Trip allowed students immerse in the culture
For Sophia Jenkins, a senior at Tennessee Tech University, studying abroad in Ireland earlier this year was more than just an academic experience — it was a journey that broadened her horizons and challenged her preconceptions about international travel and business.
“You actually got to see real people and their lives,” she said. “It was awesome to see the difference, because in America, I feel like everyone does have the fast-paced lifestyle. I know I do. But when we went abroad, there were people that were taking a break, they were breathing, they weren’t rushing back and forth. It made me really think about what I want to do as my career, and what options there are out there.”
Jenkins, who is pursuing her Master of Business Administration through Tech’s fast-track program while completing her undergraduate degree, participated in a faculty-led study abroad trip to Ireland that included visits to cultural sites such as Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland and Newgrange, a prehistoric monument older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.
“Everyone has their own picture that comes in their head from the movies and everything like that (when they think about Ireland), but it was so much more beautiful than I could have ever imagined,” she said.
The trip also allowed the students to immerse themselves in the culture of the people around them. Jenkins was surprised to find that American country music is extremely popular in Ireland. So much so that when the people she met found out she was from Nashville, they would excitedly ask if she knew any star musicians.
“I’d be like, ‘No, I don’t personally know them,’” she recalled with a laugh.
Jenkins also saw firsthand how businesses are run in another country – something that was invaluable to her as she pursues her MBA. The students met Irish business owners such as a woman who owned a linen factory and enthusiastically talked about her pride in her work and her intention to eventually pass down the business to her sons.
“I felt like there was more of their ‘self’ in the business, like they really do care,” Jenkins observed. “I think I learned more about the lifestyle of other countries versus America. And I think that was very important to learn.”
For students considering study abroad, Jenkins highly recommends the experience. Before her trip to Ireland, she had never traveled abroad. She admits at first she worried about not knowing any of her fellow students and that their packed daily schedules might be exhausting. However, she found that even though her days were full, they were exhilarating and she quickly made bonds with her fellow travelers from Tech.
“We had such an amazing group of people, and I thought that was just top tier,” she said. “I thought I was going to be homesick, and I thought that I was going to burn out really fast with the list of stuff that we had (to do). I thought I was going to want to come home, but it was actually the complete opposite. I did not want to come home.”
Photo courtesy of Tennessee Tech.
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