What I learned rather quickly in my experience as a Victory Scholar is that living in Ireland is certainly a bit different than visiting Ireland; studying abroad in Ireland might not be the same as being immersed as a Victory Scholar in the country. Coming into this experience, part of the image of what I would be soon embarking on was filled with photos from my friends who had the opportunity to study here abroad or visit for vacation, accompanied by stories of their incredible journeys. Portrait photos visiting the Cliffs of Moher, backpacking green rolling hills, holding sheep, seeing castles, and of course, drinking a Guinness at a local pub or storehouse were vivid in my mind. And while I will admit I have certainly participated in the majority of these activities, posting pictures with *wanna be punny* captions, this is simply a glimpse of what my experience is in the entirety.
This difference struck me most after arriving home from my stay at Ashford Castle with my Aunt Loretta and Uncle Jim over my birthday weekend. My Aunt and Uncle have been coming to Ireland for over 30 years and each time, stay at the castle in Cong. My experience at the 5-star resort entailed a glorious hospitality accommodation, 5 course meals, with hand and foot service from the moment I arrived off of the train in Galway. The staff was absolutely exceptional and as cheesy as it sounds, after living the life of a student-athlete-coach-Victory Scholar-vagabond- for two months, being treated like a princess was nothing short of incredible, and I loved every minute. So, quick shout out to my aunt Loretta and Uncle Jim for the amazing weekend, it’ll definitely be a birthday I won’t forget! Love you both.
But, my return home off of the bus was humble reminder that my role as a Victory Scholar is not to live the life of a valued guest at Ashford Castle… It’s about identifying the life behind the luxury and the reality behind the rolling hills. It’s realizing we are here not to be served, but, to serve… and hopefully if done well, make meaningful impact while raising aspirations along the way.
“You know, we all lose ourselves, sometimes…”
Rebecca O Donovan, classmate
