By Jennifer Ashwell Packing: A Necessary Less Evil Than You Think This past June, as long as I could complete my dreadful, last-minute packing, I would be able to visit Ireland, a life-long dream. Two Notre Dame faculty-members, Dr. O’Donovan and Ms. Finlayson, had organized and were leading a trip there. Awaiting me were the... Continue Reading →

By Jennifer Ashwell Schlep Away... Ireland is Waiting! I would be lying if I said schlepping myself and my possessions about three thousand miles from Baltimore to Connemara was not a hassle, because it was. Like most great movements though, it was also worthwhile. Before the morning of my departure, I was determined to spend... Continue Reading →

By Jennifer Ashwell Grander Than Expected Expectations can mirror reality, but because often they are pure fantasy I find it best to keep my heart muscle flexible. Before joining my school’s short-term study abroad trip to Ireland, I quickly associated the entire country with St. Patrick’s Day in the United States. Within seconds it would... Continue Reading →

By Jennifer Ashwell On Sturdy Shoulders My trip to Ireland was not just a check mark on a list of dreams, but many experiences I had that cause me to feel stronger today than I did last spring. One such experience began with a poetry workshop led by Ms. Geraldine, an established Irish writer. To... Continue Reading →