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[beneath-the-irish-sky]

June 22nd 

Today we had our final class discussion. It was so bittersweet. I want to see my family again, but I will truly miss the people in this class so much. 

We talked about religion in this session. We all shared how many of us were raised around multiple people and how that affected our lives growing up. We also talked about how being raised with no religion can be isolating. It was fascinating to hear about how everyone grew up. After the religion topic, we talked about course expectations and the assignments that would be due when we came back home. I am most looking forward to completing the travel pamphlet assignment. 

After class, we all took a small day trip down to Howth (picture 5). We took the Dart train, which reminded me of the Bart trains in San Francisco or the Tube in London. Once we got into Howth, we went shopping in a few of the local stores. We got whipped ice cream (picture 6)! We have been searching for this ice cream since we left Glendalough. We were so excited. 

We then went to the seafood place near the train station, and we all caught up there. We talked about our lives back home and how some are continuing to travel after the class is over. I would love to continue on and see the world. We get so caught up on our everyday lives that we forget there is so much more around us and that connects us. I plan to travel as much as possible. I don't want to miss out on the history and cultures of this world.

I went back to UCD and rested in my room before getting ready to go out again. Tonight was karaoke night at the UCD Clubhouse. We had so much fun jamming out to great music from want to be singers. After karaoke, we turned in for the night

June 23rd 

I slept in after a long night so my day did not start until around 10 am. I got up and began to finish packing. After a little while, we decided that we wanted to take pictures at the UCD sign (picture 4).

Me and the others headed there without realizing that there was a graduation ceremony taking place. We quickly took our photos before meeting up with the rest of the group to go to dinner. It was our farewell dinner, so we gave our teacher her gift and her card. She seemed to love it and said we were the only group to ever give her one. I can't imagine that because she was so special. She has been such an amazing teacher and shared so much for us. We had dinner and a live band was playing.

We began to say our goodbyes to people we would not see because they left that night or earlier than our flight. It was so sad to say goodbye. It's hard to know that the people I have spent every day with for a month will no longer be that involved in my life. We made great connections and will be part of each other's stories in the future. Maybe like the people we encountered around Ireland that just told us stories of their lives and travels.

After we left the Temple Bar area (picture 2 &3) , me and my classmate went back to O’Neils one last time. At the end of the night, we were ready to say goodbye to Dublin. We went back to UCD, where we all finished packing, and our group of five said goodbye to each other. I will miss each of them.

June 24th

I was jolted from my bed at 3 am! A woman entered my room thinking it was empty. She was very apologetic, but it scared me. She explained she was with the front desk and a girl was trying to check in early so she was checking the room to see if it was ready for an arrival. When she left, I blocked my door with suitcases and anything I could find. I could not sleep all that well. I figured I would get up early and just chill in my room before the time we would meet downstairs. 

Once the time approached, I left my room for the very last time and made my way to the front desk to check out. We then met up with our teacher to catch a taxi to the airport. 

The airport wasn't very busy but it did take a while to get through customs and security. I was on my way back home to the States (picture 1) with my friends and family. I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to immerse myself in the culture of Ireland. I made friends, listened to strangers' stories, stepped into history books, learned a great deal about the culture, partook in some great food and beverages and saw sights that were unlike any other. 

Slán go deo…

(Goodbye for now)

[beneath-the-irish-sky]

June 19th - 21st

June 19th 

Our plane landed 30 minutes after midnight. We had booked a taxi, but every driver kept denying us. We ended up waiting until 2:30 am for a ride back to UCD. My keycard would not work to open my door, and I had to go to the front desk to get it sorted. I ended up falling asleep around 3:30 am. 

We had to get up pretty early for a class on Irish Mythology. We talked about religion and the role it has played in cultures all over the world, including Ireland. It was an hour-long lecture that covered the differences in religion and how it came to be as well. It felt a lot like the history lessons we had when we first started the class. 

After class, we went on the Viking Splash Tour (picture 8). We toured around on a boat wearing Viking hats and yelling “RAHHH” at pedestrians. Our driver told us all about how the Vikings were the ones that changed the Irish language to include more vowels. We learned where they stayed when ashore and that they named Dublin after their docking station. We eventually got to even go on the water since the vehicle was meant for water and land. It was such a fun tour - minus some odd and racey comments which I will spare you.

We then went back to UCD to swim in Dun Laoghaire at the Forty Foot cliff (picture 10). The cliff is not actually forty feet, it is more like 20. It is an additional 20 feet under water so it is called the Forty Foot. When we got there, it was a 30-minute walk to the cliff and it was packed. We ended up swimming at a nearby beach. We caught the sunset on the beach, and it was gorgeous. 

After swimming, we went to a restaurant. The staff was short with us because they thought we were under 18 (we aren't, we are all over 18). We then caught the bus back to UCD and went to sleep.

June 20th 

This morning we had another class on Irish Religion. This time however, it was about how religion has affected our lives. It was more discussion based. I like lectures like this a bit more. It gives us the opportunity to share our experiences and learn more about other beliefs. A big thing that I have learned on this trip is that America does have a culture. It is less apparent when you live in America but there is a certain way we speak, act, and do things. Discussion-based lectures give me the opportunity to learn more about it. 

After class, we went to Trinity College (picture 2) to see the Book Of Kells (picture 3). In all honesty, I was a bit more excited to see their library. I wished I could have spent all day there. They had busts of famous writers, philosophers, and books as high as the cathedral ceilings. Every turn, there were books and books. It smelled like old books. I was in awe of the architecture and the beauty. 

While there, I purchased two books from writers who went to school at Trinity College - Oscar Wilde and Sally Rooney. I am so excited to read these books. Trinity College was everything I hoped it would be. I have always wanted to go and the architecture was as amazing as I thought. It was gorgeous and reminded me of castles. It is crazy how much history took place on the top of those buildings during the Easter Rising. After Trinity College, me and Kaylee decided to head back to UCD. We wanted to film our 10-minute video for class. 

It took us about three hours, but we filmed, edited, and posted it on YouTube. We felt a great sense of accomplishment. I think our topic is interesting and informative, and we had such a good time filming the video. 

I then went back to my room, called my family, did some light cleaning, watched some movies, and went to bed.

June 21st 

Today, my day started off at St. Patrick's Cathedral (pictures 5- 7, 9)! I have been wanting to go here since we arrived in Ireland. It was gorgeous. My favorite thing about cathedrals are the stained glass windows. They are always so breathtaking. I love how the light catches the color. I think that most of my camera roll contains stained glass windows. The Cathedral is tall in stature and stands out against the landscape around it. The inside is an art piece lined with statues, tombs, arches, candlelight, choir pews and is a beautiful place of worship. I imagine the choir’s echo throughout the cathedral.

After the cathedral, I went with a few people in the class and my teacher's husband, Steve, to the Dublina Museum. Steve is big into Vikings and wanted to take some of us to the museum There was so much to learn and look at. Me and Isabela had a good time looking at the lifelike statues and laughing at some of the poses. This was a really cool expeirence because it allowed me to connect what we have been learning with visual representations. 

After the museum, I went back to UCD to pack to go home since we would be busy over the next few days. I hate packing, especially when it means leaving a place I truly found to be beautiful and intriguing. I really want to see more.  After I packed a good amount away, I got ready to go to the River Show (picture 1). I had no idea what I was going to see, but I was impressed by the skill. The dancers moved so quickly and were amazing. It reminded me of the Nutcracker but with tap instead of ballet and with a loose plot. 

We then went to a restaurant and ended our day in the Temple Bar area (picture 4).

[beneath-the-irish-sky]

June 16th - 18th

June 16th

I woke up at 2 am to leave for the airport at 3 am…ouch. We all met up, dead from exhaustion, and hopped in our taxi. The nice part about leaving this early was that no one was on the streets, and we flew into Scotland overlooking the sunrise (picture 3). It was so pretty.

Part of our group booked a tour for today, so they left while the other five of us went to explore. When we finally arrived in the city center, it was 8 am. Because it was so early, we decided to go get breakfast. We chose this super popular cafe we heard about. We all left happy and ready for the day. 

We walked over to St. Princes Park (picture 7) to take in the scenery. I read the book that my classmate gave me on a bench while the rest sprawled out in the grass. After relaxing for about an hour, we walked around the park more and then went to Victoria Street (picture 4). 

It was difficult terrain to say the least. It is up a hill with an 80-degree slant. It was a hike to get there, but worth the view. The buildings were so colorful. I found out later that day that it was what inspired Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. 

While there, we stopped in a pub to hide from the heat for a little while and then walked another 30 minutes to the Airbnb. It was such a pretty house, but it had quite a few problems. It had no WIFI, there weren't enough sheets and towels, the fridge would not turn on, the shower didn't really work, and there was no TV (like they advertised). We had to call the property management company to express our disappointment and have someone come out and address everything.

June 17th

We woke up the next day pretty early because we had tickets for Edinburgh Castle (picture 6 & 8). We ate in a small neighborhood in a cafe. After that, we booked it to the castle. My knee was feeling the vast incline on the way up the hill (the same hill from yesterday also has the castle on it). I made it through the 30-minute hike, however, and felt swallowed by the castle’s mere size. I cannot imagine how people climbed this day in and day out with heavy armor or carrying goods.

The castle was extraordinary. There was so much to see. The castle itself was vast with tall towers overlooking the entire City. I was engrossed in the history I was standing in. We visited rooms and learned about the dungeons, the crown jewels, and the birthplace of some of the Kings. We were also there in time to see the changing of the guards. 

After the castle, we went to some of Scotland's national museums. They were similar to the Irish museums (picture 1 & 2) but the scenery was all so different. I felt like there were more portraits and religious paintings depicting the eras. After we walked through the museums, we decided to go back to Victoria Street. We hung out and explored the area more. Some people in the group decided to go to this cafe that sold these good marshmallows. Me and my classmate decided we wanted to explore more so we walked on. 

We saw the newly designed Parliament buildings, the famous cathedral, and the Scotts statue and monument. We then went to dinner and headed back to the Airbnb. When we arrived back, the WIFI and the fridge were working!

June 18th 

The last day of the trip, We packed and cleaned up. We wanted to make sure that we left Airbnb better than when we got there because we were asking for a refund for all the inconveniences. 

We left pretty early in the morning to go on our tour to see some of the Highlands (picture 10), the castle where they filmed Harry Potter (picture 9), and more. The tour was so much fun! It was very bumpy, but we saw so much of the Highlands. It was everything I expected and more. I loved seeing the rolling hills, some filled with Highland cows and sheep. 

We stopped in a small neighborhood to get some coffee before continuing on. The long anticipated wait was over and I was so excited to see the castle. I grew up with Harry Potter, and this has been something I wanted to do since I was young. I somehow separated from the group, but I got to see so much. From the top, I saw a herd of sheep hanging out in the shade at the bottom of the castle. The view was so green in color and the gardens were breathtaking like they were right out of a picture or movie. I also saw crown jewels, the art and all things castle related.

We then continued on to Balmoral Castle (picture 5). We were unable to enter because it was sold out, but it was huge! From the outside, it was this beautiful piece of architecture that rested upon a mountain. It had walls all around it but you could tell it was breathtaking. It started to rain on us so we decided to get ice cream in the city that surrounded the castle. 

Once the rain let up, we ventured back to Edinburgh to have dinner at an Italian Restaurant. We then went to the Airport and waited for our 11 pm flight back to Dublin.

[beneath-the-irish-sky]

June 13th

The next day, I woke up and had a bagel that I had saved. I started to get ready early since, as a group, we decided that we wanted to dress up to go to the theatre. We knew we would be out all day so I planned to dress in layers. We stopped at the center for a couple of snacks. 

Later on, we all met up at the bus stop to head over to the theater together. The bus was relatively close to the theater, and we made it to the Abbey Theatre just in time. The Theatre was built in 1904 and is rich in Irish history. However, the original theatre burned in the 1950’s and was revived in its current location today.

We toured backstage (pictures 3, 5, 6, & 8), learned about the founders, and peeked in on one of the makeup rooms. I had the opportunity to work on shows growing up as both an actor and in the tech crew. It was gleeful to see how a professional theater works. 

After the tour was completed, we went to the Guinness Storehouse (pictures 7, 9, & 10). I had no idea what to expect, but it was so cool! It was interactive, interesting, and fun. There was a tunnel that was dark and black and as you passed through you entered a room of white light, and it felt heavenly. It was an experience. We went to the 360 bar up top for the beer tasting.

The 360 bar is a room where they serve you a complimentary pint of Guinness and sit with windows all around you while overlooking the panoramic views of the City. I noticed Dublin does not have a lot of skyscrapers. You can see everything without being blocked by steel and concrete.

After we drank our pint, we went back to Abbey Theatre for the play (picture 13). It was absolutely exhilarating. I was a little worried when I saw that it was a one-woman show, but it took my breath away. It made me laugh, cry, and feel every emotion in between. The storyline was about a woman who’s mother struggled with suicide. The daughter made a list of Every Brilliant Thing she could think of to remind her mother why she should continue to live. What was once her mother's coping mechanism turned into her own when she went through similar thoughts and feelings. 

It was heartbreaking and empowering. I loved seeing the play in the Abbey Theatre and will tell everyone about the story of Every Brilliant Thing. Maybe even see the play back home.

June 14th

Today we had a class discussion that focused on art through music. We talked about how art and music have influenced our culture in ways we don't often see or hear. I listen to a lot of music that has some sort of message in it. Either subtle or the message is very clearly written and expressed. I like to listen to songs that tell the story of someone in love or someone who experienced a hard time or lost a battle. I think that there are a lot more songs describing the depth of emotions through happiness, feelings of sadness and fits of anger. This affects our culture because it influences the conversations we have. The more vulnerable people we have influence our converstaions, the more likely we will be vulnerable in our private lives.

My teacher keeps telling us all about how Irish people tell stories and how that is how they communicate. I have been seeing that more and more the longer I stay here. They tell stories of their culture and share it with others. The words then live on. I especially experienced this through the Pub Crawl (pictures 2, 4, & 11). 

Later we went to a few national museums and observed Irish art (pictures 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, & 19). There were so many gorgeous paintings, sculptures, and photographs. You could visually imagine the scenery and story with every stroke. After we left the museums, we went to the National Library and took in the exhibits on Irish Literature and how it has grown over the years. 

We then went to O’Neils for food and to see if they had the long anticipated Baileys Cheesecake. This time we were successful. After we ate, we strolled down the streets and looked in windows before heading back. 

I packed for Scotland and our trip to Galway the next day. I can’t wait to go to Galway! I have heard so much about it, and it has been on my bucket list.

June 15th

I woke up and got ready to leave for the bus to take us to the train that would take us to Galway. We eventually got on the train, and I sat with my teacher and her family. We talked and I listened to music on the way there since the WIFI was not working. 

Once we got off the train, we went exploring all that Galway has to offer. We went to the best fish-and-chips place in Ireland, tried oysters, went to a small bakery, souvenir shopped, and even found a used bookstore. I got so many great souvenirs in Galway. 

I loved the atmosphere here. It felt so much like Barcelona. The city was alive and full of live music and friendly people. I wished we had more time to spend here. Eventually, we met with all the students in our group at the park and just talked. It was great to bond with everyone even more. 

The train back was pretty uneventful. The wifi was still out, so I read some books I had downloaded on my phone. On the way back, we made fun of one of the girls in our group’s book that she was reading. She was reading a chapter that was NSFW and all of us, including our teacher, teased her about it. Eventually, we got off the train and went back to UCD. 

I finished packing for Scotland since I had to wake up insanely early for my flight. Right before I went to bed, however, my classmate came over and gave me the book she had been reading. She said I could keep it and that it was an amazing read. I decided I would take it to Scotland with me and went to bed.

[beneath-the-irish-sky]

June 10th

My alarm went off and I immediately got up to get ready. I cannot believe we were able to get tickets to this concert. It was sold out and we purchased two resold tickets by chance. I stopped over at my classmate's room for a few minutes to help her with her eyeliner and then we were off. This was going to be an epic adventure! Once at the bus station, we realized she forgot her phone charger so she could connect it to her battery pack. She was panicking, and so was I. We set out to find a charger. We stopped into every hotel and store, asking if they sold chargers. They did not have the kind that was needed. Luckily, right before we got on the bus she ran into a Centra and found the charger she needed! 

While on the bus to the venue, I styled my hair for the concert and my classmate got some sleep. After a 45-minute ride we were there and had to prepare for the long walk ahead. By the time we found our section by the stage, we had 13,000 steps in already. It was so worth it though because we were in the third row of the pit. It also rained on and off but it didn't matter. 

We arrived at Slane Castle at 10 am. It was beautiful and the land sprawled out as far as I could see. It would soon fill up with over 80,000 fans waiting to see Harry Styles take the stage on his Love Tour (picture 15). Harry wasn’t scheduled until 8pm. We enjoyed the music of Wet Leg, Inhaler, a DJ, and one of Harry's songwriters as we waited for him to take the stage. We caught glimpses of him standing outside the castle looking on as the crowd grew.

The long awaited intro music started and Harry Styles took the stage (pictures 1 - 10, 14). It was epic! His energy is so infectious and intoxicating. He was so close to us and he played music that I love but thought I wouldn't hear on this tour. He also played an unreleased song that is not played at many of his shows. He ended the show wrapping the Irish flag around him. Again, it was epic but the long walk back was not. After standing in the sun for 12 hours, we were tired and it was another 13,000-step journey to catch the first bus back and then the subsequent second bus. We finally arrived back at UCD at 2 am. A day to remember! One I probably wouldn’t have experienced in the States because of the rising cost of tickets. The tickets would have cost thousands more than the $300 we paid. Thank you Ireland!

June 11th

I woke up pretty late and in a lot of pain from the night before. So much walking and standing! The rush of the concert was still present as I got dressed to go to the Hurling Match. I think I may have underestimated the toll the journey would have on my body. I was so exhausted. I eventually got up and met with the group of five I was going to the game with. 

We took the bus to the stadium in Dublin, where the match was being held. It was the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship . The Leinster Senior Hurling Championship started in 1888 after a man named Michael Cusack realized there needed to be one set of regulations in Hurling. 

The match was so exhilarating (pictures 11 - 13). We sat in the front row and were right near one of the goals. The action was so close to us. We got to talking with a few fans from Galway, and they told us that Kilkenny wins every time. That made me root for Galway even more. I always like an underdog. Unfortunately, Kilkenny won but Galway played the game so well to stay in it for as long as they did. Right down to the last few seconds. I bought a t-shirt there to remember my time.

After the game, I was sunburnt and still so tired. I decided that I would go back to UCD and turn in early so I would be refreshed for the week ahead. I watched a movie, took a shower, returned the bag I borrowed from my classmate, and went to sleep.

June 12th 

I woke up feeling refreshed today! I am ready for whatever this week brings and I am excited to visit Scotland this weekend. To prepare, we decided that we would each look into things to do in Edinburg on our own and then come together as a group to figure out what excursions we would book.

Today, I am supposed to meet up with my classmates to plan for a group project. We met and divided into two groups; me and the classmate I borrowed the bag from would work together, and the other three would be in their own group. We decided to do our 10-minute video on Hurling and the match we saw yesterday. We wrote out the entire script and then decided that we would film the next week when we had more time. 

We all went our separate ways and got ready to attend the Irish Literature Class that we had that evening. Our teacher had described it as a pub crawl, and she was not wrong. We went from pub to pub, listening to our tour guide recite and sing passages and verses from various Irish books and folktales. He quoted stories from the Dubliners and took us to places that were mentioned in those stories. We were walking in history.

The night went by quickly. After the tour, we went back to one of the pubs for Baileys Cheesecake. Unfortunately, they were out so my classmate and I found something else to eat. After the pub, we went back to UCD, and I fell asleep quickly.

[beneath-the-irish-sky]

June 6th - June 9th

June 6th 

I started my day off on June 6th with a class on Modern Irish Life. I really enjoyed this lecture. Though it was only scheduled for an hour, we all talked with the professor for an extra thirty minutes. I have always had difficulty connecting to lectures because of my ADHD, but I have found that I have enjoyed every one of them so far. 

We discussed the similarities and differences between the United States and Ireland. Some similarities are the housing crisis and standardized testing biases. We talked a lot about how these affect everyday life. We also discussed the differences between healthcare and the approach to mental health. Though therapy still has some stigma in the United States, the lecturer explained that it is not accepted in Ireland. He also spoke about how long the process was to become a counseling therapist. He said his degree would take around ten years to accomplish. 

After our lecture, we had a two-hour break. I went down to the cafe and tried hot chocolate! It was really good. They made it with fresh melted chocolate and milk. I will definitely be going back. 

After our break, we listened to another lecture on a research study completed in PFL communities and conducted by our teacher and another DR. The research study was about early intervention for pregnant women to see if additional information and support can positively affect newborn lives as they get older. This lecture was fascinating and connected very well with subjects I had been learning about before attending this trip. I have always been fascinated by the nature versus nurture argument. This research study took a deep-dive into the argument, and I will eagerly follow up in a year to review the results.

I started my day off on June 6th with a class on Modern Irish Life. I really enjoyed this lecture. Though it was only scheduled for an hour, we all talked with the professor for an extra thirty minutes. I have always had difficulty connecting to lectures because of my ADHD, but I have found that I have enjoyed every one of them so far. 

We discussed the similarities and differences between the United States and Ireland. Some similarities are the housing crisis and standardized testing biases. We talked a lot about how these affect everyday life. We also discussed the differences between healthcare and the approach to mental health. Though therapy still has some stigma in the United States, the lecturer explained that it is not accepted in Ireland. He also spoke about how long the process was to become a counseling therapist. He said his degree would take around ten years to accomplish. 

After our lecture, we had a two-hour break. I went down to the cafe and tried hot chocolate! It was really good. (picture 1) They made it with fresh melted chocolate and milk. I will definitely be going back. 

After our break, we listened to another lecture on a research study completed in PFL communities and conducted by our teacher and another DR. The research study was about early intervention for pregnant women to see if additional information and support can positively affect newborn lives as they get older. This lecture was fascinating and connected very well with subjects I had been learning about before attending this trip. I have always been fascinated by the nature versus nurture argument. This research study took a deep-dive into the argument, and I will eagerly follow up in a year to review the results.

After class, we went out to celebrate my classmate's birthday. We went and explored the Temple Bar area (picture 10) and stopped in at a restaurant nearby. They served huge pizzas and burgers! They also had terrific live music. I really enjoyed seeing what Dublin was like at night and how much the city came alive. I think I will really like the remainder of my time here.

June 7th

The next day, we had our class discussion. This week we were tasked with reading a news article about a current event in Ireland. I decided to read an article about a man who owns 12 Irish Wolfhounds. The Meath-based man is planning to tour with the Wolfhounds and bring them into the city center to offer people the chance to see and learn about Irish Wolfhounds. Mr. McMahon admitted that he is fascinated by his dogs and wants to share his knowledge of their history. “There’ll be a meet and greet, and a little bit of walking. It may change as time progresses. The man was planning open the dog tour on June 17th. “There are only so many pubs that tourists can go to. It’s a historical experience”.

We then spoke about the differences between American Culture and Irish Culture. It was a long conversation that ranged from media coverage to sports and how they are played. I like these conversations the best because they allow us to reflect on our time here and get to know the others in the class through the stories they told. 

After class was over, me and a few of the girls decided that we wanted to watch the newly released version of The Little Mermaid movie at the UCD cinema (picture 2 & 3). We bought our student tickets and returned for our much-needed evening break.

I also needed to pack for our trip to Belfast tomorrow! We were told that we needed to walk from the train station to the hotel where we were staying. Because of this, I decided to pack lightly in just a small backpack. I am so excited to explore the area and see what the city offers. I have heard that there is a different atmosphere and am curious about what that entails. 

Soon, it was time to watch the movie! It was so good. Some people gave it bad reviews because of the CGI, but it was impressive work. I spent most of the movie fascinated by how real and stunning it looked. I am so happy we went!

I decided to go to bed since we had to wake up early for our train ride tomorrow!

June 8th

We caught the bus to the train station early. It was a weird morning. We had a girl in class who did not meet us for the bus even though she was already awake. My teacher's husband was very kind and stayed behind to wait for her. Luckily she was not far behind, and they made it before the train left. This caused a bit of tension in the group, however. Some people were mad at her for this, while others were more understanding. Tension or not, the train came, and soon we were off to Belfast (picture 9)!

It was about a two and half hour ride to Belfast from Dublin. While on the train, I watched a little tv and fell in and out of sleep. The Wifi was not working for me. When we arrived at the train station, I could immediately tell the difference. Dublin felt more like London did, while Belfast was like New York (picture 4). 

We walked on to our hotel, and our teacher was not exaggerating when she said it was a bit of a walk. We settled into our rooms and then met for lunch at the Capitol building while we waited for our tour guide.

Our tour felt heavy. It covered how Belfast is a city that is still feeling the effects of the war. The atmosphere is different in the city because of the underlying tension. Our tour guide explained that many people in the city have undiagnosed PTSD from the bombings they witnessed. He described how a friend of his had been walking past a store when a bomb exploded and how that friend was unable to walk down that street anymore. That tension bleeds into the citizens' daily lives, and as a result, many businesses close down early due to curfews that used to be in place. I cannot imagine what they saw and experienced (pictures 5, 6, 7, & 8).

After the tour was over, we went exploring Belfast more. We went shopping, looked into small shops, and were scorned for asking for ketchup. We were also chased down the street by a man wearing pieces of garbage. We soon went back to the hotel and decided that we wanted to see a hurling match professionally played. We also had the most amazing ice cream (picture 5). Me and five others bought tickets for the 11th and then retired for the evening!

June 9th 

The next day we gathered for the free continental breakfast. I’m not sure if it was the fact that the food was free but it was amazing! They had this dish with blood sausages…not my favorite. Breakfast was just what we needed for the long day ahead!

We walked over to the farmers market in town. It housed all local artists and vendors. Most of the art that I saw were prints of the city or unique bags and clothes! I talked to a very nice woman there who told me the story of her daughter, who passed away, art. She shared with me how she had immigrated here from America to be closer to her. I listened to her story for a long time before continuing on. Her story made me feel sad but very connected to her. I could feel the pain that she was going through. 

We eventually left the farmer's market and continued shopping. I purchased a bunch of souvenirs for my family and friends in a store called Carols. We spent the remainder of our time looking around the city and stopping into thrift stores.

We met everyone at the hotel after our adventures to catch the train back. We all made it to the train station on time. I fell asleep on the train ride back. I wasn’t feeling too well. 

It has been a really good day and an enlightening story filled adventure.

When we got off the train, we took a bus back to UCD. Once there me and my classmate said goodbye to everyone and started prepping for the concert we had the next day. I borrowed a fanny pack from a different girl and I was good to go! I am so grateful for the people in this class. We all get along so well. I turned in relatively early because I had to be up at 6 am.

[beneath-the-irish-sky]

June 3rd - June 5th

Hi! Sorry for the late update. You will understand why I was delayed as you read! 

I spent the day of June 3rd exploring Amsterdam and its beautiful canals. I fell in love with the area more and more, the longer I was there. Not everything was entirely up my alley or appropriate, but the architecture and the greenery made up for the aspects I did not enjoy as much. 

We started our day off at a cafe across the street from the Anne Frank House. It was a cute cafe specializing in making the Dutch version of pancakes. They were a type of doughy crape drenched in powdered sugar and Nutella. I was not the biggest fan of the pancakes but did enjoy the Dutch tea. 

After we ate, we made our way to the Anne Frank House. Unfortunately, we did not have tickets to the museum that was built inside the house. We did, however, get to see the outside (picture 13). Me and the group I was traveling with, loved being able to see a place that we had read about in books. We stood by the canal looking onward towards the house. While standing there, we were shocked by the way people were making a mockery of the house. It was odd to see so many people take inappropriate selfies in front of such a heartbreaking monument. We saw people throwing peace signs, giving a Nazi salute, and more as we stood there. It was disheartening to see how many people treated this historic place like a joke, but I am still glad I was able to visit and capture the house as a memory and read the stories again with a visual reflection.

We eventually made our way down the canal and visited the tulip museum (I know, very different from the jarring vibes before). This cheered us up a bit. We learned about the history of Tulips and how it is one of the main exports in the Netherlands. We were sad to find out they were not in bloom any longer. Something cool that we saw throughout the museum was silk (picture 3) and wooden tulips (picture 2). We learned that these were made as a way to represent the fields in the off-season and that they take great pride in their exports. We left the museum after buying some souvenirs and saw this gorgeous part of the canal (picture 1). It felt like everywhere we turned, there was something beautiful to look at. 

Then came the most significant learning lesson I have ever gotten. Amsterdam has little to no bathrooms in stores or attractions. You must use them while at a restaurant or Cafe. We had stopped in a small bookstore, and I asked the Shopkeep if there was a bathroom next door and he said to try the Coffee Shop next door. 

A Coffee Shop and Cafe are two very different places and things. A Cafe is a place where you can get coffee and tea. In a Coffee Shop you can buy things like Weed and Cocaine. I did not know this. Imagine my surprise when I walk in and ask the man behind the counter if I may use their restroom in butchered Dutch, and he asks if I am 18. I said yes, and then he told me to walk through the shop all the way to the back. I passed many people doing legal drugs in Amsterdam that are not legal in America. 

I learned my lesson and am a tad traumatized from the experience. After that, we decided to shop at T.K. Maxx (T.J. Maxx in America) and Brandy Melville. Though I did not buy anything from these stores, it was cool to check out Dutch clothing and everyday streetwear. 

We then decided to try the famous Dutch fries for a late lunch (picture 4). They were amazing! I had barbecue fries with their house seasoning, and it was perfect. We then stopped at a small bakery where we bought fresh bread and macaroons resembling the Netherlands flag (picture 5). 

As a group, before coming here, we decided that we wanted to take a canal cruise at sunset. It was the best decision we could have made! We caught it at the perfect time and saw so many beautiful places (pictures 6, 7, & 8). On our hour journey, we learned that the hooks on the top of the buildings were used to propel furniture up to the top floor and to dry out herbs during the day. The guide also shared how they used to be taxed for how big their doors were and how many windows the building had! I also learned why so many buildings are slender. In the 15th century, there were tight land-use regulations because of the fragility of the terrain. To reduce weight, planning mandated that facades be constructed using lightweight materials with big windows. The reason why the majority of Amsterdam houses are slender and narrow is that taxes were assessed based on the width of the frontage. After this, we returned to the hotel and prepared for our next day of traveling. 

We left pretty early on June 4th because the bus and train systems are in Dutch, and not knowing the language we did not want to misinterpret the language and miss our flight. The language wasn’t a barrier but security was. One of the girls I was traveling with checked her bag, but I only had a carryon and unfortunately that sent up a red flag in security and I experienced a full pat down, not once, but twice. I had my passport evaluated by four security guards who asked a lot of questions. We were also followed loosely all the way to our gate. Confused, we boarded our plane and took off. I was sitting in between a very nice Irish woman and a man that seemed to be very high and slept the whole flight. Anything is better than how I flew into Amsterdam. 

We got off the plane and met with another classmate who was in Scotland for the weekend. The four of us then found a taxi and took the day to ourselves. I returned to my room at about 4 p.m. in the afternoon but was extremely tired. After calling my parents, I fell asleep so quickly. That's what walking 27,000 steps the previous day will do to you. 

I woke up at 9 a.m. the next morning. I was, in fact, not ready for the day at all. Today we had a lesson on Gaelic games at one of the local gyms (picture 9). In a short introduction, we were told we would be learning how to play Hurling, Gaelic Football, and Handball. 

We started off with Gaelic Football. The rules are simple. You have a goal post similar to Soccer with a goalie. The catch is, there is another goal post that looks more like the one you see in American football just behind the other goal post. If you score in the goal post with the goalie in it, you score 3 points. You will get one point if you kick the ball into the one above the goalie. The way to run with the volleyball-looking ball is to take four steps, dribble it once, run another four, and then drop-kick it back to yourself. You can pass the ball by underhand serving it (like in volleyball) or drop kicking it. You cannot pick up the ball; you have to kick the ball up to your hands. Sounds like four or more American sports all in one. Simple, right?  

Not if you are not coordinated and I am not a coordinated individual. I was aware of that before this class, but I was humbled by the end of the game. My team did win, and I did score two of the goals by shooting above the goalie, but I had about a 30% accuracy rate, which I should have left out of this story but for the full story I added it. My parents would say I did great!

We then moved on to Handball. This is played with a hard ball that feels like steel when it hits your hands (picture 11). The goal of this game is to bounce the ball off the wall with the tip of your fingers. You must then move away from the ball and let your opponent hit it back to the wall. It goes on and on until one of you drops the ball. I was awful at this game and did not win the tournament. I wasn't last, but I was also far from first!

We then went back to the field to play Hurling. This game is described as a mix of Lacrosse, Field Hockey, and Rugby. All sports I have never played and never intended to play or will never play again. 

The rules for this are a bit more challenging and tricky. You have a wooden stick that is flat on the end with a slight curve and a ball (picture 10). This ball also feels like steel when it hits you. You must wear helmets for this game because of how easy it is to be hit by the stick or the ball. To score in this game is the exact same for Gaelic football. You have a goal post similar to Soccer with a goalie in it. The catch is there is another goal post that looks like the one in football again. If you score in the goalpost with the goalie in it, you score 3 points. You will get one point if you kick the ball into the one above the goalie. To run with the ball, you can balance it on the stick or hit it up constantly and have it land on the stick. You can also use the stick like golf and hit it in. You cannot pick up the ball, you must flick it up with the stick or your feet. To pass, you must throw the ball in the air and hit it with the stick like in Baseball. 

The reason why this blog post is late is that during our game of hurling, I got hit by a hurling stick. Unfortunately, a hurling stick found its way under my helmet where it was stuck and it dragged me down to the ground. My neck and shoulders felt the brunt of the stick. After the match was over, we went back to our rooms. I was in a lot of pain no matter how I stood or sat, so I took some medicine I brought with me, made a makeshift neck brace and chose to sleep the rest of the day away. 

All in all, it was a fantastic adventure in Amsterdam and I would return to see the tulips in bloom but stay out of Coffee Shops. As for Ireland, I would sit out playing the games but attend as a spectator at any sporting event.

[beneath-the-irish-sky]

Since it was the first week at UCD, we set house rules. We decided that as a group we should not peer pressure other students to break personal boundaries, to help one another on trips or if we are upset, and to generally just be kind. We then talked about our history readings and the cultural differences between the U.S. and Ireland. It was really interesting to hear everyone's opinions on the readings.

After class, we ate at the UCD restaurant. Burgers are so different in Ireland compared to the U.S. You can tell the animals are grass fed and they add a sweet ketchup. It was not my favorite, but it was an interesting difference to notice.

After that, we decided to take a tour of The Irish Whiskey Museum! The legal age to drink is 18 in Ireland. It was super interesting to learn about the history of Whiskey and how it is distilled. I found the history of the how the 3-day wake began. The 3-day wake started when people would drink until they had alcohol poisoning from drinking too much whiskey and fall into a coma for three days. The theory behind the wake was that loved ones would throw a party and drink whiskey in hopes of waking the person from the coma. Then we grabbed a quick dinner as a group because we had to be up very early for the next day!

I was so excited for our day trip to Kilkenny and Glendalough. The bus we took left super early in the morning but everyone seemed to have a good attitude and was excited.

The greenery on the way to Glendalough was insanely beautiful. I was in awe as we passed miles and miles of green mountains. We saw so many sheep too!! Every time we passed one, I yelled “sheep” to the point where I got a few others started to join in my excitement and yell “sheep” too. We also saw many cows, horses, and pigs! They were all so cute.

Nothing will beat the rolling hills and wildlife we saw when we got to the Glendalough Park. We were crossing a bridge to get to the lake when we saw a deer crossing the river! It was so beautiful and at peace. The cutest part was when we saw its baby nursing. We didn’t want to disturb them so we left quickly! We then hiked on for about 20 minutes before we finally reached the lake. The forest was so pretty, but the lake was gorgeous and calm! It was miles long at the bottom of two mountains. We then hiked back and got on the bus where we stopped at the top of one of the two mountains. It was so windy but the view was amazing!!

We then drove into Kilkenny and went over the P.S. I Love You bridge!! I was so excited to see the bridge from the movie I watched the night before I left for Ireland! It was their meet cute. It was so cool to see and our tour guide taught us how to say I love you in Irish as we went over it.

We then got into Kilkenny and stopped at the castle first. We unfortunately did not go inside because we had to get tickets in advance and we were turned away on our guided tour. It looked very pretty on the outside and the architecture was unmatched. It was medieval, with bay windows and expansive.

We walked along the streets to shop in the little stores next. We found some souvenirs and talked to some locals who lived in the area. The shop owners were all very proud to share their life stories and what they love about their jobs! They also asked us many questions. What I found funny, however, was every person we spoke to said we had to go to this one restaurant at the Kyteler’s Inn. In the 1300’s, the owner’s daughter was accused of witchcraft. When we got there, we understood why they told us to eat there. It had amazing food! I could not believe how fresh the chicken was and how delicious it all was! We then stopped into a few more shops and explored the area before heading back to the dorms. When we returned to the dorms, I packed for Amsterdam, booked a plane to Scotland, and found a place to stay.

As a group, we then all went out to the UCD Clubhouse for some karaoke. I sang, Dancing Queen” with a group of people. It was a lot of fun!

I had to wake up early again to get to the airport in time for my flight. I was so excited to finally get to visit the Netherlands. I had to pack in a tiny tote bag however because Ryanair only allows a personal item for free. I was able to do it though and actually found out I could have packed more! At least I know for next time!

We got through security and to our gate rather quickly before boarding our plane on the tarmac! I’ve only boarded on the tarmac a few times and every time I get so excited. It feels so fancy to do it this way for some reason. I then had a middle seat between two guys who felt like my seat was also theirs and that made it feel less fancy.

After a very long hour and a half, in which I was elbowed multiple times and babies cried, we almost landed…before taking off again because a plane almost hit us! We were alright though and landed safely 10 minutes later. That is definitely something I will remember.

Passport check was over hour long! In the line though, we met a very nice British man who was very excited to talk to us about his experiences in the UK. He also explained the logistics of the tunnel that goes from London to Paris to my friends I am traveling with. We exited the airport and took a train and bus to get to the hotel. After, we checked in and locked up our things. We went out to explore for a bit! After a few hours however, one of my friends met up with her old foreign exchange student so it was just me and the other girl for a while. We went all over the city and saw places like their royal palace, the red-light district, and some of their museums! We then got dinner at a fancy restaurant before getting stroopwafel’s from a famous bakery! They were life changing! We all met back up and went out with her for a few hours to play pool before heading back to the hotel!

[beneath-the-irish-sky]

May 28th - 30th

May 28th - 30th 

My day started at about 10 a.m. and I had plans to grab coffee with the group at 12 p.m. on May 28th. I had time to do some research and explore what I would like to do in my free time on the weekdays! I am so excited to be here! I love traveling, and one of my primary goals is to travel to every continent one day! In fact, I am heading to Amsterdam in the Netherlands this weekend for an adventure. I will write all about it when I return.

My teacher asked us yesterday what we were most surprised by, and I would have to say it is how green it is here. Yes, I know Ireland is known to be green, but it is still such a contrast from Phoenix, AZ. It is such a lively and vibrant green!

As anticipated, we met up at noon and walked about 15 minutes off campus. We walked through a small neighborhood and got to see what the neighborhoods of Dublin look like. When we arrived at the cafe, they informed us that we had to bring our own cups!

When we asked the cashier why, she said that it was for environmental purposes and that it is not widespread. Reducing waste is a smart idea and they have a lot of foot traffic, so it is working. We luckily found a store nearby that sold plastic cups and now we know to bring ours back for a refill.

We then joined our teacher and their family for our historical walk of Dublin! It was very interesting to learn the history and I am excited for tomorrow's lecture to further deep dive into it. I really enjoyed learning about the name Dublin and how it originated. Dublin means Blackpool, which got its name from the Vikings when they used to dock their ships in front of a castle (picture 6) in the dark waters. Hence, the black pool of water. We then walked past famous places like the Temple Bar (pictures 3, 4, & 5), known for its lively atmosphere, tourists and drinks. As we passed by the

Bank of Ireland, I learned it used to be the Parliament Building (pictures 1 & 2).

We then had a small course (learn while relaxing) overview while eating at St Stephens Green Park. It was gorgeous there! historical park and garden, located in the center of Dublin city. There is something for everyone to do there including those who are visually impaired. They take great care to be inclusive and kind. I would compare it to a miniature Central Park.

We then went back to the rooms for a while (pictures 7 & 8). I have been making friends and planning excursions with several other students. We learned Harry Styles is touring Europe and found that he will be playing at the Slane Castle outside of Dublin. How awesome is that! The concert is scheduled to last about 8 hours with 3 bands playing. Two of us booked tickets right away to the now sold-out concert on June 10th. Our section is so close to the stage. It will be an iconic kind of experience! Anything outside of Dublin proper requires planned transportation. The Slane Castle is in a rural area and about two hours away. Ireland does not have Uber or Lyft. We would have to find a bus route and purchase tickets in advance or take a taxi which could get costly and might not be there at the end of the night. We decided to go with a bus, and we are now looking for the right outfits to wear. In Ireland, you have to layer and plan for rain, cold, humidity or just a sunny day. Makes planning a bit challenging but I am up for it.

I am so excited to go and am so grateful for all the opportunities I have had on this trip. I ended my day with our group going out to a restaurant near where we got coffee that morning. I loved the atmosphere in it because it felt so welcoming.

I woke up a little later on May 29th because my class did not start until noon. We have a class on Irish history today and are learning how to navigate campus later on. I arrived at my class and attended the hour lecture that took a further deep dive into what we learned yesterday during the walking tour. It was really cool to recognize the sites that the instructor was lecturing about.

We had a break before we had to meet up for the class again to take a tour of the University College of Dublin (UCD) campus. During the break, we got food at the Centra, a convenience store that is located right by our room. We rejoined the group and met our tour guide for campus the session. This session was fascinating because not only is the Campus beautiful (pictures 9 & 10) but because I have begun to become good friends with everyone on this trip and everyone is so nice here. They are a perfect addition to this experience. We are all having a good time joking around with the tour guide and really immersing ourselves in the culture and information the guide is sharing.

After the tour, we decided to head back into the Dublin city center to get souvenirs and other things that people had forgotten to pack. We went into a store called Penny’s which is similar to a Target. We tried on clothes and quickly discovered that sizes are completely different here!  Generally, about two sizes too big!  I was pleased with the prices however because I bought a pair of good quality jeans for 10 Euros. After shopping, we stopped at McDonald's to see if it was any different than it is in the States or other countries I have visited. It was odd because this McDonald's was heavily guarded with security that would not allow you to go to the upstairs section without proof of purchase.  I also interacted with more Irish locals while standing in line and waiting for food. I met a group of young girls who were talking to me about school and what I should do in Dublin before I leave. I think that it is really awesome how people will strike up conversations with you and are willing to help no matter if they know you or not.

We soon headed back to our dorm and decided to start looking into flights to Scotland for our free weekend the third in. We were surprised by how cheap the flights were compared to the prices to go to Amsterdam and how much there is to do in Center City Eidenberg. The research was behind us now and we are still a bit jet lagged, though, I ended up staying up until about 1:30 in the morning before I finally fell asleep. An 8 hour time difference will do that.

We had to wake up early on the morning of May 30th because we had class at 9 a.m. I met up with the rest of the group, and we all walked over to our classroom at about 8:45 a.m. where we attended a two-hour lecture that taught us about the Irish language (Gaelic) and how to speak a few common phrases. It was extremely difficult! I did not know that they had three different dialects and that there are many ways to say the same word or phrase. At the end of it, I only remembered how to say my name and how to hold up a very small conversation. Very small. For instance, please is translated to "le do thoil" and thank you is "go raibh maith agat". I just hope everyone speaks english on this trip...

I really liked taking this class with this group because we all felt very unified. No one made fun of others for not understanding how to say something, nor did we make anyone feel bad for messing up. We were all very supportive and wanted the best for each other.

After the class, we had another long break where I went back to my dorm and realized that I locked myself out!  I had to go get a temporary key from the front desk before running back up and getting my stuff to go to Kilmainham Gaol (picture 11).

Kilmainham Gaol is a prison for thousands of men, women and children for minor offenses to the political uprising voices, and those who fought in battle. It is now a national monument and tells stories from those who lived out their sentences there. It was a very long bus ride and a very long walk to get there, but it was so worth it! Being able to see the place where many people in the rebellion were executed and lived out their final days was a very impactful experience that I'll never forget (picture 12 & 13).

While on this tour, I have noticed that every instructor or tour guide that we have had thus far has been very detailed and passionate about the topics they're talking about. They genuinely are so excited to teach you about their culture and about their history. I have also noticed that they are very proud of their country and where they come from! It has made for a very enlightening and fun experience.

We traveled back to our dorms and I worked on some homework that I had for class the next day.  When I was done, I met up with the group to book our flights to Scotland and to look into where we will be staying. We are really getting to know each other better! I cannot wait to see the rest of the country and to explore its neighboring countries in the upcoming weeks!

Thank you again if you're reading, and I hope you have enjoyed this Blog and pictures!

[beneath-the-irish-sky]

May 25th - 27th

Hi! Welcome to my blog! I am so excited to share what I have been up to in Ireland. I will format this page by sharing what I have had the opportunity to experience every day and then telling you which picture correlates with the story. I will be posting every few days or so for the next month!

My journey started on May 25th when I finally finished packing for this trip. It was a long process to figure out what I wanted to bring and what I could buy while abroad. I watched a few YouTube videos on others who have taken a similar trip. I decided to bring things like shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and medicine because they have different brands in Ireland. I also checked the weather and made sure to bring an umbrella, raincoat and a few jackets. Because of this, my bag was a little heavy and I had to move things around to my carry-on, making this process longer than I anticipated. In total, I brought a very full checked bag (50lbs exactly), a half-empty backpack, and a half-empty duffle bag. We were advised to leave some room in our luggage to fill with souvenirs or clothes!

My flight was scheduled to depart at 7:30 a.m. on May 26th, so I had to wake up around 4 a.m. with just 3 hours of sleep behind me. for the airport since we live about an hour away. The check-in process at the airport counter wasn’t too long. I made sure to pack my important papers (passport and IDs) where I could easily access them. I was lucky enough to have my mom and boyfriend drop me off at security and say goodbye. That helped ease the anxiety I was feeling a little. Goodbyes are bittersweet even if temporary. I finished up the Clear Security process and ventured through security where I met another girl going on the trip. We all wore NAU T-shirts to ensure we could find each other easily, and it was so worth it! We met up with our teacher and the majority of our group at the gate. Some girls decided to fly in later from other destinations. We eventually boarded the first leg of the flight and were on our way to Philadelphia (picture 1). We then had a three-hour layover before flying to Dublin. During my layover, I got food, talked more with my peers on the trip, and called my friends and family. We then began our final leg into Dublin (picture 2). I mostly slept on the plane, but when I wasn't, I was watching movies I had downloaded or colored in a book I had brought. I was too tired to read.

Once we landed, it was 5:30 a.m. on May 27th, Dublin time. We immediately proceeded to customs to get our passports stamped (picture 3) and had to wait a very long time afterwards in baggage claim. We then waited with our bags for another hour to meet two other girls who had later flights. Later, we hopped on a bus to our destination for the next month, University College Dublin! It was about 9 a.m. once we got checked in and got to our rooms. A long two days indeed. We have a kitchen (picture 4), a lounge (picture 5), and a combination of the two at the ends of long hallways (picture 6). In the middle of those are our individual living quarters (picture 7 & 8). The rooms are very nice even if they are a tad small but suitable for one person. The bathroom, however, is a little scary. It has a shower with no walls around it. It is very easy to flood the floor of your bathroom. The first thing I did when I got into my room was unpack and hang up my clothes. Hangers were not provided, but I had purchased travel hangers in advance. Afterwards, I showered and took a nap until about 3 p.m. We decided as a group to meet for dinner and explore Dublin. We also wanted to stop at a connivence store to buy things like hand soap, trash bags, water and snacks. We took the bus on campus (picture 9) into Dublin City Center. From there, we walked through a beautiful park that had the cutest dogs everywhere (picture 10, 11, & 12). Many people were soaking in the sun because it was a very warm day! We continued walking through the city past many cool buildings with gorgeous architecture (picture 13, 14, & 15). We settled on a pub nearby once we got tired of walking in the heat (picture 16). After dinner, we ventured over to the connivence store. It was so surprising the differences in prices here versus America. For instance, a 2 liter of water here was $.89 Euros and I ended up only spending 20 Euros for all of my groceries and paper goods! We then took a bus back to campus and made it just in time to watch the sun set (picture 17)!

I am so excited to be here! It is so beautiful here and Dublin has the most welcoming aura. It feels welcoming and open, and it is one of the main reasons I chose Dublin. I have heard stories about how people fall in love with this city, and I understand them now! I cannot wait to explore more over the next few weeks. I am also looking forward to seeing more of the countryside and looking for that four leaf clover.

Thank you again for reading! I am so excited to share what's next on my trip!