Sitting in my room back at home, I find myself reflecting back on my time in Belfast. It doesn’t feel real that I was just there less than a week ago, and yet somehow it feels like it changed something in me. I’ll be honest: I didn’t fully know what to expect going into this…
Tag: Belfast
Getting My Bearings in Belfast
I thought I was definitely prepared. Same language, and similar enough culture, how different could it be? The first thing that caught me off guard was the accents and unique vocabulary. Technically everyone was speaking English, but they had their own vocabulary and rhythm entirely. Words like “wee” and “youse”, were woven into every sentence,…
The Wrong Side of the Sidewalk
There is a very specific kind of panic that comes from realizing you are walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk in a city that already knows that you don’t belong there. Not that anyone corrects you directly. The locals don’t stop to educate you. Rather, they simply continue moving forward with the quiet…
Hello from Belfast!
Despite a missed flight and long travel days, I finally made it to Belfast, Northern Ireland! I’m Eileen and I’m a first-year student majoring in rehabilitation science on the pre-occupational therapy track. I’m participating in the Social Roots of Medical Innovation Maymester pilot program partnered with Queen’s University Belfast (shown below). I chose this location…
A Wee Culture Shock in Belfast
Before visiting Belfast, I assumed the transition would be easy. Same language, broadly similar culture, I wasn’t expecting much of an adjustment. But it didn’t take long to realize I was wrong. The moment that made it real was stepping off the pavement and instinctively looking the wrong way before crossing the road. Beyond the…
Exploring Pittsburgh and Belfast!
Hi! My name Vega and I just completed my first year at the University of Pittsburgh in the Frederick Honors College. I am studying Neuroscience and planning to minor in Public Policy. This summer, I’m participating in the FHC Frederick Firsts’ Social Roots of Medical Innovation program. This is a two-week program split between Pittsburgh…
Next Stop: Belfast!
Hi! My name is Jacob, and I just finished my first year at the University of Pittsburgh. I’m studying Environmental Science, and outside of the classroom I’m passionate about hands-on sustainability work! I am involved in clubs like the Conservation Club and Plant to Plate, where I get to turn my passion for sustainability into…
Pittsburgh to Belfast
Hi! I’m Charlotte DeVoir and I just finished my first year at the University of Pittsburgh. I am currently majoring in biological sciences and pursuing the Conceptual Foundations of Medicine certificate. I am also a part of the Frederick Honors College and the Nu Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Phi. In the following weeks, I will…
Belfast Bound!
Hello! My name is Izzy, and I am a Freshman at the University of Pittsburgh on a pre-physical therapy track. I am pursuing a degree in rehabilitation science, along with certificates in disability studies and pathokinesiology, and a minor in dance. I am also in the Frederick Honors College, a member of Pitt Dance Ensemble,…
The Moment It Hit Me: Arriving in Belfast
Boarding the flight from London to Belfast, Northern Ireland, marked my first “aha” moment. Up until that point, everything had felt relatively familiar. Traveling from the United States to London, I experienced a sense of comfort and accessibility similar to what I was used to back home, along with the usual hustle and bustle of…