Finding yourself abroad

Descartes: discours de la méthode

I would like to begin this article by quoting a famous reflection by Descartes in Discours de la méthode (1637), which is someway related to my period of study abroad. The French philosopher claims he abandoned the study of letters to travel, as soon as his age allowed him to escape the protection of his teachers: “And deciding not to go looking for any other science than the one I could find in myself, or in the great book of the world, I employed the rest of my youth to travel, to see with my own eyes the courts and armies, to attend people different in temperament and condition, to gather different experiences, to test myself on the occasions that fate proposed to me, and, in all circumstances, to reflect on the situations that presented themselves in such a way as to be able to profit from them”. Also from my point of view travelling is an important way to acquire knowledge; in fact, only by travelling is it possible to know different cultures and people “by temperament and condition”. Although I had not come across Discourse on method yet, when I started my year abroad, in 2016, I was already aware that I was going to start a fundamental period of my life, which would profoundly transform me through the acquisition of new knowledge.

My year abroad: Ireland

The country I chose to spend my year abroad in was Ireland because it would give me the opportunity to live my experience in a great European capital: Dublin, the city of U2 and James Joyce. I lived in Bayside, a residential neighbourhood about 20 minutes away from downtown by train. A nice, non dangerous area where the houses are all close to each other and separated only by small gardens. The Irish territory boasts a large number of wonderful locations and landscapes. Especially in the south, it is possible to live an “into the wild” experience, communing with the “nature” of the place. For example, the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry, the famous cliffs overlooking the sea, are an extraordinary example of how beautiful Irish locations and landscapes can be. For the Irish, the most important day of the year is March 17^th, when they celebrate St Patrick’s Day. I can say that, in these particular circumstances, I felt I was truly integrated into Irish culture. I wore the traditional dress (the green suite) and, with all my friends, I walked the streets of the centre where everything surrounding us was also green. We sang and shouted all together, shared our joy and emotions for this special day. It is amazing how much you can feel part of such a large community after only six months of stay! Probably because of the large number of foreign students in Dublin, it becomes possible to integrate with such ease. I discovered the meaning and value of the word cosmopolitan. I also participated in some events and parties organized by my school whose name was Ardscoil la salle: the party at the beginning of the year, the Talent Show and, on the last day of school, the Graduation party for the students of the last year. The professors, almost all of them, also participated and some played typically Irish songs. It is really nice to see your teachers on a stage, getting involved with their students. These festivals help create an atmosphere of sympathy and mutual benevolence.

A wonderful experience

I will always be thankful to Ireland and aware of the importance of the opportunity to live a year abroad. Over a year like the one I had, you not only learn to become independent and improve your foreign language, but you also, and above all, really understand what travelling is about. You get the chance to fully immerse yourself in another culture and  to know people from all over the world. In fact, thanks to an experience like this one, the most important thing you learn is to adapt to different situations and to overcome even the most difficult ones. It is not an experience suitable for everyone. You have to be open minded, willing to meet new people and to adapt to any environment (whether positive or negative). This is the only way travelling will help you find your true self.