I have been home in Pennsylvania for almost two weeks now, and I am still reflecting on my past semester. My time abroad was a whirlwind of adventure, buses to the airport, laughter, and FaceTiming. I battled homesickness as soon as I landed in Ireland and had a rough start in the beginning, but this was all part of the process and led to the euphoric experiences I had.
I moved my flight up two weeks to surprise my boyfriend and sister. I was really reluctant to leave Ireland early and end this amazing journey, but I would hate to miss Morgan's and Matt's graduations. Studying abroad has changed me in ways I never anticipated. I feel comfortable to grab a train and taxi to the airport for an international flight all by myself -- just like I did at 6 am on my journey home. I don't hesitate to ask for help when I need it anymore. I find myself thinking about Ireland and other countries all the time.
Most importantly, being away from my loved ones has made me realize all over how important they are to me. I have always been really focused on my own goals, set high standards for myself, and considered myself very independent. Traveling with my abroad friends has been fantastic, but I often caught myself wishing my mom was there to appreciate an artwork with me or that my dad would be able to awe at the beauty of the Ring of Kerry. But all of this is part of the process -- I studied abroad to explore on my own and take a self-journey. Through this adventure, I have finally figured out that even if I don't get my dream job or that 4.0 doesn't work out for a semester, I still have people that love me and everything will turn out fine. I know this all seems pretty cliche, but it's an idea I have really struggled with before I studied abroad. Stepping back from all the pressure I normally put on myself has been life-changing for me.
Before I left for Ireland, I had outlined some goals for my semester. They were 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.
8. Gain a greater perspective of the world.
9. Have the time of my life.
I am very happy to say that I feel like I've accomplished all of these. Some not as much as I had liked to, and others more that I had anticipated. I am always going to be able to look back at this experience with pure joy.
To my American friends just now returning from Ireland, thank you for everything. It's hard to believe we were strangers in an airport at the beginning of the year. It's been wonderful to grow with you and see a new part of the world. Good luck adjusting your sleep schedule -- seriously, it's harder than you think. It's hard returning from such a beautiful, charming country to a place you've spent most of your life, but I also found it comforting for a little bit. Everything seems to be right were you left it, and there's a sense of familiarity about the landscape, the people, and the roads. I hope this is just the start of your journeys like it will be for me. Hope we meet again in Galway someday.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
I took a stroll down the old long walk of the day I-ay-I-ay
It's been over a month since my last post, and I have so much to tell you! A few days after my last post, my study abroad group traveled to Scotland for a long weekend. We flew into Edinburgh and spent all of our time in the city. I'm willing to confess that I love Edinburgh as much as Galway. For being twice as large as Galway, Edinburgh has almost as much charm. Our weekend started with a sunrise hike to the top of Arthur's Seat, a literally breathtaking experience that left me wheezing by the time we reached the peak.
Throughout the rest of the weekend, we watched several bagpipe players and street performers as we walked the Royal Mile, an old cobble-stoned street connecting the Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. My inner Harry Potter fan was also ecstatic when I had the chance to eat at The Elephant House, a cafe where J.K. Rowling started writing her series. I am going to make my way back to Scotland one day.
The following weekend, I found myself in Belfast and exploring the rest of Northern Ireland with my two close friends, Laura & Tiffany. Belfast itself is a rather rundown place; it still hasn't fully recover from the violence of The Troubles. We were able to learn Belfast's history from a Black Taxi Tour, led by a man who grew up in this city. With the exception of Edinburgh, I do not really like to travel to cities. While they can be rich in history and each have their own character, I have found that they are relatively the same from place to place. Naturally, I enjoyed our trip up to the causeway more than exploring Belfast. Our bus tour reminded me of our January trip to the Ring of Kerry. Highlights of the tour included the Giant's Causeway and crossing the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
Last but certainly not least, my boyfriend and his dad spent last week with me in Ireland! I can't even explain how wonderful it was to share my life here with loved ones from home. Pictures may tell a thousand words, but they can never beat actually experiencing a place and living in a moment for yourself. Although I've been here for two and a half months, I still had not been to the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara, or spent a day in Dublin until their visit. It was more meaningful to see all of these for the first time with them, and I'm glad I waited! My tour guide skills are not up to par, but I think they were both able to see all of Galway and its personality throughout their week.
It's been a fantastic month, especially now that the sun is finally here! We had a partial solar eclipse two days ago, but unfortunately, my iPhone and I were unable to capture a decent photo. It's still a little cold here by my standards, so my friend Emma and I are headed to Croatia for a week to soak up some warmth and hopefully lounge on the beach! Unfortunately, this will probably be my last international adventure; our term is winding down and final essays are calling my name.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Life on the Emerald Isle
A sense of reality has gradually hit me. I am beginning to realize how quickly the days pass, how much effort my classes will require, and how much traveling I will be able to do while I'm here. It's surprisingly a very comforting feeling for me; all the unknowns I encountered my first week are merging into more concrete thoughts, and I'm finding all my questions actually have answers. I feel settled, but ready to adventure at the same time. Ireland is becoming home.
Unfortunately, my travels were slightly hindered a few weekends ago. I originally planned to go to Dublin with my fellow API friends, but I battled a cold for the weekend (possibly from the kissing the Blarney Stone the previous week?). However, I have made a full recovery, and have since traveled to Liverpool, the home of the Beatles. Tomorrow I am headed to Edinburgh, Scotland!
I am already a third of the way through my time in Ireland, and the days keep going faster now that I have developed more of a routine. I have classes all week, but my coursework isn't as rigorous as it would be at Marietta. Except for my physics course, I essentially don't have graded homework here; students are expected to do independent work to keep up with the lessons in class. Most of my marks are based on one big essay at the end of term. Typically Irish students have final exams, but international student usually are assigned a final essay instead. It's a bit intimidating and very different from college in the United States, but to the Irish students it's just a part of their culture.
Going home on the weekends is also part of the Irish culture. The university is a ghost town on the weekends. Irish students pack up a suitcase and head home for the entire weekend. The only students left at Gort na Coiribe (my apartment complex) are international students, and most of us leave, too. I plan to spend many weekends traveling this semester. After Scotland, I am headed to Belfast in Northern Ireland. Dublin, Donegal, and Connemara are also still on my list of places in Ireland to see. However, I've been getting quite nauseous on the long bus rides, and I don't know how many more I can handle.
P.S. Don't freeze at home. I've seen a few pictures of the snow! It's 50 degrees colder in Marietta right now than it is here.
I am already a third of the way through my time in Ireland, and the days keep going faster now that I have developed more of a routine. I have classes all week, but my coursework isn't as rigorous as it would be at Marietta. Except for my physics course, I essentially don't have graded homework here; students are expected to do independent work to keep up with the lessons in class. Most of my marks are based on one big essay at the end of term. Typically Irish students have final exams, but international student usually are assigned a final essay instead. It's a bit intimidating and very different from college in the United States, but to the Irish students it's just a part of their culture.
Going home on the weekends is also part of the Irish culture. The university is a ghost town on the weekends. Irish students pack up a suitcase and head home for the entire weekend. The only students left at Gort na Coiribe (my apartment complex) are international students, and most of us leave, too. I plan to spend many weekends traveling this semester. After Scotland, I am headed to Belfast in Northern Ireland. Dublin, Donegal, and Connemara are also still on my list of places in Ireland to see. However, I've been getting quite nauseous on the long bus rides, and I don't know how many more I can handle.
P.S. Don't freeze at home. I've seen a few pictures of the snow! It's 50 degrees colder in Marietta right now than it is here.
Monday, January 19, 2015
“To travel is worth any cost or sacrifice.”
Last week, I attended my Engineering Physics lecture for the first time. I was early for class compared to the Irish students, and I sat right in the middle of the huge yet crammed lecture hall. My row filled up on either side of me, and I tried to predict how challenging the class would be as I listened. At the end of the hour, our professor put on his coat and bid us goodbye until Friday.... No one in the class moved. I looked around and waited for a few minutes, but still no student seemed to have an intention of leaving. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that everyone in the lecture had another engineering lecture immediately after in this same room. EXCEPT FOR ME. My next lecture started in less than five minutes across campus. I climbed over ten annoyed, cursing Irish boys, literally stepped on some toes, and tripped on the last step as I made my ever-so-graceful exit.
I have experienced several similar mishaps over the past week. I asked NUIG's Habitat for Humanity group if I needed a car to drive to the volunteer sites. In response, I received blank stares and a short answer "...we're volunteering in Africa." OH. I think a sense of humor is essential for this experience. I have learned a great deal in the past two weeks. For example, I sit on the end seat in my lectures when I want to make a quick escape, and I've witnessed too many inside-out umbrellas to assume they protect you from Galway rain and wind.
Out of pure curiosity, I have joined the Ocean & Earth Society, Mountaineering Club, and Kayaking Club. I'll keep you updated on the kayaking... I'm not much for mountain climbing, but the club also goes on hikes for beginners like me. I'm really interested in seeing the parts of Ireland that are off the beaten path.
Speaking of the outdoors, API had our first excursion of the semester yesterday. We stopped in the village of Kinvara briefly and explored the outside of the Dunguaire Castle. Unfortunately, we did not venture inside, but the view surrounding the castle was extraordinary nonetheless. From the bus, we saw the endless Irish countryside. Even in the middle of January, the hills were the richest of green. Absolutely breathtaking. Stone walls stretched out across miles and miles; sheep and cattle grazed between them. We met our guide for the Carran walk, a tour of an expansive religious site through the Burren. We also toured the small and charming Hazel Mountain Chocolate factory at the foot of the Burren mountains. They transform their chocolate from bean to bar all by themselves, including stone grinding the cacao beans.
Ireland as a whole is captivating. Although I have written mainly about the landscape, the people of Ireland are just as interesting. I have found that they speak with a much deeper meaning and passion behind their words. I think this stems from the Irish language itself. During orientation, a professor taught us a few words of Irish. "Dia dhuit" is used to say hello, but the literal translation is God be with you. To this, one would respond "Dia is Muire dhuit," which means God and Mary be with you. My directors also speak in such a manner. They frequently reflect on aspects of life and the importance of travel and learning. This may be due to the fact that they want to inspire us, but I think it goes a step beyond just that. The Irish are very genuine people.
I have experienced several similar mishaps over the past week. I asked NUIG's Habitat for Humanity group if I needed a car to drive to the volunteer sites. In response, I received blank stares and a short answer "...we're volunteering in Africa." OH. I think a sense of humor is essential for this experience. I have learned a great deal in the past two weeks. For example, I sit on the end seat in my lectures when I want to make a quick escape, and I've witnessed too many inside-out umbrellas to assume they protect you from Galway rain and wind.
Out of pure curiosity, I have joined the Ocean & Earth Society, Mountaineering Club, and Kayaking Club. I'll keep you updated on the kayaking... I'm not much for mountain climbing, but the club also goes on hikes for beginners like me. I'm really interested in seeing the parts of Ireland that are off the beaten path.
Speaking of the outdoors, API had our first excursion of the semester yesterday. We stopped in the village of Kinvara briefly and explored the outside of the Dunguaire Castle. Unfortunately, we did not venture inside, but the view surrounding the castle was extraordinary nonetheless. From the bus, we saw the endless Irish countryside. Even in the middle of January, the hills were the richest of green. Absolutely breathtaking. Stone walls stretched out across miles and miles; sheep and cattle grazed between them. We met our guide for the Carran walk, a tour of an expansive religious site through the Burren. We also toured the small and charming Hazel Mountain Chocolate factory at the foot of the Burren mountains. They transform their chocolate from bean to bar all by themselves, including stone grinding the cacao beans.
Ireland as a whole is captivating. Although I have written mainly about the landscape, the people of Ireland are just as interesting. I have found that they speak with a much deeper meaning and passion behind their words. I think this stems from the Irish language itself. During orientation, a professor taught us a few words of Irish. "Dia dhuit" is used to say hello, but the literal translation is God be with you. To this, one would respond "Dia is Muire dhuit," which means God and Mary be with you. My directors also speak in such a manner. They frequently reflect on aspects of life and the importance of travel and learning. This may be due to the fact that they want to inspire us, but I think it goes a step beyond just that. The Irish are very genuine people.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Culture Shock - 1 Rachel - 0
I've been in Ireland for five days now, and all I can say is wow. This past week has been nothing like I had imagined it would be.
I flew out of snowy Pittsburgh in the morning. My family gave me a warm send off in the airport, and we parted ways until May 14th. I was a little worried about getting through security and boarding all on my own, but thankfully, everything went smoothly. I arrived in Boston after a very quick flight.
Once in Boston, I spent my nine hour layover walking around, online shopping, reading, and doing anything to make the time go faster. I met several API students in the airport, and we all anxiously waited for our flight together.
Ever since I stepped foot onto the Aer Lingus plane to Shannon, I've felt like I've been sleepwalking. I sat next to a kind, elderly Irish woman with the voice of Mrs. Doubtfire, and all the flight attendants had last names like O'Reilly and O'Donnell. We arrived in Shannon around midnight (5:00 am in Ireland), and we hit the ground running. I didn't even have time to feel exhausted the first few days, but it definitely caught up with me.
Now that I'm settled into my apartment and starting to learn the city a little better, I can definitely picture myself enjoying my semester here. Surprisingly, it wasn't love at first sight for me. I was expecting my transition to be a lot smoother; I underestimated how big of a challenge this is and how I would be affected. My first three days here have been miserable. The weather was absolutely terrible with 40 mph winds and sleet (even the Irish say it's not usually this bad). Even the simplest tasks like making the shower water hot were completely foreign. I was almost ready to book a flight back to start the spring semester at Marietta.
Every day is better and better. I keep reminding myself how desperately I wanted to be here and how lucky I am to have this opportunity. Our director constantly reminds us to make it through the first month here, and in February, we will never want to leave.
I flew out of snowy Pittsburgh in the morning. My family gave me a warm send off in the airport, and we parted ways until May 14th. I was a little worried about getting through security and boarding all on my own, but thankfully, everything went smoothly. I arrived in Boston after a very quick flight.
Once in Boston, I spent my nine hour layover walking around, online shopping, reading, and doing anything to make the time go faster. I met several API students in the airport, and we all anxiously waited for our flight together.
Ever since I stepped foot onto the Aer Lingus plane to Shannon, I've felt like I've been sleepwalking. I sat next to a kind, elderly Irish woman with the voice of Mrs. Doubtfire, and all the flight attendants had last names like O'Reilly and O'Donnell. We arrived in Shannon around midnight (5:00 am in Ireland), and we hit the ground running. I didn't even have time to feel exhausted the first few days, but it definitely caught up with me.
Now that I'm settled into my apartment and starting to learn the city a little better, I can definitely picture myself enjoying my semester here. Surprisingly, it wasn't love at first sight for me. I was expecting my transition to be a lot smoother; I underestimated how big of a challenge this is and how I would be affected. My first three days here have been miserable. The weather was absolutely terrible with 40 mph winds and sleet (even the Irish say it's not usually this bad). Even the simplest tasks like making the shower water hot were completely foreign. I was almost ready to book a flight back to start the spring semester at Marietta.
Every day is better and better. I keep reminding myself how desperately I wanted to be here and how lucky I am to have this opportunity. Our director constantly reminds us to make it through the first month here, and in February, we will never want to leave.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Three More Days...
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!
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!
About Me
My name is Rachel, and I am a sophomore student at Marietta College. At the college, I am pursuing a bachelors degree in Petroleum Engineering and a certificate in Leadership Studies. I am passionate about coffee, the environment, learning, running, and Alpha Xi Delta. This semester at NUI - Galway, I will be fulfilling general education requirements and embracing my artistic side a little more.
I have spent my nineteen years in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to live in Ireland for the next four months. I owe a very special thank you to my parents and sister for their encouragement and undying support.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)