Galway Girl :)

Right when I left my hometown for my second program of my Gap year, Ed Sheeran's new song Glaway Girl had just hit the charts. I couldn't help but tell my friends how they will have a true Galway Girl in their midst when I returned in three months. I had always wanted to visit the Emerald Isle, however, had never had the chance until I stumbled across Irish Gap Year through my Gap year counselor. The program was awesome! I loved the adventure activities that we got to partake in every day! I now can say that I am basically a pro surfer, kayaker, hiker and various out outdoor activities that our group leaders specialize in. The staff was incredibly supportive, every member wanted to make sure that we were comfortable and happy. I built a ton of strong relationships with mentors on this program, and I can't wait to come back to Ireland in a few years. Considering that the program is newish (this being the first year running Gap programs) there were some little quirks in the program days, like getting too much free time one day, or the schedule changing around a bit. But the directors and leaders loved to hear our feedback and what the students preferred to do. This makes the program more flexible and totally worked around the students. It was the perfect mix of scheduled time and flexible hours. One of the coolest parts of the experience was that we got to plan trips to all around Ireland, and visit the most famous and beautiful sites along the way! I feel like Ireland is now my second home, and it is sad that I can't stay longer.
We did some volunteering as well on the program. We worked with the national youth organization on a ton of cool projects. For example, we had the chance to be in a St. Patrick's Day parade, in Ireland. That was pretty cool. We also worked with a horse rescue, and we were able to help prepare the horses for their new homes. However, we did not do as much volunteering as I would have liked, but Irish Gap Year is still building those strong relationships with foundations.
One thing that this program is awesome for is learning how to live on your own and getting along with roommates. Each student who lives in the lovingly dubbed "Gap Year House" by many of the locals, has a roommate in an amazing room overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Students are in charge of making themselves breakfast and lunch sometimes, as well as student planned meals once or twice a week. It had really helped me to learn how to live a healthy and frankly "adult" lifestyle. And now I feel even more prepared to go to college and room with someone else!
Overall loved it, and would r8 8/8 m8.