Posted By: Career Enrichment Network
Content contributed by Maddison Rhoa, double majoring in English and History, minoring in International Studies. Maddison spent last Spring in Galway, Ireland.
I was on Arcadia’s National University of Ireland, Galway program. It was important to me to go to Ireland, but more specifically Galway, because I have grown up with an appreciation for Irish culture and have had the opportunity to study Irish history, literature, music, and culture even before I left for my study abroad trip. Galway was the cultural and artistic center of Ireland, making it an enriching learning experience for me. As a writer and musician, I found that Galway strengthened my skills – I was surrounded by like-minded people every day. There are so many incredible places to study in Ireland, but my decision was made by talking to Irish people before choosing my program – the vast majority of them said they’d always choose Galway over Dublin because they felt I’d get a more authentic Irish experience in Galway.
I chose the Spring semester of 2015 because I reasoned that returning to the United States would be easier in the summer rather than the winter. I could have more time to myself without the pressure of an approaching semester to re-assimilate myself to American culture. The stress of returning from an amazing semester abroad and only having a few weeks to transition back before school started up again seemed like a surefire way to dive straight into reverse culture shock.
I was open to making new friendships, especially with Irish students and locals. Because of the friendships I established, my Irish friends helped me explore their beautiful country by advising me where I should travel and even inviting me to spend the weekend at home with them. As a result, I found that talking to locals around Galway was more rewarding than joining school clubs or organizations. I learned a lot simply by engaging with local culture, customs, and traditions rather than pushing myself to become involved with a specific group or cause.
Studying abroad made me realize that the negative stereotypes associated with English and History majors are a localized problem. In America, when I tell someone my career goals involve writing, I often get a negative response because writers are not often as appreciated as other areas of study and work. In Ireland, when I was asked what I wanted to do after I finished college, I always glazed over the fact that I wanted to be a writer because I assumed I’d receive the same negative response as I did in America. However, the Irish surprised me by showing genuine support and interest when I admitted that my real goals involved writing as a career. This gave me the confidence to pursue my interests wholeheartedly without caring what other people think about my chosen goals. I received Enrichment Funding for my study abroad experience.
My advice to someone thinking about studying abroad would be to choose a destination you have a genuine interest in – the more passion you have, the better. Do research and educate yourself about the culture and the location at least a year before you go. The more you know about the culture, the more respect you’ll receive when you arrive. Don’t simply go to a place because it “looks cool” or because that’s where your friends are going; go to a place because you want to become a part of that society, not just a visitor.
Studying in Galway made me realize that there is so much to be studied abroad that I don’t get to study in America. I took classes that were new and interesting to me because I was allowed to think outside the narrow box of what is usually prescribed for American students to study.
Though it is very difficult to choose just one experience that impacted me, I was delighted to arrive in Galway and make so many new friends and acquaintances simply because I had a solid knowledge base about Irish culture before I arrived. This made conversation run smoothly and also allowed an intercultural exchange to happen between both parties. Ireland gets a lot of American television and music, so they are very aware of American culture, but they rarely meet Americans who are well-versed in Irish culture. They were flattered to meet an American who had such an interest in their small country that it helped me make some very strong friendships while abroad. I wouldn’t have traded that for anything. Mutual respect is very important and opened a million different doors to me while living in Ireland.
Interested in studying abroad next Spring? Spring applications are due May 1st. All Liberal Arts students studying or interning abroad are eligible for Enrichment Funding. To learn more, please schedule an appointment via Network Symplicity or email Jackie Smith,Global Experiences Coordinator (jds54@psu.edu)