Jacqueline Drazdzinski, Alumni Ambassador

1. What do you wish you had known before going?

One thing I wish I knew was that everything would be okay. Students tend to stress over every little thing and especially when studying abroad. Whether it is a new language, being away from home for a while, worrying about not understanding the public transportation or even in regards to making new friends; all of these worries immediately went away when I arrived and found out that the other students were in the same situation. We quickly bonded with each other and went to lunch not even two hours after landing in Ireland. We were all so excited to explore this new land and all that the culture had to offer. Even when we were confused or got “lost” while exploring, we had the CEA staff nearby to guide us in the right direction and even make recommendations as to where the best local restaurant was or smaller destinations that would truly show us the Irish culture.

2.  How has your study abroad experience shaped you?

My experience in Dublin has made me realize that we are all the same. We as individuals are all striving to be our best while still wanting to enjoy life. No matter what we look like or what language we speak, we are all people who share common goals despite all of the political aspects and disagreements. For me, this realization occurred when I was observing the everyday life from St Stephens Green in Dublin. Even when I was 3,000 miles away from my house, there were still couples taking walks, children playing like there was no tomorrow, and street vendors advertising their product. I was able to talk to locals and hear their stories and their careers choices. All of this gave me a sense of home, which just made me fall more in love with the beautiful city of Dublin. I have since been encouraged to research more of my ancestry and spend more time with my relatives who are of Irish descent to continue learning as much as I can. My hope is that more people become aware that the world is a lot smaller than it seems and that we really are all very similar.