I have just returned from my time in Romania and Brussels, and besides feeling a bit jet lagged, I feel extremely grateful for the experiences that I had.
My four weeks in Romania and one week in Belgium were full of exciting experiences, new friends, and great fun. The first two weeks were spent in the capital of Bucharest, a beautiful European city with so much to offer. I enjoyed the historic old town with its cute shops and fun restaurants with a backdrop of historic buildings. Bucharest offered us some unforgettable moments, a highlight being our meeting with Her Majesty Princess Margareta and her husband, His Royal Highness Prince Radu. The royal couple had a lengthy discussion with us about Romania’s place in global politics, their charity work, and their love for their country and its people. Bucharest is a deeply historic and intriguing European capital city that I would love to return to in the future.
The two weeks we spent traveling in the Transylvania region were full of beautiful natural sights and awe-inspiring castles, citadels, fortified churches, and fortresses. We visited so many cities and small villages in the region and I truly enjoyed spending the evening sitting with friends in the central town squares and exploring the natural beauty of these areas. I learned so much about the ethnic diversity of Romania and the importance of this region to Eastern Europe at large.
To end our trip, we spent a week in Brussels, Belgium. Here we got to take a broader look at European politics and examine Romania’s place in institutions such as the EU and NATO. Here we had the incredible honor to meet with the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, Mr. Mircea Geoană. Being Romanian himself, he was able to discuss Romania’s position in NATO as well as NATO’s role in the world. Brussels is a city bustling with the energy of international importance and I learned so much about European politics even in the short week we were there.
The five weeks I spent abroad allowed me to grow so much, and in ways that I did not expect. Personally, I was able to grow more confident in myself as I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and had so many new experiences. I also was lucky enough to get close to a group of fellow students on my trip and I am so grateful to my new friends who made my experience much more special. Academically, I was able to expand my worldview and develop a deep and nuanced understanding of this region of the world and its politics. I have developed a curiosity and interest that I will continue to nurture for the rest of my academic career and beyond. Finally, I know that my experience abroad will help me as I enter the professional world to be more globally-minded, adaptable, and confident. No matter what career or professional sphere I go into, this experience will guide me and help me put my best self forward.
I have taken away a variety of lessons from my time abroad. I learned to savor every moment because great experiences go by fast. I also learned to open myself up to new experiences and to not let my nerves get in the way of me experiencing new and exciting things. I have also developed the ability to think more globally and look at the bigger picture when examining an issue. When I return to Pitt, each of these takeaways will help me not only in my classes but in my campus activities and personal relationships as well. Even after my time at Pitt, my career goals will be helped along by what I’ve learned abroad and I will be able to find success using the lessons I learned.
My time in Romania and Brussels was truly transformative and will stick with me for life as I continue to benefit from and build on the experiences that I had. Thank you to Dr. Horia Dijmărescu for putting together such an informative, well-organized, and fun study abroad experience and for being an amazing professor whom I learned so much from. I will cherish my memories from Romania forever, and I am so grateful to have been a part of this trip.
