Engineering in Cork, Ireland

Engineering in Cork, Ireland By Marie McNamara, Fall 2014 Introduction Study abroad is one thing I knew I always wanted to do coming into college. I remember hearing about my cousins’ adventures and explorations, longing to have my chance. In fact, during my campus tour of Santa Clara, I distinctly remember passing the Study Abroad Office and hearing about the many opportunities. As an engineer, I started to plan early. I am one of the few engineers I know that has gone abroad. It was well worth the effort. While abroad, I directly enrolled in University College Cork and lived with Irish students. I was able to focus my studies at Cork, taking a variety of credits that transferred directly to major, minor, and Core requirements. Going abroad was an adventure of a lifetime. Everyday I was met with new people and new experiences. I learned to embrace the Irish way of life. One thing that I found surprising was that although I speak English, as do the Irish, our commonalities in language did not necessarily mean our cultures were the same. The Irish people have different values, norms, and ideas. They are a unique group of people and I greatly appreciated getting to know them. The Irish are welcoming and willing to embrace everything Cliffs of Mohr that life brings them. Goals While abroad, I wanted to experience culture. I wanted to travel to new places and see as many sides to Europe as possible. While studying abroad, I spent a lot of my weekends traveling and exploring new places within Ireland and other parts of Europe. My Irish roommates would quiz me each weekend I set off, wondering where my next adventure would be. They joked that I had seen more of Ireland in three months then they had their whole life. Traveling was very accessible in Cork and it is something I made a habit of. On the weekends, most Irish students go home to do laundry and to get a few free meals. I used this opportunity to travel Ireland. Our program sponsored a few cultural excursions that I participated in. However, I took it upon myself to go to Irish villages and visit Northern Ireland. I explored the Celtic history, the Irish legacy, and the beautiful countryside of Ireland. Housing The great part about housing is that when applying to study abroad in Ireland and Cork specifically you enroll with a program call Arcadia. Arcadia takes care of all your housing. Arcadia houses all international students in Deans Hall. Deans Hall is a student apartment complex just a short walk from campus and the city center. International students, as well as Irish students, live in these apartments. During my stay in Cork, I roomed with three Irish apartment mates and one other American. The housing apartments have a communal kitchen and living space. Every student then receives their own single room. The apartments offer a housing option that is safe and close to campus. They have laundry and security on site. Deans Hall aims to really foster a sense of inclusivity and to develop a positive social dynamic. The hall throws seasonal socials throughout the year and it is really easy to meet other students living in the dorms. While living there, I really enjoyed starting a Monday night dinner club; a few students and I would rotate cooking dinner. It was a great way to catch up and share about our day's adventures. I also enjoyed living with Irish roommates. While staying in Cork I meet a lot of Irish friends and was able to see the city with them, experiencing Ireland more on the local level. Cove Village Ireland Finances Planning is key. There are a lot of opportunities to save money and there are many scholarships available. Arcadia, which is the intermediary group between Santa Clara University and University College Cork, offers a variety of scholarships and financial tools. There are student loan programs and budgeting tutorials available through this organization. As for budgeting, where and how you spend your money depends on your priorities. If you are looking to embrace your city and travel less, expenses will be very reasonable. There are plenty of free things to do and events to see. If you are planning to travel, Cork has an affordable airport and bus station. Today, getting money abroad is very simple with the right planning. I used a bank of America travel card. It had no transaction fees on any purchases. I could also use this card to withdraw money from local ATMs. There was a fee with ATM withdrawals but this was the only transaction with a fee. Academics Grades = Marks in Ireland Grading is a little different in Ireland in the sense that homework and participation grades do not exist. Many classes are structured so that the class culminates with one yearly paper or exam. In a typical class, there may be one or two projects or papers and then one final exam. This is different from Santa Clara in the sense that at Santa Clara we get a variety of grades on an array of assignments. In addition to this difference, the grading scale is not based on percentages like in the United States. With this being said, a conversion is available that allows you to compare your grades. For the most part, Santa Clara prepares you very well for your classes abroad. The academic aspect of abroad is something I took very seriously. As an engineering student, in order to go abroad I needed to make sure that the program I selected would fit with my major and core requirements. To do this, I consulted the course catalog regularly and worked with the Study Abroad Office to pick the best option. My discernment process was almost solely based on academics and course approvals. I began by reviewing programs that advisors in the Study Abroad Office recommended would fit with my major. These included schools in Ireland, London, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, and Spain. The New Zealand and Australia programs started in mid July. This did not align with my schedule, so I chose to focus on the Ireland and Scotland programs. I then attempted to get classes approved for both institutions. To do this, I followed the major course approval guide online, obtaining the syllabuses for class and emailing those to the Civil Engineering Department Head. Both offices were very responsive and helpful throughout this process. In the end, I was able to get five engineering class approved for Cork, Ireland, so I elected to go there. Once I got to Ireland, I found that my classes were very manageable. Although I was taking a heavier course load, I felt Santa Clara had prepared me well for the classes I took abroad. The classes for my core requirements were quite simple. Most just had one test or term paper and I felt that the writing skills I developed at Santa Clara made these classes manageable. For my engineering class, I certainly felt prepared. However, the limited homework and quizzes made it difficult to gage my true understanding of the class material. In order to compensate for this, I made sure to review my class notes and stay up on the readings. I also came to find that the professors were significantly harder to reach than Santa Clara professors. It was difficult to approach professors with questions. They do not have office hours and rarely check their emails. This forced me to result to resources like books and online tutorials. This was merely something to get used to and only made me more appreciative of my Santa Clara professors. Finally, one thing I wish I had known is that one of the engineering classes I took was taught based on European building code standards. This class was not very pertinent towards my major. Its focus on European code made it very difficult to understand and was not the type of course I needed to take. Advice before going abroad ● Review the approved courses for all the institutions that you apply for ● If classes are not approved, carefully review the courses offered and attempt to match course descriptions ● Get to know you department head: they will be approving all your coursework ● Have a list of classes with two to three backups (these backups will be valuable if, for some reason, class times conflict or a course is not offered to international students) Student Life Campus is lively with a lot of hustle and bustle between class periods. In many senses, the Cork campus feels very much like Santa Clara's campus. You will find clubs tabling outside the library, students grabbing coffee in the student union, and people darting off to class. What was great about being a full time student is I had the ability to then enroll in clubs and activities, interacting and socializing with locals through interactive events. While in Cork, I joined the club squash team. This was a great opportunity to learn a new sport and socialize with my classmates and peers. There are many clubs to choose from and there's truly something for everyone. Two specific activities that are very prominent in Ireland particularly are Hurling and Gaelic football. This two sports really come to represent Irish pastime, are unique to Ireland, and there are school club teams for both sports. Ireland Park Cork has a great campus and great facilities to utilize. These include a student Union with cafes and game areas, a four story library with access to computers and databases, and a student recreation center. Overall, the campus is friendly and inviting, like at Santa Clara. Naturally, it is going to be little different than what you are used to, but this is to be expected. I assure you, if you put in the effort you, will feel right at home at Cork. Hurling Gaelic Football Social Life The people are what make Ireland great! They have such great personalities. The Irish lifestyle is built on the foundation of family and friends. For the most part, the Irish are very outgoing and appreciate spending time together. One thing that you catch on to is the pub becomes a second home and the place for all club socials and general meet ups. The pub brings people together and is a relaxed and social environment. Kids can even be seen in pubs on game days or on Sundays after church. Everyone is encouraged to come and have a good time. Going to the pub is about being social and is a part of Irish life. While there, you certainly do not have to drink. Being involved on campus is a great way to meet people. From the beginning, all students are encouraged to be involved in clubs and activities. There are opportunities to join a variety clubs and there is something for everyone. The dorms are also a very social place. All Santa Clara Study Abroad students are housed in Deans Hall. This is an resident hall for both University College Cork and the local Junior College. I was able to meet a lot of locals and international students here. Deans Hall is really a great place. The apartment style arrangement allows suits to intermingle. In addition, Deans Hall throws quarterly socials which allow students to meet local residents. Cork Ireland Engagement When enrolling in the University of College Cork, the international group Arcadia acts as the middleman between this Irish University and Santa Clara. Arcadia facilitates housing and the logistics involved with transcript and grade transfers. Although these are the main two functions of the organization, Arcadia also provides active advising and they facilitate a few service learning opportunities. While in Ireland, I enrolled in Arcadia’s service learning program. This program studied the separation and continued collaboration between Ireland and Northern Ireland. It focuses on Celtic tradition. This class was a great opportunity to learn about the past and present history of Ireland. In addition, we were able to go on field trips that gave us perspective of some of the hardships and separation issues that still occur today. Being civically engaged was a goal of mine from the get­go. When I got to Ireland, I found a great volunteering opportunity with Saint Vincent De Paul. Volunteering allowed me to engage with the community and to learn about a different walk of life. Religion Ireland is known to be Catholic and conservative. In many sense, the culture and history of Ireland is largely based on religion. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the Catholic Isle of Ireland was forced by the crown to convert to Protestantism. However, Ireland never fully accepted Protestant Christianity and conserved the Catholic Church. Today, Ireland is now a mix of both Protestants and Catholics. There are many Catholic and Protestant churches within Cork and anyone is welcome to attend church services. Although these are the two predominant religions, religious differences are widely accepted. An open discussion is welcome. ​
Dublin, Ireland Race/Ethnicity One thing I noticed while abroad was how ethnic diversity and people with mixed races were less common. For example, in Ireland everyone is, for the most part, of Irish descent. There was little diversity. I also noticed this pattern in other European countries. Although many European countries are diversifying, there are also scenarios where countries wish to preserve their rich history as being Irish, Scottish, French and so forth. While abroad, I took a political civilization class that studied the trends of multiculturalism and assimilation. Our studies focused on a variety of European countries, drawing the conclusion that Europeans generally tend to view multiculturalism negatively since it detracts from the preservation of cultural history. Studying these trends and the role of ethnic diversity in European communities made me more aware. Although I would not say it affected my experience personally, it was something I was conscious of while traveling. Ireland is predominantly composed of caucasians. With this being said, there is still a great deal of acceptance for other ethnicities. Coming from an Irish descent, I was able to blend in fairly well. In the end, though, my American accent always gave me away. Other students coming from other ethnic descent had a slightly different experience because they did stand out a little more. However, there were a lot of well­established ethnic and cultural clubs on campus. Ireland is an accepting nation and all students were able to express themselves freely. Gender/Sexuality Women have an equal role in society in Ireland. You will find that just as many females attend university as males. The LGBT community is also generally widely accepted in Ireland. There are outreach groups on campus and LGBT are able to express themselves freely. One aspect of my identity that was never question before going abroad was my sexual orientation. Being hetorosexual, I have never been ostrasized or judged for my sexual orientation. While in Ireland, I lived with three openly gay students. Their perspectives were really interesting. Their struggles with identifying as gay in a conservative nation were eye opening. It really inspired me to look introspectively at how fortunate I was for never feeling this oppression. Throughout the year my roommates and I were able to accept any differences we had. I really enjoyed living with them. Their courage and bravery to embrace who they were everyday was humbling. They are great people and are people I intend to stay in touch with for life. Socio­Economic While traveling, I was pegged as an American female, and in many foreigners’ minds this meant I had money and could be taken advantage of. This perception of my social class had an effect on my travels and experiences. It was something that I had to be conscious of when entering a new place. In many senses I felt very privileged to have the opportunity I had to explore and traveled. Recognizing this privilege humbled me. It really helped put in perspective aspects of my identity that I do not have to worry about everyday. Going abroad gave me a global perspective of how class and socio­economic status change from country to country. Many Irish have been humbled by recent economic crashes and a challenging history. In Ireland, there were very few very rich people or places I came across. Ever since the potato famine the population of Ireland has been reduced to only four million people. Reliant on small family­farms and businesses, the Irish people work hard to make a decent living. Many Irish live in smaller villages. They work the land, living simply. There was definitely less separation between social classes. Ability and Learning Considerations Ability was gaged differently in Ireland. College education was not nearly as valued. Children were expected to stay close to home, inheriting the family business or farm. While in Ireland, my perspective on how to define ability changed. Before, I thought of one's ability as excelling in school or work. Abroad, ability was more focused on individuality, how you respond to adversity, and how you come to define yourself. Understanding differences Patience is critical. While abroad I was assigned a variety of group projects with international students, Irish students, and Americans. Understanding that you come from different educational upbringings will help put the project in perspective. Accepting differences and communicating will be critical and, oftentimes, not easy. My advice is to take a step back and really attempt to understand different perspectives. This will help you find common ground and will make any dynamic or project easier. After going abroad I was not expecting to have a better appreciation for the United States. Although we are certainly not perfect, there is a level of acceptance and understanding that has been ingrained in our cultural mentality. As a country built on the principle of a melting pot community, we value multiculturalism and various ethnic groups more than other regions of the world. This was one aspect of home that I missed; I found it odd going to a new country and primarily only see white Europeans. Leisure Events Meeting points Ireland attractions University Events ­ Jazz festival ­ Cork city application ­ Christmas festival ­Halloween ­Teahouses ­ Oliver Plunkett ­ River trail ­ UCC recreation center ­ UCC student Union ­ Galway ­ Killarney national park ­ Cliffs of Moher ­ Dublin ­ Northern Ireland ­ International students socials ­ Club socials ­ Theme Student Union nights ­ Restaurant and pub gatherings with specials Shopping Cork is a very quaint town with great shops and markets. Many of the shops are located in the center of Cork along Lincoln Street. Full of hustle and bustle, the city center is a great place to get anything you need. For groceries there is TESCO and LIDL. However, there is an awesome farmers market open every day. It is one of the best local markets in Ireland and is a great way to support local produce. Living in the United States, we are used to shopping at one store where we can get everything we need. The Targets, Walmarts, and superstores are few and far between in Ireland. However, there are still great local stores where you can get school supplies and other household needs. Overall Impact Travel Do’s and Do Not’s ● Always print your Ryanair ticket ● Screen shot pictures of how to get to your hostel ● Go on trips with new people ● Have a general idea of what you want to see, but then go with the flow ● Get a map if you can ● Don’t be afraid to ask for directions ●
Don’t plan any flights really early in the morning. They are really hard to get to via public transit ● Take public transit ­ it is usually very safe and very affordable ● Do free walking tours in any city that they are offered Galway, Ireland My best advice for being abroad is to embrace being uncomfortable. You will be put into many situations that push your boundaries. You will be challenged socially and academically to expand your horizons. Embrace this and learn from it. If anything, this uncomfort brings a new found sense of genuine acceptance. For one of the few times in my life I felt completely inferior at times. Lost and confused in many cities, I gained a new appreciation for the people that embraced and helped me along my why.