Hello! I am Annie Flood, a senior at Linfield University studying marketing and journalism and media studies. This is the first post of many that I will be making about my semester abroad in Galway, Ireland. Before making the decision to study abroad, and even after I had already made the decision, applied and had been accepted, I had so many questions. I wont be able to answer all of my questions yet, because I have only been in Ireland for a few days, but I will be walking through what getting prepared for a semester abroad looks like!
For starters, making the decision that I wanted to apply for a study abroad program was a very difficult decision to make. I was nervous about being away from family and friends, campus, and taking a new version of classes. However, I knew it would be an experience I would most likely not get again, so I talked with family, professors, advisors, and students who had previously studied abroad, and ultimately, made the decision to apply. I then had to decide what program I wanted to apply for. Because I wasn’t a language major, or going for a certain program, I had some of my options narrowed down for me, but needed to learn more about each, and after doing my research, watching a TON of YouTube videos on each country, and talking with family, I landed on Galway! I was drawn to this program by the familiar, homey environment that I had heard so much about, and knew I would have an amazing time.
Once I had settled on Ireland, I completed the application process and waited until I had heard back from the International Programs Office (IPO). The wait had further confirmed for me that I wanted to study abroad, because I was so excited and nervous to hear back. And finally, I had received my acceptance letter from IPO and was going to get to study abroad in Galway!
From here on out, I started planning, packing and asking questions. Some of my main questions being, how long is the program? When do classes start? How many classes will I take? What will my living situation look like? And shortly after being accepted, I was able to gain more information and answer many of my questions!
These are all questions that I will be able to answer in the near future, for both myself, and future Wildcats studying abroad.
One question I almost immediately (shamefully) had, was how could I possibly pack for 4 months?! With a lot of strategery, sad goodbyes to some of my favorite outfits, and packing cubes, I completed the potentially most impressive game of Tetris ever. With two checked bags, a carryon, and a personal item, I fit 4 months worth of clothes, reminders of home, toiletries, and much, much more. Although the actual packing was one of the last things I did before I left, I created the most detailed packing plan, that I knew would set me up for success.
Once I had locked down my packing plan, I was set to focus on less important things, like my passport. Just kidding, that was definitely the first thing checked off of my list, due to my own anxiety over the potential of not having a passport, and IPO’s impeccable organization. Truthfully, IPO was on top of everything “stressful” from passport help, to detailed packing lists, I was set with constant help and support from IPO.
Because I am studying abroad in the fall of 2024, I was put in a unique position, I needed to register as an absentee voter in the presidential election for 2024. Luckily, the process was pretty simple, through websites like vote.org, and many others who had resources for situations like mine, to ensure our right to vote was still exercised even while abroad.
Another pre departure question I had was about my phone plan, and while I am still sort of in the process of figuring it out, I have many more answers now than I did at the beginning of the summer. First, AT&T is my phone provider, so I learned I needed to payoff my phone to “unlock my SIM card.” Without this step, I would not be able to use an international SIM card, and my phone would be shut off after a couple of months. (I do not think this is the case for most providers luckily). So, I paid off my phone, which cost me roughly a couple hundred bucks, and then I can purchase an international SIM card here in Ireland. I am still doing research on which is the best for a 4 month stay, and will report back at a later date with all the deets.
With my phone figured out, I had a few more tasks to complete before I could call myself fully ready. Here’s a quick speed-through of some other tasks that turned out to be pretty easy work, but important to do before departure and with plenty of time in advance.
- Dental check (just to make sure nothing is needed to be done before departure)
- For me, I wear contacts so I needed to get enough to last me my entire duration
- Contact credit card company & let them know you’ll be out of the country
- Necessary vaccinations
- Order a couple things on amazon (sheets/ pillow (University of Galway housing asks you to bring your own), packing cubes, adapters, anti-theft money pouch, and anything else I may need)
- Get cash to exchange for Euros. I am still not sure what the best way to do this is, but I have both cash and cards for exchanging USD to get some Euro cash.
With all of these tasks checked off my list, I was able to focus on spending my last few weeks with my family and friends, and cherishing every moment before I took off on my unforgettable journey!
I am looking forward to writing more, answering all of the questions I had prior to leaving, during, and after, and sharing my journey with you al!
Talk soon!
Annie