During my time in Suriname, I truly learned what public health threats were evident within the nation of Suriname and how to tackle those issues both for Suriname and the United States as well. Issues like health access which are directly tied to other issues like transportation, were eye-opening to witness firsthand. It was my…
Tag: Martinson Elevate Award
Suriname vs USA
Being in Suriname was a far different experience compared to being in the US, let alone Pittsburgh. For one there is not a uniform bus system in which you can safely travel anywhere freely. In Pittsburgh we have the PRT system which makes it a lot easier to travel back and forth around the city….
Community in Suriname
Finding community was a different experience in Suriname. As I had known a couple people within the program who like me were Public Health majors within the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, however, even with that I had to go beyond and make connections with the communities there. During our time in Suriname,…
Difference in Culture in Suriname
In Suriname I felt like the people were more warming and easier to engage in conversation with. I think sometimes in the United States, people tend to stay to themselves and won’t always be willing to engage in conversation. It was a different feeling having that change immediately with such little time to adjust. Although…
Great Times in the Tetons
Looking back on my time in Wyoming, I am most grateful for the opportunity to spend time in such a beautiful place while using the class as an opportunity to expand my creative horizons and explore new things. Before this program, I thought of myself as strictly a prose writer. I was interested in poetry,…
Hunting and Conservation in Dubois, Wyoming
One part of Wyoming culture that interested me was the relationship between hunting and wildlife conservation. During our visit to the National Bighorn Sheep Center in Dubois, I learned that these two pursuits are closely connected parts of the local culture. Bighorn sheep were represented throughout the museum as wildlife in need of protection, but…
Reflections on London
Now that I’m back from England and have had time to think about what I achieved and learned during my internship, it’s time to share my reflections. I think the most impactful lesson that I learned during my study abroad program was about myself. Being in a new country means nothing if all you do…
An Empire of Stuff
Since my last blog post, I’d like to think that I’ve officially become a local. I’ve visited all the major museums in the city, taken an entire weekend journey without using GPS and stopped using the Oxford comma. The last being maybe the most jarring milestone. Work has also become more routine, with my mindset…
First Impressions of Laramie, Wyoming
I’m a nontraditional student majoring in English writing with a minor in English literature. I’m planning to graduate from Pitt at the end of next year and then go on to graduate school, either for an MFA in creative writing or a PhD in literature. Ultimately, I’d like to pursue both degrees and eventually to…
Final Reflection: What Bavaria Taught Me
If you asked me to name one moment from this trip that I keep coming back to, it is Neuschwanstein. Not the inside of the castle, though the gothic bedroom and the walls covered in paintings of people in love were unlike anything I had seen before. It was the drive into Füssen. The Alps…