Ava Barnes
ISEP Direct Study in Belfast & Northern Ireland – Academic Year 2026
Majors: Ancient Studies and Visual Arts
Minor: Art History
Jump To: Pre-Departure Post
Pre-Departure Post
Hello, everyone!
My name is Ava Barnes and I am a third year student double majoring in Ancient Studies and Visual Arts with an Art History minor. As I write this, I am just over 48 hours away from boarding my very first flight to the United Kingdom and I could not be more excited! I have spent nearly every day this summer counting down until my study abroad and telling myself to “just make it to Belfast” until the word no longer sounds like English.
Studying abroad has been my dream since as long as I can remember. Though my family is very firmly planted in the United States, I have always felt a call toward the United Kingdom. Whether it’s in pop culture, beliefs, humor, social values — even weather! — I have yearned until my heart is sore. To study anywhere else would be a betrayal of my truest self as the UK is where all my future plans are set. It is where I make a name for myself as an artist, where I grow my family, and where I will settle for the rest of my life. I cannot be anywhere else. That is why I am immensely grateful to UMBC and ISEP Direct that I will spend my next nine months at Ulster University in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
My first day of classes is on September 21st, which means I have one entire week of welcome activities to enjoy before the hard work even begins. I will speed friend, ethnic food shop, meet the mayor, visit the North Coast, and learn Céilí dancing all while adjusting to jetlag. I love whoever made this itinerary! And I know this sounds like a lot, but it is nothing compared to my biggest study abroad fear. Public. Transportation. Don’t get me wrong, I am the biggest supporter of public transportation of anyone. I hate driving as much as the next person and I’ve had my fair share of parking lot… incidents. However, the directions they give to the train are vague at best and Google Maps does not have photos of the walkway and I’m kind of freaking out! I am the biggest planner you’ve ever met in your life, so this is not great for me. But I must be calm. Just because I cannot plan every moment of my day does not mean something bad will happen. I am strong and capable and I believe every word I am writing (no, I do not). At least if I end up in rural Ireland missing class, everyone reading my next post can have a nice laugh. Other than that though, I have done everything I need to do. I got my student visa MONTHS in advance, I have planned my grocery shopping, budgeted my entire bank account, found a phone plan that’s affordable. I am almost the most prepared girl in the world.
But, I feel weird. When you are bombarded with blog posts and stories of people saying how much they’ll miss home, it can put you on the outside by not having that experience. For me, studying abroad has always been a way out. I am a Humanities Scholar and I chose the program specifically for the study abroad component. This has always been my single-minded goal and I just want anyone who reads this blog to know that it is normal. It is normal to feel more excited than you are scared. It is normal to live in the future for months, just dreaming about the life you’ll live rather than savoring the life you’re in now. Studying abroad is the most important thing I have ever done and I get freedom like I’ve never known. If I fail, I have to pick myself up but when I succeed, I am solely responsible and get to feel 100% of the accomplishment. With that understanding, it is hard to feign tearful goodbyes or regurgitate the same anxieties as everyone else.
When I get to Belfast, I am looking forward to a new start. Being in a place where no one knows me, not a single soul. I arrive as “Ava the Artist” and nothing else. The entire city is my canvas and I am ready to show everyone there what I can do. I can be funny, be smart, be friendly, be creative. I can make art that I am proud of and spend time around people who make me feel good about myself. Everything in my life has led up to this moment.
And maybe I am saccharine and I’ll need an ice cold glass of water after writing this. But, this is all I can think about. When I get there, I will have more interesting and less introspective things to say; but for now, I encourage anyone who wants to study abroad to do so. Do it as many times as you can and go where your heart is tied with an invisible string. UMBC offers so many great programs and this is my third time traveling with them. I can’t wait to see what’s there for me!