only a little over one dollar. With that in mind, there are various resources to help you navigate through the city with little to no hassle.... Read More

  • South Korea: Democracy at Work
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    The timeframe in which I chose to study abroad in South Korea was the best I could have ever decided on, because it allowed me to witness history. I arrived in August 2016, and by the time I left to return the United States in June 2017, a whole series of historic political events had played out, where one President was impeached and another had been elected.
     
    The news outlets lit up around October, and they couldn’t keep two names out of the headlines for months following. As it turns out, President Park Geun-hye was involved in an elaborate scandal where... Read More
  • Keeping Up Your Language Skills
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    For those of us who have gone abroad and learned a lot of our host country’s language during our time away, it’s safe to say that we’d rather expand on our language abilities than forget everything we’ve learned upon returning home. I myself have experimented with different ways to not only continue practicing language in all four essential areas (Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening) but to also find friends with common interests along the way. Below are some of effective methods I’ve personally employed to maintain my language skills, so for those of you who don’t... Read More
  • Exercise to the Extreme: The Cape Town 3 Peaks Challenge
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    Any country you choose to study abroad in will have famous landmarks plastered over every single advertisement and piece of information that is given to you before your departure. For Cape Town, the image of Table Mountain was everywhere—and rightfully so, considering it is one of the “7 Wonders of the Natural World!” As soon as my flight into Cape Town began to hover over the city, I could immediately see the ocean meet the bustling city, and then Table Mountain rising up in the backdrop. However, I noticed two other mountains on either side of Table Mountain, which I soon learned were... Read More

  • Thoughts from an Alumna: London's Color Palette
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    I once watched a video of a color-blind man seeing purple for the first time after he received a special pair glasses for his birthday. It was heartwarming to watch him tear up over what most of us would consider otherwise mundane objects: a Lysol can, the leaves of a potted plant, a wall covered in Post-Its. The video ended with the man venturing outside, breathing heavily as he knelt on the stone path and ran his fingers through the green, green grass.
     
    I felt the pressing need to reevaluate my surroundings after watching that video, perhaps... Read More