Erin Go Bragh! Education Abroad

This semester, I'm taking my first UVa English class; Modern Irish Literature. It took my inner history major a bit of time to adjust to reading novels instead of manuscripts, but I've been really enthralled by all of the books, short stories and poems that we've read so far. So much so, that I've just signed on for a two week January term program with the professor of the course...in Ireland!

I always knew that I wanted to study abroad, but there was no way that I could leave UVa for a whole semester. So when I found out that I could take three credits in Ireland over winter break, I was sold. The course studies Irish literature, music and art, and our time will be split between Galway and Dublin. We'll spend part of each day in a classroom, and will then have the afternoons for cultural exploration. In taking walking tours, attending theatrical performances and engaging in conversation with local people, we'll get a fantastic sense of the true Irish culture that you can't learn about in a book. This will be my first trip to Ireland and I cannot wait!

UVa has a huge iniative right now to encourage students to study abroad, and the January term program is a part of that. UVa students have the oppurtunity to spend a semester, a summer, a year or a two week January term anywhere in the world; so study abroad can work into any schedule. And when I say anywhere in the world, I mean that quite literally. There are programs in every field of study on every (inhabitable) continent. We're still working on Antarctica...

I'm already counting down the days to my arrival in Galway (78 left!) and can't wait to post pictures and stories when I get back! As always, shoot me an email with any questions!