My Goals and Expectations for Studying Abroad in Galway, Ireland

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Hello. My name is David Fenske. I am a Junior at Martin Luther College, double majoring in secondary English and Spanish Education. If you’ve never met me before, here’s a quick biography of who I am:

I was born and raised in Brookings, South Dakota. I attended Great Plains Lutheran High School, and after I graduated, I studied Agricultural Business at Iowa State University for one semester. After a change of heart (and a calculus class), I realized I needed to change my path. I decided to transfer to MLC at the start of the Spring 2022 semester. Since then, I’ve loved my experience at MLC and developing the skills to become a called worker. Here’s a not-so-brief list of my interests (in no particular order): Reading, writing, literary criticism, exegesis, weightlifting, discovering obscure music, fishing (if they’re biting), baking, snowmobiling, target shooting, good conversation, telling stories, studying, learning Spanish, being in nature, teaching, and philosophy.

That said, am I scared about my study abroad experience in Ireland?

No.

Am I nervous about my study abroad experience in Ireland?

Yes.

I should expound on this. Essentially, I have no fear when it comes to studying abroad; I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the summer of 2023. I also know that God will guide and protect me on this journey (read Romans 8:28, Isaiah 41:13, Jeremiah 29:11, etc.). The combination of these two things gives me confidence that I am capable of studying abroad and eliminates my fears. But that doesn’t mean I’m not apprehensive about certain aspects of my upcoming experience. Although I’ve studied abroad before, I’m stepping into a completely new world and culture. I will be far away from anyone I know (my nearest friends are about 500 miles away from me in London). I’m also celiac and lactose intolerant, making locating food that I can eat somewhat tricky at times. However, I am contemplating beginning a carnivore diet, and the idea of that is alluring because it would make my life much simpler and reduce the risk of me accidentally becoming sick from eating something.

Additionally, I won’t have the luxury of being able to worship in a WELS church on Sunday mornings or go to daily chapel services. In fact, there’s only one Lutheran church on the entire island of Ireland (located in Dublin), and they still have their church services in German! This means I will have to be much more disciplined in my relationship with God, a challenge I’m ready to face head-on (more on that later). Finally, I am nervous about my host university’s class structure and style. It’s no secret that MLC gives an exorbitant amount of homework compared to other colleges in the US. However, I don’t mind the homework too much because it keeps me on track and engaged with my classes. According to my research, they hardly have any homework in Ireland, and learning is a much more independent process. This challenge makes me uneasy because I must be much more disciplined to ensure I study enough and stay engaged with my courses. Consequently, I will have to be more of an active learner than a passive one.

I have been asked to write about my goals and expectations for my study abroad experience in Galway. Before I get into that, I should address two things.

  1. What is my overarching philosophy towards studying abroad?
    • I am a firm believer in the idea of continuous improvement, especially concerning the self. I desire to improve myself each day that God gives me on earth. My philosophy towards studying abroad embraces this idea of self-improvement. I will continue the things I do for self-improvement, simply in a new location. This is contrasted with the (in my opinion, weaker) thought that I should study abroad to become a better person. I know there will be tremendous benefits and blessings that flow from my study abroad experience, but rather than try to define or describe exactly what those will be, I’d rather take them as they come. I believe that it would be a floccinaucinihilipilification to try to definitively predict what benefits I will gain from studying abroad before I’ve experienced anything. I will focus on the things I know I can control to improve myself and simultaneously reap the (currently unknown to me) blessings of studying abroad in Ireland. I’m excited to live with the ambiguity of not knowing what lies ahead.
  2. How do I define “goals” vs. “expectations”?
    • In seventh grade, I was asked to write goals for the first time. My homeroom teacher, Mr. Kirchner, taught me the concept of SMART goals. SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Writing SMART goals is hard, but it distinguishes between wishing and doing. Therefore, this is the definition I use for goals.
    • In my opinion, expectations are different from goals simply based on specificity– expectations are my vague desires of what I want to occur in my study abroad experience. Unlike goals, I cannot predict or naturally attach quantifiable requirements to expectations.

Now I feel I am ready to disclose my goals and expectations for Ireland and their explanations.

Previously, I mentioned “the things that I do for self-improvement.” These are relevant daily expectations I have for myself, regardless of whether I’m studying abroad or at home. They include journaling, voluntary reading (i.e., reading for fun), reading my Bible, prayer at the start and end of the day, basic hygiene, physical exercise (weightlifting three days a week & walks), and intentional conversation with others. All of these help me keep my sanity and give me a sense of purpose, even if other things in my life are awry.

What are my goals for myself during my study abroad experience?

  1. By the end of my time in Ireland, I will receive an A (or the equivalent grade) in all of my classes.
  2. By the end of my time in Ireland, I will be able to bench press 70 kilos for 5 reps, back squat 90 kilos for 5 reps, and RDL 115 kilos for 5 reps.
  3. By the end of my time in Ireland, I will have made at least two friends from a country outside of the US.
  4. By the end of my time in Ireland, I will have traveled to at least four European countries.
  5. By the end of my time in Ireland, I will have read at least 8 books for fun (see my reading list at the bottom of the blog).

What are my expectations for myself during my study abroad experience?

  1. I will become more resilient and adaptable to complex situations with various elements out of my control.
  2. I will become more self-aware and strengthen my ability to self-reflect.
  3. I will become better at both inter- and intra-personal communication.
  4. I will learn how I could potentially integrate elements of the Irish educational system into my future classroom.
  5. I will learn more about the history and culture of Ireland, potentially altering my worldview and the way I think.
  6. I will be ready to witness my Christian faith to those with whom I develop relationships within Ireland.

All in all, I am incredibly excited about my opportunity to study abroad. I cannot wait to gain new experiences and add new stories to my repertoire. May God grant me the strength to live each day for him. Please pray for me and others studying abroad this semester.

One final musing for you to ponder: If something won’t make a great story someday, is it worth doing?

As promised, here’s my personal reading list for the semester:

  • Extreme Ownership, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
  • On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King
  • For Whom The Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway
  • Pastoral Song: A Farmer’s Journey, James Rebanks
  • Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
  • Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry
  • Wise Blood, Flannery O’Connor
  • One Child, Mei Fong