Goodbye Dublin
Being abroad for almost six weeks is an experience I will always remember and treasure. It was something I was terrified of before leaving so I am leaving knowing that I can face my fears and grow from them. I feel more confident in my own abilities to conquer whatever I take on. The day of my departure from Boston, I was a nervous wreck. This was one of the biggest challenges I gave myself in my life because it was so different from anything I had done. I mainly dealt with these fears by just jumping in and trusting the process Northeastern created for us. Once I got to the terminal and started talking with other students I began to calm down. A few days later I found out that many other people were feeling the same way and it was completely normal to be scared during an experience like this.
Though I won’t have the opportunity to study abroad again because I am a senior, I would love to travel more. Barcelona and Nice were two of my favorite cities and I would love to go back. I would also want to travel Italy, eastern Europe, and most places in South America. Basically, I want to travel everywhere and I can’t wait for more opportunities. My career aspirations haven’t changed, but my goals for the future have. I know that traveling needs to be a priority in my life. Being to four more countries than when I left makes me realize how little I have experienced of the world. It changed my world view. I am more aware of the fact that my way of life is a very small representation of what life can be. From a very young age it is ingrained in students that America is the best country and we should be grateful for our way of life, but this doesn’t give us the opportunity to explore other cultures and societies that may be better in some ways. Take for instance the fact that Ireland’s first female president was elected in 1990. 26 years later it is historic that a woman has won a major party nomination in the US. Being able to travel educates people about those differences. Education is probably the ultimate benefit of traveling and I feel more educated in ways that surprised me. I knew that I would most likely have a greater appreciation for film, literature, and Irish culture, but I also now have a better understanding of thing a such as world politics and outside perception of the US.
My favorite experience of this trip was traveling to a Gaeltacht area and learning about traditional Irish culture and the role it has played in creating an independent identity for the Republic. For any future travelers, I would recommend using whatever you are studying, visiting, and experiencing along the way and be truly open to it so you can place it in a national context. It has allowed me a more objective position on the world. I would also advise to travel after your dialogue. While I experienced an incredible amount in Ireland, there is so much more to see of the world and I am so glad I took the opportunity to extend my travels. As I am flying home, I am sad to be leaving but also so grateful for what I have experienced. Dialogues are amazing programs and I recommend them to everyone.
