Holding sheep at Kilary Sheep Farm after bottle feeding lambs, watching a herding demonstration, and shearing sheep.
Author: Lauryn O’Grady | Major: Accounting
Ireland—known for its beautiful coastlines, chilly waters, timeless towns, cobblestone streets, and Guinness, of course. Who would have known 17 lucky students from the University of Arkansas would one day be able to experience said monuments of the Irish. During the Fall 2021 semester, Dr. Charles Leflar came out of retirement and taught my Honors Accounting Principles II course. However, in conjunction with the introduction of his background and what the course itself entailed, he made a distinct point to mention the study abroad program he typically leads every summer. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though, he hadn’t taken students across the Atlantic in two years. Dr. Leflar mentioned this program every day in class for over a week until he was able to present a slideshow to us, showing us a brief snapshot of what one month in Ireland looked like. As a student with an Irish last name determined to study abroad, I knew this was something I wanted to do. The “International Business Seminar” Dr. Leflar called it was specifically for accounting and finance majors, which I was, and not your typical sit-inthe-classroom-and-listen-to-lectures program. I was immediately intrigued.
Dr. Leflar is, without a doubt, the only reason I knew about the International Business Seminar in Ireland in the first place. Although I did not do extensive research on the study abroad programs the university offered, this opportunity seemed to simply fall into my lap—I knew I needed to pursue it. “They speak English, so you don’t even need to learn a new language,” Dr. Leflar told our class. Between the English speakers, non-traditional learning environment, and the business-centered program, it was clear this was the best study abroad opportunity for me. Professor Katie Terrell, the other faculty leader, only confirmed my decision to apply for the program with her own class presentation. Looking back, studying abroad taught me to be adaptable, observant, and open-minded—three traits that aid in advanced learning and a successful professional career. Our traditional classes, taught by a professor at the University College Dublin, where we stayed for the duration of the four-week program, were very similar to those of the University of Arkansas. In a lecture-based format, students listened for two hours and were able to ask questions whenever they arose. In Ireland professors, though, typically are addressed by their first names rather than their last names to promote inclusivity and decrease the feel of hierarchy—quite a difference from American schools. Outside of the traditional lectures, students participated in city, museum, and business tours, informal lectures about Ireland’s “Water of Life,” as well as informational demonstrations about the Irish farmer’s way of living. These untraditional ways of learning were extremely beneficial in understanding the true colors of Ireland.
Outside of class, my peers and I explored many Irish restaurants, cathedrals, mountain hikes, and more. In Dublin, the buildings are old, yet timeless. It rains almost once a day, adding to the famous, dreary, Ireland atmosphere. Cathedrals are stone with stained-glass windows and open floorplans, townhouses with bright colored doors and small plant gardens, and there are coffee shops on nearly every corner. Irish food consists primarily of potatoes available at every meal, fish and chips, healthy McDonalds, lamb, and pureed soups. Everyone either uses public transportation, bikes, or walks through the streets of Dublin, and the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is a train that takes you from one end of Dublin to the other. On one occasion, my friends and I took the DART to Bray to hike Bray’s Head—a strenuous cliff walk overlooking the ocean. The views were immaculate: the blue-green ocean, white townhouses below, green grass on the mountain side, and the brown mud beneath our feet. Our breath had been taken away, not only by the daunting hike behind of us, but the beauty of Ireland, too.
The International Business Seminar in Ireland was one I will never forget. I pestered Dr. Leflar for months about the program; I was extremely eager. Looking back, this was for very good reason. I made a few of what I would now call my best friends. I got close and vulnerable with my classmates. I gained two extraordinary mentors I can count on for the rest of my professional career. I was able to explore a new country in a way tourists are not able to experience. I wish I had known how attached I would get to the country and the people I was able to experience it with. Saying goodbye to Ireland and to my newfound friends scared me; I did not want to go back to being strangers again. My love for the country and the people I grew so fond of will forever have a special place in my heart. Who would’ve known one could fall so hard in love with a soft, slow rain? It will be the rainiest days I miss the most. For now, though, I will sit in America eating my chips and salsa remembering the long days, belly laughs, exhausting hikes, boring drives, beach views, exciting city life, unsalted fries, and cliff walks as mere memories until Ireland and I meet again.