Tag: Zionsville Community High School alumni

Time goes on, and living and studying in Ireland still continues to amaze me. In the last two weeks, I’ve gone to the Cliffs of Moher, Newgrange, and the city of Cork. I was given the opportunity to go to the Cliffs of Moher with a group of other exchange students in same program. It was absolutely breathtaking.

I’m trying and failing to find words that appropriately describe the Cliffs. We got a beautiful day to see the cliffs – blue sea and blue sky. Getting to see the cliffs was one of the many things that reminded me once again of what an incredible opportunity I have, to spend a year in Ireland and be able to see things like this. I was reminded again when I went on a school trip to Newgrange.

For those who don’t know, Newgrange was a structure built in the stone age. It is an astonishing thing for anyone to see, but for a history nerd (like myself) it was beyond great.

Cork was great fun. Cork is the first real “city” I’ve been too in Ireland, and I was far from disappointed. It was a lovely city, with lots of neat stores and shops. It also contained the first really “touristy” shop I’ve seen. I was thrilled to see the tourist shop, and got my family back home plenty of touristy trinkets and whatnot.

Getting Through the Tough Stuff

All in all, a busy two weeks! But, I had a lot of fun. These past two weeks, I’ve continued to struggle with culture shock and homesickness. I won’t say it’s getting better, but I am certainly learning and working to see the bright-side of everything and stay positive. I’ve found a good way to get through particularly rough moments is to set small goals for myself. I started doing this when I first arrived in Ireland.

The first few days were not easy, as everything was new and overwhelming. It was also difficult because it felt like I suddenly completely comprehended what I was doing. And it was kind of scary. So I told myself to work for three months – and if I could work to make this a good experience for three months I knew I would be able to do it for nine.

This goal is at the back of mind whenever I hit a rough patch. Sometimes even three months seems like too long, and so I set a smaller goal – like the end of the week or even just the end of the day. Accomplishing this little, seemingly insignificant goal makes a huge difference to me. It’s a reminder that I can do anything; I just have to take it one day at a time. This whole experience is teaching me to focus on the now, and I am so thankful for that.

 

Kayla Trowbridge is 16 years old and lives in Zionsville, Indiana. Her goal during her study abroad program is to “create relationships that will continue throughout my life and develop a new understanding of the Irish culture.” Follow Kayla’s adventure in Ireland on her blog post updates throughout her program.

Oh my gosh a whole month studying in Ireland down! Time flies, as they say. My day to day interactions and schedule already feel normal. My initial awkwardness and anxiety have all but disappeared, and I fall a little more in love with Ireland with each passing day. I’ve been trying a lot of new things. Zumba, going to the gym, Irish stew, taking public transportation, spending a day in a city with only my friends – all these new things are coming together to create unforgettable experiences.

Zumba was during school Wednesday, because apparently it was active week! I wasn’t really sure what to expect having never done Zumba, but it was actually pretty fun. Although I felt a bit silly doing it! A lot of my friends who are also here studying abroad really like the gym, and go there multiple times per week. I am not such a fan, so I’m looking for some other sort of thing to keep me active.

As for taking public transportation and spending a day in a city, that was amazing! Four other foreign students and I decided to take the bus to Killarney for the day. It was incredibly fun because the city is beautiful, and it was nice to be a traditional tourist for a day! And Irish stew – well, it’s delicious.

But, it hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows. Homesickness and culture shock are something I deal with regularly. Culture shock is put into five main stages – the honeymoon stage, irritability and hostility, gradual adjustment, adaption of biculturalism, and re-entry shock. But going through culture shock isn’t like getting older, where you can say now I’m in this stage or that stage. All the stages blend together, you can experience different stages in the same week or even the same day. You might have a good morning, but an awful afternoon and then your evening is wonderful.

Frustration is a feeling that occurs at random and with random things. I get frustrated with the way my school works, my schedule, the work load. Even though I know that, for the most part, these things aren’t that different from what I’d be doing in Indiana, I still get annoyed. No matter how much you tell yourself your reaction is irrational, it’s hard to find other ways of thinking. But, most days, I am able to find the bright side and remember how amazing and incredible it is for me to be here and that I need to make the most of it.

That about wraps it up! I feel like I’m adjusting well and I am having a great time here. This week is packed full, with school throughout the week and then going to the cliffs of Moher on Saturday! Goodbye!

 

Kayla Trowbridge is 16 years old and lives in Zionsville, Indiana. Her goal during her study abroad program is to “create relationships that will continue throughout my life and develop a new understanding of the Irish culture.” Follow Kayla’s adventure in Ireland on her blog post updates throughout her program.

Almost two weeks of studying abroad in Ireland have gone by and yet it doesn’t feel that way. At times I feel as if I have been living here for two months, at others, as if I’ve been here two days. My host family has been wonderful. They are kind and helpful, and I felt like I belonged here almost right away. School has also been a bit of a help. It was nice to be able to settle into a routine quickly and meet the other foreign students as well as the Irish students. What with buying school supplies, meeting new people, and getting settled into school and life, it’s been a busy two weeks.

When I would talk to other Americans about Ireland before I came, I found that four things were often mentioned. The scenery, the people, the food, and of course, the rain. Everyone I talked to said something about the beautiful scenery, whether they’d been there or not. Let me tell you, the landscape has not disappointed. Ireland is just as beautiful as I’ve heard it is, and I really haven’t seen that much yet. I was able to go to a nearby beach the other day and it was stunning.

I have not seen much of my town yet, but plan to soon. Another thing constantly talked about was the friendliness of Irish people. While I cannot vouch for everyone, the Irish I’ve met have been wonderfully kind and quick to help. Irish food, at least what I’ve had so far, is not too different from American food. Of course, some foods, like bacon and cabbage or lamb, are not often to be had in Indiana. However, they were delicious, so perhaps they should be! As for the infamous Irish rain – what you’ve heard is not too far from the truth. It does rain quite often and does have a tendency to be overcast, but I’ve also had some beautiful, warm days. I love rain, actually, so everyday is a good one for me.

Now that we’ve finished with the pleasantries, a bit about the more challenging aspects of the program so far… 

These past two weeks have been a challenge for me because I have to get up the courage to talk to and start to get to know new people. First, it was with the other foreign students. I am the only American, and the only native English speaker among them. So, it was difficult, in the beginning, because I felt like I had nothing in common with any of them. However, once school started  I realized that we were all confused and lost and foreign, so that made it easier to start talking with them. After almost two weeks of trying to help each other find classes, I feel as if we are all a bit more comfortable with each other.

As for the Irish students, talking to them was, and still is, incredibly intimidating. They all already have their own friends here, and don’t need to be friends with me. And while it would make things easier, they have no obligation to initiate conversation. That responsibility falls on me. This is a huge leap out of my comfort zone, but if I want to make friends and become part of my host community, and I do, it’s necessary.

But, it’s already becoming easier to talk to the Irish students, all of whom have been friendly. And now I’m beginning to see good things come from stepping outside of my comfort zone. Talking to both the foreign and the Irish students has given me an opportunity to get a better understanding of how other cultures work. Mostly we’ve compared schools and education systems, and it’s fascinating to hear about how other cultures handle education. I’m so excited to learn more!

Homesickness is another challenge, but it’s one that’s hard to vocalize. It’s not only the big things I miss, like my friends and my family, but also just the familiarity of home. Some days are harder than others, and I know that as time goes on it will get harder, but also better. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, and I know that there will be rough spots, but I’m positive that I can make this a wonderful experience.

Kayla Trowbridge is 16 years old and lives in Zionsville, Indiana. Her goal during her study abroad program is to “create relationships that will continue throughout my life and develop a new understanding of the Irish culture.” Follow Kayla’s adventure in Ireland on her blog post updates throughout her program.

Greenheart Travel is excited to send a group of amazing high school students to study abroad as part of our 2016 Travel Correspondent Scholarship awards. To help introduce our inspiring writers, we are doing a series of spotlight interviews to help you get to know a little more about who they are, where they will be headed and what inspired them to study abroad.

Read on to meet 16-year-old, Kayla Trowbridge, our Greenheart Travel Correspondent from Zionsville, Indiana who’ll be traveling abroad to study in Ireland!

Favorite thing to do in your free time?

I really like to read, but I also enjoy cooking, singing, writing and acting.

Have you traveled abroad before?

No, this is my first time out of the U.S.

What got you interested in studying abroad?  

I started looking into studying abroad because I wanted something different from the traditional high school experience.  This seemed like the perfect choice for me.

What are you most excited about experiencing or seeing during your high school abroad program in Ireland?

I’m most excited about being immersed in my host community.

Why do you feel it’s important to travel to a new place and experience a different culture?

I think that it is important to travel and experience different cultures because doing this can help you connect with people and places that you otherwise would not, and you can build you confidence and become more knowledgeable about the world. Traveling can also allow you to develop new ideas and passions.

What are you nervous about?

I’m nervous about starting school in my host community because school itself can be rather stressful and dealing with that, along with culture shock and homesickness, will most certainly be a challenge.

How have you prepared for your time living and studying abroad?

I have been preparing to study abroad by talking to my host family, researching Ireland’s culture and history, and reading the blogs of previous exchange students.

How do you think you will change the most during your time abroad?

I don’t know how I will change, however, I am hoping to become more confident, independent and open minded.

Kayla Trowbridge is 16 years old and lives in Zionsville, Indiana. Her goal during her study abroad program is to “create relationships that will continue throughout my life and develop a new understanding of the Irish culture.” Follow Kayla’s adventure in Ireland on her blog post updates throughout her program.