Declan Darragh - Summer in Minnesota, USA

Summer in Minnesota, 2024

“Best time of my life!”

Memorable moments

Meeting new people from different places around the world and learning about their cultural backgrounds was a highlight of the trip.

Learning new culture

The general culture seemed relatively similar between the Irish and Americans, except for the way we spoke and the use of slang. However, there was a larger cultural gap between us and the students from South Korea. They seemed to be more reserved, whereas I would consider people here more chatty and outgoing. It was very interesting to learn about their cultural backgrounds.

Challenges while abroad

Thankfully, I didn’t face many challenges while in Minnesota. I would say getting to know new people in such a short space of time was slightly challenging, but putting myself out there and being approachable really helped.

Making friends

As I mentioned before, it was slightly challenging to get to know new people so quickly. However, I feel like I have made good friends with the people I went to Minnesota with, as well as some of the other students we met while we were there.

Advice

I would highly recommend it. Going to Duluth was the best four weeks of my life, and I would do anything to relive those four weeks again.

Don’t be nervous—focus on all the positive aspects of going away. You won’t regret it!