3° Guarantee
As I approach the end of my study abroad experience, it is time to look back and reflect.
I am proud to say that I have lived in Ireland. I was able to attend a public university where I could study science and teaching. I learned how to get around a new city and discovered where my favorite places were. Through it all, God made sure I wasn’t alone.
I remember wanting to go to a public university. After sixteen years of Lutheran school, I wanted to know what something different was like. I am content with the taste I had. I feel more confident in my capability to succeed wherever I am.
When I first arrived in Limerick, I set my belongings in my room and joined a group of study abroad students who were going to find where the stores were. I was exhausted, but I went with them. The next day, I walked around with other people as they explored campus and the Stables Club (one of the pubs on campus). Everything felt isolated; here was a building, over there was a store. I felt so proud when I was able to walk around by myself and connect the dots of all the places I had seen. The longer I stayed the more I explored, and my mental map expanded. By the time I had visitors, I felt like this was my city.
My experience was a success, but I would have done a few things differently. I met two women in my ecology class with whom I wish I would have formed a study group. We sat next to each other in lecture and one was my lab partner. We would text about how we thought we did on the assignments, but I wish I would have asked them if we could have studied for exams together. There were times when I felt lost when it came to studying for my ecology exams. Having other people to share what they thought was important from the class would have helped me better prepare.
This semester needed to be low stress. I had been told that studying abroad brings a different kind of stress to your life because everything is new and different. To make sure I wasn’t pushing myself too hard, I took four classes, and joined one society. I was happy with the amount of classwork I had and I really enjoyed craft society, but I wonder if joining another society or club would have been a good idea. I would have had the time for it and I hopefully would have met more native Irish people.
Some of my projects I was able to work ahead on and turn in well before they were due. I was so proud of myself for that. There was one paper that caused me to struggle. I made a plan to work a little bit on the paper everyday for two weeks in order to finish it two weeks before it was due. Then, I would have my Easter break free and the week after to work on other papers or assignments. My plan did not work. I became very lonely when the time to work on the paper arrived. I was sad and unmotivated. I could not get myself to work on the paper before Easter. After Easter, it was so hard to work on the paper since it had been causing me stress for multiple weeks. Finally, I started researching and writing. I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning three nights in a row because that seemed to be the only time I could sit down and work on it. I wish I had started the paper early, but it is finished now.
Life in Limerick is a little different than at home. There are some little things that I can take from life here and incorporate them back at home. I have really come to like sticky toffee pudding while I have been here. I even start comparing all the different versions that I have tried and rank them (the little microwave versions from Aldi are very good). I would like find a recipe I like for sticky toffee pudding and make it at home. I have also enjoyed drinking tea here. I have tried for a long time to get myself to like tea, and I think I am finally learning how I like it. I would like to drink more tea at home and even get a yellow tea pot.
Craft society was a great way for me to create things while I was without many of my craft supplies. I love making things. Sometimes I wanted so badly just to make something whether that be jewelry, crochet, sewing, scrapbooking, or something else. I think it would be really cool if I could start a craft club at MLC to help other people take a break from their day and make something fun.
My fellow MLC study abroad travelers shared how they want to explore more of what is around them when they get back home. I feel like my parents were good at showing my brother and me what there was to do and see around us growing up. I remember talking with my mom about where cute places to go with my friends for lunch would be, and she had many ideas of local spots. I would like to keep learning about what my city has to offer when I go back home. I am sure there is more to see.
God has blessed me in so many ways while I have been abroad. I am very grateful for the people he has put in my life. My family, friends, and boyfriend have been very supportive throughout my time here. My ecology friends have been great, my housemates have all been nice, my International Study Abroad group has been fun to hangout with, and it has been wonderful to spend time with Wibke. Wibke helped to encourage me, pushed me to try to things, and taught me a little bit about Germany. Going on walks with Wibke has been one of my favorite parts of studying abroad.
God has made so many events work out well for me here. One of my favorite examples of this was Easter. My family had visited me before Easter, but needed to be back home for Easter Day. I was feeling lonely and most of the university students were gone traveling. Wibke texted me on Easter and asked if I wanted to go on a walk. I had thought that she was still gone traveling but she was back! We went on a walk, chatted, and were able to celebrate Easter in our own fun way.
Another way that God was working in my life was through our International Study Abroad trip to Dublin. There are four of us women studying in Limerick who are part of the International Study Abroad program. We went with the others who are studying in Galway and Dublin on a trip to Dublin. Through that trip I started talking with Elizabeth. A few weeks later she texted and asked if I wanted to get lunch with her. At lunch, we talked about different places we wanted to go. We both wanted to visit London, so we planned a trip to go together. That trip to London also allowed me see Kendra, a fellow MLC study abroad traveler.
My friend Zoe is studying abroad this semester as well. Part of her program was a study trip to Dublin. She was able to purchase a later flight back and stay a little longer in Dublin. We were able to spend a few days together which was probably my favorite part of my time in Ireland. Our schedules are alining again so that I will be able to visit her soon in Sweden.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to study abroad. I encourage others to study abroad if they can. Some important thoughts to keep in mind when thinking of studying abroad are to plan ahead, lean on your support group, put the effort in with your studies, and let yourself relax.
It is helpful to start planning for studying abroad early. I picked up a booklet about different places to study abroad with the International Study Abroad (ISA) program my first week as a freshman at MLC. ISA is not the only way you can study abroad. There are many other programs and you can even apply to study abroad directly with the school you want to attend. If you want to have more group activities planned for you, ISA could be a good option for you. If you would like to set your own travel plans, applying to the university directly might be a good option. Either way, start planning early so you have the most flexibility with what classes you can take abroad. It can be hard to find classes that transfer in place of your required classes, so planning early lets you have the most options.
Never be afraid to lean on your support group. It is completely okay to call home, talk with your friends and family. They will want to know about what exciting things you have been learning and seeing. They can also help to make you feel better when you are feeling down. You will find people you can talk with while you are abroad. They will be a good support system as well, but don’t forget to check in with your parents and let them know you are alright. Your support group also includes God. Read your Bible and continue praying while you are abroad. God is taking care of you no matter where you are.
Studying abroad is exciting. You meet new people, see new sights, but remember you also get to learn so many new things. Try to be excited about all the classes you are taking abroad, even when the big papers and exams come. You are here to learn and your classes abroad can teach you so much. You will be happy you put in the effort.
Let yourself breathe. Try not to over schedule yourself while studying abroad. You will need time to go to class, study, eat, do laundry, hangout with friends, and travel. You want to make the most of your time abroad, but that might not mean doing everything all at once. Much of your time will be spent out of your comfort zone and in your learning zone. You will even surpass your learning zone and enter your panic zone a few times. It is perfectly okay to take a break from your learning zone and go back to your comfort zone every once in a while. If you enter your panic zone, I encourage you to go back into your comfort zone and try to process what happened for a little while. You are already in a new country where everything is different. Challenge yourself, but don’t push yourself too hard.
How was my forecast from my “Playing Weatherman” post?
- More confidence and patience
- Pictures of Limerick, the Cliffs of Moher, and Blarney Castle
- Classes about ecology, music, psychology, and teaching
- Periods of being lost and lonely
- A successful trip because I saw the places on my Need To See List, made new friends, passed my classes, and came back with an Irish accent
3° Guarantee:
- More confidence (and hopefully more patience)
- Lots of pictures of Limerick, the Cliffs of Moher, and many other places. I did not make it to Blarney Castle, but I saw two other castles (Bunratty Castle and King John’s Castle)
- Classes about ecology, psychology, and teaching, but not music
- I did get lost and I was lonely
- It was a successful trip, I made friends, I think I passed my classes, no accent though
I am so happy with my decision to study abroad. The University of Limerick in Ireland was a great choice for me. I have enjoyed what I have been learning, I experienced what I wanted to, I saw the beautiful country, and met new people. I have become more openminded and more confident in my abilities. God has blessed me so much through this experience. Thank you to everyone who has supported me through this, especially Mom and Dad. I love you. Thank you!
Easter In Limerick
Today was a very rainy day. It started raining last night and kept going until the afternoon. It cleared up for a little bit, then it went back to raining. In the evening, it stopped. When it wasn’t raining in the afternoon, the sun came out and I even saw a rainbow. It was a beautiful Easter rainbow reminding me of God’s promise to never flood the whole world again.
God always keeps his promises. As soon as Adam and Eve sinned, God promised that he would send a Savior. That Savior would defeat the devil, pay for the consequences of all the sins ever committed, and win eternal life in heaven for everyone who believes in him. Today, we celebrate that God kept that promise. At Christmas, we celebrate that God sent his son, Jesus, to earth as man and God to live a perfect life as our substitute. On Good Friday, we remember that Jesus needed to die in our place as payment for our sins. Doing wrong has consequences. The consequences for not listening to what God commands is death. Jesus needed to die to make that payment for sin. On Easter, we celebrate that Jesus dying as the payment for the sins of the whole world was not the end, Jesus came back to life. He showed that he has power over sin because he paid for it. He has power over the devil because he fixed the relationship between God and his people. The devil no longer has power over God’s people because all the work needed to be done for their forgiveness is completed. Jesus showed that he has power over death because he came alive again after dying. We have the promise from God that because Jesus became alive again, after we die, we will live eternally in heaven. There will be no more sadness, pain, or death in heaven. There will be joy and peace because we are with our God who loves us.
One way that I was reminded of God’s love today, was by all the people he has put in my life. I was able to stream my home church service. I was able to share in the joy of Jesus coming back to life by texting my friends and calling my family. I was even able to share some of my Easter traditions with my good friend, Wibke.
Wibke and I went for a walk during the afternoon when it stopped raining. We each ate a piece of chocolate cake, she purchased from the store, as my egg bake was in the oven. The egg bake still needed more time in the oven, so I shared with Wibke Easter candy from the United States, like jellybeans and Peeps (thanks Mom and Dad for the candy). The egg bake still wasn’t done, so we went for a walk, drank some tea, and sampled some of my hard boiled eggs. Finally, my mini egg bake was ready to eat. It was fun to be able to share some food from home with Wibke.
I miss all my people back at home. I know that I am very blessed to be here in Ireland studying and seeing the country. I am excited to finish up my studies here, see a few more sites, and be home in a month.
Happy Easter! Christ is Risen!
Puerto Ricans in London
I expected that upon coming to London, I would learn a lot about UK culture, and I have. I am proud of the way I have changed to fit in and become comfortable with the way of life in England. However, I am even more impressed with the changes that have occurred in my relationship with my own culture. I have grown to understand the American culture and the ways it differs from that of Europe.
Most of all, I am proud of how I have grown in my relationship with Puerto Rican and Latin American culture. I have always tried to stay in touch with my culture by learning Spanish and spending time with other Latinos when I can, but the only other Puerto Ricans that I have ever been close to have been my family.
I was placed with my flatmates randomly, and Karla just happened to be one of them. She was born and raised in San Juan, and is as Puerto Rican as you can get. We immediately had something in common and quickly became friends.
Since then, we have had many conversations about our culture, the aspects that we share, and those that we don’t. We have discovered a part of our culture together by going to salsa classes. Karla has pointed out things about me that I never would have attributed to being Puerto Rican, but very well could be a product of culture. She has taught me a ton, and I have taught her a few things. On just the surface level, we speak the same language and have the same comfort foods, but culture goes a lot deeper than that.
Our other American flatmates have commented on more than one occasion how gracious of a hostess Karla is. No matter how briefly someone enters our flat, they are always offered juice, water, or coffee at least once. As it is with most Latinos, her family is the most important thing in the world to her. Not only that, but family doesn’t just mean blood. In Puerto Rico, any older person in your life can be your grandma or your aunt.
I know a lot about Puerto Rican culture, and I am learning more every day, but there are some things I will never fully understand. We don’t really learn about the history of PR or its status in relation to the United States government in school, but the topic is on the minds of many Puerto Rican residents. The trauma of living through Hurricane Maria still lives in the cultural memory of the island, and they still deal with random blackouts in electricity. I can sympathize and listen, but I will never know what that’s like.
This week, I joined Karla on a trip to Italy with her brother and some of their friends. They are all very nice, and I’ve had a great time, but it hasn’t been without its difficulties. Even though I am also Puerto Rican, I am decidedly the cultural minority in the group because I didn’t grow up on the island. My Spanish serves me well, but it’s not perfect. There have been times when I’ve been lost. It’s not a good feeling to sit at a table with a group of people talking and laughing and not being able to understand or contribute. I have to remind myself that it’s ok to make mistakes and ask questions, and I’ve learned a lot in just a few days.
This experience has opened my eyes to how so many people must feel. I have so much admiration for Karla and other international students I know who use their second language all day. It can be exhausting and frustrating. I felt so grateful whenever someone noticed that I was confused and took a second to explain something to me.
It was totally by accident that Karla and I even met, but I couldn’t be more glad that we did. Not only because of how much I’ve grown but because she is an amazing flatmate and friend.
Culture Chat
Living in Ireland has shown me many differences between the American culture, which I am used to, and the Irish culture. I have been able to talk through some of these difference with my good friend, Wibke. She is from Germany, which allows her to see the culture here from a different perspective. We found that the cultural topics we talked about the most where food, clothing, and transportation.
Food
Wibke was telling me, that in Germany, they have three main meals and a time in the day to have a warm drink and bread and cake for special occasions. I am used to having three main meals in my day as well. That is common in American culture. When I was a kid, we had snack time at 3:00pm. That was the best time of the day. We would get home from school and have a snack with Mom before starting our homework. My favorite snack times were when it was cold and snowy out so Mom would heat up water with the kettle on the stove for hot chocolate. As I have been getting older, snack time is not very consistent. I would say that this is a difference between our two cultures, but I would be very happy to adopt this bread break into my afternoons.
We also shared how our lunches are different. I am used to lunch being a sandwich or some sort of cold lunch. I do not exclusively have a cold lunch, sometimes I will eat something warm, but most of the time, supper is the meal I put the most effort into making. I have a warm supper that is usually larger and takes longer to make than my lunch. Wibke is used to lunch being a warm and larger meal. Bread is eaten with most of her meals and potatoes are a common addition in her house.
In Ireland, bread and potatoes are very common for meals. One time, I ordered garlic breaded chicken and they gave me mashed sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and chips (french fries) also. Tea is also a very popular drink in Ireland while ground coffee is less popular (I miss ground coffee. I am tiring of instant coffee and going out for an espresso drink is expensive.)
Clothing
It is hard to miss the clothing differences between the Irish people my ago and the people my ago back home. There is almost a uniform for Irish guys: athletic pants, a sports shirt, and the standard Irish guy haircut often called a fade cut (this is of course not a haircut exclusive to the Irish, it is just very popular). The day time outfits for Irish gals has a little more variety. The going out outfits are the most interesting. Guys will were almost the same thing in the day as they will when going out to the pub or club. The gals will put on their fake tan, eyelash extensions, and short bodycon (formfitting) skirts and dresses before heading to the pub and club.
In Irish culture, they are very conformist in the way they dress. This is different in German and American cultures. Trends are still very popular in both, but people are more open to express different senses of style. The German people may be better dressed though. In Ireland and the United States, people will wear athletic clothes as every day wear instead of solely for athletics. In Germany, it is more common for athletic clothes to be worn solely for athletics.
Transportation
I use the bus a lot more in Ireland than I ever did in the United States. I rode a school bus to school as Wibke did in Germany, but that stopped as soon as I went to high school. In the United States, a person can acquire a drivers license at the age of 16. It is very common for 16 year olds to be driving to school in the United States. In Ireland, a person needs to be 17 years old before a drivers license can be acquired. In Germany, the age is 18. This means that taking public transportation to school is much more common in Ireland and Germany. When I need to get somewhere, I drive. When Wibke needs to get somewhere, she will most often bike. Americans drive more than Europeans because the gas is almost half the cost and many areas are not made to support walking or biking as a primary form of transportation.
I hope you enjoyed learning a few of the cultural differences and similarities that I have noticed. Let me know if there are any other topics you would like me to learn more about or share.
Looking Back and Forward
Study abroad is only four or five months, so it’s important to be intentional. Everyone I’ve met talks about making the most of their time in Europe. They want to travel as much as possible, make as many friends as possible, and have as much fun as possible. But it’s not just about doing the most; it’s about working toward your goals systematically. I know that I can’t just live willy-nilly and expect to have a feeling of closure at the end.
Now that I have reached the halfway point of my time in London, I want to look back at how far I have come. Altogether, I am immensely proud of my growth in the past few months. I came to another country by myself and have managed to build a full life. I have balanced academics, a social life, and everything that comes with living in a big city. Not everything has been easy and life is stressful at times, but I’ve made it my goal to push through and enjoy every moment.
One of my goals before leaving was to widen my political and social viewpoint. One of the biggest roadblocks in communication is the inability of one party to see things from the point of view of the other. By living among people from another culture and country, I have become acquainted with their point of view. I have seen their reaction to the pandemic, worker strikes, and the crisis in Ukraine. With my knowledge about world events coming from multiple sources, I have formed more well-rounded views. And even when I don’t agree, I have developed the important skill of staying civil and finding common ground where there seems to be none.
I don’t want to make it sound as though study abroad is all sunshine and rainbows. It is true that my experience has been overwhelmingly positive, but there are some regrets and things I want to do differently in the future. The culture in England makes it tough to reach out and make friends with locals because they can seem quite cold towards strangers. However, most are very nice when you get to know them a bit. Going forward, I want to talk to more locals. It would be a shame to live in London for five months and not do my best to get to know the Londoners. They are the people who make the city what it is.
Because of the way classes are structured in the UK, I only have a week of actual instruction left. After that we have a few months to turn in our final essays. However, I have a class that starts in the second half of the spring semester. The classes I have had were enjoyable, but I will admit that I did not always give 100% effort. Sometimes if I was tired or didn’t feel like talking I didn’t participate much in class. During the next few months as my last class starts, I want to really engage with the material and apply it. My teachers are experts in the material, so I want to really utilize them as a resource and be an active student as much as I can.
My third goal for the second half of my time in London is to be more intentional about my time. I want to make more of an effort to plan out my days and weeks in advance. This will allow me to get more done and have more time for everything I need to get done. I have implemented a no-phone-in-the-morning rule. I set two alarms: one to wake up, and one for an hour later. At the first one, I wake up and start my day; and I am not allowed to check my phone until the second one goes off. So now, instead of wasting an hour on Instagram in the morning, I have that hour to get ready and start my day off on the right foot.
I knew that the UK education system was different before I came to London, but it was different in a way that I didn’t expect. I had an idea in my head that British school was formal and stiff and serious. The reality is actually the opposite. Most university instructors are simultaneously conducting their own research or pursuing PhDs. They are called by their first names. There is also less pressure to attend class and a lot of students don’t seem to put a lot of effort into their studies. This threw me off at first because it made me feel like I stood out for participating in class, but I now understand that classes are more casual because of the emphasis on independent study.
Something that I didn’t expect to improve on, but did, is my general life skills. I go grocery shopping every week, I cook all my own meals, I navigate public transportation, and I make all those little decisions that are necessary every day. This has also improved my confidence because I know that I can be independent and live on my own.
I have undergone many changes in opinion in the past few months, but my opinion of myself has changed the most. When I was totally in my comfort zone, I never had a reason to have a strong personal identity. Now that I am among people who are different than me, I know who I am. I am an American, I am studying teaching, and most importantly, I am a Christian. I am sure that without being strong in these truths, and unashamed of them, I would not have the confidence or drive that I have now.