Advice for American Students Moving to Ireland

Moving to Ireland as an American is a different experience for everybody. As such, this blog post will detail some mental/emotional advice I, as a Californian, would offer to fellow Americans before they move to Ireland.

Prior to your move to Ireland, it is important to think of the move as a kind of marathon. Like all marathons, you must train before you participate. In the years before I applied to University of Galway, I had immense social anxiety (to the point I couldn’t even go to a gas station by myself without freaking out), so I knew my “training” would have to be consistent and purposeful. Since everyone has their own individual problems that might trouble them, it is important that you reflect before your move. What provokes you? Where do you retreat when you’re overwhelmed? What are you scared to do? What do you hope for and why? All of these questions are essential to answer, as it will allow you to train that much more cohesively. For me, I knew I needed to work on my social anxiety. As such, I trained through exposure therapy. What I dreaded, I faced. Day trips alone? Done. Going out to bars with friends (occasionally) when all I wanted to do was huddle in my home? Done. Whatever your particular mental block may be, it is important that you directly confront this block and work with it, as that will make your time in Ireland that much easier. (All that said, like all training, some days off are mandatory so you don’t overwork your muscles, so give yourself grace when need be.)

Another aspect of moving to Ireland as an American that I feel is worthy of discussion is advocacy. Especially given the United States’ tumultuous political state right now, I recommend not letting yourself get too caught up in shame or guilt, as this puts you in a position of needing to “prove” yourself. You are your own best advocate while you’re abroad, so, like all advocates, support yourself with dignity and respect for self and others. Some judgments might be cast toward people from your country who feel ignorant or presumptuous. What has helped me in these moments of defensiveness is to stand up for the people back home who cannot advocate for themselves in the moment, and to remind others that, while our nation may be in political trouble right now, the people of the States are too varied and diverse to shoehorn into a single box.

This brings me to my final piece of advice for any American moving to Ireland. Simply, allow yourself to be. Drop expectations, manage all the bureaucratic obligations you might have (e.g. getting an IRP card… sign up for an appointment to do this ASAP once you land!), and feel all the emotions that come your way. Some days will feel cloudy, others sunny. Some days you will wonder why you have done this. Some days, you will yearn for a late-night trip to Taco Bell. Some days, you will marvel at the emerald expanse of beauty around you and wonder how this became your new normal. Some days you will feel lost. Rest assured, you will find the path again.

Like all marathons, endurance is key. As such, embrace your vulnerability. Make small talk with baristas, ask your classmates about their lives, communicate your struggles, go out to pubs and observe the individual lives colliding around you, listen to music and stare out a rain-flecked window.

One foot in front of the other. Regardless of the journey, you will be a new person on the other side.

Words and images thanks to Emma Lowe, MA International Contemporary Literatures and Media