Author: Luke Konnesky | Major: Accounting | Semester: Summer 2024

Holding an Owl at the Falconry Center in Meath, Ireland

I chose this study abroad program because I liked the idea of a faculty led program in an English-speaking country. This was my first time in Europe and I figured it may be quite daunting if I am on my own in a country where no one speaks the same language as me. This was something I never had to worry about in Ireland because I had my faculty advisors who had been to Ireland many times as well as the ability to communicate with the locals. Interacting with the local people is one of the parts that made Ireland so great. People always talk about how friendly Irish people can be and after experiencing this firsthand, it is truly remarkable how hospitable every single person I met was.

While we were there, we took visits to 3 of the big 4 accounting firms as well as many local businesses. Through these company visits we learned interesting differences in the way the working world operates in Ireland compared to the US. For example, in the European Union every single employee is guaranteed 4 weeks of vacation time, compared to the US where there is no national time-off mandate. This is one of many differences in work-life balance I observed while in Ireland. Our faculty advisors required us to keep a daily journal to log what we were doing and things we found interesting. At first this seemed like a frivolous task; however, I quickly started to enjoy sitting down at the end of the day and recounting all the interesting things that stood out to me. You view the world much differently when you are actively observing, rather than passively going about your day.

This trip really taught me that learning is not and should not be confined to a classroom. Every single daily interaction has the potential to be a lesson in business depending on your perspective. For example, one of my favorite things we did on the trip was take a guided tour to the west coast of Ireland to appreciate the history and beauty of that area. Our tour Guide was a young Irish woman by the name of Edel who owns her own tour guide business. She shared many stories with us about what inspired her to start her own business and the steps she had to take to get to where she is now. These weren’t formal lectures, rather casual conversations with someone who has a passion for the work they do. It was conversations such as those with Irish natives that really made the trip an immersive experience.

I was a little bit nervous going into the program as I did not know anyone within my program very well, and truthfully did not know a ton about what my month was going to look like. However, like many things in life the
idea of being in a foreign country was far scarier than actually being there. Within less than a day of being over there I quickly made friends in the group and started to get a more concrete idea of how my month in Ireland would look. I encourage anyone who is on the fence about studying abroad to take the leap and find a program that sounds like it works for you. I know that my study abroad experience will always be one part of my college years I can look back on with fond memories.