The
people I met during my time abroad and the connections I had with them was the
greatest benefit of my experience. The employees at Cregg House, the service
users I worked with, the taxi and bus drivers, the locals at the pubs, and my
friends and professors that I shared this experience with were what shaped my
trip abroad and the lessons I learned during my time here. To future travelers
and study abroad students my advice would be to engage with the locals and ask
them about their culture. Nothing can teach you about a culture and enhance
your experience more than the people you talk to and the stories they share
with you. If given the opportunity
to study abroad again I would take it in a heartbeat, there are so many other
places that I want to travel to and explore that it would be hard to decide
where to go next!
My Search for Gold: Study Abroad in Ireland
Monday, June 17, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
A day in Galway!
Last weekend we spent a day in Galway,
which was one of my favorite places that we visited. Galway is a little less
than a 2-hour bus ride away from Sligo, and is known as a town rich in Irish
culture. We were all very excited for our day in Galway because the Irish DJ we
had befriended in Sligo was from Galway, and offered to show us around the
city. When we first arrived in Galway we were all a little sleepy from the
early morning drive so our first stop was a café. I had an Irish coffee and a croissant
that was delicious and the perfect pick-me-up. After the café we walked down the
busy shopping street in the center of the city. Street performers of all kinds
were scattered throughout the street performing for the tourists. At 11 we met Ryan, the DJ, and one of
his friends in front of McDonalds, so he could show us around his hometown.
Since he knew of our interest in shopping
he took us to some of the popular Irish stores that he thought we would like. I
must say he had pretty good taste, all the stores he took us too we liked and we
all made at least one purchase. Once we were shopped out, Ryan walked us down
to the river. He pointed out the Spanish Arch and explained how the curve of
the river by the church inspired the design of the claddagh ring. The claddagh
ring is a traditional Irish ring that has a heart symbolizing love, a crown
symbolizing loyalty, and two hands symbolizing friendship. If you wear the ring
with the heart facing you it means that your heart is taken, but if you where
the ring with the crown facing you it means that you are single.
The river was crowded with people who
were there to watch a water polo match being played in the river, so we stopped
and joined the crowd for a while. The game was a little different than the
American form of water polo. Everyone was in kayaks and used their paddles to
maneuver the ball, but the rules seemed to be the same. When the water polo
game was over Ryan and his friend took us down to show us the beach. It seemed
a bit cold for a beach day to me, but the sun was out so the beach was fairly
busy with people. Across the street from the beach a futball game was being
played. There were tons of spectators, so we walked over just in time to catch the
very end of the game.
When the game ended we all agreed it was
time for dinner, so Ryan led us down the street to a restaurant that he had worked
in when he was younger. I enjoyed a tasty bowl of traditional Irish stew with a
side of brown bread. I don’t know
how they do it, but I’ve never tasted any bread better than the bread they make
in Ireland. I expect to suffer
from tea and bread withdrawals when I get home. After dinner it was time to
head back to Sligo. Ryan and his friend led us back to the center of town and
made sure we met back up with the rest of our group. We were lucky to have locals be are tour guides around the
city; we went places we probably would have never ventured to on our own. I could have used another day to spend
in Galway, but I guess I will just have to make my way back there some day.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
During our stay in Sligo we work
Monday thru Thursday at our placements. I wake up around 8:00 on these mornings
and meet Sarah outside the apartment at 9:10.
Our bus to Cregg house picks us up at 9:20, well that’s when its
scheduled to arrive but we have discovered the Irish run on a more flexible
schedule. Our bus driver, Vinny, keeps the bus lively and always gets a good
American joke in for us. Vinny usually drops us off at Cregg House at 9:45 and
I make my way to the Dochas room. The service users slowly arrive until 10:00
and start on their “work.” Most of the
service users greet everyone with a hug when they arrive. While the service
users start their work I make my rounds around the room to see if anyone needs
help and chat with them while they work. At 10:30 we have a tea break, I help
make and pass out everyone’s tea and coffee, and then have a cup of tea myself
with the rest of the staff. Then the
service users either go back to the room to continue their work or they may go
for a bus spin or a walk around the property.
Some mornings I go with a service user to their physical therapy session
and on Thursdays I go to hydrotherapy at the pool with some of the service
users.
At noon the service users go to
lunch and they all take another cup of tea with their lunch. I help at lunch by
cutting food, getting utensils or napkins, or just by interacting with the
service users while they eat. At 1:00 I have my lunch break with Sarah, usually
followed by a cup of tea or coffee for myself.
We eat in the cafeteria, and in Ireland lunch is their big meal of the
day. They always have mash potatoes and cabbage, and a couple of options for
the main dish. The food is always delicious and I usually clean my plate. Sarah and I share stories from our morning
and make plans for after work over our lunch and then head back to our rooms.
The activity in the afternoon is always different; cookery, bingo, or bowling
in the recreation room are common activities. The afternoon activity is always
followed by yet another tea break. I
already find myself craving the tea breaks; I’m not sure what I’m going to do without
them when I go home. After tea the service users who live at Cregg House take a
bus back to their houses. I wait with
the other service users and help clean up the room until Vinny comes to take
Sarah and I back to the apartment at 4:00.
Our afternoons
always vary, some evenings we have group activities planned to explore
different attractions around Sligo. One afternoon we hiked Knocknarea, the
mountain that is said to have Queen Mauve’s tomb at the top, and another
afternoon we went to Strandhill one of the beaches in Sligo and enjoyed the
famous seaweed baths at Voya salon. If an activity isn’t planned for us we
usually walk into town and shop at some of our favorite stores and grab a drink
in a pub or café. Most of the cafes and pubs have Wi-Fi, so we can check in
with friends and family back home. Some nights we stay in the pubs longer than
others, and sometimes we stay out to enjoy the nightlife with the students in
Sligo. We pack our days full of activities, but we like it that way. We can
sleep when we are back in America.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
I can’t believe I have already been in Ireland for nine days!
The time is flying by. Sligo is a beautiful town on the northern coast of Ireland, full of culture and history. Sligo is not a tourist hub, but is mostly filled with locals and students who attend the Institute of Technology. Staying in a town such as Sligo gives us a chance to experience the culture of a true Irish town. After our first day of sight seeing and being in Ireland, it was apparent that Ireland is filled with cultural pride. The Irish are proud of their history and heritage and are extremely willing to share it with others. The Irish culture also seems more relaxed and less dependent on work and time than the American culture, which has been a very nice change. Tea breaks and relaxing at the pub have become an everyday staple for me during the past week.
During our programs orientation we visited the different locations that we were are being placed during our time in Sligo. Each location works with people with disabilities. At all the placements we visited the attitudes of the staff amazed me. Everyone truly cared about
their job and the people they cared for. While many of the staff had
been working with this population of people for many years no one seemed hardened or jaded, but were still extremely passionate about the work the were doing.
I am working at Cregg House, a center that works with a wide range of disabilities and provides a number of services. Some of the service users live at the facility and others live in town and come during the day. I am based in the Dochas room, which is a Gaelic word for “hope.” The majority of women in this room have low verbal or communication skills, but can participate in activities and basic tasks.
Something that stood out to me at Cregg House was the variety therapeutic techniques and approaches the staff uses. The service users partake in music and art activities that have therapeutic benefits during the day. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language therapy are also offered to the service users. Hydrotherapy is also used by the mobility and therapeutic program in the center’s pool. During my first week I was able to participate in a hydrotherapy session, which was an approach that I had not previously observed before. Another program offered at Cregg House that stood out to me was their advocacy program, which meets weekly and encourages the service users to speak up for themselves and makes sure they are knowledgeable of their rights. This is a very important aspect of a facility for people with disabilities, but has been forgotten by many. The advocacy program is taken seriously by both the staff and service users and ensures that the service users have a voice and are not taken advantage of. Cregg House is an amazing facility and I am so excited for my experience there. I am learning so much from my placement already and I am really looking forward to returning tomorrow.
The time is flying by. Sligo is a beautiful town on the northern coast of Ireland, full of culture and history. Sligo is not a tourist hub, but is mostly filled with locals and students who attend the Institute of Technology. Staying in a town such as Sligo gives us a chance to experience the culture of a true Irish town. After our first day of sight seeing and being in Ireland, it was apparent that Ireland is filled with cultural pride. The Irish are proud of their history and heritage and are extremely willing to share it with others. The Irish culture also seems more relaxed and less dependent on work and time than the American culture, which has been a very nice change. Tea breaks and relaxing at the pub have become an everyday staple for me during the past week.
During our programs orientation we visited the different locations that we were are being placed during our time in Sligo. Each location works with people with disabilities. At all the placements we visited the attitudes of the staff amazed me. Everyone truly cared about
their job and the people they cared for. While many of the staff had
been working with this population of people for many years no one seemed hardened or jaded, but were still extremely passionate about the work the were doing.
I am working at Cregg House, a center that works with a wide range of disabilities and provides a number of services. Some of the service users live at the facility and others live in town and come during the day. I am based in the Dochas room, which is a Gaelic word for “hope.” The majority of women in this room have low verbal or communication skills, but can participate in activities and basic tasks.
Something that stood out to me at Cregg House was the variety therapeutic techniques and approaches the staff uses. The service users partake in music and art activities that have therapeutic benefits during the day. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language therapy are also offered to the service users. Hydrotherapy is also used by the mobility and therapeutic program in the center’s pool. During my first week I was able to participate in a hydrotherapy session, which was an approach that I had not previously observed before. Another program offered at Cregg House that stood out to me was their advocacy program, which meets weekly and encourages the service users to speak up for themselves and makes sure they are knowledgeable of their rights. This is a very important aspect of a facility for people with disabilities, but has been forgotten by many. The advocacy program is taken seriously by both the staff and service users and ensures that the service users have a voice and are not taken advantage of. Cregg House is an amazing facility and I am so excited for my experience there. I am learning so much from my placement already and I am really looking forward to returning tomorrow.
Friday, May 17, 2013
On my way!
The traveling has commenced! A 9:10 am departure
from my house and a 9:10 am arrival time in Ireland tomorrow makes for exactly 19 hours of traveling ahead. I am currently on the road to the Orlando
International Airport to catch my 5:17 p.m. flight to New York where I will
meet up with my fellow travelers and continue to Ireland. Being the only
Floridian of the group, and never having met any of the other students in
person has me slightly anxious. Hopefully the sun and warm weather will follow
me there, and they’ll appreciate my southern influence. In my typical fashion I
completed packing my suitcase a little before 8:00 am this morning, was being
coerced out the door by my mother at 9:00 am, and have double checked that I
have my passport and debit card multiple times already. I can’t pinpoint
exactly what else is adding to the butterflies in my stomach, but I’m pretty
sure they won’t completely settle until I’ve made it to Ireland.
I cannot wait to immerse myself in the Irish
culture and learn from the people I meet and the experiences ahead. I chose to
study abroad because I believe that you learn the most when you learn from
people who are different than you. Learning from people of different
backgrounds and cultures allows you to broaden your knowledge and incorporate
multiple perspectives into your own education. I hope this experience will give
me a better understanding of the health care for people with disabilities on an
international level. Through the organization I will be working with and the
people I meet I know I will learn so much, and I know this experience will
follow me to grad school and throughout my career as an occupational therapist.
My overall goal for of this trip
is to take full advantage of the experience have been given. This is an
amazing opportunity to learn and do things that I might not ever have the
chance to do again. I want to engage myself in the Irish culture and become
more than just a tourist during my time there. I am overwhelmed with
excitement about the opportunities to come in the next few weeks. Let the
adventures begin….
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