Pitt Global Experiences Students' Blog

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  • The Power of the Notes App

    I have a Notes app entry called “Georgia Chaos Log” where I chronicle every challenging or humorous moment of my abroad experience that I don’t want to forget. Some of these entries include helping my host mom put out a kitchen fire, conspiracy theories about Americans that I hear, or getting hit with a door so hard I fell down a flight of stairs. I started this Notes app as a way to cope with everyday challenges but also as a way to reflect and laugh and feel proud of myself in retrospect.

    But in revisiting my “Georgia Chaos Log” so far, I have realized that the biggest... Read More

  • Healthcare from Different Perspectives

    During my abroad trip, I learned about healthcare from many different perspectives. I realized that when it comes my education as a future physical therapist, there are vital lessons I can learn from everyone, including those who do not have a background in healthcare. Overall, there were multiple occasions in which the importance of empathy as a healthcare worker was emphasized. In my future endeavors, I plan to keep these interactions in mind so I can remember to treat patients from a holistic approach.

    During one of our classes, we received a lecture from an English graduate... Read More

  • To Find a Common Language

    Throughout my program in Batumi I would often use the Russian phrase найти общий язык when speaking to people about my adjustment to Georgia, when making new friends, and when seeking understanding with my Georgian host family. Найти общий язык means “to find a common language” and usually people use this phrase when expressing the time when new friends find their rhythm and reach an understanding.

    My life in Georgia was all about finding the point of understanding; whether that be in the context of an internal realization, reevaluating my own goals, making new friends, or... Read More

  • Outside the Classroom Learning

    Living in Rome was like living in a museum. The eternal city is ripe with culture and history at every corner and ingrained in every brick or piece of travertine. While abroad, I took a class called “Roman Art and Civilization: From Antiquity to the Present.” I learned all about Roman history from before the monarchy to present times with a particular focus on Rome’s material, cultural, artistic, and architectural evidence. We analyzed the Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque, as well as the modern and contemporary features of Roman art and civilization through frequent visits to... Read More

  • The Challenge of Perception

    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

  • Be Open and Be Yourself

    The best advice I could give others who want to study abroad is to be open and understand the power of yes and no. When planning to travel outside the country and step out of your comfort zone intentionally, it is imperative to be aware and accountable for your preconceived biases and boundaries.

    Before embarking on my summer adventure to Europe, I wrote out some learning objectives that I wanted to have achieved by the end of my trip.
    (I wrote these goals on January 20, 2022)

    1. “I hope to facilitate a paradigm shift from ethnocentrism to... Read More
  • A Day in the Life

    CIEE’s Intensive French Language Summer Program is definitely not short of intensive. Every weekday, we had class, totaling 10 credit hours over the summer.
    On an average weekday, I would wake up at 8am and commence my morning routine; wash my face, get dressed, do some light makeup, and pack my school bag. Many mornings, I avoided a tragic death at the paws of the family cat who weaved between my legs as I walked down the stairs. In the kitchen, I would grab a hard-boiled egg and piece of brioche to go. Both of my host parents worked, so I usually did not see them until dinner time... Read More

  • Overcoming Language Barriers

    As I reflect on my time studying abroad in Graz, Austria with Pitt’s Comparative Healthcare program, the biggest challenge I faced was the language barrier. The official language in Austria is German, and I had no previous experience with the German language prior to the study abroad program. Although we did learn introductory phrases on our second day of class with our onsite Austrian coordinator, Julie, it was a challenge to communicate in some stores and restaurants, as some locals did not know any English. For example, for our free weekend we went to a rural, small village of Admont.... Read More

  • Don't Waste a Single Moment

    Whether it’s specifically Plus3 Ireland or any other Plus3 program, the best advice I have is to make the most out of your time. The program is very short (only two weeks), and you will constantly be busy. The program really packs in a lot of activities such as site visits, lectures, and tourism opportunities and it can be exhausting. However, the exhaustion is worth it. The time really does fly by, and you don’t want to leave wishing you had gone to a certain restaurant, walked through a certain museum, or visited a certain sight-seeing spot. Use your free time to explore with others and... Read More

  • Everyday Life

    As a student on the Comparative Healthcare in Graz, Austria study abroad program, we are living in Graz for 4 weeks. The Hotel das Weitzer is a very nice hotel in a great central location. It is close to two tram stops that we use to get to the university every day. It also is within walking distance to numerous restaurants with outdoor seating in the popular location called the “Bermuda triangle.” We are also close to the main Congress square and the famous Bell Tower and fortress of Graz. I have one roommate, who I met previously in my science classes at Pitt as well as through Ballet... Read More