Blog #8 Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen.

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Drum roll, please! Bda da da da da… This is the final blog! Blog #8. The blog of reflection, accomplishments, stories, and blessings. Today, December 18, 2025, marks day 110, and a great deal has happened in that time. Besides Limerick, I got to see parts of the Aran Islands, Dublin, Galway, and the most recently, London, where Katie Gilkey and I got to see Trafalgar Square (more on this later) and see The Phantom of the Opera Musical and from box seats (so cool!), and The Nutcracker Ballet. We also visited Pooh Corner, a tea house and small Winnie-the-Pooh museum. No one else could have had the London adventure we did because we were a bit spontaneous. If we saw a sidewalk lit up by Christmas lights and a bunch of people on the other end, you bet we walked over to see what it was. We found a few cute Christmas markets and food stands and took a picture by every Christmas tree we saw. We visited rooftop gardens and traveled the English countryside by train.

I haven’t been everywhere or seen as much as others, but I got where I wanted to. It’s not about doing what everyone else does or getting to the most places. It’s about the adventures you make and those you make them with. This semester, I had the opportunity to meet and live with two lovely ladies, and I made more memories with an old friend. We’ve added many more laughs and inside jokes that we can look back on for the years to come.

What are you most proud of?

I am proud of my cooking accomplishments in a kitchen that doesn’t have everything, and having to make do. I’m proud of figuring out how to grocery shop in unfamiliar stores. I’m proud of learning (not quite mastering) public transportation and being more active and going for walks. 

I am most proud of getting out of my comfort zone and being okay when things are a bit uncomfortable or new. Getting out of your comfort zone is a healthy and beneficial practice. Not only does it encourage personal growth, but it also broadens your perspectives, enabling you to relate more to others and understand their situations more effectively. It can also increase resilience, enhance problem-solving skills, and boost confidence. I can confidently say I have seen all of these in myself over this last semester. I challenge you to intentionally find one thing to do before the end of the year that makes you a little uncomfortable and do it. Tell it to one other person to keep you accountable. Afterwards, be proud of what you accomplished. You don’t have to like it in the end, but at least you are certain of that now, and at least you tried. Learning and growth come from reflection.

What would you do differently if you could?

Nothing. I don’t want to change anything. It’s not because everything was perfect. No. I don’t want to change anything because this was the adventure God had planned for me. I had to experience the adventures and challenges because I have learned and grown from them. Have I changed a little? Yes. Am I completely different? No. Would I have learned the same things if I hadn’t studied abroad? I don’t know. I won’t ever know. It’s our experiences and adventures that shape us. It’s the path of life God has laid out for each of us, and the people he brings into our lives that help make us who we are. 

What will you incorporate into your life back home?

Compost. No, I’m not bringing rotting food scraps back to the States. Gross. Why would you think that? What I mean is that I want to be more aware of the environment. Ireland does a better job of maintaining a clean environment and preserving the land. They have compost bins/dumpsters like we have regular trash and recycling collections every week. I loved working in the garden when I was younger, picking and eating the fresh fruits and vegetables. Although I don’t have my own garden, I hope to someday when I can recycle food scraps.

Lighter schedules. Or the attempt at it. Why do we always feel rushed? In my last blog, I mentioned that I was thankful for lighter class schedules and how they give you room to simply be. America is a doing culture, always moving from one thing to the next. Ireland is more of a being culture, where people take personal time to socialize or enjoy alone time. I know it will be challenging, but it will be another goal to work towards. I want to be more intentional about setting aside time to relax and take a pause. I think this is something we should all strive for and is often overlooked in life at MLC.

What are you most grateful for?

I am most grateful for my sweet Michael. ❤️ Why? Because he’s him. And I love him that way. I have missed him a lot. 8 days, by the way. 🙂 He’s always made time to call and spend time over the phone. Sometimes it’s to chat, do homework together in each other’s presence, watch a movie, or even fold laundry with me. I can’t wait to be able to give him a hug and kiss, hold his hand, or go for a walk together. He’s listened to all my stories and challenges along the way and encouraged me to do my best, and he’s proud of me. I’m proud of him for all his determination and effort he put into this semester at work and school. I love you, Michael! See you soon! ❤️

How have you seen God’s hand in your experience abroad? What unexpected blessings or provisions have you seen?

We have met many people from all over and had the opportunity to explain what MLC is, how our system works, and how Katie and I met in high school in Wisconsin, despite being from Nevada and Texas and attending college in Minnesota. A year before Katie and I left for Ireland, we felt a big pull to study abroad, and that there was someone we had to meet. We don’t know why we felt this mission; maybe it was God putting this on our hearts. Although we’ll never know for sure who this was, we had to meet, and now that we have reflected on our time and the people we’ve met, we think it might have been one of our housemates who needed big sister advice and encouragement.

An unexpected blessing was getting to sing Christmas carols in Trafalgar Square during our first evening in London. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to go caroling, and I didn’t realize how much I’d missed it, even just getting to sing the traditional Christmas hymns. We were just about to leave when I overheard the small brass band from the other side of the square, amidst all the commotion of hungry shoppers. I quickly sought out the music, eager for what I might find. We weaved our way through the crowd—we got really good at this over the next 3 days in London—and found the musical group. To our surprise, we also found the carolers. After making our way to the front of the crowd to see and hear better, and unable to contain the joy, we joined in with the songs we knew from memory. We found a seat up front, and during one of the free-will offering collections, the church lady invited us to join their group. They even had extra music folders for us to use. We had a blast. We sang some of the classics, new melodies with familiar lyrics, and familiar melodies with variations in the lyrics. We didn’t realize how much we needed it until we were in it. This was our favorite part of our trip to London. 🙂

What advice would you give to future semester-abroad students?

  1. Plan things, even small things like a day in town or a different part of town, to look forward to and get excited about the next big adventure. The little motivation and things to look forward to really help keep the time moving and prevent getting down.
  2. Ask the locals for good places to eat or visit. Nobody knows the lay of the land better than they do. Ask your teachers and other people you meet about places they might suggest.
  3. Find a buddy abroad. This is more fun with a friend to make memories with. But it’s also good to get out and do things on your own.
  4. Ask questions… and be ready to get a vague answer. Ireland’s communication style is more circular than straightforward. It may take some probing to get the answer you’re looking for. Keep asking questions and be specific.
  5. Track the weather for your location the year prior to your study abroad semester. This will be particularly helpful when packing, taking into account factors such as rain, humidity, and wind.

It’s been an amazing experience studying abroad and immersing myself in a different culture! Thanks for keeping up with my posts and reading about my adventures. I still have so many songs I wish I could share. So for this last one, I’ll let you choose your own adventure! Listen to one or listen to them all! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

“Time to Go Home” By JigJam

https://youtu.be/BXx0NzjaLfI?si=rtC1cLOQq-gXbmLl

“Christmas in Killarny” (and the rest of the album) sung by Rend Collective

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqIMZGbkbbo&list=PLGXQK3aC61FQ2TtOR3UIXKhQBHheVQ6fH&index=2

“Hurray for Christmas Day” (and the rest of the album) by The Irish Rovers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYgjsD20UQI&list=OLAK5uy_kaQrlpp_TovhT1_7VZD0feBeGNhf6hsrU&index=2