Each semester IFSA-Butler students chronicle their adventures and experiences as they live and study in different countries. Read a firsthand perspective of how cultural and educational differences shape their journey.
“I’ve always found that anything worth achieving will always have obstacles in the way and you’ve got to have that drive and determination to overcome those obstacles on route to whatever it is that you want to accomplish.” — Chuck Norris
As a first generation college student, studying abroad certainly presented some challenges. My major concerns could be boiled down to academics, finances, and family. When I first considered studying abroad, much like when I first began to tackle the obstacle of college in general, I found myself worried that I wouldn’t stand up academically. I was afraid that I wasn’t prepared for the system, that my writing wouldn’t be up to par, that it would reflect poorly on my transcripts…the list goes on and on. But to any students worrying about this, the only advice I can give is to keep working just as diligently as you always have. Yes, the grading system in foreign countries is different than in the United States (I nearly had a panic attack when I got a “63″ on a paper, only to realize that’s the equivalent to an A-), but it seems to me that intelligence is intelligence everywhere. I am still very anxious about the upcoming finals, but I would be nervous back home too; if you study hard and trust in your abilities, you will be just fine.
As far as finances go, I was doubly nervous about how much things would cost and about not having my usual slew of on-campus jobs to offset the price of school. Preparation and self-control have been my greatest help in this area. I would simply advise saving money in the semester and/or summer leading up to your time abroad, and then careful budgeting whilst overseas. In no way does this mean that you can’t have fun–every city has places to explore for cheap or even free; in Belfast there are museums, the Botanic Gardens, St. George’s Market, and many others. My point is that, with the help of financial aid and budgeting, I have had a brilliant time and have not exceeded the limit I allowed myself. It is very possible.
And finally, I worried about leaving my family and friends behind. As a first generation college student, it’s always felt like I was exploring uncharted territory in my academic adventures. But at the very least, the uncharted territory was in a familiar location with students who were all just as nervous and excited as me. As a study abroad student, I found myself nervous about entering an academic system where everyone already knew each other, where all the local students were familiar and comfortable while I was still trying to get my footing. But, it turned out to be all right. Was it always easy to be away from my family? No, but I survived and even thrived abroad.
Basically, as a first generation college student I was nervous about what going abroad would mean for me. But I realized that the same skills that helped me get to college in the first place would help me excel here. It hasn’t all been easy, but it has most certainly been worth it. (And you should trust me; I quoted Chuck Norris, so obviously I know what I’m talking about.) To all the other first generation students out there, you can do it!
Ifsa-Butler asked the First Generation Scholars to dedicate one blog post to reflecting on how studying abroad has helped us with our professional goals in some way. In my case how living and studying in Belfast was helping me in obtaining professional goals was not immediately apparent, as my professional goals are not exactly concrete yet. I am a peace studies major and know that I want to be in this field in some way for the rest of my life but how I want to enter the field professionally is still a bit allusive to me.
So as I sat down to write this blog post I began thinking about how being in Belfast has aided me in my future career goals in some way. Although I still don’t know exactly what I want to do after graduating college I have developed a more solid idea of what I want my future career to be like. While in Belfast I have been researching for a thesis that I’m writing for my home university that is partially about The Troubles. In my research I have been able to get to know locals and go to parts of the city I probably wouldn’t have gone to otherwise. I’ve really enjoyed this experience and have come to know and appreciate the people of Belfast in a way I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. Locals have shown me around their city and cultivated a unique appreciation in me for their home. Doing my research has made me realize that I want to enter a career where I’m able to do this sort of interactive research, where I’m talking to people and walking around cities rather than spending the majority of my time in libraries. So, while the specific career I want to enter into is no clearer than before, being in Belfast has given me a better idea of the type of work I’d like to do.
Around a weekish ago, Ifsa-Butler took us to the countryside to experience a different kind of Australia. Each group of students had different farm locations, and different hosts. Our farm was located in Bathurst, specifically in Burrangalong. We were located about 50 miles north of the town of Bathurst.
The country life experience was one of the most unforgettable moments in my life. I have roots in the countryside, so it felt like home. My hosts, Karen and Paul were incredible, and I couldn’t have asked for better hosts. They were kind, sweet, patient, and overall amazing. Also, Karen makes the best food ever. Besides my mom, of course. Well, the first day we just had a meal, and chatted with our hosts for a bit. It was quite cold up there, so electric blankets were extremely helpful! The next day, Karen took us to see their backyard pets, and then the farms. One of their dogs had puppies, so all of us got to hold newborn puppies. They had some pet sheep, chickens, dogs, and cats. Then Paul took us to his 1300 acre farm, which was HUGE. There were heaps of sheep, lamb, and cows. The next day, our hosts took us to see the caves. This was my first time going to the caves, and it was beautiful. It felt so serene and peaceful inside the caves. The last day, all of us got to shear the sheep. YES, I SHEARED A SHEEP. The sheep were pretty calm when we sheared them, but very heavy when held. That was a once in a lifetime experience. The entire trip to the countryside made me realize how much of a ‘city-girl’ I am, and how much I want to be in the countryside. It’s nice to have stores and shopping centres all around me, but not necessary. It’s even better to take a long trip to get your groceries, have fresh eggs and milk in the morning, tend to the animals, and at nights hang out at the town bar with familiar, and weird folks. It just makes sense. Cities are good, but as humans, we also need a break from the rush and intense walking. Karen and Paul seemed so much at ease with their lifestyles, although most of their children had gone off into the city. They just did not want to leave the farm life. I understand why. Life living at a farm is different. You make your own rules. You have your meat, your calcium, and your protein in front of you. It’s so fresh, and completely underrated. I think everyone who plans to come to Australia must see the countryside once in their lifetime. It will definitely be worth your time, I promise!
It’s been a while since I have blogged, so I have a lot to say!
Uni has been going quite well, but assignment submissions have begun. Starting May, most of my assignments were due, and they will continue to be due until June 12th. One of my assignments required me to creatively reflect on some of the most significant experiences of my life. Well, Hello there Australia! Australia has honestly been an extremely worthy period of my life because I learned. I did not grow, I did not suddenly gain maturity, I just learned. I learned lessons, I learned how to take in experiences, I learned how to experience life. Then, when I look at others, did I learn the right stuff? It’s a bit odd to think about myself in relation to all the other students on the program that I have spent so much time with, but also necessary. I am the only SouthAsian person on this trip. Yes, it’s true. Initially, it felt a bit weird because when everyone was trying to catch a tan, I was in the water catching some waves. I didn’t really mind it much, but just felt the odd one out at times. Also, the others would vibrantly talk about their previous trips to Europe while I sat there trying to engage myself in the topic. The best one was the arrival of people’s boyfriends/girlfriends, parents, and family members to Australia just to take a time out and visit their loved ones. I nearly had to go to wits end to pay for this trip, and others just casually take super expensive trips to Oz. I was a bit snarky for that, but I shouldn’t have been. Yes, most people on the trip are white. Yes, they are extremely wealthy, and spoiled. So what? That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t engage myself in the conversations, or learn from them about their adventures, or tell them about my experiences. I shouldn’t feel bad for myself, but rather applaud myself for getting here, and staying here, and learning here. Perhaps, even after traveling the globe, some people don’t achieve the experiences that I have, or the friendships, or gratefulness that I have for the trip. With that said, I did learn. I learned to learn.
I have taken my last class i will ever take as an undergraduate. And probably the last time i will take the stage solo.
Being a dance for 18 years had been mostly because i was in school for it. but now i will have no college dance team to be a part of and will most likely stick to teaching.
BUT ON A HAPPIER NOTE
The Dance UL showcase was amazing and loads of fun. All of the people in dance UL if you ever read this please know that you all have been incredibly inspiring to me and i think you from the bottom of my heart for being so open hearted and welcoming to ‘the american’ i love you all and will remember you for the rest of my life.
Linked below is my final solo if any of you would like to see it )
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” –Malcolm X
My time abroad has certainly had an effect on my future goals, both specifically in my area of academics and in my plans for the future.
As a student focused on Religious Studies, going to school in Belfast–a city with a long history of conflict, both religious and otherwise–has been a particularly enlightening experience. One class that I have taken focuses on several of the world’s largest religions and is taught at Union Theological College, a religiously affiliated school which specializes in preparing students for ministry. In this course, I came to realize the little-to-no exposure my fellow students had had to people of the faiths we were learning about. There were even times in class when students would openly mock the religion we were learning about, calling the beliefs juvenile or ridiculous. As a student of world religion with a personal passion for religious tolerance, I was shocked by the ignorance of my fellow students. However, the professor explained to me that even to have a class offered on religions other than Protestant Christianity was a very new phenomenon for the school and for students in Northern Ireland in general. This experience made me extremely thankful for the climate of religious freedom that I have learned in back home, but also made me respect the progress people are making here; whereas a decade ago students might not have even learned about a denomination other than their own, now they have the opportunity to learn at least a little about religions from other parts of the world. It has been interesting to witness people being exposed to new religions for the first time and I think that I would enjoy studying the phenomenon anthropologically.
On a broader scale, studying abroad has impacted my outlook on my personal future. For some time I have been interested in studying religion in graduate school, but I spent countless hours fretting and stressing over what exactly that would lead me to, what my future would look like, and how I would be able to make a sufficient living. However, as I’ve met people from Belfast and other places in my travels, I’ve come to admire the attitude many people seem to have of letting life take them where it may. That isn’t to say that I’m going to suddenly drop everything and travel around the world; I know that I want to go to graduate school and hopefully get a Ph.D. And I could see myself someday doing research or being a professor in world religions. But I don’t know yet, not for sure. And in studying abroad I have realized that not knowing is okay, and even a bit exciting. My appetite is certainly whet for learning about religion through other people’s eyes, and I would love to be able to travel around the world, but all of that is still to come. For now, I will continue devoting my time and effort to my undergraduate degree and then I will see where life takes me. If education is a passport, as Malcolm X said, then I intend to get as many stamps as possible.
I’ve just returned from a whopping five-week-long break in France and the States to the beautiful (and surprisingly sunny) city of Oxford! Break was an absolute blast—having some time to decompress from the high intensity of Hilary Term has been enormously beneficial to my mental and physical health. After departing Oxford nearly a month and a half ago, I headed off an awesome IFSA adventure weekend in Wales, then a week in Paris visiting some friends studying there before flying back to the States where I visited friends and family in D.C., Chicago, and Boston (I’m still reeling from all of the devastation that struck my beloved, resilient city).
While it was great having the chance to catch up and have some fun with loved ones back home, though, I realized after about a week away from Oxford that I really missed all of the friends that I had made here. Amongst all of my American and British classmates and even other IFSA-Butler students studying across Great Britain, I’ve amassed a group of friends that I have come to love and respect as much as the friends that I’ve known throughout my three years at Harvard.
One of the greatest qualities that my new group of friends possesses is its diversity. I’ve encountered an incredible array of fellow study abroaders all from drastically different backgrounds—from frat bros to arts students to Southern belles. Hearing each of their stories, learning about each of their home universities, and living and traveling with each of them for over two months now has proved critical to my own personal development while studying in England. It’s been an edifying experience to encounter and befriend each and every one of them, and I hope that I have likewise been able to share with them some new perspective on life.
Spain was absolutely incredible. The proximity of the countries in Europe allows you to arrive in a place that seems like a completely different world in just a couple of short hours. Spain was so different from Ireland, but with an equally rich and deep culture that I’d have to spend a year there to really delve into.
Returning to Belfast was a little surreal, but it is equally surreal that not even two weeks ago I was in Spain. I’ve been back in Belfast for over a week now and I feel like I’ve taken advantage of the city in a way that I haven’t since I first got here. It was absolutely incredible to spend three weeks in Spain but it did make me appreciate Belfast more. I guess remembering to fully take advantage of the opportunities around me while traveling with my mom caused me to do the same in a place that wasn’t as new to me anymore when I returned to Belfast. This past week and a half I have gone to new pubs, I’ve seen walked through parts of the city I hadn’t even seen before and I traveled to Derry/Londonderry, which is a smaller city about a two hour bus ride from Belfast. Derry/Londonderry, like Belfast, has a troubled past. On January 30, 1972 a civil rights peaceful protest turned horrifically violent when fourteen protestors were shot and killed by soldiers of the British Army. Bloody Sunday, or the Bogside Massacre, as this event is known, is commemorated by political murals, much like those that can be found in areas of Belfast, in the residential area the Bogside, where Bloody Sunday occurred. Also located in the Bogside is the Free Derry Museum that commemorates Bloody Sunday as well as the civil rights movement in N.Ireland.
As my friend Caitlin and I entered the museum we were greeted by a man named John Kelly, who was there on Bloody Sunday and whose own brother was tragically killed that day. I still find it shocking when I meet someone in person who has experienced the tragedies that I have studied about in school. Everyone in N. Ireland has a story and it is not as unusual to meet an ex-political prisoner or someone who lived through famous news stories that were nothing more than images on a TV screen or newspaper to most of us. What is particularly striking is not the shock of the horrible tragedies that these people have lived through but rather their resilience to move forward and sustain a peaceful N.Ireland.
Woke up and went to the Milk Market which is a Limerick staple here. The food was so good and we found this cool little shop where this man was selling good will stuff from texas… very small target market but it was a good craic.
Then, after having our fill there i got to go to a friends farm! A real authentic irish farm, dairy farm to be exact. I got to pet calves and pet a bull and went to a castle that s just… there, like all over Ireland there are just abandoned castles like that kids play in and stuff… we played princess and dragons on a jungle gym or playground… these kids had real castles… jealousy.
Then we went to a town close to his house called Adare which was very quaint and went into a church there where my friend decided that the best thing he could think of to write in the guestbook was “this church smells good” brilliant man (?)
After that we headed back to his house and ate the best flippin lasagna i have ever had the pleasure of shoveling into my face. I have already asked for the recipe… its a no go. I dont even blame her And because my friend (Niall by the way is his name) has shared his favorite home cooked meal with me i am apparently forever indebted to him. Yeah, okay…
We watched some TV, hung out with his family and talked about America and Ireland and drank tea and it couldnt have been more perfect. One of the more relaxing days since ive been here and really helped me with some of the homesickness i was feeling.
But, after that wonderful evening Niall went ahead and popped his tire. Naturally being the great supporters me and Erica are we cheered him on as he changed it on the side of the road… i think we helped a lot!
So yeah, that was my day today. It was absolutely amazing
Wayyyyyy too much happened this week to even begin to tell you everything!
So here are the highlights.
London:
Sights: Tower Bridge, Big Ben, London Eye, Buckingham Palace.
Best Food: Fish and Chips (delicious classic)
Best Part: Went to the Globe Theater and was GIVEN three tickets to see the end of Romeo and Juliet IN THE FREAKING GLOBE THEATER. i thought i was going to pass out.
Venice Italy
Sights: Uhhh Venice… all of Venice… gorgeous, absolutely stunning!
Best Food: Gelato… how have i gone 21 years without it i have no idea.
Best Part: Ditching our hostel and splurging for a hotel room right on the water… amazing
Rome Italy
Sights: The Colosseum, Trevy Fountain, Vatican City.
Best Food: Pizza… nom!
Best Part: Watching the pope give his first Good Friday service outside the colosseum.
Pisa Italy
Sights: Leaning tower of Pisa, a really cool church i forget the name of…
Best Food: Gnocchi! So freaking delicious
Best Part: Drinking with a few Italian boys we met… none of which spoke english. Interesting.
I never wanted to leave Italy. I cant wait to go back!
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May 13th, 2013 in First Generation Scholars, College Study Abroad | No Comments by Caitlin 
i love you all and will remember you for the rest of my life.
