Ireland: Jonathon Gregory (A home away from home in Limerick)

Program: University of Limerick, Fall

Hello future Badger study abroad student, let me introduce myself! My name is Jonathon Gregory. I am a third-year student at UW studying civil engineering. I grew up in Menasha, Wisconsin, but I usually tell other Badgers Appleton, Wisconsin, because it’s more well known. Here in Ireland, I must go even more broad and say just Wisconsin and if that doesn’t work, 3 hours north of Chicago, and if THAT doesn’t work, just say close to Canada. There have been a lot of things to get acclimated to as I study in another country. With that in mind, let’s dive into how I discovered the opportunity to study abroad.

About a year ago, I was studying in the CALS student center in between lectures when I saw a flyer for a study abroad informational meeting. As an engineering student, I wasn’t sure if studying abroad would fit into the degree plan, I had created with my academic advisor, and I assumed the cost would be more than I could afford. However, after attending the meeting, I discovered that it is very manageable for engineers to continue their degree progression abroad by applying for course equivalencies, and the cost was like what I was paying already at UW! I then reached out to friends and UW resources to gain more information on whether going abroad was worth the effort, and almost every person said it was one of their favorite semesters of their entire collegiate career. I then spent many hours researching the best program that would fit my needs and desires academically and culturally, which is how I ended up at the University of Limerick in Castletroy, Ireland.

Now that the University of Limerick is my home away from home, daily life is mostly the same, but some things are a little different than in Madison… Here in Castletroy, I would attend classes on a walkable campus the same way I would in Madison. But wait, when you were getting to class this morning, you realized you ran out of face wash. Now, instead of walking a couple of minutes to the nearest Target or Walgreens, you might have to plan for a 15-minute bike ride or 25-minute bus ride each way to find what you need. I have found that some stores here offer a smaller selection of certain products than I am used to.

Bearing this in mind, public transportation has integrated into my daily life more than it ever has before. With this new change also came the learning curve of an entirely new transportation layout. A week or three in, this change has felt more comfortable, but only after missing a couple of buses and accidentally taking the wrong routes. Fortunately, the transportation operators are usually friendly and willing to help you find your way, understanding you are a foreigner studying on a new college campus. There are also many university employees and students who have great familiarity with the system.

The next task that has become a subconscious change in my everyday life is the immediate conversion of euros to dollars. An entirely new currency system also took some time to get used to, this being new coins and the subtle difference in prices when buying things. In my first couple of weeks here at UL, I did not have access to the student bus fare card, which allowed digital payments, as it is sent by mail from the university. After obtaining euros, it was important to know which bills and coins to use, as certain facilities don’t accept high-value bills and many establishments prefer cash or require a minimum card payment. Also, taking the time to translate a euro purchase to a dollar figure. This wasn’t as apparent for small purchases like food and drinks, but when purchasing clothing or groceries remember that things can be more expensive.

Lastly, I haved used the skills of being a better listener every day and the majority of the interactions I have here on study abroad. Many students come from different backgrounds, speak different languages or varieties of English, and have cultural norms that I am learning to understand. So, it is extremely important in all interactions to be aware of how your unspoken actions, like eye contact, volume, and speaking distance, make the other person feel. It has taken some personal growth to step out of my comfort zone and meet new people, even when I feel like the odd one out. Studying abroad has given me a whole new perspective by forcing me to be a student in class who doesn’t know any other students or has never heard of the professor before. So, whether it was drinking tea instead of coffee or restructuring the way I approach every conversation, study abroad has already taught me so much only a few weeks in.

A thing that I will miss here in Ireland when I get back to Wisconsin is the concept of the meal deal. As a college student looking for a meal that’s healthy, cheap, and fast, at almost every grocery store or convenience store there is a meal deal that allows you to get a drink, main, and snack for 5-8 dollars, and the options are brilliant. You can get just about any brand of drink they have in the store; they have countless sandwiches, bowls, salads, and proteins that you can use as the main, then snacks like chips, fresh cut fruit, and fresh bakery items. I have found the best meal deals are at Tesco. The next thing I will miss about Ireland is the weather. As frustrating as it can be getting caught in the rain on your way to class, there is something funny about the 10-minute thunderstorm, then shining sun minutes later. Not only is its inconsistency hilarious, but I have enjoyed how the frequent rain and mild temperatures create a comfortable environment for many activities throughout the day. This allows for just about every activity except maybe suntanning. With such high volume of rain, Ireland is home to some of the greenest pastures, and I am a huge fan of the vibrant colors and interesting plants.