Born and raised in Plymouth, Michigan, Natalie Zazula enjoyed her collegiate years living in Pittsburgh. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (marketing) and a Bachelor of Arts (nonfiction English writing) from the University of Pittsburgh in August 2015. Her final 12 credits were earned while studying abroad in London, England! Read up on her interview below to learn more about her international experiences. 

I was waiting at an old dock for the next boat to Bergen that early morning in May, the crisp air in the idyllic Norwegian village carrying with it the scent of trees and deep, still seawater. The landscape was breathtaking and unique to this heavenly part of the world, where majestic mountains overlooked a network of meandering fjords. Small white homes dotted the green foothills. As my husband and I waited in silence for our boat to arrive, a group of enthusiastic American tourists bounded off their tour bus, their laughter hanging in the morning air.

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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.

A Note from ChristaD, Education and the Rainforest Editor:  

This post was written by Kailini C., a high school student from the Gunston School in Maryland.  Kailani is a participant in the 2015 Amazon Workshops Student Field Reporter Project which enlisted the help of several students to share their 2015 Amazon experiences with us. Over the coming months, the Education and the Rainforest posts will feature Kailani's words, photos, and reflections – giving you a student's perspective on travel to the Amazon and its educational impact!  

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.