The other day, I plugged in my software-defined radio (a radio that uses software to process signals instead of physical circuits) and started scrolling through frequencies. After searching through a sea of static, I found Cork’s 96FM station, which showed up as a fluctuating peak, like a flickering flame, in my frequency spectrum display. I tuned in just as an Irish woman started delivering a bit of local news. It reminded me of how much has changed since I first arrived in Ireland.
Back in September, I remember listening to local amateur radio operators chatting amongst themselves over the repeater in Cork city (a station that receives weak amateur radio signals and retransmits them at a higher power so that they can cover greater distances). At the time, I had just arrived in Ireland and the Cork accents crackling through the speakers of my handheld radio were almost indecipherable to me. I was excited to be here, but I felt so disconnected from this place and its people. And nothing was going as expected.
In the months leading up to the start of my Mitchell year, I daydreamed constantly about what my life in Ireland would be like. I fantasized about surfing in frigid Irish waters under grey skies, joining a scuba diving club, playing Irish trad music in pubs on my viola, and maybe even connecting with a local amateur radio club.
Unfortunately, none of these dreams actually materialized. The surfing club was overcrowded and overbooked, and I quickly lost out on spots for surf trips. My snorkel has remained untouched in the back of my closet. And, although I did reach out to local radio clubs and take a visit to Carrigtwohill to check one club’s station, they were intensely focused on contesting and their membership consisted entirely of older Irish men. It was a far cry from the casual, student-run amateur radio club I had been a part of back in the States.
During college, I used to enjoy bringing equipment out to parks with my club members and calling CQ for hours. In amateur radio, when an operator transmits “CQ,” it’s an open invitation for any other station listening in on that frequency to respond and start a conversation. It’s like calling out, “Hello, is anyone out there?” Sometimes, I would have so many responses, all the voices would overlap and drown each other out. Other times, it felt more like screaming into an empty void. I’d also spend a lot of time just spinning the tuning dial back and forth, hoping to hear a voice within the noise.
My first few months abroad felt a bit like thatāscanning endlessly through static, unsure of what Iād pick up, or if I’d find anything at all. Admittedly, I struggled to make Irish friends, join clubs, understand the local slang, and relate to my classmates.
Still, over the course of this year, I’ve tried to tune in as much as possibleāto Irish culture and the world in general. While living and traveling through Europe, I’ve learned more about people, new cultures, and relationships than ever before. And I’m starting to pay attention to topics and entire fields of study (global politics, biology, history, etc.) that I’ve neglected or never properly been exposed to until now. Conversations with Mitchells, taxi drivers, and the researchers I’ve been working with at UCC/MaREI have reshaped the way I see the world.
Although I didnāt get to surf or dive, I also found adventure and joy in so many unexpected places. I assisted with shark surgeries aboard a boat in the Irish Sea. I hiked the Camino de Santiago and swam in the Arctic circle. I formed some incredible relationships and found opportunities to get involved in exciting marine research. I had music jam sessions with friends. I’ve also increased the number of stamps in my passport from 2 to 36!! The world feels smaller and less daunting now.
So, as I listened to the Cork 96FM radio stationāno longer thrown off by the accent or the local slangāI was reminded of how wonderful it is to be living here, in this place that used to seem so foreign but now feels charming and familiar. Living in Ireland hasn’t just been a fun travel experience. It also helped me learn how to listen a little more closelyāto people from different backgrounds and fields of study, to my surroundings, and to myself.
Now, as I prepare to start over again in an entirely new city for my PhD, I feel a buzz of anticipation. The dial is spinning again. Iām not sure exactly what I’ll land on, but I’m excited to tune in and find out.
As a side note, my research project (an instrument that can measure and log the strength and direction of underwater magnetic fields generated by subsea power cables) is about to be deployed in Cork Harbor for the first time this week! I’m very excited š