Dublin Institute of Technology

After much research involving copious amounts of caffeine and jube-jubes, I’ve decided that Dublin Institute of Technology is the best place for me. Or so that’s what I’ve led myself to believe. I’m kinda far away to know for sure, duh.

To be honest, DIT isn’t all that different from the other schools I’ve looked into, and there are more ‘prestigious’ recommendations that have been made. Ultimately, the curriculum is similar across the board. Like most of the universities and colleges in Ireland, for non-EU overseas students they double-whammy you with regular tuition fees and then overseas student fees on top of that, making sure you pay oh…about three times more than a EU student residing in Ireland. Awesome.

Oh yah, and since I’m Canadian and not American, I’ve found my homeland severely lacking in sympathetic government assistance. Canada provides very little funding in the way of overseas study for post-grad school, unless you want to be something productive to society like a doctor. Pffft. So poor little journalism wanna-be me gets no break because apparently I’m nothing more than a whack-job bohemian floating the streets by night, with horrible fashion sense and an inability to do anything intelligent but spout mixed metaphors. It’s like they think I’m destined to life inside a cardboard box chewing on cigarette stubs or flipping burgers at McDonalds. Lame.

Regardless, I’m determined and stubborn, and trying not to get bogged down by the little things. Not that a $30,000 student debt is little or anything. Cough.

I guess what ultimately drew me to DIT’s program is the fact that they offer an M.A. in International Journalism. I don’t know what direction I’ll be headed in the future, so the international context seemed more relevant and beneficial to me. It should be noted that Ireland has some very specific practices/criteria associated with journalism that one would get taking the M.A. in Journalism, whereas the international option will be less tailored to a specific region, giving me greater flexibility. Here is a description of the programme I’m looking into:

The MA in International Journalism is a three semester full-time programme covering the practice and theory of journalism in an international context.

Aimed primarily, though not exclusively at international students, the programme will enable students gain a high level of professional competence, a systematic knowledge and understanding of the theory and practice of journalism, and a reflexive awareness of the role of journalism in society world-wide. Graduates will be multi-skilled and critically aware, with a sophisticated understanding of the place, function and importance of journalism in a globalised world.

So take that artsy-fartsy unbelievers. I will become “multi-skilled” and “critically-aware” and have a “sophisticated understanding” of all the important things in the world. Who cares if I can’t perform open heart surgery? No biggie. I can still write informative, well-researched, and educational materials on it, which is what really counts.

And here’s a little video of DIT as well for those who might be interested:

Sláinte!

What’s this all about?

Ah…first post.  Well, I figure at the very least I should introduce myself and the shape this blog will take in case you stumbled upon here clueless of what to expect.  Which is probably most of you.

For family and friends – little introduction is necessary. For the rest of you, my name’s Janine and I’m a Canadian citizen currently living in Ontario.  However, I’m of Irish and Scottish ancestry, and have long had an interest in my Celtic history and roots.

I studied English and History in my 4-year undergraduate career, then went on to get my M.A. in English.  I always knew I wanted to write.  I didn’t know what, or how, or even when opportunities would come about.  I just knew it was what I wanted to do with my life.

Since I graduated in August, I’ve been working full-time at a boring office job that makes me want to stab my eyeballs out with two straws and launch them like spitballs at unsuspecting victims.  And you probably think I’m just trying to be funny…

I’ve managed to keep my sanity by doing part-time freelance writing on the side for local newspapers covering feature stories, which I absolutely adore and can’t get enough of.  So recently I decided I would like to pursue another M.A., but this time in Journalism.  To throw nuts into my rational plan, I thought hmmmm, Ireland would be a cool place to study.  I know, I’m a moron.  My parents refuse to take any responsibility.  Just ask them about the time I decided that putting a clean pair of knickers on overtop of my dirty ones constituted “changing my underwear”.

I will attempt to explain.  Beyond my interest in re-visiting my heritage and getting drunk every night in Irish pubs, here is some other interesting information that also helped me come up with such a bogus plan:

Ireland has one of the best education systems in the world according to the 2004 IMD World Competitiveness Report. It has close links to industry and is characterised by creativity, flexibility, agility, pragmatism and informality. Education has been a key factor in making Ireland one of the fastest growing economies in the world over the past decade. Government policy on investment in research and “4th level” education as the key to developing Ireland as a knowledge society in the new global economy.

It is said that Ireland, once visited, is never forgotten, and for once the blarney rings true. The Irish landscape has a mythic resonance, the country’s history is almost tangible, and its people seem put on earth expressly to restore faith in humanity.

Irish people have a great love of conversation and have a genuine interest in other people. This friendliness and hospitality for which the Irish people are renowned contributes to the ease with which overseas students adapt to the way of life and in particular, student life in Ireland.

For the more personal reasons…quite simply…adventure.  I’ve been a home-body most of my life and I have very close connections to my family.  Change has always unnerved me.  I’ve enjoyed security and predictability for far too long.  Now that I’m at an age where I’m maturing and growing into my own skin, I don’t have the attachments of marriage, kids, or a house – a clean slate so to speak – I’ve been itching to really make the world my playground.

I want to explore.  I want to see what’s out there.  I want to experience all that I can before I don’t have the time, resources, or freedom to do so.  Not only do I have personal connections to Ireland, but it’s also well known for its education system (as noted above), it boasts of a very warm and welcoming community (voted friendliest country in the world recently!), and so I feel it will provide me with a safe but fun adventure.  It will be enough of a cultural shock to be exciting, but not so much that I spend a year hibernating in my bed munching on stale Cheetos and nuts like a squirrel with an anxiety disorder.  Or maybe I will…

This blog will serve two main functions:

1. I haven’t even sent out applications or been accepted yet.  The 2009-10 year I’m planning in Ireland isn’t a ‘for sure’.  So why start documenting things?  Well, in its first stages, I hope this blog will be a good educational resource for others considering overseas study, specifically in the UK.  While there is a lot of information out there for Americans wishing to study in the UK, I have learned not much is available to Canadians.  This sucks, to put it bluntly.  Therefore, I’m hoping I can ease some of your frustration if you want to try something like this.  I want to detail the process of research, applications, funding, etc (all the big stuff that takes place before that acceptance letter and move).  I will keep expanding on the helpful resources and links that you see to your right —->
2. In its secondary stage, provided I do get accepted and everything goes smoothly (here’s to hoping!), this blog will act as a travel documentary of my time spent in Ireland and – most importantly – become an intimate link to my family and friends back home.  I can keep them informed about what trouble I’m getting into is going on with me and post lots of pretty pictures.  All in unison: Ooooo ahhhh.  Granted, this ‘diary’ of sorts should also give others a bird’s eye view into the culture, lifestyle, pros and cons that one might face studying abroad, particularly in Ireland and the UK.

And now I’ll leave you with a video showcasing the scenery and cultural landscape of Ireland so you can catch a glimpse of what I’ve fallen in love with from a distance:

P.S. I promise once I get all this preliminary crap outta the way, my posts will be far shorter and much more amusing.

Sláinte!