One of my favorite activities that my friends and I started was playing card games. We play cards almost every time we hang out; it was especially fun when we would play while watching a World Cup match in our kitchens. Then there was the first Portugal group stage game, and we did not want…
A Weekend Away in Three Words
Over that last couple weeks I have had the chance to travel around Europe. One of my favorite things to come out of these trips has been a tradition that my roommates and I started during a weekend trip to Paris. As we were walking to dinner on our first night, I asked them to…
Whereabouts, Workshops, and Wanderlust
I didn’t know it was possible to do so much in such a short period of time. Somehow, we have reached the halfway point of the program, and then some. We are at the point where we are reminiscing about our early days, and scheduling the remainder of our time, and it is crazy to…
Who Is a City Built For?
From the moment I arrived, I noticed Amsterdam’s transportation. Cobblestone streets, rows of bicycles, dedicated bike lanes, and canals filled with boats all work together to keep the city moving. Coming from Pittsburgh, the difference has been impossible to ignore. At home, most people get around by driving or taking the bus. Whether I’m catching…
Reflections of a Seoulmester
It’s been three weeks since I arrived back home from Seoul, and I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on my experience. Although being back in my childhood bedroom can feel like no time has passed since I was packing for my fateful departure five months ago, I know I have come back a different…
A Lesson Learned the Hard Way in Hong Kong
Being in an unfamiliar place is exciting. Everything is new and different: the culture, the food, the architecture, and… wildlife. I’ve encountered wildlife here that can only be seen at a zoo back home in America. When I say encounter, I mean it was a CLOSE encounter. The story I am about to recall was…
Grazie Roma!
My time in Rome has come and gone, and it was truly an incredible experience that I will not soon forget. Coming to Rome, I had heard so much about the “Eternal City” in history classes in grammar school and high school and in urban planning courses at Pitt, but seeing and experiencing the sites…
Hasta luego, Buenos Aires
Hello everyone, this is Sam checking in one last time from Buenos Aires! My time here has come to a close, so I thought I’d share some reflections on my study abroad experience as a whole. I arrived in Buenos Aires in February to study with both local Argentine students and other international students, and…
How My Host Culture Defines Success
One of the biggest lessons I have learned during my international internship has been that success can be defined very differently depending on the culture you are working in. Before coming abroad, I had certain expectations about what it meant to be a successful intern based on my previous work experiences in the United States….
Water Features (and World Cups!)
I have reached the halfway point of my study abroad experience in Spain! Midterms this week weren’t too difficult, so this weekend I took a few day trips with both my program as a whole and with friends! First, the entire program took a day trip to Segovia. This is a medieval town with a…