The Travel Bug

To some, travel conjures up picturesque images of European cities and glamorous people sipping espresso alfresco. To others, rugged landscapes and the scent of fresh mountain air come to mind. There are some people out there, believe it or not, that despise travel. Whether it was one bad experience or the culmination of many, travel is not pleasant for everyone. Be it the constant stresses of business trips, the all-to-likely flight delay, a lost baggage nightmare or the fear of unfamiliar places--travel is not universally accepted by all. While I surmise this pessimistic population to be small, I also know a substantial amount of people who fall into the other extreme, they've caught the travel bug.

For some it's the classic "once you start you can't stop" (not to compare travel to potato chips...but they're both addicting!) For me, it has only escalated since I've returned from my study abroad experience. I like to think I was born with "the travel bug" and "the entrepreneurial bug," both of which have grown with me into adulthood. After getting more than a taste of Ireland...more than an appetizer...definitely an entree-sized portion, I can barely sit still thinking about how much I want to return. Not only to Ireland, but several other places on my ever-expanding wish list. When talking about travel with others, everyone has such passion for the places they've been and this passion only fuels my fire to travel more!

Unfortunately the only cure for this fever is not more cowbell. That we could handle rather economically. Instead, I am still a poor college student with a huge thirst for adventure and a very small wallet. Rather than complain about it, I will pinch my pennies, be frugal and crafty with my spending, explore options to make more money and research destinations for that fateful day when I am off again.

Check out previous posts for some money-saving travel tips (and more to come!)

Gain A Global Perspective

Many students must write an essay expressing why they are an excellent candidate for a study abroad program. Often they cite reasons such as, "I want to gain a global perspective," "broaden my horizons," "immerse myself in a new culture." This portion is almost always included, sort of an automatically-generated response across the board. I included an extensive paragraph citing all of these reasons and how they will help me grow both personally and professionally...

but I honestly did not put much thought into it at the time. It was more of a formula: I want X,Y and Z out of this experience...to make me a better person yadda yadda..

Now that I have returned and have had time to reflect on my study abroad experiences I cannot believe how true these statements really are. It is hard to explain how much my abroad experience has changed my worldview (both good and bad).

As for the good: My experiences abroad have broken down my biases, challenged me to step back and reassess previous assumptions, and become more accepting of other cultures and traditions. It has forced me to challenge things back home as well. For instance: Why do we have SO MANY stores, supermarkets, shopping malls, strip malls, etc. in America?! This manic consumerism and waste of space and land has come to annoy me. Why don't we recycle/compost/care? While the "green movement" is a big trend of late, other cultures actually live by the rules throwing away only a fraction of what goes into our landfills daily.

Just because people do things differently, does not mean their way is the wrong way. When thrown into a culture where you are the outsider: you dress, talk, act differently it is hard to justify that your way is right and the others are wrong...a wonderful lesson.

An appreciation for nature and natural beauty. I am in awe of the varied landscapes around the world. It is hard not to marvel at them, but often we are "too busy" to just stop, breathe and take it all in. I've learned that these moments of "doing nothing" are by far the most fulfilling.

As I've touched on before, the experience has also changed the way I see things back home. A simple trip to the grocery store is much different back home. Here, I walk down the cereal aisle and grow weary of the overwhelming number of options. I enjoyed the simplicity of shopping with limited options, a limited budget and limited space (one large tote + mile walk vs. cart full + car). Other nerves that strike back home: consumerism, materialism, workaholism, obesity and depression. While other countries have their own platefuls of problems, it was refreshing to see some of our biggest problems are really no problem at all in other places.

For those of you who have spent time abroad you likely have witnessed these changes. Perhaps you are a different person with a much different worldview because of it! The lessons learned outside of the classroom are too numerous to count, but their value is most certainly priceless.

The Cheap Flight Game

I refer to Ryanair.com as mind game; a chess-like puzzle requiring patience, agility and deep thought. It is a love-hate relationship. I love the cheap flights. I hate the astronomical taxes, nit-picky baggage restrictions, lack of customer service...and the list goes on. When trying to book a Spain flight there was a glitch on the site that did not allow payment through Visa--it kept showing an error message. I tried several cards. Several different days. Several requests for help..to no avail.

As for the game part--in order to get the best fares you need to a) book early, b) be flexible, c) outsmart the site. Here's what I mean: If you are looking to see three cities in Spain play around and see which one is cheapest to fly into from your current location and try a few different dates. Usually the earlier the flight is in the morning (6:50am) or later in the evening, the cheaper. If you're on a student budget, you will just have to deal with it. Also--beverages are not included so get well hydrated prior to boarding and rumor has it you now have to pay to use the restroom on flights 1hr or less (upsurd, right?!)--so take care of that behorehand as well.

Also many flights have a certain rate listed and once you go through to book it you discover taxes equal to or, often great than, your flight price. Look for the "no taxes" options. Although many cities are listed-they do not always offer regular flights to many locations. Check to be sure they indeed fly where you are going (they may only fly to/from 2 days per week or seasonally). They do not always fly directly to your destination either. For instance, instead of flying directly into Rome they drop you off in Ciampino. Then you must scamper to catch a bus (or it will become full and you will wait an hour), pay 20 euro or more and travel 45 minutes or more to your ultimate destination. Same goes for many major cities.

Also: Always remember to check in and print your boarding pass in advance! This saves you at least 50 euro in fees.

Despite Ryanair's many flaws they still are the cheapest when it comes to air travel in Europe. In Ireland, I flew from Dublin to Cork for 6 euro (11 euro including tax), it took 40 minutes and there were only 6 people on the flight...success! (Not to mention much cheaper and faster than the bus). In some cases, buses are a good idea, just do your research and be open to flexibility. Search early for good deals. Book with friends so you all get on the same flight. Keep track of your travel documents (and never lose your passport!) Ryanair is not the only budget airline, so shop around. But beware when booking through third party sites (I would strongly discourage it) since I know people whose flights have gotten mysteriously cancelled, lost, or "needed to re-confirm credit card and passport info" this way.

Just be smart and travel safe!

Study Abroad Fashion-More Packing Tips

As a student in another country, you may want to fit in more than you stand out. In this case, you'll want to investigate the culture prior to departure. Figure out occasions you'll need outfits for.

Primarily:
1. Traveling clothes (weekend trips, fall/spring break destinations). These should be comfy, easy to pack and easy to mix-n-match.

2. School clothes. What to wear to class. This largely depends on where you go. In Milan, girls dress to the nines for class. In Ireland, boys often wear tracksuits (sweats) while the girls dress nicer (but still casual) and always have their hair and makeup done. Sometimes you'll have to walk quite a bit to get to campus, so appropriate shoes are a must.

3. Going out. Although I packed a lot of going out clothes, I really did not need them very much as semi-casual dress was good enough.

Lessons learned:
Cobblestones + heels = probable disaster.
Short dresses + freezing temps = unshakable chills
Formal dress in a pub = why??? (Although it's fun sometimes to pretend you have a really important place to be later).

More on Travel Packing
Since you will probably be traveling a lot it is important to have clothes that you like (but aren't dearly attached to) that are easy to pack and easy to wash.
I like the J. Crew Tissue Tees (below). They come in tanks, short sleeve, long sleeve, V-neck, crew neck, scoop neck, screenprint, stripes...and the list goes on. The are practically weightless to pack, easy to layer, fun to wear with anything.


They are great with jeans, leggings or even as pajama tops. Leggings are another great layering piece, especially for cooler climates. I packed 4 pairs of leggings and left with 8 pairs--I really did use them a lot during winter in Ireland (and even in spring!)

As for washing--you probably won't have easy access to washers & dryers as you are used to. And by that I mean--they may be on the other side of campus, they may be old and not in proper working condition (like the dryers that leave clothes damp vs. dry), they may be really expensive...etc. In some situations, especially when traveling, you will need to improvise. I bought these:

Travel Laundry Soap Sheets
These were really useful for washing tanks, socks, underwear--things that I ran out of fast. They can be hand-washed in the sink or bathtub and hung to dry (or in my case, placed under the radiator). They also sell travel body wash, shampoo and conditioner sheets (travel compliant!) but even though I had the whole set I used the laundry soap the most.

Stay tuned for more study abroad tips!

Less is More

This mantra holds true for several aspects of your study abroad experience. If you are used to a middle-class American lifestyle, chances are you are accustomed to excess.

Excess clothing (a closet and dresser bursting at the seams, underbed storage boxes, cardboard boxes brimming with things that no longer fit or that you completely forgot you had). Sound familiar? Moving to another country for several months on end poses many packing issues for students. But I want to bring everything! I need this, got to bring that, can't live without...

Well you can live without and you will. My large suitcase was way over the weight limit and nearly impossible to lug up three flights of stairs (no elevator...another thing to get used to). How could this be? Barely any of my possessions actually fit in this suitcase. But I kept calm and carried on...rather carried my other baggage (backpack, purse, large duffel, camera bag...) up to my new apartment.

Somehow everything fit just right. As it so happens, any more possessions would've cramped my tiny dwelling space, but my "life in 2 suitcases" was just right. Or was it?

As I was packing to return to the States five months later I made two piles--things I wore and things I didn't (or wore only once). The piles were nearly equal!

That just proves I could've saved $200 in overage/extra baggage fees and stopped stressing about my lack of belongings. I learned to live with less. Upon my return I was overwhelmed by American excess. After an 8 hour flight my first stop was McDonalds to fill my empty stomach with a large iced coffee and a 49cent vanilla cone. I was starving. But I could not finish half of either item. Blame it on lack of portion control.

When I got home I opened my closet to find no room to put my 80 lbs of clothes back in their places! How was I supposed to live with all of these clothes? I took out everything I hadn't worn in a year and separated it into: donate. sell (or try to sell...on eBay...harder than it looks) and storage. I even cured my "shopaholic" tendencies somewhat. Knowing there is no room for new goods inhibits me from purchasing them in the first place!

Just a few more benefits of studying abroad. Here are some extra packing tips:
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1. Check the weather! If it won't get above 60 degrees, do not bring summer clothes, you won't wear them.

2. Use Space Bags! The vacuum seal kind, not the "pack and roll" variety as they are basically useless. You can find these cheap on Amazon or eBay.

3. Throw away dirty t-shirts, ripped jeans, old socks before packing to return home...it saves a lot of space!

4. You can buy things when you get there...shopping in other countries is fun adventure!

5. Layer, Layer, Layer! Pack thin layers for daytrips or weekend trips that can easily fit in a backpack and be taken off or added in an instant.

6. Bring a "carry-on" approved backpack...one that applies to Ryanair regulations if you plan on using them. They are strict, but a backpack is all you need even for a full week in Spain, I speak from experience. (**Plus checking a bag is very expensive so avoid it if you can**)

7. Bring a lightweight raincoat! Chances are you will use it. (Especially if you travel to Ireland. England. Scotland).

8. If you don't want to look like an American...leave the hoodies, baseball caps, non-fitted jeans and sloppy sneakers at home.

Why I Chose Dublin

A bustling city center, vibrant community and culture, and renowned academic opportunities make Dublin, Ireland a study abroad destination of choice. A semester-long stay in Dublin will provide plenty of time to learn, explore and discover Ireland at large. This experience will help me grow personally and professionally, strengthen my skill set, and open me up to new cultures.
Technological advancements assist international businesses and promote global relationships every day. Understanding different cultures, economies, and business practices is becoming increasingly important due to globalization.

I feel that spending a semester abroad with international students will certainly help me grow as a business professional and expand my mindset. Besides bolstering my resumé, I have many aspirations for my international experience. I am looking forward to immersing myself in a vibrant and diverse city full of both hip and historical places of interest. I want to explore Dublin and the surrounding provinces as a way to connect with my heritage and become a more independent, outgoing individual.

I have never been to Ireland, but I am 75% Irish and was an Irish dancer for eight years, so I have quite the appreciation for Irish culture and feel personally compelled to visit. I enjoy researching new destinations and planning trips. My problem-solving skills, determination, and adventurous spirit facilitate my thirst for exploration. I would like to take advantage of the opportunity to live in another country while I am a young adult. Five months will allow me to immerse myself in a new place and get to know the people and the area, without encumbering life at home.

Lessons From Abroad

Inspiration. Exploration. Observation. Innovation.

Not everyone would move to a foreign country for five months without knowing anyone. Somehow, I did not find the decision all too risky. Now that I am here I could not be happier with my decision. My time in Ireland has taught me about new people, cultures, economies, education systems, and a lot about business. I find the cross-cultural exchange fascinating and am always picking up on similarities and differences—leading to business ideas.

Ireland is experiencing a rough recession. Since the crash of the Celtic Tiger this small island is investing in what they can—intelligence. High numbers of highly-qualified individuals, especially in the IT realm, have attracted large corporations such as Google, Mircosoft and Facebook to establish headquarters in the Dublin area. Support and resources for innovation and entrepreneurship are also plentiful—be they private or public. They are actively stimulating entrepreneurship to stimulate their economy—it is great to be in the classroom with some of these highly motivated young entrepreneurs. They want to start businesses to assist in boosting their economy (and of course, provide a job for themselves). My business courses at Quinn often point to this and challenge us to innovate in order to mend the economy. Since Ireland is much smaller than the U.S. (4.5 million people), it is interesting to study their company law system, economic history, and outlook for the future (that relies heavily on entrepreneurship). The courses “Entrepreneurial Management” and “Innovation and Change” have been particularly informative on this topic.

I find observing new cultures, customs and products very stimulating. While Ireland is not vastly different from the U.S., there are many things to learn from the Irish. I see products and services they have and think “I wish we had that!” or vice-versa (they wish they had x,y,z). Particular observations I have been impressed with revolve around transportation, the environment and family. It is very easy to get from point A to point B without a car and the majority of the metropolitan population gets by just fine without a car. Buses, bike lanes and streetcars galore provide for an organized and efficient system. We can also look to the Irish for tips on reducing, reusing and recycling—compost piles, color-coded recycling systems and campaigns. My favorite aspect of Irish culture is their closeness to their families. On Sundays everything closes down (except the pubs) and people spend quality time with their families. Quality food combined with music and storytelling make family time great fun. Young adults flock home for the weekends to spend time with mum and dad.

Ireland has inspired me and allowed me to explore my historical roots and it’s gorgeous landscape. It has allowed me to open my mind and observe wonderful things. The drive towards innovation and growth propels me to think forward.

The Winding Road

One of my favorite stories from my experience abroad occurred during my homestay weekend in Gorey, Co. Wexford. We had quite the 12 mile drive down a bumpity rocky road...

Driving on a two-way road only wide enough for one, we are surrounded by fences and farmland. The road is not paved; rather puddled, potholed, and further complicated by loose stones.We round a bend to see an ancient blue tractor humming towards us. We reverse a bumpy stretch until the equally ancient man driving the vehicle gives us a one finger wave of approval. Keep calm and carry on. We wind along while a dense fog suddenly falls and encapsulates us completely. We approach the faint outline of big black gates that open grandly upon our arrival. Like the gates of heaven, we spot only fog clouds, no house in sight. The modern Irish country house grows clearer as we park in front, and what a house it is. A portrait of posh perfection. Part glamorous 1950s hotel, part modern art studio; suitable to grace the cover of Modern Living. Custom built just three years ago, this spectacle was surely inspired by New England suburbia with a touch of dream house Barbie: Luxe Edition, in monochrome. Inside, certain touches are distinctively Irish—the fireplace as focal point, the large tea kettle, the stray cats lining the kitchen windowsill begging for potato peels. The marble floor is cold but not harsh, suitable for easy cleaning after muddy wellies storm the foyer. The owner has transplanted her “American dream fantasy” into the quaint Irish countryside. The juxtaposition of the new dazzling dream home to the surrounding muddy farmland marries the best of both worlds—the house of her dreams just a few miles down the rocky road from her large loving family, whack follol de rah!

Top Ten Reasons to Study Abroad

1. A chance to fully immerse yourself in another culture. Learn the language, customs, lifestyle.

2. Build relationships with people from all other the world. Make life-long friends.

3. Grow personally and professionally. Become more confident and independent.

4. Explore. Travel places you've always wanted to go and stumble on other gems along the way.

5. Breathe. Take time to stress less and take it all in. Enjoy a siesta here and there.

6. Discover your heritage. If you chose to go to the land of your ancestors, prepare to feel a deep connection to the land and appreciation of the country.

7. You will learn to appreciate things back home (and vice-versa).

8. Competitive advantage. Gives you a leg up on competition in the job market.

9. Nothing beats the ability to truly "fly by the seat of your pants."

10. No regrets. I have never met anyone who said they regretted it.

This blog chronicles my study abroad journey to Dublin, Ireland. I will share the ups, the downs, some tips, tricks and practical advice. It is hard to express how deeply thankful I am for the My best advice to you...Go For It!