Abigayle Retter, Pitt in Florence Fall 2025
Studying abroad in Florence, Italy showed me how much I enjoy traveling and that I want to find a job that allows me to continue exploring the world. I gained confidence from traveling so much during my semester abroad. Traveling has helped me grow as a person, and I want to continue visiting new places as I grow older.
I loved traveling before my semester abroad, but it felt more like just seeing the sights instead of learning and immersing myself in the culture. During my study abroad, I learned how to get the most learning out of my travels. I have grown to value the importance of trying to learn languages, trying new foods, and learning about the daily life of people in different countries. Sightseeing is just one part of traveling for me.
I have also begun doing some research into the politics of the countries I visit. I enjoy supplementing my studies in political science by learning and comparing the levels of freedom, structures of government, and political histories of each country I visit. In the past, I did not research where I traveled, and I think it gave me an overly idealized impression of some countries. For example, when I traveled to Istanbul, I initially thought it seemed free and democratic. However, once I did research, I learned it is less free and more authoritarian than I first thought. Had I not done research, I would have visited Turkey and left with a glorified perception of the country. Learning more about Turkey’s government was informative but did not affect my enjoyment of the country. My research now supplements both my exploration of the world and my academic studies.
Studying abroad has changed the way I travel and what I want from my career. I want a job that allows me opportunities to travel and, therefore, continue expanding my knowledge of the world.
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