What is one piece of advice you'd give future students traveling with your program?
Andrea: Always stay positive and keep an open mind. It is easy to get homesick, whether it lasts for a few hours or a few days, but always try to focus on the incredible opportunities in front of you! Put yourself out there, make new friends, and explore new places even if it feels awkward at first. Do as much as you can, see as much as you can, and don’t worry about what’s going on at home. Your family and friends will be waiting when you return, and they’ll want to hear all about your adventures so make sure you have some great ones!
Tell us about an experience you had that you could not have had at home.
Andrea: I could not have traveled as much as I did, met as many amazing people as I did, or have become as independent if I hadn’t chosen to study abroad. I was able to travel to eight different countries, while I was living in Dublin. I met people from all over the world, and formed lifelong friendships.
Being able to travel throughout Europe so cheaply and learning to navigate countries where English wasn’t the main language, was probably the greatest experience for me. It forced me outside of my comfort zone and taught me so much about other cultures that I would’ve never been able to fully understand without physically being present.
For me, traveling taught me to find the positives in everything and to become much more patient. Even when everything is going wrong and you’re in a country where it seems like you can’t communicate with anyone, you’re still having an amazing once-in-a-lifetime adventure and you are quickly humbled by the helpfulness and kindness shown by complete strangers.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Andrea: Studying abroad opened my eyes to new places and cultures and taught me how to deal with and find the fun in drastic changes and changing environments. I became much more confident in my abilities to function and thrive in these new environments with people that I shared little in common with.
When I returned from my trip, I just wanted to find ways to keep traveling and interacting with people who were as inspired by travel as I was. I got a job as a global ambassador with my university’s study abroad office, in hopes of inspiring other people to take advantage of similar opportunities. In the future, I hope to go to grad school and find employment overseas, as well.
Describe your favorite must-have food that you tried abroad.
Andrea: Rashers! Rashers are similar to Canadian bacon but infinitely more delicious. I was mostly a vegetarian before I went to Ireland, but their pork and beef is simply wonderful. Before leaving home, I heard a lot of rumors about Irish food being bland and consisting of nothing more than meat and potatoes. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There are so many amazing places to eat in Dublin, and nearly everything is incredibly fresh and locally grown. As a Nutrition major, I was in heaven.
Do you feel you got a chance to see the city from a local's perspective?
Andrea: Absolutely. Irish people are so kind, inviting, and willing to share their culture and country with you. Just being able to make friends and have them show you their favorite places and secret spots is an awesome way to get familiar with the city, but the trips that we took with Arcadia were also an enormous help.
We spent a weekend in a town called Gorey in County Wexford, which was entirely planned and arranged by Arcadia. We stayed with an Irish family during this time and were able to get a true “Irish experience”. My host parents took me on a tour of the town, made me a full Irish breakfast, and spent time just talking with me and teaching me about their heritage. It was definitely one of the highlights of my trip.