Elissa Wollins is a senior at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in accounting. She spent an incredible semester in Prague, Czech Republic during the spring 2015 semester. Studying abroad forced her to get out of her comfort zone, allowed her to meet people from all over the world, and encouraged her to try things she never would have considered before. “If you study abroad, you’ll come home with a new outlook on life, a few more pairs of shoes, and endless stories about castles, cliff-diving, and what happened on the night tram.

No one wants to spend the first few days of their holiday recovering from their flight, but if you are flying long haul, this can be a common occurrence.

One of the pure joys in life is music - listening, playing...and conducting? Yes! As you have seen, experienced (who doesn't conduct in the car?), and loved (at your local symphony orchestra), music gets into your blood, and you can't help but let it out.

Nicole Lottig is a graduating senior at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Gender Studies. She studied abroad in Ireland during the spring semester of 2015. She studied at Maynooth University, which is located about a half an hour from Dublin. She learned a lot from studying in another country and would love to go back! Read up on her interview and learn more about her experiences. 

No place in North America equals Quebec City for its charm, unique culture, and beauty. The only walled city north of Mexico, when you pass through the portal into the city’s historic section, the focus for most visitors, it’s like entering a fairy tale complete with a castle. The century-old Fairmont Le Château Frontenac—with its towering top ringed by steeples and turrets—overlooks the St. Lawrence River and soars over the town, adding to the magical feeling. 

Ben Schuster earned his Bachelor’s degree in Communication at the University of Pittsburgh in the spring of 2015. He studied abroad in the Fall 2014 semester of his senior year to London, England. Read up on his interview below to learn more about his experience abroad! 

Centuries-old works of art adorn the vast public spaces of the Hilton Anatole Hotel - so much a part of the place that guests often pass by without even noticing. 

Built in 1979 by one of Dallas' top real estate development families, the Anatole houses over 1000 pieces of art, making it the largest hotel art and antique collection in the US. No surprise it's located in Texas, where the state is often remembered for the slogan, "Everything is bigger in Texas."

Lora Woodward is an avid outdoor enthusiast and non-profit professional, with the enviable ability to call work 'play.' For the past eight years, she has been working for Pittsburgh-based nonprofit Venture Outdoors, an organization dedicated to getting people outside. As the Program Director, she oversees the organization's client and program development, leadership training, volunteer management, and risk management.