Monday, May 7, 2012

Sarah's Expectations of this AMAZING ADVENTURE!


           Hi Everyone! My name is Sarah Robinson I am a Senior at Ball State University studying Family Studies with a minor in Human Development. I have the wonderful opportunity to study abroad with the Computer Science Department. I will be travelling with seven individuals my professor/ program coordinator David, his wife Lois (she is like the trips encyclopedia she knows so much and she helped plan it), Benaiah, Josh, Kayla, and Steven. The countries we will be going to are London, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. We will be visiting museums, castles, parks, universities, and many historical sites. A short highlight reel, we will be going to Royal Mile, Westminster Abbey, Olympic Village, the Queens Jubilee, a Broadway play in London, Stonehenge, Guinness Storehouse, National Leprechaun Museum, The Burren, and experiencing the night life.
            My philosophy for the trip is you get out of it what you put into it. I know I am going to miss my family, boyfriend, and being surrounded by things I know. I also know this that this is an experience of a lifetime that I may never get back again. I want to make the most of this trip and I want to push myself further than I believe at this moment I can do.  What I mean by saying to push myself is that this trip will push me completely out of my comfort zone and down a cliff. I plan on taking in everything and I mean everything I want to take in the people, the places, the smells, and the tastes. I am going with individuals that I don’t know the best more than a weekly to biweekly meeting all semester but I know we will all have fun and enjoy each other. I am a worrier by nature and I have been worrying about this trip for a while and as its getting closer I have this mix of pure excitement but pure fear as well. I am so excited to go to a new place see things I have never seen before and experiencing everything I can. I am fearful of being mugged, the hostel beds (praying for no bed bugs), and most of all the unknown. The unknown is part of the excitement but also part of the fear but I think I just need to remember that’s part of the adventure!
            My motivation for studying abroad is simple it’s a once in a lifetime experience! I remember in high school and just other random individuals coming up to me saying make sure you study abroad in college. I mean, it makes sense after college is done you don’t have as much time, money, or mobility to travel abroad. Plus studying abroad is easier and cheaper for college students.  My Aunt Cathy and her husband Peter also live in Ireland and after the field study ends I have the wonderful opportunity to go to their house for a week. A big motivation for this trip especially is we are visiting three countries and one of them is by far my favorite; Ireland. I also know this is a great opportunity to develop my self identity more to become more confident, independent, and just know I can do so much more than I think.
            I am really looking forward to finally going to Ireland! I have wanted to go since I was a child. We had the opportunity to help plan the trip and pick places that we wanted to go and see. I am really looking forward to just the overall experience and seeing new places. I am really interested in going to the castles, the National Leprechaun Museum, Olympic village, Guinness, the Broadway show, and possibly high tea. I am also interested in just getting to know the culture and regular day-to-day life in these three countries. As a college student I know what to expect but I think it will be interesting to hear someone else’s college experience that lives on the other side of the world. I have been talking with my Aunt and researching the food over in each country eating. I think it will be interesting to experience a new cultures food and what is typical to eat somewhere than in the U.S.. I don’t feel like it will be too different except I may eat a ton of potatoes in Ireland.
            I know this will be a life changing experience and I know it will be one for the better! I expect to be different after coming back from this field study in many ways. By having an experience such as this there is so much opportunity for personal growth. I believe after this trip I will be more confident in my abilities, assert my independence more, be a better communicator, and have a new outlook on life. I feel this trip will build by personal relationships and make me more aware of how much I rely on my family and my boyfriend. I believe it will give me a great appreciation for my family, boyfriend, and how important they are to me. I also feel I will be more aware of other cultures, customs, beliefs and value sets. This will be a trip I remember for a lifetime and I will cherish the memories I make. 


Hope you enjoy going on the adventure with us:)
Sarah 

2 comments:

  1. your essay is a lot more happy than mine :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm looking forward to being part of your amazing adventure!

    ReplyDelete