Upon my return to the US after my study abroad experience in Austria and Slovenia, I have been reflecting on how much I learned both inside and outside the classroom. Through visits to hospitals, pharmacies, nonprofit organizations, disability centers, and public health agencies, I saw firsthand how Austria and Slovenia approach accessibility and support for…
Landed: London
Nice to meet you! My name is Marlisse, a rising senior on the Pre-PA Natural Sciences track. I am currently in the beginning stages of my internship at King’s College Hospital in London. I chose this experience for a multitude of reasons. Still, it really boils down to a few: I want to learn the…
Communicating in Paris
Throughout my time in Paris, I have noticed several differences of communication styles compared to what I am accustomed to in America. Perhaps the most notable difference is the directness of conversation. During my first week here, this communication style initially struck me as rude. The nature of many interactions were straightforward, and it felt…
Introductory Post: Kevin’s Wyoming Expedition
Hi! My name is Kevin Nybeck and I am a rising sophomore mechanical engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering. I was born and raised in Minnesota and graduated from Edina High School. This summer, I will be participating on the People and Other Animals – Writing Wyoming program in July!…
Lecture to Reality
During clinical rotations at a nearby hospital in Mussoorie, India, I experienced one of my biggest “wow” and “aha” moments of the entire trip. Earlier in the program, one of our guest speakers had mentioned that male children are often preferred over female children, but at the time I did not fully understand the significance…
Language Immersion: Tips and Tricks
I am studying abroad in Germany as a participant in a total language immersion program. While my German language skills improved both rapidly and vastly at the beginning of my program, I noticed that my progress started to plateau once I had reached a certain advanced level. This is not uncommon when learning languages and…
Success Around the Globe
Before this program, I never really questioned how I defined success. Growing up in the United States, success often seemed tied to education, occupation, financial stability, and social status. As I spent more time in India and listened to the experiences of the people around me, I found myself reflecting on whether those were the…
Outside the NATO Bubble: Ghent
Brussels sits at the center of something significant. Within a few hours in any direction you have Strasbourg, home to the European Parliament, Rotterdam, one of the largest ports in the world, The Hague, where international law is adjudicated, and Cologne, a major hub of European economic life. This is not a coincidence. The entire…
Memoirs from a European Bureaucrat
Europe operates differently than the US in ways that are not immediately obvious until you are actually here. The legislative process within the EU is layered in a way that would frustrate most Americans. Bills and directives do not just pass through a chamber and get signed. They get reviewed, scrutinized, sent back, amended, and…
Brussels: A Political Capital for Europe
I’m Andrew Romanchik, a Politics and Philosophy student with my sights set on law. So when Pitt’s Governance and Policy in Brussels program came across my radar, it was a straightforward decision. Getting inside exposure to how the EU and NATO actually operate is the kind of experience that translates directly into a legal career,…