Dia duit! That's the Irish greeting for hello! My name is Joao Garcia (pronounced Joe-wow). I am 20 years old, and I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Growing up, I was always quite a bookworm and loved writing my own stories. When I eventually saw my first theatre show in middle school, I became instantly fascinated with drama and ended up doing theatre in high school. For college, I left the big state of Texas and found myself at Whitman College, a small liberal arts college in the state of Washington. I'm currently in my third year there, and I (inevitably) decided to pursue a major in English and Theatre.
I was presented with the opportunity to travel abroad through my college, and I decided to seize it! I hadn't left the US previously, and I was raring to explore literature and drama beyond America. The Irish are well-known for their rich literary and theatrical history, so it was a no-brainer. I also applied and was fortunate enough to receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to support my time in Dublin, Ireland. I'll be spending the semester here at University College Dublin, taking a regular course load of English and Drama courses and exploring Dublin's theatre scene. I am super excited to share my adventures with you and hear about your own journeys this school year!
Want to know more about how you can study or intern abroad when you are a college student? The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Learn more about the scholarship by clicking here!
