{"id":2658,"date":"2025-12-15T16:05:48","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T16:05:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/?p=2658"},"modified":"2025-12-15T16:05:48","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T16:05:48","slug":"the-end-of-the-rainbow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/2025\/12\/15\/the-end-of-the-rainbow\/","title":{"rendered":"The End of the Rainbow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oh boy, where to even start. As I sit here, munching on cold noodles and procrastinating on my finals, it\u2019s strange to think that I\u2019ve already been here for 11 weeks. Guys, I go home <\/span>next week. <\/span><\/i>I would say that the semester flew by, but it\u2019s honestly been a real trek. Some parts speeding by in the left lane, yet others sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the freeway. Anywho, let\u2019s get into it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Firstly, I would say that I\u2019m proud of myself. This semester has been hard in many ways, but honestly, so rewarding. I\u2019ve learned so much about myself and what I am capable of doing if I put my mind to it. I started off the semester knowing no one and feeling completely overwhelmed, and now here I am \"\"taking random solo side quests into Dublin for fun. Side note, why are second-hand stores here basically all consignment stores? What does it take for a girl to find a good thrift store that isn\u2019t curated and generally overpriced? Just something to add to the list of things that I miss about home, I guess\u2026 Anywho, I\u2019m just generally so proud of how much my independence and confidence have grown over this semester. I have grown to enjoy commutes and reclaim my love of looking out the window and generally just observing the world around me. I\u2019ve spent lovely hours walking around Maynooth and Dubli<\/span>n with no real goal in mind, changing direction when I fancy and popping into places that pique my interest. I\u2019ve enjoyed the time spent with my own thoughts, especially as I have become more and more comfortable with public transport. When I first got here and started using buses and trains, I would worry from the time I planned out my trip to the time that I got back to my apartment that something would go wrong. Now I\u2019m actually able to enjoy it without constantly fretting that I missed my stop or that I got on the wrong bus. (Please enjoy the festive lights of Stephen’s Green Shopping Center, the final destination of one of my solo adventures.)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That all being said, the semester hasn\u2019t necessarily been what I expected it to be. Do I wish that I had pushed myself to use public transportation sooner? Or forced myself to use some of my time more wisely rather than wallowing in my room? Yes and yes, but I can\u2019t go back and change the past. All I can do is be introspective and learn from those experiences by making different choices in the future. Of course, that is easier said than done, and I would be lying if I said that I haven\u2019t already antagonized over certain things, but I have to look at it with a more positive attitude. Make small and purposeful changes, and the results will encourage me to continue the journey. As a small example, the other day, I had planned to stop in my professor\u2019s office to discuss an exam, but I was really dreading it and was seriously considering just winging the exam . Once I actually got to the meeting, however, it turned into an hour-long conversation that simultaneously answered all my questions about the impending exam and was a genuinely great chat. Choosing things that are initially difficult or challenging is not one’s natural instinct, but they really are the most rewarding in the end. That is something that I will always remember, especially after this semester.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There are many things that I\u2019ve learned over the past few months, and I hope to incorporate many of those things into my \u201cnormal life\u201d back home. I\u2019ve had such a great time starting new healthy habits- being intentional about being physically active every day, beyond my regular movement to and from class, listening to sermons while I\u2019m on my walks, giving myself brain breaks by painting rather than scrolling, and generally making small but difficult steps in order to meet my goals. I\u2019ve also enjoyed embracing my own style and artistic eye while I\u2019ve been abroad, picking up art that intrigues me and experimenting with outfits that have been out of my comfort zone in the past. On top of that, catch me embracing scarves and tote bags. I\u2019ve realized that I am my biggest critic and that I should make an effort to impress myself and quit worrying about what other people think of my outfits. Spoiler alert to all the self-conscious people out there, no one is looking at you; they\u2019re just worrying about how they look. Kind of a vicious cycle, huh? (And boom, my artist rendition of a Dublin bus breaking into a splatter painting.)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been grateful for the opportunity to experience the world through a whole new lens. A foreigner with practically no connections, except for a shared language and roommates I’ve just met. That sounds drastic, but it was honestly quite scary at times, especially near the beginning, as I was learning to navigate this unfamiliar culture. I\u2019ve found that my empathy for people, especially immigrants, has grown. It\u2019s so easy to become frustrated with people who don\u2019t already know how to do something that seems so simple to you, yet once one gets just a glimpse of what life is like in their shoes, the importance of patience and kindness becomes so clear. I\u2019ve been blessed to have interacted with so many nice and patient people during my time here in Ireland. God has truly blessed me by giving me experiences that expand my limits, while still keeping me safe. This semester has taught me to take a breath and rely on him. Your computer just broke, and you got here last week\u2026 it\u2019ll be alright. You\u2019re feeling overwhelmed by your schedule planning\u2026it\u2019ll work out eventually. Oh no, the machine ate your \u00a350 bill\u2026 it\u2019s ok, you\u2019ll get it back. You missed your train\u2026there\u2019ll be another. Problems feel less and less major when you look at the bigger picture. God has got this. It sounds cringey, but God is bigger than the world, and he has your best interests in mind, always. I know that I will always struggle with worrying, but God has refocused my life this semester. Don\u2019t sweat it, it\u2019ll all work out in the end. May as well just laugh it off and keep going.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If I were to give advice to those thinking about studying abroad, I would say to just try it. Push yourself to try new things even if they seem scary. Be the person to initiate interactions. Allow yourself to be \"\"\u201cawkward\u201d in order to create connections and forge friendships. I\u2019m not saying to always say yes. In fact, if you ever feel at all uncomfortable about something, trust yourself. Say no, turn around, call a friend, whatever, don\u2019t just go along with it because you think that you\u2019re overthinking it. Chances are that your gut is right. Another thing I would say is to explore as much as you can. I understand that finances can be tight and one cannot afford to be travelling somewhere every weekend, but take any opportunity you have. Explore the city where you\u2019re studying and the country. Look for the small details that people often miss. Let yourself relax. Find a hobby to explore. Don\u2019t let the fomo- fear of missing out- both abroad and back home bring you down. Don\u2019t feel like your experience is worthless because you aren\u2019t constantly doing something \u201cexciting\u201d. Finally, give yourself grace. You\u2019re in a whole other country, learning to live life while also doing school. Jesus loves you, and he gives you the strength to keep going even through the tough days. (A cozy scene that I snapped a picture of while on one of my walks. I love the stained glass!!!)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Whoa, this is a long one, I know, but it feels good to get all of that onto proverbial paper. I\u2019ve experienced so much this semester, and grown in ways that I didn\u2019t even know I was capable. I know that I will miss the environment I\u2019ve grown accustomed to, but I look forward to sitting on my final flight back home after finishing my finals and reuniting with my family in person for Christmas. I just have a few finals, a couple papers, and a connecting flight in Amsterdam to get through before I can feel that peace. Wish me luck. ANYWHO, I gotta hit the hay and prepare for my American History exam. Who knew that American History class would be harder in Ireland??? Not to mention creating my very own *copy paper version* Irish manuscript\u2026 Yeah, your girl\u2019s gonna be busy this week. Crossing my fingers that my bag isn\u2019t overweight\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Peace and love!<\/span><\/p>\n

Mathilde<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oh boy, where to even start. As I sit here, munching on cold noodles and procrastinating on my finals, it\u2019s strange to think that I\u2019ve already been here for 11 weeks. Guys, I go home next week. I would say that the semester flew by, but it\u2019s honestly been a real trek. Some parts speeding […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7Lhdr-GS","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2658"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2658"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2658\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2669,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2658\/revisions\/2669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/study-abroad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}