Hi! I am Arjun Chopra, a rising junior in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and the Frederick Honors College at the University of Pittsburgh. I am pursuing three degrees in Politics & Philosophy, Economics, and Statistics, along with the Civic Learning Distinction. After quite a hectic start to the trip (German efficiency does not seem to exist in the Frankfurt airport), I have officially spent one week in Bucharest, Romania. As the city may suggest, I am in the Identity and Global Politics in Romania summer study abroad program, and I already love it!
I landed on Romania for a number of reasons, but the main one comes from my own ignorance. Admittedly, going into this trip I knew almost nothing about Eastern Europe beyond what I had been taught in grade school, and I was curious to learn more. Romania is an excellent choice to study the broader region, and the program’s focus on minority politics was of particular interest to me as well. Additionally, I’ve always admired the natural beauty in this part of the world, and it was a dream of mine to hike in the Carpathians. Now, I can make that happen!
Initially, I did not think that Romania would be so well-maintained, but it is one of the cleanest countries I’ve ever been to. Plus, its historic sites are well-preserved, even in spite of the number of empires that have, rather destructively, rolled through this area. Further, the people are even more welcoming than I was told they would be – hospitality is not hard to come by in this gorgeous country. Finally, I had been wondering what public transportation would be like in one of the poorer EU states like Romania, and it is safe to say that it does not disappoint! I have been thoroughly impressed with the consistency and cleanliness of public transit so far.
I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the Romanian people and their struggles – both past and present – from this trip. Specifically, I want to examine how the various kinds of governments that have existed in this space (e.g., Prince Carol I’s unified monarchy and Ceaușescu’s Communist regime) have influenced the state of Romania today. The courses themselves emphasize minority politics, which will assist me in developing my critiquing ability as well as increasing my capacity for empathy. Overall, I am greatly looking forward to the remainder of this trip – until next time!
