Since focusing my studies on Irish media and culture during my first composition course at UW, I have been fascinated by Irish literature and history as a specific field of study. My father is a first-generation Irish immigrant and I have spent many summers in Ireland visiting family. This personal connection along with my academic curiosity prompted me to apply to a year-long study abroad program in Ireland.

While studying in Ireland, I had access to a wider range of Irish literature courses, which allowed me to explore this field of literature in more detail, establishing my specific interest in Irish writing by women. This experience abroad has afforded me with the knowledge and skills that have made my current academic pursuits possible, as well as given me the chance to expand my perspective beyond a primarily American context. Dublin was also an amazing stepping stone to the rest of Europe, and I was lucky to be able to experience as many different cultures and places as I did.