Samuel Matsuzaki is a Cinema Studies major with a minor in East Asian Studies and shared about his experience studying filmmaking and cinema in the Ireland Study Abroad Program last summer.

“The Ireland Study Abroad Program gives you a chance to be in an environment where everyone either loves film or is striving to create films. It also exposes you to another culture and gives you a global view of film and the world. My favorite moment was the excursion to Galway. It provided a complete immersion into Irish culture, Irish film through the Galway Film Fleadh, and allowed me to bond more with my peers. The best advice I can give about this program is to be open-minded to whatever comes your way (within your comfort zone) because some of the best experiences I had were doing things I don’t normally do with the great friends I made on the trip.”