These last few weeks have been a whirlwind of trying to get settled into Limerick. While extremely busy and sometimes a little confused, I have been loving my time in the city. I took the week that I had before my classes started to explore Limerick. Within this time I have discovered that my favorite clothing store is a department store called Penney’s. My favorite lunch spot is an Irish version of Chipotle, called Boojum (which I have already been to three times), and my favorite cafe is called Story’s (shoutout to Ian and Reece for showing me). The city is perfect for me- big but not overwhelming, friendly people, and beautiful shops.
In addition to my time wandering around the city, me and the other two Victory Scholars located in Limerick, Ian and Reece, began volunteering at a school called Moyross Youth Academy during their evening sessions. We work with a group of about 15 boys for 2 hours at a time. We start by playing soccer for about 45 minutes, which is a fun way to get active and create some competition (despite my lack of soccer talent). Afterwards we all have dinner together, which is my favorite part because we get to sit and chat with the boys about what sports they are involved with, what they like to do in Limerick, and just get to know them on a more personal level. After dinner, we spend the remaining 45 minutes in a classroom working on different art projects that the boys have started. I love doing this program every week because it is not just about coaching a team, but there is an artistic element, as well as still taking time to connect with the kids.
I just completed my first week of classes at Limerick IT, which has me excited for the next few months. I was a little nervous at first because I am studying business and digital marketing, and I do not have any prior experience with that major. However, my professors have been welcoming and encouraging to me and the other international students in my classes. I am looking forward to gaining more knowledge with regards to digital marketing and learning what a job in that sector might look like.
