Name: Maizee Devlin
Program: Currently doing Pitt in London
How did you get to study abroad?
I always knew I wanted studying abroad to be a part of my undergraduate career at Pitt because I love traveling, so I got more information on it and chose the place I wanted to go! I then followed the application steps and next thing I knew, I was on my way to London!
What do you wish you knew before you left?
I wish I knew that even though I picked a country which I thought would be the easiest to adjust to seeing as how we speak the same language, eat the same food, etc., London has a culture of its own. I think it is just as hard to adjust to the cultural differences here in London as it would be if you were studying abroad in France or Spain. Sometimes, I don’t understand what people are trying to say to me and sometimes they don’t understand me, which I find funny considering were both speaking English. It’s still so different! I also wish I knew how much I was going to miss American food. Granted, yes you can get most of the same food we eat at home here, but it just isn’t the same!
What is the best/funniest/most interesting story you have from abroad?
Unfortunately, the Paris terrorist attacks happened while I was studying abroad. This situation really opened my eyes. Studying abroad is such a privilege, but when you’re faced with terrible situations that are out of your control, you find yourself living in fear and missing the sense of security you have at home. Paris is two hours away from London. In the beginning of the school year, the school talked to us about what to do if there happened to be a terrorist attack or something of that nature and we all kind of brushed it off, like “that would never happen.” Yet here we found ourselves fearing that London would be the next place under attack. However, our school did an excellent job reassuring our safety but also reminding us of the steps we need to take if something like that did occur. They also sent out emergency texts to make sure all students were accounted for. On 9/11, I was in second grade and couldn’t comprehend what was going on at the time. Yet, being educated on these terrorist attacks, having them happen so close to where I am living, and even having friends who are studying in Paris gives me a new sense of what those felt on 9/11.
What is the most important lesson you learned?
The most important lesson that I have learned from studying abroad is that you can do a lot more than you think you can. If someone told me in the beginning of my college career that I would be living in London and traveling to all these different countries, I would have thought no way. Even learning to use the public transportation here in London was something I thought I could never do, but now I have it down. Studying abroad has taught me to not doubt myself and it has shown me that I am capable of figuring things out on my own. It has taught me to have patience and to always have a back-up plan. I think most importantly, it has taught me to always have an open mind. A lot of the unforgettable experiences I have had while studying abroad and traveling over Europe have come from trying new things and not being afraid to put myself out there.
I would HIGHLY recommend studying abroad to anyone who has the chance to do it. It not only helps you expand your experiences as an academic but it helps you grow as a person.
– Maizee Devlin