Archive for category: Limerick, Ireland Fall 2025 Gilkey

Greetings friends!

 

Life is dynamic, ever-changing, shifting with the tide and often flitting between boisterous beauty and fickle frustration. It doesn’t feel like that long ago when I first arrived in Ireland, ready to take on the new things that were bound to be coming. But I am here. I have been here for a decent amount of time, and the things that I am learning and experiencing are arduous, but more fruitful and profound than I ever could have imagined. It all starts with a pinch of uncomfortability, a spoonful of optimism, a cup of prayers, and a conversation. Thank you for being here, in this moment, today, reading my blog. I pray that you can find a time for reflection as you consider how a particular moment has perhaps shaped you!

 

When endless amounts of things are going on, it can be easy to get distracted, stressed, anxious, and focus only on what lies in front of us. But there is loads more to life – not just our earthly life, but our eternal life. The world demands us to have overwhelming workloads, but things don’t have to be complicated. They are actually quite simple when we remember that Jesus completed the ultimate work for us – we must simply believe in Him! Look to the Lord with a grateful heart for the things you are the most thankful for! I urge you to find some gratitudes in your own life! 

 

Three things I am grateful for:

1. Letters (many of my friends and family compiled letters for me to open up while being abroad, and they always put a smile on my face and joy in my heart!)
2. Forgiveness (not every day is a perfect day, but we have a perfect Savior who died on the cross and rose again for our sins, granting us forgiveness and everlasting life – thank you, Jesus!) 
3. Pilates (I have a yoga mat that I use to stretch and strengthen my body through pilates workouts, and I always feel relaxed and accomplished when moving my body in this way)

 

Conversations. Do you enjoy conversations with others? Or does it overwhelm you to have to think about speaking with another person, especially about an uncomfortable topic? Are you an introvert or an extrovert, primarily? What about talking with someone from a different culture? Does that change your answer to any of these questions? Think about it. 

 

The prompt for my blog today pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone and talk with someone from another culture! Now I know what you may be thinking, “Uh, Katie! You live in a different country! You speak to people from other cultures daily!” If you are thinking that, you would be correct. Yes, I do speak with people from different cultures every day. But I decided to push myself a bit with the person with whom I spoke. 

 

I am currently taking a class entitled “Aesthetic and Expressive Activities” (AEA), a physical education module focusing on how to teach gymnastics and dance to middle school-aged children. I love this class because of the content I get to learn, but I dread this class because of how uncomfortable I feel around my peers. None of them seem to enjoy gymnastics and dance very much, especially not to the level that I enjoy it. This causes a chasm of space to sit between myself and all of my peers. However, all of these people are wonderful Irish athletes who are smart and driven to teach children how to move their bodies. Ding, ding, ding! A commonality. I have a passion for movement…and so do they. I decided to have a conversation (more like an interview) with one of my AEA peers, Igor. 

 

Igor is a charming man with a very unique background, which enables him to have a beautiful perspective on life. He and his family are Polish, but he grew up in English-speaking Ireland. His culture is mixed, and he would say that he has a “very different culture” from his home life, being primarily Irish. His story is fascinating, real, raw, and insightful. I pray you find joy in hearing about my takeaways from this conversation. 

 

My takeaways:

• Small Towns vs. Big Towns

• Growing Up

• Education Systems

• Family Life

• My Own Epiphanies 

 

Igor grew up on a farm in a very, very tiny place in County Leitrim, Ireland. The population in his village is only about 400 people! Think about that…the village that Igor grew up in has fewer people than the number of people that attend MLC! Crazy! He continued to explain that to get to a store, or anywhere for that matter, his family would have to drive forty minutes to an hour away, to a completely different county. I found this to be similar, yet different from the way towns are in America. Although New Ulm has always felt quite small to me, we have stores in town that are not more than a five-to ten-minute drive! But when I am living at home in Sparks, Nevada, there are certainly places close to home and other places farther away. For example, my doctors are on the other side of town – forty minutes from where I live! While Igor and I have different perspectives, we both have a forty-minute drive to a place we regularly visit. He drives that distance to get to another county for a store, and I drive that distance across one city to go to the doctor! 

 

Growing up, Igor worked on the farm, played outside, did sports, and became fascinated with working with cars and mechanics. Like all children, he found ways to have fun, even if he had to be really creative to find things to do. But isn’t that refreshing? Our lives have shifted so much since the release of new technologies. It is at our fingertips, even at young ages. But how wonderful that Igor had the opportunity to experience a childhood that could promote experiential learning, motor development, curiosity, and imagination! 

 

A very large part of Irish culture revolves around their Gaelic games (especially hurling and Gaelic football). Igor said, “growing up in Ireland, if you don’t participate in a certain sport, you can be seen as an outcast…to fit in, you nearly have to participate in some sort of sport growing up.” In America, I feel that there is lots of encouragement for children to participate in extracurricular activities in general – sports, dance, music, theater, etc. In Ireland, it is either sport or Irish dancing/traditional Irish music. Both countries value children gaining life experience through an outlet, but I perceive Ireland to be a country that has a very focused outlet to match with their cultural ideals of pride for their individual counties. 

 

When it comes to education in Ireland, there are a lot of differences! One school that Igor went to broke the record for having the largest number of students in one year with 72 students! When he said this, I laughed because I thought about my middle school years when we had over 2,000 students in our school for only two years of schooling (seventh and eighth grade)! 

 

Additionally, at the end of secondary (high) school in Ireland, all students must take a “Leaving Certification Exam” or “Leaving Cert.” The score that students receive on this exam determines much about their future. Each university/college, as well as each program at each institution, requires a particular number of points on the Leaving Cert. So, an individual can not even be considered for a particular degree program without a high enough score. In Igor’s case, he did not originally do well on his Leaving Cert, and he ended up pursuing an alternate route of education for a year. At this time, he grew as a person, and through a teaching experience with his former PE teacher, he decided that he wanted to become a physical education teacher himself! By completing this coursework and doing well, he was able to apply to the University of Limerick without his Leaving Cert score and has been successful in his program! His determination, perseverance, and resilience were really inspiring to listen to. According to Igor, many people think that the Leaving Cert is the “end all, be all,” but he says, “No! When there is a will, there is a way!” How empowering! 

 

Through conversations with many different people, I have found that family life in Ireland is quite similar to America. For Igor, he is the youngest of six siblings. His siblings live all over Europe (Poland, Germany, England, and Ireland), and they very rarely have the opportunity to see one another. Similarly, depending on the situation and family, some families live spread apart across the United States and don’t often get to see one another either! Igor also had many pets (cats, dogs, etc.) growing up, a common experience among many American families. There are large families and small families in both countries, but when we really get down to the nitty-gritty, family is family, no matter the country or culture. 

 

Something that I thought was refreshingly strange when talking to Igor was his complete surprise when I asked him to give me five fun facts about himself. He was so caught off guard that I would ask him to think about things about himself and share – I mean he really struggled for a little while. But it got me thinking, why was this such a hard question for him to answer? If someone asked me that question, I could easily come up with five things in less than five minutes. What is so different about him and me that would make a question of that sort challenging? I really don’t have a particular answer for you, but my thought is that perhaps it is a difference in cultural communication. In Ireland, they are incredibly indirect communicators and love telling elaborate stories. In America, we are much more direct in our communication, and we often ask questions like this during “icebreaker” conversations. We also really enjoy talking about ourselves, whereas I find less of that to be true in Ireland. Anyway, that was just a little silly goofy thought I had! 

 

To finish my conversation with Igor, I asked him what his favorite thing about his home culture is. Of course, he considers his home culture to be Ireland, not Poland, but his answer was striking. He said that his favorite part about Irish culture is “how rough it is.” Wow. What are your thoughts on that answer? I can definitely tell you that I was not expecting him to say that, and I was wildly intrigued to know what he was going to say next! He explained that in sports, you are always “clashing with players” and “getting dirty all the time.” This kind of activity and way of being brought up “toughens you up.” At a young age, Igor would work on the farm, milk cattle, then go and do construction work, come home and finish with the cows at the end of a fourteen-hour workday. This physical labor was “rough” and “hands-on in a good way” as it “toughens you up as a person,” he said. 

 

 Igor’s tenacity, persistence, and determination have been flooding through his veins for his entire life. From the cultural differences between his family from Poland and where he grew up in Ireland to his village being far away from anything, his overcoming educational adversity to be at the University of Limerick, to his inspiring mindset on “roughness,”, he is a tremendous example for us all. We are only limited by our mindset… 

 

Highlights of the past few weeks include: 

1. Galways’ Macnas Parade (we took a quick day trip to Galway to see their famous Halloween Macnas parade, filled with incredible art, costumes, and choreography) 
2. Accomplishing Big Assignments (I have been productive in completing many of my big assignments, which feels wonderful! Thank you, Lord, for giving me strength!)
3. Conversations (I have had so many meaningful conversations with a variety of individuals – it fills my cup with joy to listen to others and share Christ’s love with them!)
4. Pam’s Irish Dance Classes (Pam is one of my professors, and she needed an extra person in two of her Irish dance classes this past week, so I got the opportunity to Irish dance for four hours straight)
5. Gilmore Girls (it is always a wonderful way to end the day or have a brain break when Nessa, Laura, and I watch an episode of “Gilmore Girls”) 

 

Low-lights of the past few weeks include:

1. Frustration
2. Brain Fog
3. Silly Buses 

 

Learned Insights from the Low-lights:

1. Frustration is a real and universal experience. It comes with the territory of being in communication with others and maintaining relationships. But it is such a blessing, if you really think about it. When one experiences frustration, it is a way of reflecting, emoting, and recognizing that a problem needs to be solved! It can be a tool for us to guide our next steps, and if one is frustrated with other people, it is a blessing that there are people in one’s life to be frustrated with! 
2. Brain fog. Another one of those universal experiences when our brains are on overload, are fried, and really can’t think very well. I have been experiencing quite a bit of this as I am doing my best to complete a lot of large projects. But again, this is a healthy tool that our bodies and brains give us to tell us that we need a break! We need to take a nap, drink water, eat, or move our bodies to refresh our brains once more! 
3. This past week, Laura and I went to shop for our groceries when we ran into a myriad of silly goofy bus issues. One bus driver wouldn’t let us on the bus, then we got on a bus going the wrong direction, then the driver took his break, then we got stuck in traffic, then he didn’t let us off at the stop we wanted, and then coming from the store, we missed the bus. There was every opportunity to be frustrated and upset with this situation, but Laura and I just completely accepted the wacky morning and laughed at everything! It made these unfortunate events so much more fun and a memory that I will forever hold in my heart! The next time something is happening that seems awful in the moment, I challenge you to embrace it with a smile, a laugh, and a good attitude. Nothing you do will change the current situation, but how you frame the situation with your mind can make all the difference! 

 

Scripture that has helped me to persevere:

• 2 Timothy 4:7 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 
• 1 John 2:6 – “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” 
• Psalm 56:3 – “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” 

 

These past few weeks have been crazy, busy, and full of many moments spent with God as I look to Him for strength. I pray that you continue to keep your eyes and your hearts set on the One who made you, cares for you, and who can guide you through adversity with grace. Continue to keep your heart filled with the love found in Christ’s death and resurrection, for He is our true source of perseverance! 

 

May you ever be blessed,

Katie Gilkey 

 

Hola, hola, mis amigos! 

 

Wowza! Time flies when you are having fun! I have officially made it halfway through my academic semester here in Limerick! I already have a midterm exam coming up – crazy, right?! I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to experience learning in a whole new context and capacity, which I am delighted to share with you in this blog! Thank you for taking the time to read this and consider the abundant blessings that come from learning! 

 

“Blessings” you say? Why yes! Each and every day, no matter the challenges present, overflows with blessings beyond comprehension! God reaches out to us and gives us “God-winks”, reminding us of His ever-present love and presence! I challenge you to find the “God-winks” that God leaves for you to find in your own life! These are some of my “God-wink” gratitudes from these past few weeks!

 

Three things I am grateful for:

1. New Experiences (with each new experience comes new perspective, growing my schema of acceptance and love) 
2. Reverb (an incredible show that blended Irish traditional music with contemporary dance in a modernized fantasy of the future of music and dance – expanding my knowledge and perspective of dance, greatly) 
3. Spontaneity (there is something refreshing about not planning every second of every part of life – this leads to more adventure and memories made, usually with lots of laughs 😄) 

 

What feeling pervades your mind and body when you hear the word, “academics”? Do you get anxious because tests, exams, quizzes, projects, presentations, and studying are typically parts of the academic regimen? Do you get filled with bubbly excitement because you have the OPPORTUNITY to learn new things? Do you immediately break out in a sweat? 

 

Education and academics mean something different to virtually everyone, especially depending on your background, where you are from, your culture, and how you are raised. I am really beginning to understand and appreciate the various ways that learning can be achieved as well as the benefits and drawbacks of these different modes of information acquisition. This blog is dedicated to comparing my experiences with academics in Ireland to the college life of learning I am accustomed to at MLC in the United States. 

 

Classes Here:

• Classes have variation in size.

• There are lectures, tutorials, and lab classes to attend. (I will explain soon!)

• I have 2-4 assignments that make up my total grade for the entire semester (for each module). 

• There is more informality with professors. 

• I am crazy and take too many classes, per the usual! 😁

 

I am not sure what your learning preferences may entail, but because of my experiences attending a private Christian high school and going on to attend a private Christian college, I REALLY appreciate having intimacy within my classroom environments. I don’t like to only be viewed as a test score or a body in a room. I like my professors to know my name, for us to have reciprocating respect, and to be able to actively engage in class content. I typically find myself enjoying these aspects of my classes at MLC, but this is drastically different from what I experience at UL (University of Limerick). 

 

For starters, we must get you to understand the difference between lectures, tutorials, and labs. You may be thinking, “huh???”, and if that is true, then we are twinsies!! That is totally what I was thinking when I first arrived at UL. Like seriously, what do you mean that I don’t just go to the same class period either on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday or a Tuesday/Thursday, depending on the class? Well, here they put an emphasis on hands-on learning in many of their modules! 

 

The lecture time period lasts anywhere from 1-2 hours, depending on the class, and is designed to cover the majority of the content in a focused professor-is-telling-you-everything-QUICK-write-that-down sort of way. These classes typically have more people in them, since there is limited interaction between the students and the professor. In one of my lectures, we meet in the auditorium and there are easily over 200+ people in that lecture!

 

Now for the tutorials and labs…This is where more hands on, active participatory learning takes place! These are designed to take the content given in a lecture and make it applicable to the individual, giving practice so that students can be more prepared! Many of my tutorials/labs last roughly 2 hours and are typically my most active moments in a day! I love the way that Ireland structures modules in this way as it really reinforces learning concepts and addresses many different learning modalities (kinesthetic, spatial, visual, etc.)!

 

Not only is there an emphasis on putting learning into practice, but they also focus learning in a way that makes the learner responsible for gaining knowledge. There are no daily assignments for any module. In relation to each module, there are roughly 2-4 assignments given for the entire semester. Assignments could include an essay, midterm exam, presentation, project, or final exam. However, I have a love/hate relationship with this concept. I don’t know about you, but I get lots of anxiety over grades, tests, projects, essays, and quizzes. Having so many daily assignments at MLC gives me quite a bit of anxiety and forces me to be constantly invested in the material learned. It also never gives me time to let new information soak into my brain. 

 

In Ireland, it is a real challenge because you are completely responsible for your learning and what you will take away from a module – you reap what you sow. There is no one holding me accountable for coming home and reviewing the notes from class and marinating in the content, but with the time that I have not completing daily assignments, I am actually able to take the time to deeply process new content and work to shift my ever-changing schemata. My learner responsibility is increasing because I have to take initiative in my learning and my anxiety is less because I am not worried on a daily basis about the grades I am receiving. There are less assignments, but I am so well prepared to complete them that I feel at ease to let go and let God! In the end, grades should be used as a tool to help teachers and learners know where the learner is at in the learning process, not as a punishment for not being perfect. 

 

Informality and professors. How does that make you feel? If a professor were to cuss in the front of class, how would you respond? If you were told to call a professor by their first name, would you? Good questions to ponder, especially because all of the above would highly unlikely be seen at MLC. Here…it is all about the craic (pronounced crack- as in “fun”), baby! Professors may not know my name, but they sure do know how to make class sound like a conversation! We call professors by their first names and they are not afraid to use artistic language with us! They are real and relatable – people who go out to the bars drinking, people who experience hangovers, people who experience conflict, people with families, people who sin, people who strive to make a difference in the world, and yes, people who work as a professor. It is so lovely to see professors being vulnerable because it makes students know and feel that they are human too! Side note…I realize all of the things I just listed might be concerning and I would like to keep you from fretting…I do NOT go out to the bars drinking and I have NEVER been hungover. I know that is extremely hard to believe, but it is true…just ask Laura! 😉

 

So I know at this point I have carried on and on about classes here, but I haven’t told you what kinds of classes I am taking yet…don’t worry, don’t worry…it’s coming…hehe! But wait, let’s be honest. It’s me we are talking about! What kinds of classes do you THINK I would want to take? If you have ever had the silly goofy opportunity to talk to me or meet me, you probably know one key thing about me – my favorite thing in the whole wide world (except for Jesus and my family/friends and Micah)…is DANCE! Yeppers, I decided to get myself involved with the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, here at UL! Currently, I am taking:

•  An Irish Traditional Music and Dance class (with a Ceili dance tutorial)
• An Irish Dance Performance Skills class (focusing on learning hard and soft shoe Irish dance)
• I got invited to take an Irish Set Dance class (with partners)
• An Aesthetic and Expressive Activities class (a physical education class focusing on teaching young learners gymnastics and dance)
• A few non-dance classes 
  • Communications 
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Needless to say, I am a busy, busy bee, and I absolutely adore EVERY opportunity to move my body and learn new ways of dancing!

 

Highlights of my time thus far include:

1. Being accepted into the BeMindfUL Programme (looking at mental health and suicide prevention strategies)
2. Going on a Tree Blitz (working with the Environmental Society to identify every type of tree on campus) 
3. Purchasing Irish Dancing Hard Shoes (I have so much fun practicing and mixing Irish dancing, tap dancing, and pointe all together into my own fun style) 
4. A Trip to Dublin (I played Gaelic games, ceili danced, enjoyed the Dublin castle and EPIC museum)
5. Attended Mallow Street Christian Fellowship 

 

Low-lights of my time thus far include:

1. Group work for projects 
2. Not standing up for what I believe in 
3. Having a lack of motivation 

 

Learned Insights from the Low-lights: 

1. Group work is a large part of life and most occupations. Learning how to interact with others and find ways to communicate can be a challenge in the moment, but rewarding in the end. These moments of frustration will only lead me to perseverance, determination, and growth in my character as I work to lead my group to find success and comfortability within the context of uncomfortability. 
2. I have a terrible habit of not standing up for what I believe in while others tell me their thoughts and beliefs. It is vitally important to validate that all people are entitled to their opinions, but I should also not back down from any opportunity to share Jesus with others, especially when I am uncomfortable. I have sinned against God by not putting His name above all and I have asked for forgiveness. I share this with you so that you may find courage and hope in the Lord as He gives you the strength to let the light of Christ shine through you – which is something I pray for deeply!
3. Let’s face it. Life can be a challenge and there are times when motivation gets so low. I have dealt with this low-light, especially because I am not held accountable for completing a lot of work at the moment. But where does our motivation really come from? It comes from the joy of Jesus! Guys! Every day that we wake up is another day of God’s amazing grace and we ought not to take that for granted! Our motivation is found in the greatest blessing – that Christ died and rose from the dead for our sins! We can confidently wake up with the intention to serve the Lord with the day that He has blessed us with! “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). 

 

Scripture that has surrounded me these past few weeks: 

• Psalm 18:2 – “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” 
• John 10:10 – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” 
• John 15:12 – “My command is this; Love each other as I have loved you.” 

 

Friends, this is all that has been on my heart and mind these past few weeks! I am so thankful to God for blessing me with the experience to love learning in a whole new way – I am truly dancing through academics and life! May the Lord bless you and keep you, now and always! 

 

In Jesus name,

Katie Gilkey

Dia duit friends!

 

Hehe! That’s ‘hello’ in Irish! How cool is that?! It’s wild to think that I have officially been living in Ireland for nearly two weeks! But may I say, WOW! It’s unbelievable here and I can’t wait to tell you all about my arrival and first impressions in this blog! Thank you for your time reading this! I hope that you get excited about Ireland like I do! 

 

To start off like normal, I have my three gratitudes for you! However, I must say that I have a tremendous amount of gratitudes in my daily journal as this whole experience has been loads of fun! 

Three things I am grateful for:

1. The People (they are so kind, helpful, warm, and inviting).
2. Cars Stopping (no matter where you are crossing the road, cars will come to a halt, in no time, to let pedestrians safely cross the street – it’s amazing).
3. Prayer (guys – we GET to pray to the God of the universe, who made all things)!

 

For my topic this week, I have the opportunity to share with you what my arrival and my first impressions are of Ireland, Limerick, and the University of Limerick (UL)! 

For my arrival:

• Flying into Shannon International Airport

• Checking into my accommodation 

• Grocery shopping 

• Orientation week 

• Modules begin 

 

To start, my friend, Laura Kopplin, and I flew into Shannon International Airport and it was the most beautiful view! It was early in the morning, the rain had just ended, and the sun was peeking out through the clouds. This allowed for the luscious green landscape to pervade every inch of sight and to showcase the natural beauty of land that could only be fashioned by God! I literally cried tears of joy. 

We continued our journey of collecting our luggage, getting our passports stamped for study abroad immigration, and boarding the Hynan Travel bus to take us to our village. Once we arrived at our accommodation, we were able to easily check into our house, receive our keys, and unpack in our rooms!

With living in a house and no cafeteria on campus, Laura and I had to go shopping straight away! We went to the local grocery store, Lidl, where we purchased our necessities. For the first time in my life, I had to actually grocery shop for myself. I was very out of my comfort zone thinking about what food I would need to survive three meals (plus snacks) every day – by the grace of God, I had Laura with me! Now, I am feeling a lot more confident in what I need, what I like, and I have even been giving ideas for what to make for dinner! Laura has been graciously teaching me her wonderful ways in the kitchen!

Then, I had to overcome the obstacles of orientation week. These lectures brought much excitement and loads of stress. I quickly learned that we had to create our own timetables (class schedules), avoiding clashes with other modules, finding classes that were available to international students, getting into modules with limited space, and emailing professors. This felt like a weight that was pressed down on my shoulders. I was in a new country, with a new school system, and all of a sudden, I had to figure this out too. I was anxious and nervous, especially when one of the classes I really needed to take could no longer be taken. This caused me to have a moment with God. One day, I just prayed a deep prayer about surrender. I decided that I was no longer going to stress about my timetable or anything else. Rather, I would surrender it all to the Lord and begin to enjoy this incredible experience. Since then, I have been feeling calm and inexplicably joyful ever since! 

Now that modules have begun, there is a bit of uncertainty because not all of the tutorial and lab classes are taking place in the first week. However, I am still surrendering my burdens to God and I am finding peace as I enjoy some free time and the opportunity to soak in new content. I really love my professors thus far and I am thoroughly looking forward to all of the learning that is to come and the growth that may ensue! 

 

My first impressions of Ireland:

• IMMENSE beauty everywhere 

• Kindness of people

• The vastness of UL

• How quickly the weather can change 

 

The very first thought I had when landing in Shannon was, “Wow. I can’t believe I am here. This is a dream come true. The land is stunning!” and then I cried happy tears. The green landscapes are absolutely breathtaking. But the beauty of this place does not just come from the land, it comes from the hearts of the people. Their genuine care and love towards people is uncanny. They want to make connections with me. They ask where I am from and try to connect my response to their previous schema. They care why I am here and if I like their home. They will reach out to me to ask if I have any questions before I could even think of forming a question. I feel incredibly welcomed here. 

Additionally, the campus is massive. There are lots of buildings and as one orientation leader said, “Oh my, the main building is bananas!” This is true! The first floor is “G”, second is “O”, third is “M”, fourth is “1”, fifth is “2”, and sixth is “3.” Not only are those floors whacky, but then there are sections A, B, C, D, and E that are all separate buildings/blocks connected to one another with all of these floors and classrooms willy-nilly. Needless to say, finding classes can be a real hoot! But every person is willing to help if I just use my words and ask (or if I look like a wandering lost American duck) 😅. I had a wonderful young man walk past me the other day and turn around to ask if I needed assistance finding a class because I looked confused—how amazing is that?! 

Finally, the weather can change lickety-split! One second there is sun and with the snap of a finger, it is downpouring rain! Lesson learned—never leave home without a raincoat! 

 

These past days have been a blur, but have been filled with incredible moments. Upon reflection, I am certain that I am exactly where I need to be and I couldn’t be happier to have the space and time to create healthy habits, to make mistakes, and to learn. All of which help me to gain perspective and understanding. 

 

Highlights of my first days in Ireland include:

1. Meeting new people from all over the world (Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, India, Hungry, Turkey, U.S., and Sweden)
2. Completing personal daily devotions 
3. Learning the words that are used in everyday language here (Grand = very good, good, okay, not okay, bad, Craic = fun, Chips = french fries, Crisps = chips, etc.) 
4. A campus scavenger hunt that I completed with two friends from the U.S., two friends from France, and a friend from Germany (we made a story out of pictures and had an absolute blast)
5. A majestic bike ride around the Aran Island of Inis Oirr 
6. Watching the extraordinary “Celtic Steps” show

 

Low-lights of my first days in Ireland include:

1. The stress of figuring out my timetable 
2. Figuring out communication with time change
3. Frustration from different communication styles among cultures 

 

Learned Insights from the Low-lights:

1. There is no need to stress. God is in control. He provides, and He asks that we cast our anxiety on Him because He cares for us. With this in mind, I ought to surrender myself and my stress to Him who cares. 
2. Though time change is hard, it is temporary and healthy to step out of my comfort zone and not talk to people back home every day. This provides me with amazing opportunities to talk with more people in my house and to attend later events on campus! I can make memories, make friendships, and try new things! 
3. Communication is a way of life and depending on culture, may look different. I experienced a moment of asking a question with direct communication and I received an answer with indirect communication. I was confused and still didn’t understand. But, this helped me to conclude that when there is variance in communication styles, it is okay to recognize this and not be afraid to ask for clarification. It does no one good if there is no understanding. Therefore, even when it is awkward, I have found that it is important for me to use my words and ask more questions so that I can know what I need to do to succeed. 

 

Scripture that has been close to my heart these past days:

• Luke 22:41-42 – “And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” 

• Matthew 16:25 – “Whoever wants to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

• John 14:1 – “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” 

 

This is all that has been on my heart and on my mind these past days! Truly, I couldn’t feel more joy or more gratitude for this opportunity. I absolutely adore Ireland and all that it has to offer. I look forward to many more memories made and adventures taken over the next few months! May the Lord continue to richly bless you always! 

 

With love, 

Katie Gilkey