Hi! My name is Lily, and I am very excited to tell you about my first study abroad experience, but first I will give a little introduction. I am a rising senior in the Dietrich School of Arts and Science pursuing a major in economics with minors in applied statistics and business. Like many Pitt students I am from “outside philly” but to be more exact I grew up in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. In my free time I love to hike, bike, and explore outdoors and I am eager to travel more. Outside of the classroom, I am business manager of the Pitt Cycling Team; sector head and analyst for an all-women investment club: Smart Women Securities; and I enjoy exploring the surrounding Pittsburgh area with my friends.

This past month I participated in the program Comparative Economics of Central Europe which gave me a chance to explore the beautiful cities of Prague, Czech Republic and Kraków, Poland. This type of experience is called a “Maymester” which consists of completing an entire semester worth of learning in only 3-weeks. Although it was a busy few weeks, it was an incredible and completely unique experience through the ability to interact with and embody the culture which truly enhanced my learning.

I originally never thought I would have the chance to go abroad and when I came to Pitt I never imagined that I would participate in a study abroad program. My mindset was always limited by the financial aspects, and I never thought I would be able to afford to go. However, I became so intrigued by this specific opportunity that I began to speak to multiple advisors to explore all my financial options. Before the deadline to apply to the study abroad program, I applied for several scholarships through Pitt Funds Me and other scholarships through Pitt. My preparation allowed me to cover the entire cost of the program and provided me extra aid to pay for my flights and expenses while abroad. I encourage you to look into studying abroad despite financial circumstances because by making an effort, anything can be possible. And from my experience, all that time and effort was completely worth it.

I chose this opportunity in particular to gain new cultural competencies and alternative global perspectives while furthering my study of economics. I wanted to gain exposure to the international world and the opportunity to apply my learnings to a subject I am passionate about: economics. As I have finally started to dive into my economics major, I have become more curious about global economic systems and was interested in international application. Prior to this experience, my education of economics has been primarily centralized around the United States. Although I have taken courses in macroeconomics and international economics, it has been very generalized and prioritizes studying US trading partners and powerful industrialized nations. I want a chance to explore foreign economies at the local level and take a microeconomic approach to international economics. I hoped that exposure to international cultures would provide me with a broader worldview of economics systems and a new outlook on global economic relations. Furthermore, I believed that this program would serve as the catalyst to expand my international curiosity and lead to further global experiences which are vital to my understanding of the scope of economics.

I look forward to telling you all about my incredible adventures and newfound revelations from my first time abroad!