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28 June 2022

Interprofessional Healthcare #HogsAbroad in Ireland


Hello! My name is McKinley Kasberg and I am a Social Work major and I got to go to Ireland on a Faculty-Led trip that emphasized the interprofessional nature of Social Sciences and Health. The study abroad was only about seventeen days, so I made sure to make the most out of every moment! The trip was an absolute blast. I was one of two social work majors on the trip, so I got to spend a lot of time learning from the health students. I was so inspired by their passion for healthcare, and even during casual lunch conversations, I was always learning.
On to the interesting! Ireland is a beautiful country. Though not everyone loves the rain, I absolutely love it. Most days we had pleasant weather with highs in the 60s. Some days there was light rain, so a rain jacket was necessary. I am the type of girl who loves an overcast sky because it is perfect to go coffee shop hopping, which I did a few times. I have to say, the lattes in Ireland are better! We ate at lots of pubs. My favorite meals were pot roast with potatoes, Irish stew, and anything involving lamb. The Irish LOVE their potatoes. Thankfully, I do as well.
We had lots of fun excursions in Ireland! The highlights for me would be the Cliffs of Moher (SO beautiful), hiking in a small town called Howth, and having dinner inside Bunratty Castle. The Cliffs of Moher really cannot be described in words. We went on a beautiful sunny day and hiked, ate lunch, and bought souvenirs. This destination is not overrated! At Bunratty castle we went to a dinner theater of sorts and ate a four-course meal...with our hands! The entertainment was delightful, and it really brought our group together. Howth was one of my favorite places. It is a tourist town, but with sweet little places to eat, delicious ice cream, and beautiful views.
The educational aspects of our trip were the real highlight for me. We went to lots of service agencies, which is right up my alley as a social work major! I loved Carebright, a facility which homes people with dementia. The model this care facility uses was specially designed: each resident is placed in a home with a kitchen, living room, and traditional bedrooms. Residents are also given the opportunity to participate in activities such as cooking and making tea. The nurses at the health center emphasized that small risks, such as allowing a dementia patient around ovens and kettles, are worth it so they can enjoy a higher quality of life.

Another awesome opportunity we had was service-learning days. In Galway, we were placed with professionals in our field and went to their place of work for a day and talked about what they do for their jobs. The other social work student, Nancy, and I were placed with two awesome social workers who work for a division under the health services called the Adult Safeguarding Services. We had a fun day chatting with them about their jobs. They offered us tea and made us feel so welcome. We even got to talk to a Master of Social Work Student about what it is like to get a social work degree in Ireland! It was such a valuable experience to connect with other social workers and compare our systems.

Ireland was so much fun. I had an amazing time getting to know everyone and I could not have survived without sweet friends and our awesome professors. I grew so much professionally and personally. I would recommend study abroad to anyone and everyone!

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Social Work major McKinley Kasberg spent the Summer 2022 term on the Social Sciences and Health Professions in Ireland program with support from the 
Office of Study Abroad Scholarship

You can start planning your adventure abroad today! Dive in to our Explore page at 
https://studyabroad.uark.edu/explore/index.php, and start your program search at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search/