Hello all! This is Sam, 3 months into my spring semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A big part of my experience so far has been noting cultural differences and comparing life in Argentina to life in the US. I make observations in daily life, learn about the culture from my professors, and have conversations with…
Hello from Belfast!
Despite a missed flight and long travel days, I finally made it to Belfast, Northern Ireland! I’m Eileen and I’m a first-year student majoring in rehabilitation science on the pre-occupational therapy track. I’m participating in the Social Roots of Medical Innovation Maymester pilot program partnered with Queen’s University Belfast (shown below). I chose this location…
A Wee Culture Shock in Belfast
Before visiting Belfast, I assumed the transition would be easy. Same language, broadly similar culture, I wasn’t expecting much of an adjustment. But it didn’t take long to realize I was wrong. The moment that made it real was stepping off the pavement and instinctively looking the wrong way before crossing the road. Beyond the…
The Best Day Of The Trip!!
Today(5/16), we went on a water hike through the river. Rick and Skip told us that we would get pretty wet, whatever that meant. It all started with a ride down to the trail where we got off, took a short hike through the muddy terrain, and we made it to the river. At first,…
WOW, that water is blue!
Today(5/13) started with the standard breakfast at the Hostel with eggs, bread, and juice. We then went down to Cotacachi to have a ride on a boat on the lake. The view of the lake was absolutely beautiful. The lake was so blue that it was truly breathtaking since I am so used to the murky…
Adios Hershey’s
Today (5/11) was my birthday, so that’s pretty neat. Today started with breakfast, then we went to Yumbos Chocolate in the plaza in Quito. The guy at Yumbos explained the origins of chocolate in Ecuador and allowed us to sample all the different kinds of their chocolate, from the actual fruit to exotic flavors that…
Goodbye USA and Hello Ecuador!
Well, this journey started off a bit chaotic with having to wake up at 2:30 in the morning to go to the airport, but it wasn’t too bad. We flew to the hot and humid climate of Miami later in the morning, and then went to Miami Beach for a few hours after that. Then…
Finding my way around Florence
One of the things that I immediately noticed that was different about Florence was how small and compact the city is. The first thing we did after we landed was take a cab to our apartment, and the roads felt so different from the expansive multi lane highways we have at home. While in the…
Reflection: Brazil
Now that I am back home, I wanted to take the time to reflect on my time spent out of the country. Despite not being the first time outside the U.S, I believe going to Brazil was one of the most interesting cultural experiences i have ever had. This isn’t because of it’s differences with…
Visitors in Belfast
Everyone was shocked when I announced I would be gone from January 2 until June 1. Out of every abroad program at Pitt, I just so happened to choose the longest one possible. At the beginning, I was a little nervous being away from all the people I know and love. Especially because I did…