When studying abroad, there are many things one can discover: New food, new hobbies, new travel destinations or new cultures. As a diverse student community, we all have different experiences and preferences while discovering our new home for the autumn term. Here is what we are looking forward to as international students at MIC.
The Chance to Travel
As an international student, our priority is and should always be the successful completion of our studies. That is the reason we are here – abroad - in the first place. We find ourselves in a new environment that gives us access to different courses, new learning resources and friends. However, with a new environment we are also closer to places that were not accessible to us in our home country. So even though we should always be mindful about our studies, I would also like to encourage you to discover as much about Ireland as possible. For me, personally, that looks like taking every opportunity to travel. Whether it be weekend-trips, a quick bus ride to a park where I have not been before, or a short day trip with friends. That is why I am very much looking forward to the upcoming bank holiday, where I will be travelling to Edinburgh with a few of my new friends. I have had the opportunity to learn a lot about Ireland already, so I am also very excited to see other places that are usually further away from home.
Theresa Subtil, Germany
I was already able to see a lot in Ireland. Now I am looking forward to discovering Scotland as well. Experiencing the Fever Dream Moments
Taking time to study abroad is such an exciting time in anybody life. The chance to step away and run away from everything you know. We all have such vivid memories of our most cherished moments, but so much of that comes when you study abroad. Life abroad doesn’t feel real at first. A dream that I remember all too well. It comes out of nowhere, where you least expect it. A random walk on the River Shannon, and you look to see an extraordinary sunset. You stop all that you do and just stare at it for what seems like forever. You take in the moments that feel like you are truly living. Something not from reality, but more from the wild imagination of a dream. These moments stick with you and when you remember them, it sure brings a smile to your face.
John Davis, USA
The Fever Dream Moment. Feeling More Like Myself
One of the things I'm most looking forward to as an international student in Limerick is actually feeling more like myself here.
For the first few months, and honestly for much of my time in Ireland, I've been very focused on adapting. Studying in another language, working, figuring things out and trying to build a career in a new country can make you feel like you're constantly trying to keep up.
Lately, though, I've started to feel more comfortable at MIC. I'm getting involved, meeting people and becoming part of a really diverse community. I'm also starting to feel like I don't have to be "the international student" all the time. I can just be me.
That gives me space to look forward to other things: seeing where my projects will go and finding out where this new version of my life will take me.
But I also want to enjoy it.
For the first time in two years as an international student in Ireland, I won't be working over Christmas. I want to slow down, wander through the Christmas markets, find cozy indoor things to do, complain about the rain and actually make the most of the season.
So that's what I'm most looking forward to: just being myself and enjoying where I am.
Nicole Costa de Almeida, Brazil
Finding an Ireland that feels more like my own. A Year of Firsts
Moving to Ireland as an international student means more than starting a new academic journey. For me, it is also an opportunity to experience things that I had only seen in films, heard about from friends, or read about online.
One of the things I’m particularly looking forward to is experiencing traditional European celebrations. Growing up in Asia, Halloween and Christmas have always felt somewhat distant. We know about them, of course, but they are not necessarily part of our everyday culture in the same way they are here. So, being in Ireland during these seasons feels like a chance to experience something completely new.
I’m especially excited about Halloween. I’ve always associated it with costumes, pumpkins, decorations and, of course, scary movies! But I’m curious to see what Halloween actually feels like when it is part of the local culture. I’m looking forward to seeing how people celebrate it, exploring the decorations around the city, and hopefully joining in rather than just watching from the screen.
Then comes Christmas. In Vietnam, Christmas is celebrated in many places, particularly in big cities, but it is not traditionally one of the biggest family celebrations of the year. For me, spending Christmas in Ireland will therefore be a very different experience. I’m looking forward to seeing the Christmas lights, visiting Christmas markets, drinking something warm on a cold winter day, and experiencing the atmosphere on campus and around Limerick.
Beyond the celebrations themselves, I think what excites me most is the opportunity to understand the stories and traditions behind them. As an international student, I don’t want to simply observe Irish and European culture from the outside. I want to participate, ask questions, and learn from the people around me.
At the same time, I hope to share some of my own traditions with my Irish and international friends. One of the best things about studying abroad, for me, is that cultural exchange goes both ways.
So, while I’m looking forward to my classes, meeting new people and exploring Ireland, I’m also looking forward to the little cultural firsts: my first proper Halloween in Europe, my first Irish Christmas, and all the traditions I haven’t discovered yet.
Ngoc Anh Nguyen, Vietnam
Halloween Decorations around Limerick. Perhaps that is one of the most exciting parts of being an international student: getting to experience the familiar world in a completely new way!
