Reflecting on Study Abroad

When I was applying for college four years ago, I knew I wanted to study abroad during my time in university. I’ve had the opportunity and privilege to travel outside of the United States with my family before, and I knew travel was both exciting and enriching for me. My longest trip abroad was spending two weeks in Istanbul, Turkey in the summer of 2023 with my family. Experiencing ancient historical sites and navigating the language and culture of a city were such interesting experiences. Spending a longer period of time in another country stoked my passion for travel and further confirmed my plans to study abroad during college.

I initially planned to study abroad in Italy during the spring semester of my junior year, but I ended up waiting until my senior fall semester. I was drawn to IES Abroad’s Dublin Writers’ Program because I study literature and writing at my home university, and I’ve wanted to travel to Ireland for years. I felt some anxiety doing a semester abroad during my final year of college, but I knew it would be an incredibly meaningful experience and I would regret it if I didn’t go. 

Like many Americans visiting Ireland for the first time, I had a romantic image in my head of rolling green hills, ancient castles, and standing by dramatic cliff views. To be fair, I did see all of those things during my semester abroad, but I also experienced so much more than the tourist image of Ireland. Living in Dublin City Centre gave me an up-close view of real life in the city, the beautiful and the ugly. Through my classes and exploration of Ireland’s historical sites, I gained a much deeper understanding of the history, culture, and stories of Ireland and their legacy on the island today. 

Academics at the IES Abroad Centre were a highlight of my experience. Stephen, the Writers’ Program Coordinator, is an incredibly welcoming, kind, and funny presence throughout the semester. Always willing to share a travel recommendation or a story of his own, he was a wonderful professor and guide to studying in Ireland. My favorite classes were my Contemporary Irish Film class, my photography class, and my Irish History and Politics class. I really enjoyed how all of our classes focused heavily on exploring the history, art, and culture of Ireland through different disciplines and perspectives. 

I became very familiar with the rest of the Writers’ Program, as the group of us took classes together and all lived in the same apartment building. Unlike other study abroad programs, Writers’ Program students don’t take classes at Irish universities, which limited my exposure to Irish people my age. This just meant I had to push myself outside of my comfort zone to meet more people. I made some good friends in the Writers’ Program, and also made close friends in the internship program. Because all of the IES Abroad Dublin students lived in the same apartment complex, it was easy to build a sense of community in my living space.

Saying goodbye to Dublin was difficult. Living by myself in a new city taught me a lot about myself and made me feel more prepared for life after graduation. I also found new connections and relationships in Ireland that I plan to keep building. My semester in Dublin was truly transformative and I miss it so much already!