Initially my main motivation for doing a study abroad program was just to travel and get to experience life in some new cities and countries. This was of course a great part of my time abroad, but I didn’t expect to find so much growth and learning in so many different areas. As a healthcare…
Hvala Slovenia!
For our final week in Comparative Healthcare, we spent five days exploring all around Slovenia! Although we only had a week, it was just enough time to get to experience all the highlights of this small but incredibly beautiful country. I went into the program knowing a little more about Austria and not sure what…
Graz galore!
For the first three weeks during our Comparative Healthcare program, we spent time exploring our home base of Graz. During the weekdays we participated in many different hospital tours, presentations, interactive exercises, and culturally immersive activities to get to know our city. To begin our healthcare-focused activities, the goal was to dive right in to…
Language in Munich
On this trip I have taken two language courses at the Goethe Institut in Munich where most people in my class spoke multiple languages fluently, where as I am only fluent in English. This was a topic of conversation by comparing how different countries view knowing multiple languages. The most surprising part to me was…
Auf Wiedersehen! Nasvidenje! Reflecting on Austria and Slovenia
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…