Lily Holden, Alumni Ambassador

how did you engage with the local community while abroad?
I engaged with the local community abroad by going to a lot of smaller cities in Ireland, since there are many tourists in Dublin. In the smaller cities you got to talk to more locals and they were always really excited to chat about differences between America and Ireland. Additionally, going to events in the area helped me in engaging with the locals. One place that I went where I spoke to a lot of locals was to watch a rugby match at a pub. Rugby is a big part of the culture in Dublin, so it was nice seeing that firsthand and talking to the locals about it.

what is one story or important aspect you always share about your time abroad?
One important aspect I always share about my time abroad is the people I connected with, especially from different countries. I came into this experience alone and not knowing anyone prior. However, I met so many people that I became close to so quickly. CEA CAPA introduces you to people from all over the world and helps form these positive connections by hosting things like international food nights and scavenger hunts that you complete with all CEA CAPA students. Now, I know people from Germany, France, Ireland, etc. that I cannot wait to visit in the future.