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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Academic, professional and personal goals

    Before studying abroad, one of my main goals was to travel and learn about different cultures. With this program, I was, fortunately, able to do just that and it further motivated me to continue traveling and experiencing new countries. This experience was extremely valuable to me in a  number of ways as it allowed me to learn and practice my academics in a real environment with various variables as well as explore the beauties of a new culture through nature, cuisine, and the people themselves. Through this program, I really got to think about what I want to do with my future career... Read More

  • A New Culture - Belgium

    Arriving in the Flanders region of Belgium, I had expected culture shock, having never truly immersed myself in a foreign culture before. Now returned from Belgium, I recall a culture that was in no means shocking. If anything, their culture of preservation and the personal transportation that resulted from preservation are both inviting and intriguing. Over those ten days of May, our group of nineteen travelled to Leuven, Bruges, Ghent, Brussels, and a variety of smaller vistas, each of which had no shortage of architecture wonders from the 11th to the 18th century.... Read More

  • Housing in London

    I am living in an apartment in the east of London.  The neighborhood is in between The City of London and Whitechapel, part of the Tower Hamlets postal code and technically called Aldgate.  The apartment building itself is inconspicuous, sitting in a street that contains a pub, a grocery store, other businesses, and other apartment buildings as well.  My apartment itself is a great size.  We have a kitchen, living room, and dining area that is all open.  There are three bedrooms and three bathrooms, as the apartment fits seven students.  A common feature in European bathrooms is heated... Read More