I am a rising junior at Boston College and I am going abroad to Dublin, Ireland for the Fall semester. Although I have been to Dublin before for vacation, I have very different expectations about what my study abroad experience will be like.
I chose to study in Dublin because I want to learn more about Irish history and Irish culture. I was naturally drawn to Ireland because a lot of my family heritage is rooted there, but I don’t actually know a lot about the country itself. I am excited to be able to experience a foreign culture and I also can’t wait to meet other Irish students and be able to compare what it’s like to be a college student in America versus in Ireland.
Although I am excited about studying abroad, I am also nervous. I have never been away from my family or friends for an extended period of time, so I know I will get homesick at times. One of the reasons I chose to go abroad is because I feel like it will help me get out of my comfort zone. I’m definitely nervous about living in a foreign country on my own, but I think it will help me become more independent. I am also terrible at making decisions, but I am confident that living alone while studying abroad will help me change that weakness into a skill.
I am looking forward to seeing how the academic system works in Ireland compared to the United States. Will the classes be more or less difficult? Will the amount of work be the same or different? Will I be able to understand the Irish brogue of my professors during lectures? I still have so many questions and I can’t wait to find out the answers.
I am most excited about getting to travel to different parts of Europe while I am abroad since it is so easy to travel there. I obviously want to travel around different parts of Ireland first, but I would also love to go to Germany, Amsterdam, or England if possible. I am hoping to experience as much as possible during my time abroad and I can’t wait to see where this journey will take me.
I have so many different expectations about studying abroad right now and I wonder if my expectations will match my study abroad experience. I don’t know for sure, but I can’t wait to see what this adventure has in store.
Sources:
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