Hiking at the Cliffs of Moher

Author: Ashley Vandenberk | Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders

My name is Ashley Vandenberk and I am a rising senior at the University of Arkansas. I am in the College of Education and Health Professions. I am majoring in communication sciences and disorders and minoring in human development and family sciences. The name of the program I went is the Health Professions in Ireland: Focus on Interprofessional Practice. I visited Ireland in the term of Summer 2022.

I chose this program because I wanted to go somewhere that aided in my academic development and future speech-language pathology career. It advanced my academic and professional goals. As a communication sciences and disorders major, I will be going into the health care field. Throughout my time studying abroad, I was exposed to different health care organizations and professionals like occupational therapists, physical therapists, and others relevant to the field I am going into. This exposure to the diversity in the healthcare world broadened my horizons to understand the depth of my profession. It revealed the variety of places I could work in, the people I could work with, and the possibility of a different health care system to work in as well. Also, having this opportunity for international experience will make me a good candidate as the world is globalizing day by day. It allowed me to see how other people approach issues and gain a new point of view. We did not have formal classes when we were in Ireland, but we did attend lectures at different university campuses. They were quite similar to lectures done by those at the U of A with PowerPoints as a visual aid. A few were more informal and collaborative in smaller classrooms. Others were in a big lecture hall.

Outside of class, I had lots of opportunities to explore. We ate a lot of good food from pubs and restaurants (especially fish and chips)! I had the opportunity to visit a lot of incredible architecture including cathedrals, castles, and universities. I loved hiking at the Cliffs of Moher and the cliffs in Howth. It was breathtaking and pictures do not do it justice. It made me really realize how small I am in comparison to the world! Also, I loved how walkable the cities were in Limerick, Dublin, and Galway. It was nice not having to rely on driving to get places. We took buses sometimes, but we were so close to the city center that we could walk everywhere. I shopped in stores, ate at neat restaurants, and ate a lot of gelato and candy too. Overall, the people of Ireland are so kind, and they never hesitated to help us find our way, a great spot to eat or see something cool while we were staying there.

I would absolutely recommend this program to future students! If you are interested in seeing how another country tackles health care and works with other professionals, this would be a great trip for you. Also, you get to see the beauty of Ireland which is a great plus! I wish I had known more exactly how cold it is sometimes! It is not like summer in the states. Honestly, it did not rain as much as I thought it would, but I did wish I packed an extra sweater or two! Also, a waterproof emphasis on a waterproof raincoat is essential! When I returned home, I was craving Chick Fil A. Ireland has great fresh food and it is all local, but there is just something about Chick Fil A that I love! My friends and I got it right away at Charlotte airport.  I recommend studying abroad to everyone! If you can go, just do it. You will not regret it!