Story Location: Ireland
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Loving the Irish Language
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Dia dhaoibh! An bhfuil an Ghaeilge agaibh? San ollscoil nó ag spaisteoireacht, you’re bound to encounter the Irish language one way or another, and it can come as a bit of a surprise. It’s sometimes a point of confusion; many people outside of Ireland may not even be aware that…
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How Does a First-Generation, Non-Traditional Student Study Abroad?
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My Story My parents did not attend college, and I was not really expected to attend either. My family also does not travel, and international travel was always a far-off fantasy for me. I never really expected for it to be possible for me to go anywhere; it was just something I daydreamed about from…
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Public Transportation: Your New Best Friend in Ireland and Beyond
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Intercity buses: Crowded, right? And noisy, and dirty, and downright strange sometimes?Wrong.Dear hesitant American student:I’ve been where you are, I promise: anxiously looking up tour buses, figuring out where you can go from your host city, and weighing it against costs of groceries and mail home, and everything else. I know it’s easy to see…
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Taking STEM Further
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As an Engineering student, it was important to me that my study abroad program was centered around a course that would fit into my degree plan and offer me the opportunity to further my career network. IFSA-Butler’s program at Ulster University: Engineering and Irish Studies offered me just that. Choosing your program One of the main points…
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The Invisible Identity Survival Guide
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There’s always a lot on students’ minds when studying abroad, from general worries to specific.I want to keep in touch with family…but will people judge me if my calls home are in Spanish?I’m worried about getting lost…what happens if I have a sensory meltdown?I hope I make friends here… but what if they ask me…
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3 Ways a Student Can Save Money in Northern Ireland
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What I Didn’t Plan For Financing a study abroad program can be a challenge for some students, especially, it seems, first-generation students. I know that one of my most pressing worries was “Do I have enough money to sustain myself in a foreign country?” I was very careful about anticipating expenses and planning my budget…
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Home Is a Verb: Building a New Life in Galway
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It’s 10:30 am, and I’ve stumbled, bleary-eyed, off the bus into Galway City. The drive from the Shannon Airport to my new apartment’s only about an hour, but it feels more like five. I’ve been sitting on an airplane for almost half a day, and my perception of time and sense of place can’t be…
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What People Don’t Tell You About Traveling Abroad
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As a first generation college student studying abroad, there are several things that I found that are not really discussed when researching going abroad. As someone who had not traveled abroad and who’s immediate family hadn’t either, these things would have been great to know while I was planning my study abroad experience. Even on…
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Heritage & Privilege: Multi-Racial Identity Abroad
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When you think about Native Americans, what do you think about? Do you imagine an “Indians and cowboys” scene from the 1800s that involves a lot of shouting and gunfire? Maybe you think of broken English and peace pipes in a smoke filled tipi? Whatever comes to mind, it probably isn’t a modern people that…
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Interviews With First Generation College Students Abroad
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There is no single, specific first generation college student. Every person has his or her own stories and different backgrounds. I interviewed two of my friends who shared their own perspectives on being first generation college students. My friend Andrew Stiehler is a junior and a double major in accounting and finance at the University…
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