Pitt Global Experiences Students' Blog

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  • Goals Influenced

    This eye-opening global experience influenced my professional and personal goals. While I was in the United Kingdom, I had to opportunity to investigate a research topic and hear from many nursing professionals about their different duties. This inspired me to think about how I can enact change in healthcare in the US. In addition, I experienced a new culture by going to local pubs, visiting museums, and exploring cities.

    During our very first meeting of the Plus3 UK class, we split up into groups that we would be working with throughout the trip. Initially, my group wanted to... Read More

  • Daily Life in Cyprus

    To start most of my days I would wake up on time (except for one day) yet still rush to get ready. Although I always wanted to go out for breakfast, our days started too early and I never had enough time, so I ate the hotel breakfast. Next, we would board the bus and head off to our adventures. We never really got enough sleep so we would take epic bus naps that really hit the spot. We usually had business meetings earlier in the day and cultural events later in the afternoon. We visited ports, pharmaceutical companies, concrete companies, and more ports. For cultural events, we visited... Read More

  • Food, Food and More Food

    One of my all-time favorite ways to experience a new culture is through food, so you can bet that I ate a lot of Cyprian meals. I always made an effort to go to local restaurants for meals rather than chains. A lot of Cyprian cuisine is determined by the resources available on the island. Despite being an island, Cyprian cuisine does not include a lot of seafood. The water surrounding Cyprus has a lot of invasive species that diminish the fish population. We still went to a fish tavern and despite hating seafood I made it a goal to try everything they served. I even ate a fisheye! Mostly,... Read More

  • How I've Changed

    When I was younger, I lived in Switzerland for two years. Being in another country in such formative years really transformed my own identity and desires in life. I grew to appreciate European culture more and more. It had been a while since I spent a long time in Europe until this study abroad in Cyprus. Being immersed in the European lifestyle once more really reinforced that I want to live abroad. The culture surrounding meals that emphasizes quality time and bonding over great food really resonates with how I want to live. At home, my family and I always sit down at the table for meals... Read More

  • There truly is not a bad place to live

    Living in London is such a unique experience based on the individual neighborhood you live in. What is so special about London, however, is that there truly is not a bad place to live. No matter where you are in the city, you are never far from a tube, bus, or train station, which makes the city seem so much smaller and more accessible. My living situation in London is definitely interesting, but I love everything about it. I live in a seven-person flat in the East End region of London, just a ten-minute walk away from the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. Of the seven people in my... Read More

  • The best way to really experience a different culture is through food

    As a self-proclaimed “foodie,” I truly believe that food is the window to the soul. I would venture to say that the best way to really experience a different culture is through food, and London is perhaps the best city in the world for discovering a culture (or cultures) through food. One of the things that I have done in my time in London is I have tried to mix up where I eat every week, whether it be trying a new restaurant nearby or cooking for myself at the flat. I would say that I typically cook anywhere from three to five nights each week and go out to eat the other days. As for the... Read More

  • Interacting with locals - Germany

    Interacting with the people of Germany was one of the biggest positives of my experience studying abroad. Every person I had the chance to talk to welcomed me to the country with open arms. The people of Germany were more than happy to share their customs, traditions, and experiences with me. The students and faculty of the University of Augsburg, where I had the chance to study while I was in Germany, were the best hosts that any student could ask for. The German students that I worked with were very relatable, and we became friends by exchanging stories about... Read More

  • Get to know your fellow Pittsburgh students

    There are many pieces of advice that I would give to other students planning to study on this program, especially now that I’ve had time to reflect. The first piece of advice that I would give to others planning to study on this program is to get to know your fellow Pittsburgh students who are participating in this program with you. The people around the Plus3 Germany program are really what make it stand out from the other programs. By getting to know your fellow students, you can really begin to build a family abroad. Also, building relationships with your... Read More

  • Language barrier

    A major challenge I faced while studying abroad in Costa Rica was the language barrier. In school, I took the French language so I only have minimal knowledge of the Spanish language. This barrier followed me through the whole trip, especially in instances where I was more on my own rather than in a group. It was definitely difficult to communicate and understand things for me. For one example, going out to eat at local restaurants... Read More

  • A window to the soul - Costa Rica

    For me, food has always provided a way to immerse myself in a culture and truly experience the authenticity of the traditional cuisine. I think for a lot of people it is quite literally “the window to the soul,” as many people express themselves through cooking. During these past two weeks in Costa Rica, we always ate out since we stayed in hotels and were not really given the accommodations to cook our own meals. However, eating... Read More