Can’t Study Abroad On A Paper Plane

Hi! My name is Laurel Labryn and I’m studying at Baruch College in New York where I am majoring in English Literature and have maintained a GPA of 3.90.

My hope is to study abroad for a semester at Trinity College, Dublin; the site where the precious Book of Kells now sits and where grand medieval castles still stand. I want to appreciate European literature in the way those who live in Europe do, to learn from mentors who grew up analyzing the work of great Irish writers and walk the same streets they once did.

Trinity's Library is enormous, the books there are so old and rare that students need to wear gloves to touch them, being able to study them and be guided by professors who dedicate their careers to helping students understand the literature in that library, is the most wondrous prospect.

While abroad I plan to not only read, I plan to write as well. I’ve begun “The Legend of Torhild”, the first in what I envision to be a three book series. Living in the city center will give me access to the culture and history of all of Ireland, the setting this fictional series is to be based in.

Your donation would support these endeavors, my studies and novel – so that readers can see the gleaming towers of Grimnir’s Island, touch the oak thrones of the four lands, and hear the Torhild Bells chime their final battle cry ­– so that I can watch my hero’s journey come alive, hold my first published book in my hands, and listen to the lessons of those much wiser than I.

Funds Go Toward: Tuition (10,934), Accommodation (3,000-5,000), Flight (1,200), Travel Insurance (1,000) textbooks, Irish Residence Permit, public transportation, food, tours, etc.