I got back yesterday, and I am in my post Italian depression. Is that a thing? If it wasn’t, it is now.

When my program advisor Lorenzo told us that we would never look at life the same after only one month in Italy, I did not believe him. But now I see why.

Every day was filled with a new adventure, more appreciation for the beautiful city I was in, and stronger bonds with the new friends I have made. I am so incredibly grateful for the people I have met on this trip, my awesome professors who understood that some days, we were just tired (shoutout Dr. Bilec and Dr. Robertson!), and the amazing experiences we had through this program. Class was so interesting and I learned so much not only about the art history of the renaissance, but also the engineering sustainability that occurred during that time.

Aside from going to class every day and a couple of class trips, my friends and I ate a lot of pasta, gelato, and pizza. We traveled to Cinque Tere, Rome, Milan, Lake Como, various parts of Tuscany, and even Switzerland. We met so many people of all types, explored Florence, climbed the Duomo, and watched the sunset over the Arno River. These are just some of my favorite parts, but of course every day became my new favorite day as the trip unfolded.

I learned a lot about myself on this trip as well. I knew I liked to travel, but I realized now that I am ok with living in another country and immersing myself with new culture. I move too fast at home, and need to start taking time to relax and slowly eat a meal. Enjoy spending time with friends instead of constantly working. It is all about finding a balance, and that is what Italians have shown me.

It’s crazy how much I learned about sustainability through Florence and just studying the renaissance itself. Something as simple as passive ventilation to naturally cool and heat a building is something so simple (simple enough that they knew how to do it hundreds of years ago), yet we don’t do it. I hope to incorporate ideas like that more into my work in the future. I also know that I want to get a job that allows me to travel all over the world.

I hope to take back all of these ideas about life and work with me to Pitt and share it with my friends and family, because it has already begun to make me a better person personally, academically, and professionally. I am going to start by trying to eat more as a family at home, and eat more meals with my friends at school too.

Thank you Pitt for allowing me to partake in this eye opening experience.