Hello blog! My name is Brenda Rea, and I am a rising junior at the University of Pittsburgh. I am a Pittsburgh native, so home is only about twenty-five minutes from campus. At Pitt, I am pursuing a chemical engineering degree at the Swanson School of Engineering along with a minor in chemistry. Within ChemE,…
Author: brendalrea
Cyprus was a Dream
My international experience was life changing. When I initially was transferred to the Cyprus study abroad group because of Covid traveling restrictions in the Netherlands, I was hesitant because I did not know a lot about the country and it wasn’t my first choice. However, after reading the itinerary and learning more about Cypriot culture,…
Cyrus Recap and Future Goals
Throughout my two weeks abroad, I learned a lot about traveling in a group that I wish I knew earlier. One big aspect of the trip that I wish I knew beforehand is how exhausting it can be to study abroad! I truly have loved every single detail about my time abroad, I just wish…
Rewriting my Future in Nicosia
If I had the opportunity to be a full-time resident in Cyprus I would probably choose to live in Nicosia, which is the capital of Cyprus. I would love to live in Nicosia because it is divided by the venetian wall into the new and old city. During my two weeks in Cyprus, we stayed…
Adjusting to Life in Cyprus
So far, my time in Cyprus has been out of this world! The individuals at the University of Nicosia and Pitt’s study abroad team have done an excellent job ensuring that the trip will go smoothly. Because of their preparation, I have not encountered any major challenges so far during my time abroad. Furthermore, most…
Expectations Vs. Reality
Before my study abroad experience, I had a lot of expectations based upon the initial study abroad meetings that we had. At our meetings we learned about the culture of Cyprus, prominent Cypriot companies, and got to know each other. We were assigned group presentations about companies in Cyprus such as Medochemie, Wargaming, and various…
Learning the Cypriot Lifestyle
During my time abroad, I will be staying at the Classic Hotel in Nicosia which is the capital of Cyprus. It is a very modern hotel that has a courtyard in the center of the building as well as a beautiful restaurant on the ground level. Each morning they serve a complimentary breakfast which far…
Embarking on my First International Trip
Hello and welcome to my blog! My name is Brenda Rea and I just completed my first year in the Swanson School of Engineering. In March, I declared that my intended major is chemical engineering, and I am thrilled to be able to continue my educational journey as an official chemical engineering student in the…
The Beginning of my Journey Along the Venetian Walls
I think that anytime you challenge yourself in a new way you have the opportunity to grow as a person. For me, studying abroad is unlike anything I have ever done. I have never taken a class in another city let alone across the globe so it will certainly take some time for me to…