Hello! My name is Maddie Stone, and I am a rising junior mechanical engineering major with minors in industrial engineering and history. I am spending the first 2 weeks of May in Prague, Czech Republic as part of the Plus3 Transfer Plus: Swanson School of Engineering Czech Republic Program. The goal of this program is to understand how the Czech Republic’s history, culture, and society have affected engineering and the industries of the country. This post is the introduction of my time in Prague. I plan on making two more posts describing a more in-depth experience and a conclusion of my thoughts after the program.
I wanted to go abroad this summer because a lot of my friends had very positive reviews of the Plus3 programs they attended as a freshman. I was worried that because I was a sophomore, I would not be able to do a shorter program. However, this program was created with the hope to give transfer students a chance to participate in Plus3. While transfer students receive priority, non-transfer students can apply and attend (which was me!). The duration of this program allowed me to study abroad and get back in time for me to attend the first day of my internship.
Not only did this program fit with my other summer goals, but there were also many scholarship opportunities for this specific study abroad. Between assistance from the Nationality Rooms, the Frederick Honors College, and the Swanson School of Engineering, I have had the opportunity to affordably participate in this program. I am incredibly grateful for the support and without it, I would not be able to go! I originally thought that a study abroad would not be something I could do during my college experience, but Pitt has shown me that there is a big push for their students to gain a global experience and education.
From this program, I am hoping to become more independent and confident in traveling “alone.” While I have 14 other students, 2 faculty members, and 1 guide, this will be my first time traveling without any family members. I am very excited for the chance to travel with friends and experience a foreign country in an educational aspect. I hope to gain a greater understanding of how culture and engineering intersect, producing different work environments and points of view in approaching engineering solutions. Additionally, I want this experience to help me gain a broader view of varying cultures and discovering how they compare and contrast to what I have experienced in the United States.
Below are some of the first few pictures I took when exploring the city on the first day! I always love hanging out on bridges to enjoy the view and watch people on the water! Prague is a great city for it with the Charles Bridge and the many, many other bridges on the Vltava River. The statue shown is called “Calvary” and shows Jesus on the cross. The Charles Bridge is home to thirty complex statues, with this being one of the most religiously significant statues. Without a doubt, the Charles Bridge is one of the must-see locations in the city.
