“Hi, my name is Caitlin Kiddie and I’m from Edinburgh. I am studying Anthropology and Spanish at Queen’s University Belfast and as part of my course, I had the opportunity to live abroad in Spain for one year.”
Where did you go and why?
“My Erasmus took place in Alicante in Spain, where I studied at the University of Alicante (UA). This was my top choice as it was important to me to live in a coastal city to experience a different lifestyle; Alicante is also the sunniest city in Europe! I liked the prospect of a smaller city to allow me to engage with the local community and although I had concerns about its touristy reputation, I quickly realised this was not the case. In the local neighbourhoods Spanish was necessary in the supermarkets, cafes, restaurants and public transport.
Alicante is also very popular for Erasmus students, and this really made my experience. In first semester alone, there were 700 students all hoping to make friends and explore Spain.
Making international friends
“This international aspect became the theme of my year abroad. I arrived with a goal to expand my cultural awareness, not only of Spain, but globally. In September, I didn’t know anyone which challenged me to build new relationships.
I shared a typical Spanish apartment with girls from Australia, Mexico, France and Belgium. From there, this circle only expanded thanks to the incredible Erasmus Network (ESN) who organised activities and trips almost every day. It was on these trips to Spanish festivals, waterfall excursions and tapas tours where my flatmates and I met wonderful people from Germany, Canada, Italy and funnily enough, Scotland. These friendships were by far the best thing I gained from my year abroad.”
The most exciting part
“The most exciting part about studying abroad was the opportunity to travel. The study experience offers lots of free time to explore, so after spending a few months exploring Alicante and its neighbouring coasts my friends and I decided to make the most of this freedom. I travelled to different places in Spain including a trips to Bilbao, Mallorca, Barcelona and a road trip around Andalucía.”
“While I also explored different countries such as Portugal, Germany and Morocco. These travels stand out as some of the highlights of the year and allowed me to learn so much about other cultures and my own independence.”
Spanish culture and daily life
“Spanish culture is very different to the UK. Life is much more relaxed and slow-paced. In Alicante, this meant social gatherings on the beach, heading to the local market to buy fresh fruit and pastries, going to the gym with views of the marina, spending lots of time in creperías and watching every sunset and sunrise possible.
The day does not end after school or work at 5pm and in the evening the streets are still filled with kids playing and people enjoying tapas and drinks. Spain also has lots of cultural festivals such as Carnaval, las Fallas in Valencia and the Semana Santa processions over the Easter period. It was amazing to take part and observe these experiences of Spanish tradition.”
Mindset
“A crucial part of this experience was developing what I have termed the ‘Erasmus Mindset’. This encompasses the skills you learn along the way including confidence, communication and independence but also the ability to be spontaneous and make the most of every opportunity. This mindset extends beyond Erasmus and is something I am aware of now that I am back in Belfast.”
“The personal growth from my year abroad continues to push me to say yes to things I wouldn’t have considered before and enjoy every moment. These are skills important in academic and professional spheres but also on a personal level in the way you view life and those around you.”
Queen’s University Belfast student, Ben Magee, talks us through the process he went through to find accommodation in Stockholm for his study exchange.
“Planning for an exchange semester is exciting, but one of the biggest challenges is securing accommodation. When I made the decision to join the MPlan programme and that I’d be moving to Stockholm, I was actually in Chicago, which made the process even more difficult. Looking back, I wish I had started searching earlier – accommodation is a necessity when moving away, and it’s something that should be planned for months in advance. Even six months before departure, my now roommates and I were struggling to find places, and university accommodation was extremely limited, so Don’t Rely On It As Your First Choice!“
“I was lucky enough to be moving out with two fellow classmates, which made the search slightly easier as we could split costs and widen our options. Since getting a spot in student housing wasn’t guaranteed, we had to explore other alternatives. We started by checking Airbnb for short-term stays and joined as many Facebook housing groups as possible, messaging landlords and students enquiring about their accommodation plans.”
“One of the best decisions I made was reaching out to someone who had previously lived in Stockholm. They gave us great advice and even helped us connect with potential landlords. If your university can put you in contact with a former student, I’d highly recommend taking advantage of that.”
“Eventually, I secured a shared apartment through a private landlord. While it wasn’t in the city center, it was well-connected by public transport, and living with other students made settling in much easier.”
“My biggest recommendation? Start early, be persistent, and explore every option. Don’t rely solely on university accommodation – message as many people as possible, use multiple platforms, and connect with students who have been through the process before.”
“Exchange is an incredible experience, and finding a place to live is one of the most important steps to making it a smooth and enjoyable one.”
Queen’s student Andrew Atkinson talks to us through his top five tips for students going on a study exchange.
Look after yourself It is paramount that you brace yourself for the emotions you will feel once you’ve left your friends & family behind. It’s one thing to think about it, it’s another to experience. The world is smaller than you think, you’re one text away from those you love and they are not going to forget about you while you’re away.
Be open, experience as much as you can! There ought to be events that are hosted, sports teams you can join, and local events in your town! This is your opportunity to try new things, do not let it pass you by, your study abroad experience will pass in the blink of an eye.
You deserve to be here! It’s possible to get impostor syndrome as an exchange student, but understand your host institution invited you! Continue your established studying habits whilst engrossing yourself in the culture.
Travel! You’ll want to travel solo or with friends you’ve made, my personal highlight was travelling from North Carolina up to Niagara Falls and seeing the sights along the way.
You’ll miss it dearly. I miss my exchange friends, I miss the food. I met my girlfriend studying abroad and she came to Queen’s! We’re currently figuring out how we could all reunite in Europe once this semester is over.
Queen’s student, Emily Bond talks us through her experiences working abroad during her studies.
After completing a year in industry at RAL Space in Oxfordshire, I entered the final year of my MEng Aerospace Engineering degree at Queen’s with an ambition to try more and embrace the opportunities around me. Throughout my degree much of my work was based in modern, cosmopolitan-type environments with my degree based in Belfast, conferences in Europe, and completing a research internship in Canada. All these experiences focused on developing my technical knowledge in engineering, primarily composite materials. However undertaking other experiences such as InnovateHer, She Leads, and Sustainable Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, inspired me to explore the world of entrepreneurship and consultancy as a career.
The Think Pacific Global Team Internship (GTI) in Bali offered the opportunity to test my skills in consultancy, explore traditional Balinese culture, and work in an international environment. After an application and suitability/ motivations for applying call, I was accepted in November to join the first cohort arriving in June 2024. From acceptance in November to departure in June, preparation involved payment of project fees, visa application, vaccines, organising flights, and purchasing kit. To support my travel to Bali I also completed a fundraising 10km swim which helped fund my visa application.
Despite all preparations complete, I found myself in May doubting whether I wanted to attend or not, a question that lasted a few weeks. Taking some time to reflect, I realised that with my focus having been on exams until May it was natural that I would begin to question my direction with the future sometimes being intimidating with choice. With this feeling, I packed my bags and on the 2nd June began my next adventure.
Receiving the Sir Thomas Dixon travel scholarship allowed me to support the cost of my three flights from Belfast, with stops in Stansted and Dubai. The project started with a two-day briefing that included a brief history of Bali, details of the projects, and language lesson. Learning basic Balinese and Bahasa Indonesian phrases such as Suksma – Thank you, and Nama Saya Emily – My name is Emily, proved helpful when interacting with services and businesses.
Staying in the hotel also allowed time to meet the other 46 participants including those I would share a room and homestay with as well as members of the same project team. The first few days also allowed adjustment to a new time zone which can be challenging with additional fatigue.
Top tip: adjust your watch to the time zone you’re going to and try to sleep with their night even if it’s in short blocks.
Following the briefing, I travelled to Bali Kuno Tangkup for a dedicated cultural immersion experience led by locals. The camp included sleeping in bamboo and straw buildings with 8 other participants, sharing outdoor rain-water showers, and cooking local Balinese food including Mi Goreng – noodles with vegetables. The time also included further team bonding and developing appreciation for the efforts of rice field workers by completing activities in the muddy rice field and helping to plant rice seeds afterwards. After evening food, we gathered around a fire to sing typical western pop culture songs, giving a sense of home and a feeling of connection. I found the experience at Bali Kuno an opportunity to breath and embrace a more traditional and natural way of living that is a contrast to city life. With stronger group familiarity and time to adjust to the new time zone, we travelled from Bali Kuno to Mas Village where we would spend the remaining project time.
As is traditional for Balinese culture we were greeted with a welcoming ceremony where we presented with a fresh young coconut and Kalung Bunga (Flower necklace). The welcoming ceremony was also an opportunity to meet the homestay family who we would be living with. After the welcoming ceremony we walked to the homestay navigating uneven pavements (common in Bali) and stray dogs, before dinner and an opportunity to rest before the weekend. For the final weekend before project work began, I was fortunate to visit the Tegallalang Rice Terrace where I was able to develop an further appreciation for the work and patience involved in growing rice.
After a week of cultural immersion and education as well as team bonding with fellow participants, I felt an eagerness and curiosity to start the project work. For the first week I was fortunate to work with Magi Farm who utilise the lifecycle of the Black Soldier Fly to tackle food waste and create byproducts including fertiliser, dog food supplement, and fish food to produce a fully circular sustainable waste management system.
During the first meeting I was able to see how Magi Farm operates and their facilities as well as discuss with the co-founder beneficial outcomes for the week ahead. Throughout the week we worked as a team of 8 to deliver a path forward for Magi Farm, where I focused on developing a strategic plan to foster engagement and partnerships from events and business to business. Presenting the project at the end of the week allowed me to practice my public speaking skills and developing confidence in my ability to.
Following a weekend of reflection and exploration time in Canggu for a free weekend, I returned to Mas Village intrigued by the next project partner. For the second project partner I was grateful to work with Made Tea who utilise organic, sustainable, and all natural herbs and plants to create teas designed to promote wellbeing. Similar to Magi Farm, I was able to gain an insight into how Made Tea is run and operates by a single founder, Roni. It was highlighted early that Roni had a passion for helping those in the community of all including the younger generation.
Throughout the week I used my experience of design and design software to curate a new package design aimed at promoting energy in the younger generation. To support an interest in international partnerships I created a template for a partnership proposal to facilitate discussion. Presentation of the weeks work allowed further development of my presenting and public speaking skills.
To conclude the final week of project work after a weekend of exploring the local Ubud area and seeing a traditional Balinese fire dance, I was honoured to work with HNS Studio Bali, a graphic design and illustration business. HNS Studio Bali was an inspiration business as the founder began his journey while in university and has become an award-winning entrepreneur. However this success posed a challenge for how best to add value during the week. With some brainstorming as a team we identified scope for further more niche partnerships to which I continued on to develop a mock-up visualisation of his artwork as a background for DJ sets or festivals to increase visibility. Creating this visualisation allowed me to use and practice some of my design skills, appreciating transferable skills and the dedication to passion that people have.
Partaking in the Think Pacific GTI in Bali supported by the Sir Thomas Dixon Travel Scholarship and working with local Balinese companies allowed me to realise my passion for problem-solving across specialties as well as appreciate the diversity of culture that exists within our world. I was able to refine skills such as public speaking, generating presentations, and thinking outside the box for unfamiliar challenges; all skills of which will help me foster a successful future as I start my PhD in October with the School or Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Queen’s student Alena Romanovskaya gives her top tips for students studying abroad.
Arrive Early (If You Can) and Build a Routine
If possible, get there a week or two before classes. It helps to sort out things like registration, housing, and setting up your student card without feeling rushed. But it’s okay if you arrive later. You can still build a routine once you’ve settled in.
Stay in Touch with Home
Being abroad is a chance to enjoy independence, but staying connected with people back home really helps. I liked when friends and family visited me, but even video calls or a message made a big difference, especially on quiet days. Having a few photos from home cheered me up when I felt homesick.
Keep Digital Copies of Important Documents
Scan or photocopy your passport, insurance, and university papers before you leave. The university printers came in handy for this. Having backups saved me stress when something came up unexpectedly.
Explore Local Transport and Free Days
Take some time to learn how public transport works. I studied in Hasselt and really liked how simple it was to get around. There are good discounts if you’re under 26, so it’s worth checking in advance. The bus app shows live locations, and the train app is great for platform info, carriage types, and delays. If you’re in Belgium, remember Heritage Day happens every year on the first Sunday after Easter. Also, many museums are free on the first Sunday of each month.
Be Open to Spontaneous Adventures
Keep an eye on emails and group chats. Some of my favourite experiences came up this way. I found out about volunteering with Re-Book at UHasselt selling second-hand textbooks. This lead to my very first go-karting team building. One of my best memories was visiting the maritime museum in Antwerp. I hadn’t planned it, but it turned out to be a really interesting detour.
Read about Queen’s student Adam Cinnamond’s experience on a study exchange to Canada.
“In September 2024 during my third year of studying at Queen’s University Belfast, I had the amazing opportunity to study for a semester at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.”
“This was a dream come true for me as I had always wanted to visit Canada, and here I was spending most of the summer preparing to live there for 4 months! Throughout my packing and preparation for the trip, I wondered how easy it would be for me to adjust to living in a different culture like Canada. Would I struggle in a new university environment, would my new modules be difficult and would I be comfortable living there for the next four months?”
“These worries quickly disappeared upon arriving in Canada, where I was greeted with smiling faces and a welcoming environment true to Canadian stereotypes. I quickly settled in, adapting to the slightly new language, and learning what ‘loonies’ and ‘toonies’ were before ordering my first “Double-double” coffee from one of the many Tim Hortons. Thankfully I didn’t have to adjust to a new language, despite using some rusty GCSE French in Quebec, which helped me quickly connect with students and other European exchange students on campus through events held to support international students.”
“The campus culture was extremely friendly and I made close friendships with other students, meeting in residence and enjoying the cafeteria together. The sports culture of the university was just as strong as it is here, and I quickly became involved with the men’s rugby team and regularly watched the university’s American football, basketball, and ice hockey teams, helping form new friendships and connect more closely to the campus environment.”
“Throughout my exchange, I took part in as many activities and events as I could to help adjust to the new culture and make new connections early in my exchange, ranging from pub quizzes to ice cream stands.”
“By being open to new experiences and diving head first into campus life in Canada I quickly adapted to the new culture, both in university and the country, and helped quickly make new friendships which I hope to continue to last long into the future.”
Queen’s student Annie Ní Néill who is currently taking part in the Study USA program tells us all about her recent adventures. Take it away Annie…
After a busy October I’m over the halfway point of semester one on my Study USA program! This month has been non stop and here are some of the highlights.
Travel I went to a Fred Again concert in Atlanta, GA where I met a fellow student on the Study USA program. From Atlanta we flew to New York City and met four other students on the program, we explored the city, had the time of our lives and made memories we will never forget thanks to the British Council. I supported Young Harris College Men’s Basketball Team playing University of Louisville’s Cardinals at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY with the cheer team. I also visited friends in Athens, GA for Halloween that attend The University of Georgia.
Extracurriculars
Delta Phi Epsilon We had a “Pink Out” day in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We wore pink clothing to promote awareness and engagement with this important cause.
I ran a charity fundraiser “Slime A Sister” alongside the new members of our sorority to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Here people could paint a pumpkin and/or slime a sister with pumpkin “guts”. This fundraiser was very successful in raising funds and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis. I met my “Big” and other members in my line and got initiated as a member of the Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority Zeta Zeta chapter after completing my six week new member program.
Cheer: I started practicing and learning cheers with my fellow cheerers! And I was fortunate enough to receive two cheer “Bigs” to help me throughout my journey. I cheered at my first game during my college’s “Purple Out” basketball games.
I’ve also been studying hard in all my classes like gathering photos of mushrooms for a collection as part of my mycology class.
It’s been: Go! Go! Go! but I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and wouldn’t want it any other way!
Annie Ní Néill is a Biological Science Student and Global Student Ambassador at Queen’s University Belfast.
About Study USA:
The Study USA programme is run by the British Council Northern Ireland and involves one academic year studying at a US university or college.
Benefits of Study USA
The scholarship funding package (worth approximately £50,000) includes:
Tuition fees are paid by the participating US colleges and universities.
Term time accommodation on campus
A generous text book allowance
A full meal plan
One return flight to the US
A £1000 bursary paid directly to all students (NEW FOR 2025/26)
The Study USA applications 2025-2026 deadline for higher education is open until 11:59pm on Sunday 10 November 2024.
Queen’s BA English-Politics student Alan Montgomery on his experience of the Future-Ready Skills for Leaders: Boston programme.
Discovering the culture
A key part of our trip to Boston was the cultural activity challenge. This meant that, in our teams, we had to complete one activity that reflected the unique character of the city. The idea was that, in addition to the professional development provided by our visits to local employers and universities, we would also expand our global perspective by partaking in the unique culture of our destination. For the challenge, my group toured the Museum of Fine Art. When we arranged this, I don’t think they realised just how much of an art buff I was, but that certainly became clear to them when I spent close to three whole hours in two rooms of the European section. While torturous for some, I loved this.
Alan Montgomery with other students on the Boston Programme
I studied art for two years in high school, focusing on European painters, and so several galleries worth of European masters was a dream come true for me. They also had genuine remembrance. I studied this guy extensively in high school, and so seeing his work in person really was a great experience. The first thing I noticed about Boston was that it’s big. I say this as someone who lived in the Northern Irish countryside, and for whom Belfast is a major metropolitan centre, but Boston was huge. Not just the city either. The buildings were higher, the cars were larger, and the roads were wider. The city’s architecture was also something special. It’s a historic place that has hosted some of the most important events for America’s development, but it’s also a modern hub for business and innovation.
This means that there are old brick-built buildings side by side with modern corporate headquarters. For example, the old state building where the British governed Boston when America was still a colony, and where the Declaration of Independence was first read, is right next to a high-rise with full glass walls. This style lends the city a really unique character, with historical sites directly alongside treading modern architecture that makes walking around and sightseeing an experience like no other. My favourite place was without a doubt Faneuil Hall. Constructed in 1742, the hall was originally envisioned as a central marketplace for the city. The bottom floor still acts as a market, and is one of the best places to buy souvenirs and gifts, such as my copy of the Constitution here. Interestingly, this place was Quincy Market’s predecessor. In 1824, the hall was used so much that the Town Council decided to expand it by building Quincy Market alongside the North Market and South Market.
Perhaps more significantly, the second floor of the hall housed a debate chamber where some of the most important discussions in history have been held. The debates immediately preceding the Boston Tea Party occurred here, and Samuel Adams, the leader of the Sons of Liberty, and James Otis, the creator of the pivotal taxation without representation argument, were both regular speakers. Many abolitionist debates were also conducted here, alongside discussions concerning women’s suffrage and gay rights. Due to all of this, the hall has become known as the Cradle of Liberty.
Tackling a global challenge
Most of our teamwork occurred during discussions about our project theme, how can Queen’s equip graduates to handle 21st century problems. Our earliest visit was to Invest NI’s headquarters with a session organised by Stratadyce, a company specialising in assisting clients strategic decision making. This involved rolling dice corresponding to problems and solutions before applying the results to our challenge. All in all, this was a great opportunity to grow as a team by approaching the question from a different angle and debating options that wouldn’t have occurred to us otherwise. We met with Invest NI again at the end of the programme where we applied everything we had learned during our visits to our original solution. These conversations were great, we had all talked to different people at networking events, experienced different aspects of Boston’s culture and derived different takeaways from our hosts.
Alan with his team discussing the global challenge task
In total, these conversations really helped refocus our attention on the problem while giving us a new lens to examine potential solutions and I cannot wait to see what we come up with for our final pitching session. I met all sorts throughout the programme. Within our core group, I actually found it relatively easy to get along with others. We were all ecstatic to be in Boston and eager to do as much as we could before heading home and so organising group activities was actually pretty straightforward. During our visits, I talked with all sorts of different people, including professors, lawyers, students, CEOs and many more. Some special highlights include the wonderful folks at the University of Massachusetts. Every student and staff member was so welcoming and more than willing to offer insight into the experience of studying in America. The group assembled by the Boston Irish Business Association for our second networking event was also great. Pretty much everyone had some kernel of wisdom to offer, whether it be careers guidance, recommendations for future study or advice on living in America. I also got talking to some fabulous students at the Harvard Business School and I think it’s safe to say that I’ve now made some friends across the water.
Making new friends
This may sound somewhat cliche, but one of the best bonding experiences I had was when me and a group of friends decided to go to church together. We were all interested in how services in the US differed from our own and so we decided to head down to Park Street Church on Sunday morning to take a look. First up, the church itself is beautiful. It’s just next to the Boston Common, one of the biggest green spaces in the country and due to this scenic locale, many selfies were taken before we even got inside. Once we were in though, the service was as enjoyable as you would expect from one of Boston’s most famous churches. After the bustle of the flight the day before, it was nice to just relax and take things slower for a bit while also gaining special insight into American culture. Following this experience, the group I was with became good friends and we ended up spending a lot of time together as the trip went on.
I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is how to run group discussions. In my team, I was not the ideator. I was with people who could come up with way more imaginative stuff than I could. Instead, I focused on facilitating group discussions. I tried to make sure we always ended meetings with agreed next steps. This also meant I was usually the one urging caution when a concept deviated a little bit much from our design criteria. Initially, I’ll admit, I was too adversarial with how I did this. I was trying to explain why someone’s suggestion wasn’t suitable, and while most of my points were valid, a lot of the time, this just created tenser debates and we didn’t actually end up with much. Instead, I found asking questions worked better. For example, rather than saying, this doesn’t meet our design criteria, I would ask them to explain how it fitted our brief. This was a better approach. It helped avoid arguments and have people either realize they had to rethink their proposal or it gave them a chance to expound on things in a little bit more detail. The main lesson I’ll take back to Queen’s is to accommodate varying learning styles.
Throughout the trip, we met all kinds of different people doing different jobs who had got where they are now by different means. Accordingly, one of my biggest takeaways is that everybody has their own preferences for how they do things and that recognizing and making room for those preferences is vital for letting them contribute meaningfully. This was true of both people I met and the students I was working with. Trying to force people to think and act in certain ways, even if it seems like the most efficient approach to a problem, rarely has the desired results. Instead, it works better to acknowledge and try to make space for their preferences while making sure all discussions and actions assist in achieving our desired outcome. All in all, the trip was definitely a worthwhile learning experience and I look forward to further international travel with Queen’s.
Learning to network
Throughout the trip, we attended two major networking events. One was held by the University of Massachusetts, while the latter was hosted by the Boston Irish Business Association in the offices of the Health Beacon Company. Both events were highly informative and offered us many opportunities to engage with professionals from various industries. However, this experience was also challenging. I had never networked before, and although I consider myself a fairly sociable person, there is something uniquely intimidating about being in a room full of people where everyone is older and more qualified than you. Safe to say, this aspect of the trip was well outside my comfort zone. Surprisingly, the second event was actually harder than the first one. While the first event was on a university campus featuring mostly staff and students, the second event was a business gathering in a company office. This meant a smaller space, more people, and more diverse careers. While insightful, I am glad to get these first awkward initiations into the professional world out of the way.
When it comes to overcoming nerves, I have one piece of advice. If something unsettles you, go directly towards it. Especially when it comes to networking, you need to put yourself out there and make an impression on whoever you’re talking to. For me, I found it helpful to set myself little goals throughout the event. For example, I always tried to only talk with people I didn’t already know, to make sureI engaged with as many professionals as possible. While challenging, this strategy ultimately allowed me to make connections with a wide variety of different individuals, far more than if I hadn’t forced myself out of my comfort zone. In conversations involving a larger group, contributing can also be intimidating. Again, the only solution is to force yourself. I found it worked well to commit to asking at least one question in every discussion to make sure I put myself out there and hopefully steer the conversation in my direction. This was difficult, but it ultimately made networking a far more enriching experience. For me, the most challenging part of networking was the experience gap. What I mean is that when you’re a student trying to form relationships with professionals, you’re almost exclusively dealing with people who have more experience, are more qualified, and are more confident in that kind of selling. I noticed this more in the second networking event, where we were talking to members of the Boston Irish Business Association, than in the first, where we were mostly engaging with staff at the University of Massachusetts. I am a student, after all.
I feel I know how to hold a conversation with university types, and so I find entering these discussions a little less intimidating. In the second event, however, we were with a far more diverse range of professionals. I was talking to politicians, lawyers, business people, all sorts. Honestly, I felt pretty out of my depth. Everyone I was talking to seemed more knowledgeable and more experienced than me. I know it’s cliché, but I was definitely feeling a touch of imposter syndrome. I learned a lot from the people I talked to. For example, Queen’s professor Chris Scott gave us some wonderful advice about capitalizing on opportunities to gain international experience. I intend to follow this guidance and apply for as many global programs as possible next year, and I hope anyone watching also tries their best to partake in the opportunities for personal and professional growth afforded by Queen’s.
Career insights
In terms of my own learning, I think my most informative conversation was with a senior member of Massachusetts Civil Service. I study politics, and so a public sector career has always been of interest to me. However, this guy claimed working in government wasn’t a satisfying experience for him. Apparently, the state bureaucracy was resistant to making any changes, limiting what he could do. Instead, he recommended I go into the private sector as a lobbyist, as these people have far more freedom to drive important decisions. So I’ve definitely been given a lot to think about regarding where I go after Queen’s.
As for who inspired me, I want to say something a little unconventional here. I feel a lot of participants are going to identify teachers or business people who were able to give them valuable career insights. I understand this is an important part of networking, but for my biggest inspiration, I’m actually going to say Adam Esposito, a student at the Harvard Business School. It was great talking to this guy. He was a lot closer to my own age group than many others attending the networking events, and it was fascinating to share details about our university experience. We met at the HealthBeacon networking event, and after we were guided through the company’s process, he was able to recommend to them potential routes to expand. There was just something about seeing someone who wasn’t much older than me being so knowledgeable and confident in their field that they were comfortable giving advice to our host on how to develop their
business that has really motivated me to push further in my own studies. For me, the most impactful workplace we visited was HealthBeacon’s headquarters. Everything about it reflected their identity as an innovative startup.
The room dividers were made from reused shipping pallets, their workspace was purposed to be environmentally friendly, and their full design process from initial conception to final product was on display throughout the room. This was great to see. It was fascinating to learn how the company transformed their idea into competitive biotechnology and the inventive solutions they had devised to navigate problems along the way. For example, a key part of HealthBeacon’s mission was sustainability. Accordingly, they designed a process where used components of the product can be removed, sanitized, and replaced, and any irreparable elements can be ground down safely and utilized in construction projects. Myself and the others who received details about this procedure were impressed at the company’s engineering and left with a strong impression of what an imaginative startup can accomplish.
Getting to know Boston
It’s basic, I know, but the thing I enjoyed most about the trip was experiencing Boston. It’s such a unique and vibrant place. As a harbour city, there is a delicious array of seafood on offer pretty much wherever you go, but especially in the big shopping areas, like Quincy Market.
The people are also so friendly, especially when they find out you’re from the island of Ireland. Almost everyone I met was eager to hear about life in Ireland and enthusiastic to share stories about their Irish family connection or their last visit. The city itself was also beautiful and brimming with history. On our first full day, I took a guided tour of the Freedom Trail, one of the city’s main attractions, and even walking around Boston and admiring the many historic landmarks scattered throughout the streets was an unforgettable experience. I’m not joking when I say every building has its own story. All in all, a fantastic visit and an excursion I would repeat in a heartbeat.
Find out more about the Future-Ready Skills for Leaders International Programme here.
Every year, Queen’s Global Opportunities offer students the chance to participate in The Think Pacific programme. They have a chance to tackle global issues and achieve real outcomes for our partners in Fiji. Chelsie Haddock was among the successful applicants to the programme. Chelsie took part in the Think Pacific Programme spending a month working on a community build in Namau, Fiji. Here is her experience:
Sota tale Fiji! (See you again, Fiji!)
Chelsie with other members of the Think Pacific Group
This was the most unforgettable experience with the most amazing people. Throughout the month of June, I was grateful enough to work alongside volunteers from the Think Pacific Programme as well as the Fijian youth of Namau to build and produce a health dispensary within the village of Namau.
Workers on site of the health dispensary in NamauConstruction of the health dispensary in Namau
During this time, I was also welcomed into a wonderful family who I am now blessed to call my own. This experience was truly a once in a lifetime blessing. I fully embraced the Fijian culture and loved every second of the culture classes that we also took part in. This included, trying new foods and learning how to cook some of the traditional meals. I built rafts, attended church services and learned Fijian songs. I learned about the history of Fiji and the village of Namau. I also performed traditional dances, ‘mekes’ which was my favourite part as we performed them as a family.
This adventure has been so surreal, all thanks to the village of Namau, who warmly welcomed us into their village and treated us as their own from the very start. Your culture and stories will never be forgotten, and I cannot wait to go back in the future!
Electrical and Electronic Engineering student Vihan Fonseka spent four weeks at Mourne Dew Distillery as part of our Working Globally from NI programme. Read his experience below.
Going outside my comfort zone
I started my International Marketing Assistant with Mourne Dew Distillery just a week after my final year exams ended. I was very excited from the start as this experience would be outside my comfort zone and a whole new domain for me coming from an engineering background. This opportunity would be put in a place where I can expand and learn new skills and broaden my perspective.
Learning about the company
My interest for Mourne Dew began when I came across the internship posting where I was impressed to learn about their story from starting very small to now producing award winning Whiskies, Gins, Vodkas and Poitins. The craftmanship involved in producing these spirits further attracted me to apply as I learned about how Mourne Dew infuses the essence of the famous Mourne Mountains into their products as well as various botanicals. From a perspective of an international student and someone who doesn’t drink alcohol, I found the craftmanship, dedicate and innovation that goes into making these products very interesting and something I would like to be a part of.
Leading my own projects
My internship at Mourne Dew consisted of various projects that I led and delivered. From conducting research into revamping the current booking system through analysing suitable software to collecting and compiling business tenders to sell the byproduct of the production being hand sanitizers I was exposed to different functions of the business from Day 1. Mourne Dew is still a growing business, and I partook in their expansion efforts through conducing market research into the spirit markets of USA, Poland and Germany, I was able to learn about different spirit products, various pricing methods, ingredient mix and generally what whisky or gin or vodka is popular in different regions.
Hybrid working
In addition to working remotely, I was able to visit the distillery in Warrenpoint and meet the team behind it. Neil Flemming (Sales Manager) had kindly picked me up and brought me to the distillery plant. It was interesting to see the production process of creating high quality Whisky, Gin, Vodka and Poitin as Eimear and Donal (Operations Assistant) gave me a breakdown of the distillation process, packaging and was impressed that the entire batch is made by hand. I had also got a sniff of the different experimental botanical mixtures that Donal (owner) had been testing from seaweed to citrus and they all smelled incredible.
Overall, working at Mourne Dew for the past 4 weeks had been an incredible experience that helped me step into a totally different domain, learning about marketing, sales and generally how a distillery is run.
