Abroad Changed Me…

Many people who have studied abroad return back to the States and joke about how “abroad changed them” as it takes time to adjust back to their normal lives; now being halfway through my study abroad experience, I can confidently say that studying abroad will “change me”, but in the best way possible. Living in…

Refining soft skills abroad

Hi again! We are now on week 10 of the program which is just insane – March has absolutely flown by and it does not feel real! Over the past three weeks, we had our Spring Break, and then I had visitors from Pitt come for their spring break week. March has been absolutely incredible…

New People New Places

Hello everyone! I cannot believe I am already halfway through the semester! Sydney has been amazing so far and time is going by way too fast! Recently, I have done a lot of traveling during the weekend. There are so many different places to visit in Australia and I enjoy seeing the different beaches, culture,…

Adjusting and Assimilating Abroad in Florence

It being my first time in Europe, I expected somewhat of an adjustment to my new environment living and studying in Florence. However, I could not have predicted some of the smaller cultural challenges I have met and strived to overcome. Making friends and meeting new people was something I was very excited for coming…

Skills I Have Picked Up In London

The most significant soft skill that I am developing throughout this program is communication. Being in a completely new environment on your own is no small feat. To have a successful semester working abroad and living in such close quarters with 5 other people requires solid communication. In the case of my living situation, it…

Development in Florence

Studying abroad has helped me develop many soft skills. For me, an important one has been adaptability. Since coming to Italy a few of the things I have had to adapt to have been moving to a new country, adapting to a new routine for classes, sharing a room with someone else, and having to…

Development, Activity, and the Halfway Mark

Hello Everyone! I hope all has been well since I last wrote a few weeks ago. Since then, I have been very busy, and want to catch you all up on everything that’s been going on. A few weeks ago, I traveled two hours south to a small beach town called Gerroa on Seven Mile…

Trials and Tribulations Abroad

When studying abroad in a new culture, there are bound to be challenges and uncomfortable changes. In Italy, a big cultural challenge for me was adapting to the shorter hours of operation at stores and restaurants. In the U.S., I’m used to being able to eat at any time of the day or night, or…

Developing Global Competencies

Studying abroad has pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to develop new skills to succeed. It has also shown me that I am capable of more than I ever thought I was. Adjusting to a new culture and a different way of life can be challenging, especially when you are doing…