Guest Blogger: Brooke (Ireland)

I am a strong believer in understanding and respecting other cultures. I want to be the best person I can be and make a positive impact on as many people as I can. I like to think this is my passion. Having a passion for learning, culture, people, and travel naturally leads thinking about study abroad. So I did it! I went through the process: I applied; I took passport photos; I applied for scholarships and took out loans; I went to meetings; I packed my bags; and I boarded a flight to Ireland. The excitement outweighed any of the fears I had. Fears, you may ask? I was worried about the long flight over the ocean; I was afraid of not knowing anyone; I was nervous about the dorm I would be living in; and most of all I was worried about not liking the food. I feel like these are some common worries in any travel or study abroad situation.

What I learned through studying abroad is that you just have to roll with the punches! The flight ended up not being so bad because they had all kinds of movies to watch on board and I purchased one of those fancy neck pillows (which are a must). The fear of not knowing anyone is a real fear, but just remember that studying abroad brings together people who naturally have things in common.  For example, you may have your major in common (or other academic, personal, or professional interests). My major is Public Health Administration and I went on my program with nursing majors, pre-med students, and a communication disorders major. Having all the different aspects of healthcare knowledge in one group really helped us learn and grow from each other. You will make so many friends, even best friends. Now, I have to be honest, dorms are dorms no matter what country you go to. They are not glamorous and they are not the most comfortable beds, but they start to become your home, a safe space, and a resting place. Studying abroad can be exhausting just due to the fact that you are going to want to see so many things in a short amount of time.

When preparing to leave, people are going to be telling you things they have heard about the place you’re going and most of it is going to have to do with the food. Everyone told me, “don’t expect to drink coffee” or “Irish food is so bland.” I let everyone else’s comments get in my head and it became a fear that I would starve while overseas. But that was not the case. Ireland had some of the best coffee and best food that I have ever eaten. So my advice is to keep an open mind, not just about food, but about everything abroad.

I had the time of my life while conquering some of my biggest fears. I learned so much about myself, others, and healthcare. Studying abroad made me a stronger person and I feel like I got to experience a side of myself I did not even know was there. I am an explorer and a traveler! I love it! I loved it so much that I have now decided to study abroad again.

Preparing to study abroad a second time I have a whole new mentality! I want to go more places, see more things, and go even further out of my comfort zone. I am fearless now. So for my next trip I will be traveling around Europe for two weeks over my winter break and this time I will be studying business. Health administration takes a lot more than knowledge about healthcare. Business knowledge is equally important, if not more. Never in my life did I think I would be studying international business, but here I am! There is no limit to where you can go in life, so why not keep learning new skills and seeing new places? STUDY ABROAD.  

Slider Photo Credit: Katharine Denius