Studying Abroad

[beloitpiper]

I'm going to be studying in Galway this autumn. It's pretty much set, but I still have to write essays for my application. These essays are kind of silly. They're basically a hoop to jump through to make sure you really want to go. Anyways, they ask the question

Study abroad provides opportunities to learn not only inside the classroom but also outside. How do you plan to maximize the out-of-classroom opportunities? Also, more specifically, how will you learn about and from the environment(s) where you will live and study?

I'm finding it hard to resist writing "drinking myself Irish and wearing a kilt!"

Ugh, I just find these essays so trite. But I have to do them. I just have to keep telling myself you'll be in Galway in 8 months. Oh, and for all the X-Markers out in Scotland: don't be surprised when a beloitpiper shows up at your door for a dram.

[Colin]

Lucky you, Galway is a great town. We staye dover the bridge in Claddagh (yes like the ring) and used Galway as a base for a week or so. Very fun college town feel to it.

Galway is about a day's travel from Scotland (by car and ferry), but it opens up the whole West Coast of Ireland which is just a beautiful place to check out.

Good Luck.

[beloitpiper]

Yeah, I specifically chose Galway over Dublin because it's An Ghaeltacht, and because of the music scene on the west coast. Also, I plan to spend many an evening at Oileáin Árann.

[Colin]

Try and hit Inishmore as much as you can, it's a small island, but the locals can party like nobody's business. Brutal ferry ride, but the fort is cool (almost better than Cliffs of Moher) and you can cycle the place in an hour or two. Skip the pubs in the harbour and go for the one out of the way. Some great live music there on certain days. Doolin is great, as is the whole west coast. I am very jealous.

[Kilted KT]

it's great that you are heading over to Scotland to study!!!

hmm...you should probably put in a bit about perfecting your caber toss...might distract the readers from your attempts to hide the ale and scotch consumption in your essays!

[Colin]

it's great that you are heading over to Scotland to study!!!

hmm...you should probably put in a bit about perfecting your caber toss...might distract the readers from your attempts to hide the ale and scotch consumption in your essays!

Galway is in Ireland KT. Scotland is just a hop, skip, and a jump away though.

[Kilted KT]

Galway is in Ireland KT. Scotland is just a hop, skip, and a jump away though.

hmm..not enough scotch in me to be on xmarks yet...I'll have to wait until I get my ferintosh glencairn's before I post much more!

[McClef]

Galway is a lovely city, I visited it several years ago when I was best man at a wedding to the west of the city.

You will love Eyre Square Beloit, and the little statue of Padraig O'Connaire there.

I can recommend the Guinness at the Skeffington Arms too!

But I didn't hear much Gaelic spoken in the city itself although you hear plenty once you have gone a few miles west.

[thescot]

Oh to be young.

Congratulations, Piper, me lad. I envy you that great opportunity.

Like you, I'd have trouble not being a little cute with the answer to such an open-ended question. There's have to be something about fair Irish lassies and Guinness.

[auld argonian]

With the recent growth of interest in Scots and Irish Culture in the United States, you are going to be researching the relationships and attitudes of the groups in both countries toward each other.

You are further going to be researching the relationship between the Celtic roots of American Popular Music and the subsequent influence of American Popular Music upon Celtic Music since the introduction of musical recordings and radio.

...need any more BS that looks good on an application? I'm sure that there are plenty of members on the forum that can help shovel here...be creative, gang.

Best

AA