Pitt Global Experiences Students' Blog

  • 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

  • Every morning was new and exciting during my time in Sydney. Especially during
    the weekend, I never knew what I would do and where I was going next!
    However there were a few routine places I would go to, for food and classes.
    First every morning I would wake up, get ready for classes, and talk to my family.
    In Australia the time zone is very different from back home - Sydney is 14 hours
    ahead of where my family lives in New England! I would often be having
    breakfast while they were having dinner; or be going to class when they were
    sound... 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

  • First of all, make sure to pack lightly! You will definitely want to bring home
    souvenirs. On your first day in your study abroad program, you will definitely feel
    jetlagged and tired - try not to relax or sleep until the local evening time. You want
    to remain as active as possible, to decrease the effects of jet lag and to make the
    most of your trip meeting new people, exploring a new city or country, and trying
    new cuisines and learning about a new culture. Even if you are on a low budget,
    try to go on as many excursions as possible! Some study... Read More

  • Before studying abroad in Sydney, I thought of Australian food as “meat
    pies” and “vegemite.” And while I did get to try these famous classic
    “Aussie” foods, I learned that Australian cuisine encompasses much more,
    and similar to the United States, Australia is a country with cuisine coming
    from all around the world! My two favorite places to eat routinely was North
    Indian Cuisine on George Street (which gave me the largest vegetable
    samosas I have ever eaten!) and Miso Japanese in the World Square (I just
    couldn’t help coming back for their... Read More

  • Italian cuisine makes up the Italian identity and culture. It is amazing to see how much their cuisine impacted their daily lives and the traditions they have in Italy. While studying abroad in Italy, I made the most of my experience by trying different foods that represent the Florentine culture, as well as cooking different traditional dishes to connect with their culture. I adapted to the eating habits in Italy in hopes to feel like an actual Florentine and to connect to my family heritage to see how they used to live their lives. Food reflects the Florentine culture, as it does in all... Read More

  • 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

  • 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 biggest piece of advice I would give to someone who is planning to study abroad on this Plus3 program is to take in every moment. The program is only two weeks long, and the itinerary is jam packed. It will be difficult to quickly get over the jet lag and deal with the early morning company visits, but your time abroad really does go by fast, so take a moment to enjoy every activity on the itinerary. After just two days of being back home, I miss it already.
     
                To add on to the last paragraph, my biggest regret was worrying too much about our academic projects.... Read More

  • This May, I studied abroad on Pitt’s Engineering Perspectives of the Renaissance and Sustainability: Florence program. Studying abroad was such a unique experience that was so different from anything I’ve ever done before. The studies on this program focused on the advancements in engineering that were made during the Renaissance time period and looked at how different sustainability concepts were present during that time. We also took an art history course that introduced us to the amazing art that was made during the Renaissance, as well as some of the incredible architecture. Because... Read More