Beginning any new journey comes with nerves and an eagerness that feels all consuming. From the moment I discovered the opportunity for the Ireland study abroad trip with SPC, through an email on my student account, I was counting down the days to exploring the world outside of the United States for the first time. An adventure of a lifetime that would go beyond any vacation or journey planned for my own leisure; this study abroad trip was going to fill my mind and my heart. And it did.
If any trip reflected the beautiful, yet sometimes frustrating truths of life, it was this one. We started our journey with challenges like flight delays (24 hours!) and lugging suitcases through cobbled streets, which is truly no easy feat, but with a little time, peer bonding, patience, and humility, our adventure started to take the whimsical and magical shape that Ireland’s rich history and landscapes has to offer.
Over the course of two weeks, we were immersed in the literature, history, and culture of the many cities in the Republic of Ireland, as well as Northern Ireland. As we were on the trip for a literary class, we had an itinerary full of activities that gave us a deep understanding of numerous writers who came from Ireland such as James Joyce, W.B. Weaver, and C.S. Lewis. Our James Joyce walking tour guide took us around the city of Dublin and a museum dedicated to Weaver at the National Library gave us an intimate look into the poet’s life. Within Dublin we also toured Trinity College and were able to view the Book of Kells and visit the largest library in Ireland that was located at the college!
As I sit here reflecting on all of our adventures on this trip, I struggle to narrow down favorite moments and memories, because it was a trip full of so much life, learning, and laughter. We were taught Irish dancing at North West Regional College, enjoyed a theater production of Radium Girls at the Lyric Theatre, learned about Irish folklore at Ulster university, and experienced Cobh’s Queenstown Exhibit. Outside of purely academic enrichment, we explored the natural beauty and landscapes of Ireland at the Wicklow mountains, as well as the Cliffs of Moher, and the Giant’s Causeway. All powerful and looming ancient manifestations formed by forces that go beyond what even academics and humans can ever truly understand beyond just explanations.
Even our free time outside of the itinerary took a path of curiosity and play as this group of female students took on Ireland with a full cup. In the evenings we belted Karaoke and took over open mics in local pubs. I wrote poetry in the gardens of our bed and breakfast and taught my new friends how to swing dance in this foreign country so that we could swing out in Dublin.
Countless things were built on this trip. Things such as: knowledge, sisterhood, resilience, memories. It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve been back home, and most of those days have been in a state of longing for the air, rolling hills, and people of Ireland. I made friends with locals and travelers who, like us, also found the magic of Ireland and one day I hope to return, but for now, it is a path that will not be forgotten.
– Cierra, SPC Ireland Study Abroad Program, May 2024