My name is Ava-Rose Gallagher, I’m currently heading into my final year of my BComm International with German degree here at Cork University Business School in UCC.
In our 3rd year, we got the opportunity to spend a year abroad studying our chosen language on our Erasmus placement, for which I was lucky enough to study at the University of Regensburg in Germany.
My Erasmus experience was nothing short of incredible, a sentence I thought I’d never be saying- coming from someone who was terrified to even speak to people in my course in my first year here at UCC, never mind moving to a whole new country for a year.
Over the past year I've learned so much in such a short space of time, not only academically but about the culture, the experience of moving abroad and also about myself. Getting to improve my language proficiency whilst being immersed in German culture has truly been amazing. Continuing my commerce studies through the medium of German, challenging as it was at times, was invaluable. This not only enhanced my German language capability but also equipped me with different skills vital for conducting business internationally. This established a strong foundation for future opportunities in the field. I even got the chance to work with a wonderful German organisation, Europa Macht Schule, with whom I collaborated with a German primary school, teaching the German children about Ireland.
I got the opportunity to travel and see parts of the world I may never have gotten the chance to see otherwise, ticking famous landmarks like the Nuremberg Christmas Markets and Cologne Cathedral off my bucket list. Through studying abroad, I was lucky enough to have made so many friends from other parts of the world, each with a different culture and background. With every new person I met, I learned new lessons and a wider cultural appreciation and understanding.
Originally scared of failure and making grammatical mistakes, I quickly realised that this truly is the best way to learn. By biting the bullet and making mistakes, I grew so much confidence in how I spoke to professionals in academia but also how I conducted myself personally. As tough as the beginning was, those challenges led to incredible growth. I became more independent and able to adapt to different settings. The challenges I faced turned into some of the best memories and lessons I’ll carry with me. Living abroad really did grow my confidence and my independence- I find myself attempting things that are entirely out of my comfort zone and loving every minute of it. I now look back fondly on both my academic and personal growth and I’m excited to take this and use it in my life going forward.
The support I received throughout the year from the staff at CUBS while studying abroad was invaluable. Particularly at the beginning, whenever I felt overwhelmed with the changes that were going on, it was such a comfort knowing I had the staff at home looking after me and that they were there to answer any questions I had.
My best piece of advice to anyone heading into their Erasmus is to be open-minded and make the most of your time there- because it will be over in the blink of an eye. Bring a box of Barry’s Teabags in your suitcase with you, this way you have a piece of home with you as soon as you boil the kettle.