Help Chelan Study Abroad in Ireland

Hello! My name is Chelan and I am entering my Junior year in Political Science at Valdosta State University this August, though I'm planning to transfer to George Washington University this fall. I've always loved traveling and I believe it is extremely important, especially with the current state of our world, for people to go abroad to experience and understand other cultures. This summer I will be traveling to Ireland, somewhere I've wanted to go for years, to further my studies.

There are many benefits to studying abroad, including the opportunity to visit other countries and be immersed in their culture, visiting the actual locations corresponding with the events I'm learning about in class, expanding my experience for graduate school and future career opportunities, broadening my interests, making new friends from both similar and different backgrounds and helping me develop into a more independent woman.

While in Ireland I will be taking a class on Irish Culture as well as "History to 1877: How the Irish Came to America," where we will learn about the large role the Irish played in shaping America. My final class will be "Irish Folklore & Creativity," where we will read Irish folk literature and discover Irish culture. We will analyze narratives and have the choice to take either an analytical or creative track, to either do more analysis or to engage in creative writing inspired by class readings & field trips. We will study folklore genres, customs and related concepts such as belief, tradition and worldview. We will pay special attention during field trips to the distinctly “Irish” cultures past and present as seen in artifacts, buildings, landscapes and people. In addition to my courses, we have field trips twice a week to various Irish locations and I will be traveling to London for a weekend and taking a trips to Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, and Killarney to see a traditional Irish band.

The program has been paid for but does not include tuition, textbooks, extra meals, entrance fees, weekend travel expenses, passport and related expenses, spending money, ground transport to and from U.S. airports or any other costs beyond program fees. For those who wish to donate, I truly appreciate anything you can give. If you wish to follow me on my travels, I will provide updates with photographs and a summary of what we learned each day.

I can also receive offline donations. Thank you in advance for your support!