Going into this internship abroad, one of my primary goals was to take the leap into a new field of study. Throughout my time studying History and Museum Studies at Pitt, I found myself drawn to the study of architecture. Not only did the field intersect a lot with my own work, but I was infatuated by the creative and mathematic aspects of the work architects do. I wanted to learn more. I even considered applying to go directly into a graduate program, but instead I wanted to take some time to work in the field first. For me, this internship in architectural research would be my gateway into the professional field, to know for sure if this was where I wanted to build a career.

This transition did not come without its fair share of challenges, the main one being that I was trying to understand the terminology and methodology of a different field while also learning the Portuguese language. The main obstacle for my research was in sorting through the architectural drawings used in my research. These digitized documents from the mid-twentieth century were small and intricate and had handwritten notes in both European and Brazilian Portuguese. Not understanding the language or the content of the drawings made it very difficult to even know what I was looking at, let alone identify the important aspects of the building design. I felt intellectually out of my depth. I was surrounded by experts in architecture, and yet I could not have felt more lost. These experts, however, would also play a central role in helping me overcome this challenge.

To address my concerns, I first built a glossary of architectural terms and their Portuguese translations. I then worked with my supervisor, Prof. Paulo Almeida, and a PhD candidate, Guilherme Maia, to break down each architectural drawing. Without formal training, I relied heavily on their help to explain what each drawing revealed to me about the building design. After a while, I began to understand the drawings on my own, although I would always clarify with my team before moving ahead in my research. After I understood my research in more detail, I was able to set out again independently with more confidence as I moved towards the analysis stage of my work.

While there were many challenges with language and knowledge barriers in my internship, I was also incredibly surprised by how many successes I had along the way. While I felt intellectually uncomfortable at times, there were so many skills I learned during my time at Pitt that transferred seamlessly over to my work in architectural research. The way I approached my research question and analysis, how I searched for sources in my background work, and how I wrote for an academic journal all remained the same. I was proud to receive high praises from my supervisor regarding my writing at each check-in.

Although I did not complete my article for publishing before the end of my internship, I am happy to share that Prof. Almeida and I have decided to complete and publish my work remotely. I am excited to have my first publication upcoming!