Student Ambassador Louise Calkins reflects on how she’s made Ireland her second home. From discovering hidden gems to building connections with friends, Louise embraces the beauty of having two places to call home.
When you first move to Ireland, it can be difficult, amidst all the new discoveries, to imagine it becoming your home (or rather, your second home). But after spending six months here, I can confidently say, Ireland is now my home.
The first week of college (let alone moving to an entirely new country) can feel daunting. The unfamiliarity of your accommodation, your new school, and suddenly being thousands of miles away from your family can be overwhelming. Slowly, though, what once seemed like a strange place starts to become very dear to you. Taking walks to local coffee shops, discovering new parts of the city, and attending community social events are all ways I became acquainted with Dublin.
If you are like me, and are attending a smaller university, you’re in luck. I found that the smaller lecture groups allowed me to form closer bonds with my classmates. Getting to know people in your new place of study becomes easier with each passing week. I also found that lecturers were very willing to suggest local things to do, as well as places to visit near the city. Discovering the county where you are studying is a big part of feeling more connected to Ireland. I, studying in Dublin, found that day trips on the DART to places like Howth and Bray were very exciting prospects.
Even though I’ve lived in Dublin for six months, I only recently discovered a hidden park near my university. Finding that park (Iveagh Gardens) has been a lovely surprise. I often take walks there in the mornings before class to clear my head. Regularly visiting spots around your place of study is the easiest way to establish that familiar feeling you would have with local spots back home. Solo adventures are important while studying here in Ireland, but discovering new places with friends and classmates is a wonderful experience as well.
Although the first few weeks after you move to Ireland often feel like the hardest, sometimes in the months that follow, it can feel like a setback to experience homesickness. It isn’t. Missing home can happen even on a minor basis every day. Sometimes a smell, a song, or even a person can remind you of something from your home country or family. I try to look at this as a positive. It means I can enjoy my life in Ireland while still having fond memories of my life before moving. Remembering something from back home, but being in the moment and enjoying your new life in Ireland, reminds you that you now have two homes.
I can’t wait to share with some of my family members what life is like here in Ireland. That’s another great part of having a home away from home: you get to share it with loved ones. You almost get to act as a tour guide for your city to those who have never been.
Louise Calkins is studying Communications and Media Production at Griffith College via Education in Ireland.