From Kearney to Cork

Hello all! This is an exciting time for me! In just over a week I will be traveling to Ireland to study abroad for a semester. Let me tell you how this came to be.

I have always been interested in going to Ireland. The most plausible way for me to get there would be through a study abroad. So I contacted the coordinator at the University of Nebraska Kearney (UNK) and let her know of my interest. We worked things out and I worked up the guts to actually apply. See, I hesitated when it was made clear to me that the program to which I was applying was incredibly competitive. Often only upperclassman with impressive GPAs were selected. At the time I was only a freshman, although my GPA was quite high. We knew an acceptance/rejection letter would not arrive until mid-March. Unfortunately, mid-March was spring break. For a whole week I anxiously awaited the arrival of the email with the results of my application. AND for a few days after break was over. I thought that week was the longest of my life. As evidenced by this blog, I received an acceptance letter.

I have been slowly preparing for this trip for the better part of a year now. Each day brings a variety of emotions. One moment is full of excitement, the next overwhelming nervousness. This will be my first flight ever. And of course I decided to go long distance for an extended period. Adjusting to a new lifestyle will be fun, challenging, and hopefully incredibly rewarding. I look forward to sharing my experiences and pictures with you! Please join in on my Shamrock Shenanigans!