Trip of a Lifetime

Here’s a few questions for you: have you ever wanted to study abroad? Have you ever dreamt of traveling to a new country? Have you ever wished to experience a new culture first-hand?

Then I have some good news for you. With the help of several members of the Blue Mountain College faculty spearheaded by Dr. Greg Long, the school has approved a fundraiser that will raise money for students of any major to receive the opportunity to travel to Ireland in the summer of 2020. From May 12th to the 22nd, the trip will take any student or community member who wishes to come on a tour through the Irish landmarks, starting in Dublin and visiting such places as Belfast, Northern Ireland. Students and alumni alike will have the unique opportunity to learn about Irish culture through the lens of literature and music, with BMC's chorale having the opportunity to perform at several locations. There will be pit stops along the way, such as the gardens where writer Yeats drew inspiration for his works, as well as a trip to see the great C.S. Lewis’s birthplace.

For many people, a trip like this is the dream of a lifetime. Several students around campus have already begun to buzz with excitement about the potential to travel overseas to see Irish culture up close. One of these students is junior Abby Mattox. “Ireland is, like, my place,” says Mattox with the biggest grin on her face. “Let’s go!”

Trips like this are not possible without financial help. That is why, though the trip is not for another year, BMC has already started to make fundraiser efforts, in the hopes that the school can take any and all students with the desire to come. Here at the BMC Beacon, the student-led staff has already begun to kick around several ideas. One of the simpler ideas is doing a change dive at each staff member’s home church. Another was selling artwork. There are, of course, other ideas. Victoria Kinsey proposed the potential for a potato-themed bake sale. Students will bring their favorite homemade, potato-based food item and sell it for trip funding.

There is only one year left before the trip is set to leave for Ireland. $500 deposits are due at the beginning of the fall, so people who wish to go need to start saving right away. For more information, contact Greg Long at glong@bmc.edu.