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…
Tag: Martinson Elevate Award
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…
The Arc of Connection
Community on this trip built itself slowly, rather than all at once. The first night, over schnitzel and spätzle at a traditional Bavarian restaurant, I remember feeling a little nervous about whether we would actually connect with the German students or just politely coexist for two weeks. That nervousness didn’t survive the meal. They asked…
Bonjour Stonehenge
My fourth week in my internship was spent with the Organizational Development (OD) team. Organizational development is the practice of using psychological, sociological, and other scientific practices to intervene in people or systems based problems within an organization. My coworkers for the week were mostly focused on consulting with care teams to diagnose what the…
English But Quiet
I’m now finished with my third week in London and with that my third week in my internship. The first few days were definitely stressful, as I walked in on the first day without an understanding of what I or the department I was joining was responsible for. It started off slow, with my supervisor…
Goodbye for now, Central Europe
I’ll miss a lot about Central Europe. First, the food. I tried food from all around the world and savored every bite. While I certainly enjoyed dishes that originated from the region, the cities of Prague and Krakow were home to diasporas of passionate immigrant communities from abroad. I had the best Italian food of…
Ben Got His Keys to a London Flat!
Hi! My name is Ben Wallis and I’m a third-year Molecular Biology major on the London Pre-Health Internships program. I will be interning at King’s College Hospital for the next two months in the Culture and Organizational Development department. I chose this program because of the unique opportunity it held: getting to experience and learn…
Echoes of Florence: Lessons from a Timeless City
Reflecting on my six weeks in Florence, I realize that the city’s most enduring lessons unfolded beyond the classroom. While I strengthened my Italian and deepened my understanding of Renaissance art and architecture, the true growth came from living within a culture both familiar and foreign, and learning to move gracefully through its rhythms. Adaptability…
Small Things That Taught Me Big Lessons in Florence
Living in Florence taught me that the smallest details can hold the biggest lessons. From discovering how Italian pharmacies prioritize beauty and wellness over food, to experiencing the simplicity and efficiency of their train system, I saw a new perspective on daily life. Even something as ordinary as grocery shopping revealed cultural differences—fresh produce at unbeatable prices, unrefrigerated eggs, and shelves filled with fresh pasta instead of frozen meals. These subtle differences opened my eyes to how culture shapes our habits and what we often take for granted back home.
Where the Past Walks Beside You
My first “wow” moment in Italy came on my very first day. My roommates and I were walking to orientation when we passed through an archway into the heart of Florence. Suddenly, the narrow streets opened into a view of breathtaking Renaissance architecture, and I realized I wasn’t just sightseeing — I was walking through…