Learning in Galway

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Hello, I hope that you are doing well! I am doing well in Galway. I have lived in Ireland for almost two months and have adjusted to my new life abroad. I have had the privilege of traveling around Ireland, visiting several cities and magnificent sites. I have made new friends, gotten involved in a church and Christian society on campus, and also have been reading and writing voraciously. However, studying abroad isn’t simply travel, social activities, and leisure– there is an academic aspect to it. In this blog, I’ll discuss my educational experience by describing each class I’m taking and comparing my experience here with that of MLC.

Iconography: the Classical Tradition in Western Art

I start with my Iconography lectures each Monday and Wednesday morning (at 10 am). My lecturer is a soft-spoken Irish man whose voice is as soft as sheep’s wool. He is a firm believer in art appreciation and being able to see art clearly, so his lectures are conducted in classrooms with zero light or windows to see the projected images on the screen. As you can imagine, the combination of these factors make my Iconography lectures a battle to stay awake. Nevertheless, most of the classwork is based on independent research for an overall project. I am about halfway done with my project, an exploration of statues of David from the Italian Renaissance and how they reflect the mores of Florentine society during that period. The project culminates with a 3,000-word paper and a 20-25-minute presentation that I will give. Within my paper and presentation, I analyze the artwork and historical era and then make assertions based on my observations. I sound unbelievably pretentious when talking about art, making me feel more intelligent than I am!

Genre Studies: Satire and Sentiment in 18th-Century Literature

In my opinion, Genre Studies is an exciting course. We read poems, plays, and prose from the long 18th century. I attend two weekly lectures, one on Monday at 5 pm and the other on Thursday at noon. My lecturer is a vigorous 30-something Canadian woman. She has very entertaining lectures and breaks down complex concepts and ideas in an elegantly simple manner. My favorite poem that we have read is Johnathan Swift’s “Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift” (1731). The poem is about Johnathan Swift reflecting on his life and how he imagines certain people will react to his death. It has a very similar nature to that of the book of Ecclesiastes. I highly recommend it.

Studies in Medieval Literature

Studies in Medieval Literature is a two-part course that breaks down two legendary medieval works: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Canterbury Tales. I attend lectures twice weekly from 3 to 4 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Because it is a two-part course, I have had two separate lecturers. My first lecturer was a whimsical British man with great humor. He taught Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, an Arthurian legend written around 1375. The story is rife with Biblical allegory and deals with the uncanny issues of pride and chivalry. I highly recommend it. My second lecturer is an intense Irish woman and she has only given two lectures on The Canterbury Tales, but I am enjoying them. They were also written in the late 14th century, and reading Middle English has been challenging. I would compare it to trying to understand someone speaking to you underwater– you can understand most of it, but some parts are lost due to interference.

Exploring Shakespeare

Exploring Shakespeare is a somewhat interesting course. It is my only seminar course, and we meet every Tuesday from 4 to 6 pm. The class time can feel a bit long because my professor, a talkative Irish woman, half-lectures/half-discusses the Shakespeare plays we read and occasionally asks questions of the class. A lot of the time, it doesn’t feel like a seminar course. We have read Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Henry V. I have enjoyed the plays, especially A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This class is probably the most different from the experience I would have had learning Shakespeare at MLC because my professor (over)emphasizes the “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” aspect of Shakespeare.

So, how does the academic experience differ from MLC…?

Quite significantly. Let me explain:

  1. Attendance. Class attendance is optional in Ireland. I could skip every lecture and still pass a course if I wanted to. It would be tricky, but it could be done. At MLC, if you miss a single class, it feels like you missed a significant amount of knowledge (in my opinion). The attitude towards attendance is much more lax compared to MLC, which treats skipping class like a mortal sin. (I’m not saying that it’s a bad thing.) I have yet to miss a single lecture this semester because MLC has engrained a mindset of perfect attendance.
  2. Rigor. The academic experience is super relaxed compared to MLC. To succeed at MLC, you need to be disciplined with your academics– you can’t just blow off your daily assignments. Oh wait… I don’t have daily homework here. I have some reading to do each week, but reading isn’t truly homework for me. I only have to work hard for about two weeks in the entire semester. I honestly miss the academic grind of MLC because the structure forces you to be engaged with the courses. Also, my final grades are based on two to three grades. I have papers and presentations for all of my classes worth between 40 and 70% of my overall grade. 
  3. Engagement. I am not engaged with my courses here like I am at MLC. Yes, I attend all of my lectures and complete my projects on time, but my studies are not an important aspect of my life. It is nice to be able to relax on my nights and weekends, but I also am not getting as much out of my courses. I also only have class from Monday to Thursday, giving me a three-day weekend every week. I yearn for class with Professor Grubbs and Professor Degner again (even though I grumble about their homework sometimes…). 
  4. Size. Class size is much different; two of my lectures (Iconography and Shakespeare) have about 20 people, similar to MLC. However, my Genre Studies and Medieval Literature lectures have around 150 people each. Surprisingly, it’s not been a difficult adjustment– I sit near the front in every class, making it feel smaller than it is.
  5. Diversity. Galway is the most diverse place I have ever experienced in my life. Every day on campus, I hear at least three languages spoken (not including English). Galway is a popular destination for students from Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America. Through the Christian Society I am involved in, I have met and made friends with people from Italy, Portugal, France, Mexico, Canada, Nigeria, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Spain, India, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and many more. Surprisingly, I’ve made more friends from international places than from Ireland. It has also been a welcome surprise that I’ve been able to use my Spanish much more than I thought I would. Sometimes, I’ll casually start conversing in Spanish with strangers before or after class. Other times, I’ll eavesdrop on conversations by Spanish speakers who think I can’t understand them. It’s great fun to shock people because I don’t look like someone who can speak Spanish! I am also regularly complimented by native speakers for my “acento tan hermoso“– something that boosts my confidence!
  6. Individuality. The academic experience is much more individual than at MLC. At MLC, for better or worse, it is tough to “fly under the radar.” Almost everyone lives, eats, and studies in the same places. Even if it isn’t perfect, MLC is uniquely blessed with its collective mindset. I occasionally see people I know around campus here, but I miss going anywhere on MLC’s campus and always knowing someone. Also, the attitude of Galway’s student populace is much more egalitarian than MLC’s hierarchical structure. At MLC, it would be unfathomable for me to go on my phone during class and call my professors by their first names, but these things happen regularly in Galway. I miss MLC students’ respect for their professors and fellow students.

Overall, I have learned a lot about what I like and don’t like about academics from this experience. I have grown a greater appreciation for MLC. I enjoy the freedom I am given for other activities from this experience, especially reading and writing. So far, I have read 17 books in 2024 and have started writing a second novella. I’ve also spent more time studying my Bible, praying, and getting involved in the Christian society on campus. I’ve been asked to lead a Bible study on the book of Jonah, and I’m looking forward to using my gifts to teach others.

Please continue to pray for me. Thanks for reading!

Photos Explained:

  1. This is me using a quill. As you can probably see from the look on my face, I loved it.
  2. This is the view from the English department, looking over campus. It still can’t beat the view from 3rd floor Old Main, but it’s pretty good.
  3. This is a photo of what walking at night on campus looks like.