I’ve never had the opportunity to travel far, and with the Plus3 program, I was able to travel across the world. I had the opportunity to become closer to my fellow students, learn about a completely different culture, and gain an inside view into the manufacturing and marketing processes of various companies. Along with the…
Author: International Programs Alumni
TLC was Wrong. Do Go Chasing Waterfalls.
The day is May 16th, 2025, and the mom lore in 30 years has already exceeded expectations. On this day, I started my day by walking out onto the balcony and to my surprise, seeing a family of 6 monkeys jumping around in the trees. This lodge was much less scary in the morning, and…
Channeling My Inner Coyote Peterson
We have finally reached home base for the rest of the trip! We are currently staying at a lodge in Iyarinia, which overlooks the Napo River! Our welcome looked a little like something out of a war movie as we immediately hit the ground running, suitcases gripped until knuckles were white, gravel crumbling under our…
Plus3 Korea Final Journal
Now that my Plus3 trip has come to an end I must now reflect on what I learned both professionally and educationally during the trip so as to increase my understanding of functioning as a successful engineer in the modern landscape, both local and global. By visiting many business and local institutions on the trip…
Day 13 – Back to Pittsburgh
Today was officially the end of our time in Germany. It was a long travel day, starting with a 5 AM wake-up to catch the bus to Munich Airport. We grabbed a quick breakfast and loaded up for the last ride with the group. The airport process went pretty smoothly, and security and customs didn’t…
Day 12 – Free Day in Innsbruck
For our free day, a few of us decided to make the most of it and take a day trip to Austria. At first, we thought we had a solid plan with the correct train tickets and a solid itinerary, but of course, it turned into a bit of an adventure. We thought we had…
Grateful for Every Moment: Final Journal on my Journey in Korea
After spending one week back in the United States, I have had the opportunity to reflect on my time in Korea; new friendships, insights into the professional world, Korean culture, new cuisine, and much more. The privilege I have had to spend these two weeks in Korea have been a blessing and a great expansion…
Day 6-castle Neuschwanstein
This was my favorite day of the trip by far. We got up VERY early, around 6 am, and headed out to Schlosserland, which Joni informed us means land of castles. Stepping out of the bus, the view was stunning, and I immediately started taking pictures. The area we pulled into was in front of…
Plus3 Korea Journal
With my Plus3 Korea trip officially concluded, I took some time to reflect on this experience. This trip allowed me to grow professionally, immerse myself in a completely different culture, and build connections that I hope will last beyond my college years. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to step out of my comfort…
Thank You Seoul! (Final Journal)
Introduction Collaboration, perseverance, and intelligence. In the past 70 years, Korea has evolved from a country relying on foreign investment to creating one of the largest economies in the world. It was thanks to these traits of the Korean people that they were able to kickstart the miracle on the Han River, and even today,…
Day 5- Audi
This day took us to the Audi factory and museum, which was absolutely one of the biggest highlights of the trip. We got up early and went on a long bus ride to Ingolstadt, where the audi factory and museum are. Conner and I were looking forward to this day for a while before we…
Day 4: Continental+Regensburg
Day 4 saw us traveling to Regensburg, which is home to a Continental Technologies, or Conti-Tech, plant. As is tradition, there was no photography permitted while on the tour, but i did snag some pictures of the outside and the sunglasses and gummies they gave us. the tour was cool but not terribly interesting. This…
South Korea Final Journal
During my time in South Korea on the plus3 program I had many new cultural, professional and academic experiences that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I tried new foods, visited historical and cultural sites, and explored how companies in Korea operate. I had the opportunity to experience some of…
Time to fly home :)
After a long but fast two weeks, it was time to go home! Overall, the trip went really well. My favorite part about it was meeting and getting close with everyone. I did not know anyone going anyone going into the trip, and I think the very random and un-suspecting group made a great trip!…
Day 11 – Presentations and Farewell Dinner
Today was our last full day together as a full group. We started the day with our final presentations, each group sharing what they had learned from their assigned companies. My group had Hoerbiger, which turned out to be an interesting company to research since their main business operations are being threatened due to the…
Presentations!
On Wednesday, we finally got to sleep in! I ended up walking to the university (for about an hour) so I could take it all in before leaving! I met up with my group at 12pm before the 2pm presentation. It was nice to be able to go over everything before we presented! Overall I…
Day 10 – GROB
Today, we visited GROB, our final company visit on the trip. I had never heard of GROB before the trip and didn’t expect how much I would enjoy learning about this company. Right away, GROB felt different than the other companies we’ve toured. The buildings were sleek and modern, and there was this clear sense…
Final Journal
Going on this journey to Korea, on the Plus3 program was more than an academic experience. It was a journey that transformed me personally and professionally. As a rising sophomore in chemical engineering, I was excited to explore how engineering principles are applied in the global context, especially in a country known for its rich…
final reflection
I cant believe our Germany trip is coming to an end! Overall, I am sad that the trip is ending, but I am excited to get back to my family and friends, and get some much needed sleep. going into this trip, I was so excited, but nervous about making friends and having a good…