I made it, I finished it, and I'm proud of it

Being the first black student in my family to study abroad and also live/work in Dublin Ireland for 3 1/2 months was an eye opening and worthwhile experience. At first I didn't have the vision to study abroad because I didn't believe there was anything for me by doing so. When I was encourage by several staff members and family, I finished the application in two weeks, received plenty of help financially, and the staff when I got to Dublin were incredibly welcoming. I took 5 classes, did a 15 hour a week internship, and still had time to plan day trips to parks, theaters, local museums, and galleries, absorbing and really interacting with the culture. It was incredible to be able to travel so easily to Europe (Where I spent 4 days in Rome) and meet people from around the world even on a tight budget. The IES program is really dedicated to seeing students succeed and feel safe, empowered, and open-minded. I'm proud to have made the choice to go abroad for a short time and I want to reach out to other ethnically underrepresented students to do the same. It's worth it!

Here's a mini-summary of my field trip to Northern Ireland. I stayed in Portrush in a nice hotel with my classmates for the weekend along with two advisers. Day one we went to Belfast and took a trip through the museum and learned about the history of the titanic. That same night we ate at a local restaurant and had fresh food and desserts delivered to our seats and got a chance to interact with the locals. The next day we went to Carrick-a-rede rope bridge and crossed over to a small island, took a tour of the 400 year old Bushmills Distillery, and visited The Giants Causeway. The last day, Sunday, we went to Dunluce Castle, Castlewellan Forest Park and Peace Maze, and arrived back in Dublin Sunday evening. There's plenty to do in Ireland, if you're willing to make the first step by getting there.