The fall semester and winter break have both gone so quickly. My flight out of Pittsburgh is Tuesday morning. I will have a nine hour layover in Boston and then board a plane to Shannon.
My entire preparation for this journey has felt surreal; with only three days left, it still hasn't hit me that I will be living in another country shortly (evident by my unpacked suitcase).
"How did you pick Ireland?"
This question is by far the most popular one when I inform people of my future plans. I have known I wanted to study abroad for a year now, but I struggled narrowing it down to one location. Since last fall, I've researched Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, and many others. I was attracted to the culture, natural beauty, and educational reputations of all these countries. Many personal factors limited the program I could choose: I wanted to study without a language barrier, I needed to return by mid-May for my internship, my budget wasn't extensive, and I had to take one engineering class abroad to graduate on time. I was starting to get nervous as my options dwindled, but everything seemed to fall into place with Ireland. In October, I was ecstatic when I received my acceptance letter from API to attend NUI - Galway.
I feel like I have been drawn to this place, and I cannot wait to discover all that it holds. While in Ireland, I plan to learn as much as possible. I don't know when I'll be able to have an experience like this again, and I intend to take full advantage of it.
My goals for this semester are to:
1. Explore!
2. Challenge myself & stretch my comfort zone.
3. Learn about Ireland's energy sources and study its leadership.
4. Embrace the culture rather than resist it.
5. Travel throughout Europe.
6. Keep in touch with home as needed.
7. Try new foods. (My vegetarianism will continue once I return to the US.)
8. Gain a greater perspective of the world.
9. Have the time of my life.
Can't wait to start the journey!
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