Story Location: Ireland
-
Treading Water: The First-Gen Study Abroad Experience
posted on
Studying abroad as a first-generation college student feels a lot like being thrown into the deep end of a pool with no life raft and no map. I knew how to stay afloat, but I had no idea where I was going or what was beneath me. The excitement of being in a new country…
-
Stepping Outside the Safety of Hometown
posted on
Studying abroad was the first time in the past decade I had lived anywhere outside of Oberlin, Ohio. I grew up there and now attend Oberlin College. I was incredibly nervous to be in a completely new place, across the ocean from anyone I knew and any sense of familiarity. Gaining confidence to explore But…
-
Preserving the Magic of Study Abroad
posted on
Studying abroad is an unforgettable experience that has forever changed my life. Ireland, the people I’ve met, my campus, even the weather are things I hope to never forget. Unfortunately, as time goes on, remembering details can be difficult. This is doubly true for someone like me who forgets about things as soon as I…
-
At Home Studying Abroad in Galway, Ireland
posted on
Blackberries and Basalt When I first arrived in Galway, I couldn’t help but compare the landscape to the trees, tidepools, and basalt I knew from my stomping grounds in the Pacific Northwest. Just like in Washington state, blackberries wrap around handrails and riverbanks, and ferns unfurl on a trail near the University of Galway campus.…
-
Finding a New Identity as a Student Athlete
posted on
Throughout my entire life, most of my best friends have been from soccer. I spent so much time playing soccer growing up, and made lifelong friends doing it. Coming into college as a soccer player, I had 30 built in friends. I never really had to put myself out there to make friends. My whole…
-
What No One Tells You About Study Abroad
posted on
You will want to go home. And that’s okay. In my experience, before studying abroad everyone I talked to only referred to it in positive terms, raving about how it was the best time of their life. Now that I’m at the end of my study abroad term, I understand why. There are so many…
-
What Dublin Taught me about Studying Abroad as an Engineering Major
posted on
When I started thinking about studying abroad, I didn’t have much hope that I would be able to make it work out with my class schedule. My university has strict requirements for classes I need to take each semester as a civil engineering major, and I was the only one from my year in my…
-
Abroad in Ireland as a Transgender Student: A Journey of Self-Love
posted on
The week before I traveled abroad, I pored over my packing list, staring at the crumpled piece of paper until my eyes hurt. I was certain I would forget something crucial, that I would be the only one without it. Medication to last me through December? Check, I reassured myself for the hundredth time. Wool socks?…
-
“Abroad Changed Me” – Mental Illness and Embodying a Cliche
posted on
I left the United States for the first time in the summer of 2019 right before my freshman year of college. I had very little travel experience. I could count the number of flights I had taken on one hand. Entering college, I did not think that I would study abroad. As someone who has…
-
IFSA Adventures
posted on
One of my favorite parts of my abroad experience was the IFSA trips my advisor, Rachel planned and brought us on. During orientation, Rachel told us that we will be going on 3 mini trips before the semester ends, where we checked in with each other and enjoyed some impressive scenery or a nice meal.…
Blog Categories
- Uncategorized (46)