As soon as I decided to study abroad, I prepared my bank account for the major hit it was about to endure. All while mentally preparing myself to embrace being the poster child for the “broke college student” when I return to Pittsburgh. Needless to say, I have been traveling a lot- anyone that is…
STUDYING while abroad: Learning with Locals
Upon my arrival in Madrid, I was unsure of how rigorous or heavy my course load was actually going to be. I was slightly concerned since I had received an email from my Spanish advisor reminding me that the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid was considered the “Harvard of Spain”. But along with these feelings…
Adjusting into my Temporary Home
Nothing can fully prepare you to move abroad. I had made countless lists, read various articles, and practiced my Spanish beforehand. But nothing even remotely compares to the real thing. My adjustment to Madrid was surprisingly a lot smoother than I had anticipated. My main concern was making friends who I would be spending the…
Making the Most of my Commute
My commute to the Universidad Carlos iii de Madrid takes about forty-five-minutes on a normal day. When I first got here, it was easy to compare the hour and a half I had to allow myself to get ready and travel to school to my fifteen-minute wake-up call before class in Pittsburgh. It was frustrating…
Sol- In the Middle of It All
When I originally received my housing assignment from ISA two weeks before the start of my program, I had little understanding of the different neighborhoods within Madrid. I was anxious about where my apartment was going to be located and even more so about applying random for roommates. Shortly after arriving, I began to realize…
Settling into Shepherds Bush
Hello from London! The First few weeks have been crazy busy, but I am so glad that I made the decision to come to London to study abroad. I am currently living in a neighborhood called Shepherds Bush. This is in the west end of London; one tube stops away from Hammersmith. Hammersmith is a…
Goodbye Shanghai
This past summer has been an experience of personal, professional and academic growth. I got to live and work in a China for two months which was an unreal and amazing experience. As the summer came to an end I began to reflect upon my time in Shanghai. I realized that I have grown tremendously….
Introduction – GBI London
My name is Harrison Poutre and I am a Marketing and Supply Chain management major in the class of 2021. I am extremely excited to be returning to London for the fall semester after a short visit in July to watch my favorite Baseball Team, the New York Yankees, play in the MLB London Series….
Introduction: AIFS London
Studying abroad has been a goal for me ever since I got to college. I’ve barely ventured outside of the United States, and have never spent any time in Europe. I have spent nearly the entirety of my life in New Jersey, and, as of recently, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While a large part of my…