My time in Brussels has given me an experience abroad, both inside and outside of the classroom, that will be beneficial for me after I leave.

As someone planning to obtain a Master’s in Urban Planning, living in a city like Brussels that emphasizes transit-oriented development, walkability, and green spaces, has give me a vision for what I want the communities I live in to feel like. I also was able to visit Amsterdam during my time abroad, and seeing the mass amount of mixed-used zoning and bike lanes was amazing. I really like comparing Brussels and Amsterdams to each other, and to the American cities I have been to. It shows how the policies done at the local level leads to drastic changes in the identity and experience of living in a place. I plan on taking urban studies courses at Pitt, and I am glad that I have been able to have the experiences abroad to supplement what I be reading about in the classroom.

Inside the classroom and offices, I learned about European Union politics, international trade and affairs, and multi-level governance directly from people who work in the field themselves. As an Econ-Math major, I learn much about analyzing policy through numbers and data. However, an education evaluating the institutions and political philosophies behind the political and economic systems is just as important, and that is what I learned in Brussels. Moving forward into my career at Pitt, I will continue to supplement my quantitative background with historical and political knowledge.

Throughout this experience, I was supported by my wonderful cohort of Pitt students, Dr. Gemma Marolda of the Political Science Department, and Stephen Lund of the European Studies Center. I would not have enjoyed the experience as much if it was not for them!

This experience definitely changed some things for me. As an Econ-Math major, I was thinking of pursuing a stats minor. However, I am now picking up a second major in International Studies, and a minor in Philosophy. I really want to spend the last two years of undergrad taking courses that get me to think of the world’s problems in ways that cannot be explained through numbers and data alone.

For both my past self and future students going abroad, my biggest advice is to talk to as many locals as you can. I got into great conversations with many, and it was refreshing to learn about experiences that are vastly different from the way I grew up or I am used to. My favorite conversation with a local was with a bartender who graduated with an economics degree, and moved to Brussels to pursue a career in journalism.