Blog 5 – Joy in Jesus

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Smiles, my dear friends!

 

Smiles indeed! I must say that this past week has brought me many, many moments of smiles, prayers of thanks, and joy in Jesus! It is hard to believe, but this blog marks the mid-point of my time in Ireland – I have just about two months left! My time here has been immeasurably blessed, and I can joyously say each morning, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Thank you for reading this today, and I pray that you are finding ways to be joyful in your own life!

 

One of my favorite parts of my day is when I give gratitude and pray with my boyfriend, Micah! We share the things that we are grateful for in the day, prayer requests that we have for ourselves and people that we know, and then we pray together! It is such a blessing to be able to find the good in such a broken and sinful world – God is good and therefore there is no shortage of amazingly good things to find through gratitude! Here are some of my “gratitudes” from these past few weeks!

 

Three things I am grateful for:

  1. The Kopplin Family (Laura’s parents came to visit, and they invited me to come along on their adventures – they are the absolute sweetest!)
  2. The North Wild Atlantic Way (with the Kopplins, we drove this coastal route along the ocean and saw some magnificent sights – the juxtaposition of green hills and rocks with blue water and sand is a tremendous sight to see!)
  3. God’s Strength (there have been a few different moments this past week where God gave me the opportunity to talk to people about Him – He gave me strength and the right words to say when sharing His glorious Gospel message!)

 

For this blog edition, I have been tasked with answering four main questions regarding my experience thus far. I have so many thoughts as this marks the halfway point of my adventure!

 

  1. How do you feel about your experience so far? Why? 
  • I feel blessed!

To be honest, many people have asked why I decided to come to Ireland, and I really don’t have a precise answer to give them! One morning in my Freshman year at MLC, I woke up and felt really called to study abroad. Three years later…and here I am! In the back of my mind, I have always felt sure that there is a reason that God wants me here, in Ireland, at this particular time. Why? I don’t know, but I am certain that God is using me in His will. I couldn’t be happier to be in a place where I can learn, grow, and flourish in ways that wouldn’t be possible in my home country. 

This experience so far has been blessed in every possible way. God has allowed me to meet new people, make connections, learn a wide range of academic ideas, volunteer for societies and organizations on campus, work on building better personal habits to care for my well-being, and most importantly, share the light of Jesus with others! The depth of perspective that I am gaining from individuals around the world is astounding! I feel myself becoming more aware and compassionate towards others by valuing how they see the world and recognizing that every person walking around me was made by God! Jesus loves them, forgives them, died for them, and wants them to be saved! 

 

2. Which goal have you made the most progress on? 

  • To have a basic knowledge of Irish music and dance.

Well, friends, I can safely say that I will be coming home with a very decent amount of knowledge in the world of Irish music and dance. I have learned loads about the history of Irish dance, explored traditional musical instruments (and how they are played), and drilled the practical components of how to dance a variety of Irish dances! I am being spoiled this semester…hehe! I have classes that are mandatory for me to go to and consist of me doing my favorite thing on the face of the planet…dance!!! 😀 

However, may I say, Irish dancing is far harder than it looks! The control needed to keep your upper body stiff and yet move your lower body with such precision is undoubtedly an art! There is also a sense of rhythm that is quite demanding in Irish dance. I find myself at times getting lost in the syncopation of beats because the footwork is about how many different steps or sounds you can accomplish in one beat of music, not dancing to each beat of the music individually. For any of you who know me really well, I actually have the worst time with rhythm – I always have, even from when I was little. I used to get yelled at when I was at dance because I could never count the music very well…ironic, isn’t it?! 😅 Needless to say, not only am I really working hard on learning new moves, but I am focusing SO hard on the rhythm of the dancing that I bet I sweat double the amount necessary! 

Anyway, I am super excited because at the end of the semester, I have the opportunity to do a mini performance with each of my dance classes! In my Ceili dance class, our class will get to perform two different Ceili festival dances that we enjoyed. In my Irish Dance Performance Skills class, we are collaboratively creating a dance! All but two of us in the class are dancers of other genres, but have never Irish danced before. We decided on a theme for our dance – Irish Traditional Dance vs. Contemporary. We are having a hoot blending Irish trad with the emotional and fluid complexities of contemporary dance! Dance is about expression, interpretation, imagination, and creativity within the confines of movement – it is brilliant because there is never only one way to dance. The idea of what dance is can be pushed, and the boundaries are endless as long as the body is in motion. What a gripping thought! 

 

3. What are the three areas that you can improve on for the second half of your time abroad? 

  • Comfort zone
  • Group Work 
  • Balance 

Though I have made a ton of progress in becoming more comfortable with the uncomfortable, there are still some areas that I want to explore to feel accomplished. At the moment, my comfort zone includes traveling around Ireland with others and alone, going on spontaneous adventures, and living on my own (though my housemates and I do most things together). I would like to continue to push myself and travel outside of Ireland sometime soon! Navigating the bus system in Ireland is normal at this point, but I want to seek the challenge of having to figure out a different culture’s transportation system to enjoy new places! I would also like to push myself and, at least one time, go to a pub in the evening to see what their nightlife is really like. It is not my cup of tea to be in a location of such sorts at night with alcohol around, but I do feel like it is my due diligence to understand their culture and what is considered “craic” to the Irish people! 

At the moment, I have five group projects lined up with a variety of my classes, and I am struggling. I find that the communication style here is quite indirect compared to my own direct communication style, so I easily get frustrated when people do not reply in regards to getting work accomplished. I like to be organized and proactive in completing tasks, but I am unable to do such work until I have people who are willing to work with me. As I continue to reflect on these experiences, I am going to make a conscious effort to acknowledge how other people prioritize their time. I pray that through this shift in perspective, I will stay positive and calm when working cohesively with many different teams…leading me to feel adept at working in groups with people from other cultures, communication styles, and with different perspectives.

I can definitely continue to improve the balance in my daily life. From classes to school work, devotions to reading, and naps to watching “Gilmore Girls”, I do a vast array of things in a given day. As of now, I have created some lovely habits, including: morning and night devotions, reading, journaling, working out, more sleep, getting a good breakfast in the morning, and resting in the evening (watching “Gilmore Girls” or playing sudoku). I am really happy with my progress thus far! At home, none of these things would have ever occurred on a regular basis, so I am thrilled that my days are filled with such activities! But at this point, I would like to take these activities and put more realistic time restraints on them so that I can have better time management, but still take time to live in the moment! I definitely feel like I am succeeding in many of my goals, but I think that I could do an even better job of being a good steward of the time that God has graciously given me! 

 

4. What has surprised you about the culture of your host country? What have you improved on? How have your opinions evolved? 

  • How much they care for their environment. 
  • Giving myself grace. 
  • I miss aspects of American culture. 

From the moment I arrived in Ireland, it was evident how conscious the people of Ireland are about the environment. There is not a lot of trash anywhere outside, rubbish bins are few and far between, they sort their garbage into waste, recycling, and compost, they don’t use paper towels, and they have a huge emphasis on reusable materials. These are just a few of the many examples that I see on a daily basis of how they strive to care for the environment that God has blessed them with! I know that I will be much more aware of how I am recycling and disposing of materials when I go home!

I am really pleased with my progress while being in Ireland! All of the goals that I set for myself are most certainly being reached and continuously worked on as I adjust to a different culture and put more focused time into improving my mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. One thing that I have greatly improved on is giving myself grace. I am a perfectionist by nature, and I have always struggled when things didn’t work out exactly the way I intended. I don’t know about you, but I like to have control and to know that when things are complete, they are completed with the best quality possible! Here, I don’t have control. I have to rely on learning the ways of others, going with the flow, and just doing the best that I can in a given moment! This is really becoming an area of growth for me, particularly in my group projects. I know that I have previously touched on that, but I am learning to have grace with myself when people don’t respond right away, and I can’t complete my work when it is convenient for me. This is not my problem or their problem. This is how the culture is – full of indirect communication, which is neither right nor wrong – just different. Therefore, there are many times that I say a quick prayer and surrender my frustrations, worry, stress, and anything else on my heart and mind to God! I trust that God is helping me grow through these tedious moments of surrender.

The first few weeks I was here, many people asked me, “How are ye finding yourself?” I am not sure what is going through your mind right now, but I can certainly say that I was a bit confused by that question. Like, what do you mean “how am I FINDING myself”?? I found myself in Ireland, and it is beautiful! But no! They were really asking me, “How are you doing? How is Ireland?” Oh! Well, with that tidbit of golden knowledge, there would have been a lot fewer awkward moments at the start of this adventure! Once I figured that one out, my answer looked a bit more like this: “Oh my, I love it here! The land is gorgeously green, and the people are so kind! I would move here, if I could!” Interestingly, many people gave me curious looks when I said that I would move here. Apparently, they don’t see the beauty of the place they live. But isn’t that true for all of us? It is really hard to see the blessings you are given when you are always surrounded by them. Sometimes it is healthy to take a step away from what is “normal” and look with a fresh, outside perspective to see the absolute love that God has bestowed upon us! This couldn’t be more true for me right now. I want you to know that I still adore Ireland, but I do think my answer has changed from the beginning. I don’t think that I would want to move here after all. 

Think about your favorite season or time of year. What makes it your favorite? What smells, tastes, and vibes give you that feeling of excitement and joy that you wait all year for? For me, September through December is undoubtedly my favorite time of the year. I love the fall, the drinks, snacks, and homey feeling that comes with fall into Thanksgiving into Christmas! While I am not feeling homesick, my feelings at the moment would be best described as feeling culture sick. Ireland does not engage in all of these fall moments like America does. Partly because they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, the feelings that I wait all year for in America are not the feelings that I am experiencing. This is not a bad thing, it is a different, new experience that I am blessed with! I am just really thankful to call America home. With a fresh perspective, I think that I will not take the specialness of fall into Thanksgiving into Christmas for granted, ever again! 

 

Highlights of my many days include: 

  1. The BeMindfUL Programme (there have been some amazing insights, and I have been blessed with the opportunity to share the Gospel message with a lovely gal)
  2. The Cliffs of Moher (it has always been my dream to go there and they are STUNNING – also, many movies have been filmed there and I got to see the “Cliffs of Insanity” from “The Princess Bride” – hehe 😁)
  3. Killarney National Park (I took a trip to Killarney and hiked around the National Park for a wee bit – it is absolutely beautiful)
  4. Pilates (I try to do it once a day, and it makes me feel so rejuvenated)
  5. Chats (I have been having so many chats with friends and Professors, and I always feel a surging rush of joy getting to talk with people who give such good perspective) 
  6. Bible App (I started doing more daily devotions, and I am feeling God’s love and power in such intense ways – He is so good) 

 

Low-lights of my many days include: 

  1. Anxiety 
  2. Time Management 
  3. Missing People

 

Learned Insights from the Low-lights: 

  1. My counselor always says, “Katie, anxiety is a control disorder. You need to surrender to God.” Boy, isn’t she right?! That is exactly what I explained earlier: I am a perfectionist, and I want control that I can’t have, so it causes me to feel anxious. But she is also spot on. God is the only one who is and can ever be in control. I must continue to learn to surrender to Him and give myself grace in the process. God says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). 
  2. Due to the fact that the time I have here is more loose than it would be in America, I find myself wasting time every so often. But then I get upset with myself that I didn’t use my time as wisely as I could have. The difference is that Ireland is more of a “being culture” than America is. America is a “doing culture,” and it is a strange adjustment to make, having more time than normal. Having more time is an absolute blessing, and I am going to continue to do my best to make the most of it, give myself grace, live in the moment, and pray for motivation to complete the tasks that I need.
  3. I find myself missing the familiarity of home and people that I would typically see on a regular basis! I am not homesick, but I definitely miss my friends and family, and I think about them all the time! This is such a blessing that I have so many people that I love so dearly that I can have this feeling of “missing”! When I do have the opportunity to reunite with everyone, there will be endless joy – just as there will be endless joy when we come together and meet our Creator in heaven someday! 

 

Scripture that has been close to me these past weeks:

  • Judges 6:12 – “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’”
  • John 6:35 – “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
  • Matthew 9:37-38 – “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’” 

 

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, these are all of my thoughts, reflections, and things that have been on my heart and mind! I pray that God continues to bless you immensely and that you can look to God in everything you do! Not every moment of life can be happy, but every moment can be joyful because you have been given the gift of forgiveness and salvation by your Savior! Rest in the joy of Jesus!

 

Blessings,

Katie Gilkey 

Blog 4 – Dancing Through Academics

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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

Blog 3 – Classy Plassey

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Happy day, friends!

 

Holi cannoli! Can you believe it? I have been living in Ireland for a month, and may I say, I still love it just as much as I did when I got here the very first day! The living arrangements certainly help to make me feel at home, which is what I am thrilled to share with you in this blog! Thank you for your kindness in reading this, and I hope that it makes you thankful for the home that God has blessed you with! 

 

Speaking of “thankful”, I find myself silently thanking God for so many things every day! I really do believe that positivity is healing, and my gratitudes have kept me full of joy, even when harder moments have occurred! Here are some of my gratitudes from these past few weeks!

 

Three things I am grateful for: 

  1. Irish Dancing (it is a tremendously beautiful way to move the body)
  2. My Housemates (we go on adventures all the time, make memories, have ‘Gilmore Girls’ dinner nights, laugh, and just have loads of fun together) 
  3. Walking (it is such a blessing to have the ability to walk, to take in everything around, and enjoy physical activity in such a unique/individualized manner) 

 

My prompt for this blog focuses on my living arrangements in Limerick, and I am excited to share with you how I have made what could be seen as grotesque into something that has become home! 

 

My Accommodations:

  • I live on campus.
  • I live in a village.
  • I live with three gals and many bugs.
  • I live in a much more individualized environment than the housing at MLC. 

 

I don’t know if your brain is like this or not, but I most certainly am someone who needs to visualize my living space prior to arrival. Throughout my years of living in dorms, I always had a freak-out moment sometime in the summer when I needed to know exactly where my new room would be, what the setup would be, what my window would look out at, etc. I just like to have a game plan of how to make my new environment look like home and what I would want to pack to make it feel like home, you know?! Anyway, I had my annual-summer-mental-new-housing freak-out moment prior to coming to Ireland, and I decided to look up on the UL website what the housing arrangements looked like. I began to feel better about what I was seeing until I realized that there are 6 on-campus villages and 3 off-campus villages, and I did not know which village I would be living in! Umm, guys, that was a mega problem on aisle nine! But don’t fret…I figured it out! 😁

 

It just so happens that I have the incredible opportunity to live in Plassey Village, which is technically on campus, but the village is located just outside of the campus flagpoles. The village is filled with little houses that are connected together and placed along little stone streets. I totally feel like the outside aesthetic of the houses gives epic fairytale vibes! Hehe…sometimes I feel like Snow White walking to my cottage, trying to take shelter from a ton of rain! However, I do have to walk a fair distance to get to important places on campus. For example, for me to walk to the center of campus, I have to walk about 0.6 miles. For me to walk to any of my Irish dance classes, I have to walk about 1 mile (one direction). Needless to say, I am grateful for the ability to walk and for the time that I get to pray or be in deep thought as I make my way around campus! 

 

I am truly blessed. I have the opportunity to live with three amazing gals: Laura, Vanessa, and Eli! God is just so good! We all get along wonderfully, respect one another, have classes together, and love going on adventures together! I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to live with and to call my friends! The amount of love and support that we are able to give to one another fills my cup with so much joy! 

 

We do, however, have a few other friends that like to live with us as well…bees and spiders! We often find our flying friends in the kitchen with us, and I have learned to enjoy their spritely company as they buzz around the air and I buzz around making food! Our 8-legged friends, on the other hand, are much less liked. They come in a variety of sizes and are smashingly good at surprising us when we least expect it! 🙃 Most of the time, I freak out when there is a spider, and I could not be more thankful for Laura’s prompt and speedy spider-attacking abilities! Do not worry, though, we have now found a solution that has helped…peppermint oil on cotton balls! This leads to fewer emotional attacks on us and fewer physical attacks on the spiders. If you have a problem with this yourself, I highly recommend this tactic – “it is so choice”! I do still have one webbed friend that likes to live above my closet, but we have compromised. I have agreed to let him cohabitate in my room as long as he doesn’t move – we will see how long this lasts… 

 

Aside from my new friends and fairytale housing, it is pretty independent living. I have my own room with my own sink! Side note…this is a brilliant idea to have a sink in the room! It makes getting ready in the morning and at night SO much easier! Then, Vanessa and I share a bathroom on the second floor, and Laura and Eli have their rooms and bathroom on the first floor. Together, we share a kitchen and living room space on the second floor! We have the best times cooking and watching “Gilmore Girls” on the couch! This is much different from MLC, as we have individual rooms, only share a bathroom with one other person, have a sink in our rooms, only live in a building with four people total, cook for ourselves, and are fully responsible for our own lives with no one checking in on us. The one thing that is like MLC is the laundry room. We have one laundry room with three washers and three dryers for the entire village. I have had one too many kerfuffles while trying to do laundry here, and I miss having more machines and dryers – thank you MLC for providing machines that work a lot better than these! As usual, I am still VERY careful to not get concussed on the dryer door again… 

 

Overall, the living conditions are wonderful and I have put up Bible verses all over my room for decoration! It makes me feel so at home and I love having some space to myself! I thank God for allowing me to experience a more independent lifestyle where I can learn responsibilities that I would not get at MLC! 

 

These past few weeks have been extremely busy, but filled with so much life and vibrancy! Each day is a beautiful continuation of the day before and presents opportunities to talk to new people and form connections around the globe! There are an abundance of activities to do, places to serve, and people to interact with. Life here is real, raw, and ravishing. 

 

Highlights of my month in Ireland include: 

  1. I was accepted into the UL Global Ambassador’s Programme (I will be writing more blogs and hopefully making yoga/pilates videos to be posted on UL social media)
  2. Visiting Bunratty Castle and the Ring of Kerry (absolutely stunning sites) 
  3. Joining the Environmental Society 
  4. Beginning Irish Dance Classes (it is SO much harder than it looks)
  5. Seeing the amazing ways that Ireland stresses caring for the environment (sorting trash, litter picking, recycling bottles at the store, using reusable cups/bags, using paper towels that are on a roll and are fabric, etc.) 
  6. Teaching a lesson on past and present tense on the spot in my TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) class

 

Low-lights of my month in Ireland include: 

  1. Feeling very isolated and out of place in particular environments
  2. Getting on the wrong bus 
  3. Pain with dancing 

 

Learned Insights from the Low-lights: 

  1. Though there are particular moments of isolation or feeling like I don’t belong, these are the moments that provide me with opportunities to step out of my comfort zone and try to talk to people that I might not normally speak with! These are the moments that help to build my character, confidence, and my ever-growing perspective!
  2. There was a moment that my housemates and I got on the correct bus, but it was going the wrong direction. So, we had to stay on it for over an hour before the loop turned around and we could get back home! What was amazing about this experience was that we got to see all of Limerick and better familiarize ourselves with landmarks around the city! We also had the opportunity to meet a lovely lady who gave us lots of tips of beautiful places to visit while we are here! Truly a God wink! 
  3. It has been hard on my body to learn Irish Dancing. It is an exquisite way to move one’s body, but with my back and hip issues, I have been undergoing quite a bit of pain to dance in this manner. But I am finding joy in working on moving with a bit less passion so as not to aggravate my body further! This is something that will ultimately be a beneficial thing for me to learn as I continue to further my knowledge of living life with physical constraints. 

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

  • 1 John 5:12 – “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
  • 1 John 1:8-9 – “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 
  • John 14:6 – “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

 

With that, I have shared with you what has been on my heart and in my mind! This is a charming place and I am so grateful to be calling Plassey Village my home! God is so good and has been blessing every moment with His graces and mercies! Praise be to Him who forgives, loves, and gives eternal life! 

 

Many blessings to you now and always,

Katie Gilkey

Blog 2 – A Grand Beginning

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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 

Blog 1 – Awaiting Finding Myself

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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:

  1. Family and Friends (and their constant love and support).
  2. Technology (to help me stay connected to people all over the world).
  3. 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:

  1. Purchasing new luggage
  2. Thinking about what is to come and how to pack for a variety of experiences
  3. Meeting my University of Limerick buddy (Her name is Izzy!) 
  4. Spending special time with friends before leaving 
  5. Welcoming everyone back to the MLC campus as an RA 
  6. Writing this blog

Low-lights of my time preparing for Ireland include: 

  1. Being unsure of what to expect and packing accordingly
  2. Feeling lots of emotions about leaving my friends in my Senior year 
  3. Living out of a suitcase for two weeks before going to Ireland
  4. Missing family and friends 

Learned Insights from the Low-lights: 

  1. Nothing is permanent; this is temporary and not my forever.
  2. Being unsure of things can present an opportunity for low expectations and great surprises when I arrive.
  3. 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. 
  4. 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