Blog 1 – Awaiting Finding Myself
Hey friends!
My name is Katie Gilkey, and I am about to leave the United States to study abroad in Limerick, Ireland, for one semester! There are so many emotions and exciting things to prepare for at the moment. Through this blog, I hope to share with you what I am experiencing and help you to be a part of my adventures along the way! Thank you for being here and reading what I have to say!
First things first…something that I hold in high regard is to keep a positive attitude, even when things are challenging! So to help overcome this, I gratitude every day. This means that I find things throughout the day that I am grateful for in order to keep a more positive attitude – gratitude!
Three things I am grateful for:
- Family and Friends (and their constant love and support).
- Technology (to help me stay connected to people all over the world).
- The Sun (it is warm and always makes me happier).
Last semester, I took a pre-departure class where we examined ourselves and constantly thought of goals to help guide our experiences while being abroad! I want to share with you what some of my goals and expectations are prior to leaving in one week!
Two expectations I have for myself during this semester:
- Improving my cross-cultural communication skills.
- Learning how to live in the moment, to “just be”.
I have had many previous opportunities and experiences to travel around the world and I always come to the conclusion that I love seeing the way different cultures communicate! It is important to me to accept, love, and cherish the beauty of the way people express themselves in a variety of ways including body language, facial expressions, movement, and language itself. As a result of focusing on my cross-cultural communication skills, I hope to communicate God’s love to all people more effectively!
Living in the moment. A hard task living in a “doing” culture. We are always busy and seem to always have something planned, every second of the day. I am looking forward to having a change of pace while living abroad, one that may give me an ideal opportunity to “just be” and live in the moment. I love to give myself to people all the time, but I am finding that it is important for me to begin caring for myself better so that I may care for others more! Therefore, I want to set better boundaries for myself in order to accomplish well-rounded mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health and well-being.
Two expectations I have for the program:
- To gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for how other cultures learn.
- To be provided experiences that I can cherish forever.
Taking classes at MLC and spending time in classrooms has provided me with a vast perspective on the intricacies of how people learn. God is so amazing that every person would be created uniquely, including a unique brain with a unique sense of learning. I am excited to witness for myself the way in which classes are taught to meet the needs of various types of learning in another country. My classes will not only provide me with lifelong memories, but the experiences, excursions, and opportunities that arise will undoubtedly become close to my heart and an integral part of my personal growth.
Two goals I hope to achieve by the end of this experience:
- To have a basic knowledge of Irish music and dance.
- To be more confident in being comfortable with the uncomfortable.
I have always identified myself as a dancer. The joy that I experience when I move my body is unmatched. Unfortunately, I am currently going through a time of growth as I am no longer able to dance the way I once did due to some medical situations. However, I have been able to take a step back and learn to appreciate how different people move. All people move in some capacity, and the way in which people move communicates many things about their culture, their perspectives, and their personality! It is fascinating to ponder, and I am enthused to have the opportunity to be exposed to the way the Irish move their bodies!
Earlier this summer, I was thinking about how I have grown as a person by having to travel back and forth across the country to attend school. It crossed my mind how traveling in my hometown seems almost effortless, easy, and completely and utterly comfortable. I barely have to think about how to get somewhere. But while I was driving down a country road in a different state, it dawned on me how uncomfortable (compared to home) it is to be traveling in a place that is unfamiliar. Depending on who you are and the experiences you have had, this can be a daunting thing to think about. I realized that I felt lucky to have had opportunities to be introduced to uncomfortable situations, and I pray for many more moments of uncomfortability that will eventually lead to learning and growth.
I believe that my greatest challenge will be:
- To overcome adversity with resilience, patience, grace, and love.
Adversity is everywhere. Difficulties arise daily, whether that be someone struggling with a particular sin, a relationship that is on the fritz, or a particular nagging negative thought that seems to weigh you down effortlessly. However, there are some particular characteristics that are needed to overcome this adversity. Tenacity, grit, determination, perseverance, strength, forbearance, and love are just to name a few. But ultimately, Christ is at the center of these characteristics. He is our rock, strength, and shield with his mercies and grace new every morning. What a blessing it is that we can rely on Him freely, and I seek to overcome the challenge of putting my faith over my fears in every situation.
Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get. Sometimes things are happy and wonderful and sometimes life is downright hard. However, in every situation that passes through our threshold of life lived, there are always new perspectives to be gleaned!
Highlights of my time preparing for Ireland include:
- Purchasing new luggage
- Thinking about what is to come and how to pack for a variety of experiences
- Meeting my University of Limerick buddy (Her name is Izzy!)
- Spending special time with friends before leaving
- Welcoming everyone back to the MLC campus as an RA
- Writing this blog
Low-lights of my time preparing for Ireland include:
- Being unsure of what to expect and packing accordingly
- Feeling lots of emotions about leaving my friends in my Senior year
- Living out of a suitcase for two weeks before going to Ireland
- Missing family and friends
Learned Insights from the Low-lights:
- Nothing is permanent; this is temporary and not my forever.
- Being unsure of things can present an opportunity for low expectations and great surprises when I arrive.
- By feeling lots of emotions, it means that I deeply care about everyone in my life and every aspect of my life. This is a blessing that God would give me so many things to miss and love so dearly.
- Living out of a suitcase for extended periods of time helps to give us perspective on the blessings of consistency and routines in our lives!
Scripture that has been close to my heart this week in my preparations:
- Romans 12:12 – “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
- Psalms 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
- Matthew 5:16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
With that, this is what has been on my heart and on my mind while preparing myself to leave in one week! I pray that the Lord blesses you in all that you do and that you continue to live your life, “all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31)!
Joyful thoughts in Christ,
Katie Gilkey
