As my study abroad trip to Brazil came to an end, I was filled with a lot of different emotions – I was both happy to be going home and also sad that my time in a new and exciting country was ending. The biggest surprises that came out of this experience were the richness of relationships that I could build in such a short amount of time and the new appreciation I had for other cultures. I saw some of the most amazing wildlife and natural wonders that I had ever seen. Foz de Iguazu was spectacular, and the Parque das Aves was filled with birds that I could go so close to I could almost touch them.
In the short amount of two weeks that I was abroad, I got very close with my roommates and learned a lot about other students at Pitt who I probably would not have met otherwise. I was shocked at how close you can get with other people when you are all together in a new environment over the span of a couple weeks. I was also surprised by how unique Brazilian culture was. I tried so much good food, learned about traditional Brazilian dances and music, and even got to meet students from Unisinos, a university near where we were staying.
If I had any advice to give to someone who wanted to study abroad, it would be to go with an open mind and be ready to learn a lot quickly. I wouldn’t have been able to experience the trip as richly if I wasn’t prepared to learn both about engineering and also about Brazilian culture.
My study abroad experience has changed my perspective on my professional goals because I definitely want to work for a company that allows me to travel or has connections globally so I can visit more countries. I enjoyed my time in Brazil and working with other engineers there; I would like to continue this in my work life and hopefully work internationally with other professionals across the globe.
As an added bonus, I got the mind-blowing experience of celebrating my birthday abroad! I was lucky enough to turn twenty during my study abroad trip, on the very last day, too. My entire study abroad group surprised me at dinner with a birthday celebration and dessert. I’m super grateful for the experiences I had in Brazil and I am so happy I went on this trip, not only because I had the most memorable birthday, but also because of the amazing friends I made along the way and the things I learned about culture and global travel.
