The only thing Sarah Lavender Achieng had heard about Ireland before she considered studying there was that it is a place “centred on community”. With the warm welcome she has received while working towards a master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Limerick, she has found out just how true that is. Our conversation with the Kenyan student revealed more, including how international education has transformed her approach to life.
Assessing your options
Following an undergraduate degree in Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering at the Technical University of Kenya – in addition to some time spent interning in the technical department of Kenya Airways – Sarah was keen to move forward in the aviation industry. For two years, she worked as a graduate assistant at her former university, but felt that to progress, she needed to study for a master’s degree.
Sarah began searching for postgraduate courses at different universities across the world. However, fate intervened when she came across a scholarship from the government of Ireland. Thinking that it looked promising, she took her first steps towards studying in the country.
“Of course, as part of the application, I needed to write an essay, and in that essay, I had to explain why I'm choosing Ireland. Which is hard to write when the first interaction you had [with it] is the scholarship! My first sentence was basically I know nothing about Ireland […] but it sounded like a country that was rooted in community and coming from Africa, community is a big thing […] If it's a place that is centred on community, that's a place I'd want to go, because it sounds like home to me.”
Preparing for take-off
Once her sights were set on Ireland, Sarah’s decisions began to fall into place. For one thing, she knew she would have to study at the University of Limerick, as its highly regarded Aeronautical Engineering master’s degree is the only such course in the country.
Nevertheless, things didn’t progress without effort. Sarah undertook a lot of research before moving to Ireland and received great support from her new university at every step along the way. This level of help was something she appreciated hugely. Before arriving, she had plenty of concerns about her preparation for the changes ahead.
“I used to worry about that. I sent a ton of emails to the international office (UL Global), but every week [or] couple of weeks they’d send an email with expectations [for] coming to Ireland. So they’d tell you the stores close by; where you’d get winter gear because you're coming in autumn; which buses to take from the airport […] things like getting the LEAP card (an Irish travelcard) […] there was just a ton of information coming in, [enough] that towards the last week, I didn't even need to send emails and questions anymore.”
Exploring new areas
Once things settled down, Sarah settled in. No longer burdened by worries over how things would work out, she has thrown herself into her new surroundings. While before coming to Ireland, she was happy to “stay in and sleep all day”, she has since explored the country, joined clubs and societies, and made friends at every turn.
“I wasn't even a social person before I came here, but I've been attending everything [and] I've been wondering what's going on with me. I don't understand how I'm so social while I'm here, but I wasn't before, so it's crazy. […] Every time I keep asking myself ‘how am I here?’ Like, I end up going to events where I know no one. I went by myself; I know no one, but I come out talking to two or three people.”
Sarah’s new-found love for getting herself out there also extends to her attempts to progress professionally. On a trip to the Johnson & Johnson Vision Care site in Limerick with the university’s Women in STEM society, she spoke with company employees who encouraged her to use LinkedIn to network and make herself known.
“LinkedIn was my biggest takeout from clubs and societies. I had no idea how huge LinkedIn was here […] We talked about how it can help you network and possibly land a job. [Without that society] I don't think I would have realised how important having a presence on LinkedIn can be. I’m still finding it hard to post because I'm not a social media person, but I'm just taking it one step at a time.”
Looking to the future
Clearly, Sarah is in the right place. As a hub of the tech and aviation industries, Ireland is a great place to study aeronautical engineering and potentially a great one to develop a career too. The third-level graduate programme will allow Sarah to remain in Ireland for at least two years after graduating, and if she does, she may not have to travel far to progress. Limerick is close to the small town of Shannon, where more than 3,000 people are employed by over 80 aviation-related companies.
“I want to get into design and especially in the aviation industry, or even in automation. So, there are a lot of companies that work in automation […] There may be a lesser scope for design in aeronautical engineering, but if I want to get into automation, I have a wide field. […] But I just love that I'm a very independent person, so I can go anywhere in the world. And I keep thinking I could go work anywhere outside [Ireland], but I still have a lot to apply to here. If I start applying to all the jobs that I think I'm qualified for here, it will be a while before I set my sights on places outside.”
Finding your fearlessness and succeeding
Wherever her next step takes her, Sarah feels that international study is preparing her well. Indeed, working in aviation should be straightforward compared with her experience of using it to get to Ireland. On one hectic day last year, she booked her flight to the country and boarded it immediately afterwards.
“It was either I booked that flight the same day, or I booked it after orientation week. [But] I wanted to get in during orientation and have the support that it provides in terms of getting to know the area before you settle in and start classes on Monday. So that's why when the flight popped up I was like, ‘you know what? I think I'll just leave today.’”
Sarah spent the day in a state of nervous excitement, constantly thinking that people were “going to tell me to turn back” and “wondering why these people are letting me walk around here”. Of course, she had nothing to worry about. Despite having brought “a stack of papers” to ensure her entry to Ireland, ”all they asked for was the [university] offer letter”.
While she wouldn’t like to experience something like that again – “I almost had a heart attack”, she recalls – Sarah’s journey shows exactly what is possible when you put your fears aside and make things happen. Her advice to anyone thinking of becoming an international student is to “take the risk”.
“I'm an absolute advocate for new experiences, so if anyone is thinking about moving abroad for their studies and they're worried about things like culture shock […] I'd definitely say take the risk, just enjoy. At this point, I'm just built for new experiences. So just take the experience; the good with the bad. It won't always be nice, but you'll definitely have some good times. And Ireland is an absolutely gorgeous place, too. Come to Ireland!”
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