Hello, my name is Bentley Buckminster! I study Elementary Education at the University of Arkansas and I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to study abroad in Ireland for three weeks. During my time in Ireland, we visited 4 different elementary schools and got to teach lessons and help out in the classroom while we learned about the differences in the American and Irish education systems. We were traveling with ten students total and two faculty members were leading the trip. We spent about a week in Limerick, then went to Galway for four days, and ended our trip in Dublin.
While in Limerick, we stayed on campus at the University of Limerick. One of my favorite things was the Milk Market which is very similar to the Fayetteville Farmer’s Market.
We also visited Bunratty Castle and ate dinner with our hands at a medieval banquet in the castle.
Our next stop was the Cliffs of Moher on the way to Galway. Unfortunately, it was a very foggy day and we weren’t able to see any of the cliffs. We were still able to go on a nice hike and enjoy our time together, though.
Galway has to be my favorite city of the trip. It is the size of Fayetteville, so everything is within walking distance, and it’s located near the ocean. This is also the city Ed Sheeran sings about in his song “Galway Girl.” He even filmed the video here!
In Galway, we visited a small country school and the students taught us how to play Ireland’s national sport, Hurling. This sport is similar to lacrosse, but even more dangerous. The only protective gear they wear when playing is a helmet and it is very common to break fingers.
Finally, we finished the trip in Dublin, Ireland. This was the largest of the three cities we visited. When in Ireland, you must visit castles, so we toured the beautiful Dublin Castle.
There is a lot of history in Dublin relating to Ireland’s independence. Kilmainham Gaol is the prison where the British kept Irish men and women who were fighting for Ireland’s freedom. It is now a museum and I definitely recommend going to see it.
One of our last stops was the Howth Cliff Walk. The hike next to the cliffs has a beautiful view and Howth is such a cute village by the ocean.
I never saw myself as someone who would study abroad, but I found a program that was perfect for me and I would absolutely do it again. I recommend that everyone should find a study abroad program that fits their needs and go for it. If you are in Elementary Education, this one is perfect for you!
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Bentley spent the Summer 2018 term in Ireland with our U of A Faculty-Led: Education in Ireland - The Art of Teaching program with the help of our our Office of Study Abroad Scholarship.
Don't miss your opportunity to study or intern abroad! Start your search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/
