For my first week in Poland, I spent my time in the northern seaside city of Gdynia, where my aunt, uncle, and cousin currently live. It was definitely difficult trying to communicate with my uncle, who speaks only Polish. However, I was very happy with my ability to hold conversations with him after taking Polish…
The Remedy for an Awkward Stare: “Hi!”
Unlike the United States, China is not a country with multiple prominent ethnic groups. Although China officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups, Han Chinese make up 91% of the population. The other 55 groups account for the remaining 9%. However, the difference between these minority groups (少数民族, shǎoshùmínzú) and those in the United States is that…
Josh in Suriname
My name is Joshua Tamakloe, I am a rising senior and a Public Health major on the pre-med track. I chose the Public Health Threats in Suriname study abroad program to get an immense experience towards tackling public health issues in other countries. Often times we talk about how we as future public health professionals…
One Iced Americano at a Time
When I first arrived in Korea, I was running on very little sleep but was way too excited to stay inside. During my first few weeks, I spent most of my free time just wandering around Seoul and seeing where I ended up. One of the first places I visited was Ikseon-dong Hanok Village, which…
A Quick Train or Plane Ride Away!
Hello, this is Melina Mazzella. My study abroad home base is in London, and I have loved every second of my summer experience here so far. The atmosphere, architecture, events, and people have made this city so easy to adjust to. While I could stay in England all summer, I have also taken advantage of…
Grizzly Bears And The Modern Frontier
My experiences in Wyoming have centered around the incredible wildlife that inhabits the state, and the collaboration between scientists, ranchers, hunters, and the government to preserve and protect the landscape here while adapting it to human needs. As I dig further into the interactions between humans and the land around them here in Wyoming for…
Cowboy Hat Hierarchy
Upon getting off the bus and walking into Cheyenne Frontier Days (One of the largest rodeo events in the United States), I was struck by the apparent lack of cowboy hats, as I expected to encounter a sea of them immediately. However, my expectations were soon met, as after leaving the carnival ride area, hats…
Kiro’s Exploration in Athens and more!
My time abroad in Athens, Greece was both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. I went into the program knowing very minimal Greek and not knowing any of the other participants in the program. Despite this, I had one of the best experiences of not only college, but my entire life. I remember arriving…
Counting Down, But Still Adventuring in the UK!
I can’t believe that I’m over 3/4 of the way through my internship program in London! Over the past two and a half weeks since my last post, I’ve visited Stonehenge, Bath, and taken a trip to Wales. During my time at Stonehenge, the stones were much larger than I expected. Unfortunately, we couldn’t view…
The Friendship Disk
One day, walking home from the Shanghai Metro after a delicious meal, I came across a group of older men throwing a frisbee on the field across from my host University’s campus. As a member of Pitt Club Ultimate and as a former member of my high school team, this immediately piqued my interest. Feeling…