"The world is full of wonderful things you haven’t seen yet. Don’t ever give up on the chance of seeing them."
~ J.K. Rowling
In the Spring 2023 semester, I got the opportunity to study abroad in University College Cork, Ireland. As a part of this semester long exchange program, I was able to take classes related to my majors in UCC while fully immersing myself within the Irish culture. All of my classes were very research based and unique, giving me the opportunity to think outside the box as well as learn more about my passion for economics. While on study abroad, I was also offered the opportunity to conduct unpaid research for two Irish professors in the Economics department. These unique class offerings and their heavy emphasis on independent research and learning helped me reflect and understand where my interests within Economics lie. The classes included everything from critical thinking and reasoning to technical skills like STATA, exposing me to an array of different tool. This gave me a clearer idea of where I hope to see myself in the next few years.
In the 4 months I was in Cork, I was able to experience the rich culture of Ireland through the various activities and experiences I undertook. From dancing to the tunes of traditional music, to learning step dancing, to even participating in the St. Patrick's Day parade, I learned so much about myself and the country through this program. Not only did it help me experience a completely new educational system, but it also gave me more confidence to put myself in different situations and be open to meeting new people. The ease of travel also led me to take a number of trips to different parts of the country as well as a 2 week backpacking trip within the United Kingdom. This opened my eyes to a whole different world than I have seen in the past and made me appreciate the beauty and culture of all these different places.
My experience studying abroad in Ireland has given me a lot more clarity about my expectations both personally and professionally. I have found myself growing a lot over the past four months and learning the importance of building relationships and networking wherever I go. Ireland will always have a special place in my heart for its contribution in helping me rediscover myself and my passions. The document below is from one of my first and favorite research projects I developed for my Reasoning and Critical thinking class in UCC, along with a letter about my time in Ireland.