lepre-gone2017 - Tumblr blog

[lepre-gone2017]

Safe and Sound in the States!

Nothing beats the feeling of waking up in your own bed, but a big part of me wished that I was still waking up to the early sunrises in Ireland. I think we can all agree that we made friends, and memories, that will last a lifetime! We're all snap chatting and messaging about our journeys home and it makes me miss being surrounded by 21 of the most amazing girls I've ever met. This certainly was the trip of a life time and I know we have all been able to learn and grow from everything that we have experienced. The knowledge of the two health care systems that we have gained will definitely benefit all of us no matter what path we take. Each system has it pros and cons and being able to see them and form opinions for ourselves will better our understanding of how we think health care should operate. I want to thank the other girls who I was lucky enough to share this experience for always making me laugh and keeping me entertained (watermelon and tennis). Most importantly, I want to thank Barb and Morgan (and Hailey) for providing us with the trip of a lifetime and for being the BEST professors in the world. Y'all certainly have made an impact on my life and I can't thank you enough for everything y'all have done!! I've already read through my journal twice today because I miss it all so much! Sláinte!! Laura Saunders

[lepre-gone2017]

You can’t make me leave!!

Yesterday morning, everyone left me here in Ireland! My mother came to pick me up and we headed down to the Dingle peninsula. We’ve been having a lot of fun here although it has been raining more than it did the entire time everyone else was still here! We decided to stay at an airbnb in town and have been doing a lot of walking, shopping, and relaxing. Dingle is so beautiful and I wish that everyone from our trip could have come with me. The town is located right on the water and as you look around from the pier you can see mountains all around you. Today we went to the Dingle aquarium and were able to see baby otters that were only two months old. We also got to watch them feed the penguins! Apparently the Dingle aquarium is the largest aquarium in Ireland, but by our American standards it was quite small. Tomorrow we have a planned tour of the Dingle peninsula and Slea Head.

On Sunday we’re planning on heading to Killarney to venture around the national park and explore some new scenery. I am so grateful that this trip to Ireland gave me the opportunity to stay here longer and experience even more of this beautifully green and lush country.

I’ve also noticed how much I really did learn from this trip. My mother keeps asking me questions about our trip and I’m surprised by how much I really did retain in such a fun setting. I’ve been explaining the healthcare system to her and what different professions are here in Ireland vs. ones in the United States. I’ve even been able to explain some of the cultural aspects and even speak some Irish (Slainte!). I’ve been starting to feel a little sick (maybe from all this rain, or maybe from all my friends leaving me!) and honestly I’m worried about what we might do or where we would go if I did end up very ill while here in Ireland! The healthcare system is so different that I’m not even sure what I would do! For now I’m taking a hot shower, some tylenol, and getting a good night sleep! I’m sure I’ll feel better by tomorrow morning. Anyway, I’m looking forward to my last week here, and I hope everyone back in the US is doing well! I’ll be sure to take more pictures to make everyone very jealous that they didn't stay longer!

Eva Schofield

[lepre-gone2017]

Course tuition: ~$2000 Study abroad trip cost: ~$5000 Souvenirs: ~$200 Guinness/Bulmers: ~$100 (whoops) A once in a lifetime 19-day trip with 21 of my fellow EXSC/Public Health-passionate pals and 2 of the best USC faculty members to 3 Irish destinations (plus day trips to different regions): ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS These cultured Carolina girls are back in the USA! We said goodbye to Limerick this morning and began our journey back to the states with mixed emotions and a shared sense of contentment. What an adventure it's been! I've personally collected over 500 photos, various authentic souvenirs, and incredible memories over the span of this trip. I truly cannot put into words how much this experience has meant to me or all that I will take away from it. Not only did we see first hand the differences between Irish and American healthcare and health professions, but we fit in some of the most beautiful and culturally significant sights in the country. I know I will refer back to my daily journal and this blog for years to come. Last night in particular gave me an even deeper appreciation for this experience. Before heading off to our "farewell dinner" at The Locke Bar in downtown Limerick, Barb and Morgan surprised each of us with a bag of sentimental gifts. I began to cry before I even saw what was in the bag. The smallest of items such as the leprechaun trinket or my new stuffed lamb (who I named Loughland) mean something to me, and I think everyone really appreciated the sweet gesture. Ireland took a lot of my money and an even greater part of my heart. I know I'll be back soon enough. I want to express all the love and thanks in the world to my parents, the fun gals on this trip, and to Barb and Morgan (and our awesome South African CIS leader Hayley!!) for making this experience what it was. "May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand." Sláinte! Shannon Mumper

[lepre-gone2017]

Sorry I'm a day late!

Wednesday we went on a tour of Thromond stadium. We started in the museum and learned about the history of rugby and the stadium itself. I really didn't know anything about rugby before the tour so I'm glad we did it, it was very informative and now I feel like an official rugby player and am ready to go pro. We walked through the stadium too and saw the home and away locker rooms. The tour guide talked to us about the different pre/post-game rituals for the different teams that play at Thromond. The stadium itself was much smaller than Croke, the last stadium we walked through. It was still awesome to tour though. After the stadium, we walked through King John's castle, which apparently (according to Morgan and Barb) is haunted. We learned about the history of the castle and then learned how to shoot a bow and arrow and sword fight. I took some amazing pictures because all the views from the top of the castle were absolutely amazing. Afterwards, we grabbed some lunch and then headed back to the hotel for some much needed relaxation time. We had our farewell dinner that night at the Locke Bar and it was so good. I'm seriously going to miss eating 3 courses for every meal, even though my body currently hates me for it. Afterwards, we all took pictures with Barb and Morgan as our farewell goodbye pictures. I'm glad we did because I'll have them forever and will be able to look back and remember the most amazing trip coordinators I've ever had!!! -Molly Buring

[lepre-gone2017]

Yelling go cocks at the Cliffs of Moher! #uofsc #uofscstudyabroad

[lepre-gone2017]

Home Sweet Home!

Just landed in JFK! It feels so weird to be back in America after spending 3 weeks in Ireland. Although I’m not looking forward to this 5 hour layover, it’s a good time to write in my journal and reminisce about this amazing trip. As our plane was taking off the song Galway Girl (not the Ed Sheeran song but an Irish song) came on my phone and I listened to it as we flew away from Ireland, and it was a perfect way to say goodbye to this country that I’ve grown to love so much. I had such a great time on this trip and I would 100% recommend it to anyone that might be reading this blog and is considering doing a trip like this!

[lepre-gone2017]

Irish I didn’t have to leave!

Today our group got up bright and early to eat breakfast at the hotel before heading over to tour a rugby museum. This museum is also part of the stadium, Thomond Park, that Munster uses to host its games. The Lions were playing against the Blues while we were there, so it was awesome to see how the sport is played while touring a facility that is used for it! The museum had some glass display boxes of star athlete men who had or are still playing for Munster and their game apparel. The lady who guided us through the museum part of the stadium told us that the male actor who played the first Dumbledore in Harry Potter was born in Limerick and won the rugby trophy two times in the 1950’s. The original trophy was on display and had the team members names etched on it with the year they won the trophy. After seeing the history behind the stadium, we were allowed to go out near the pitch (field) to see how the design is set up. I found it interesting that the two teams playing sat so close to each other and there was hardly a barrier between the seats and the crowd.

After tour Thomond Park Stadium and its museum, the group walked over to the King John’s Castle. The construction for the castle started in 1212, however, it took many decades to complete. Prior to entering the castle, there was a walking tour of the events that had occurred at the castle until present day. I learned that 800 people were trapped under the siege of 1642 and were forced to live in unsanitary conditions. One thing that I thought was interesting was how the different archaeological buildings were built in different centuries by different people. After going through the walking tour, Jordan and I ventured up to the castle to try and find a ghost that we had heard about. The spiral staircase steps were very steep and small, so I was afraid I would make a wrong step while exploring the castle. Once you make your way to the top of the towers, the views of Limerick are breathtaking. After the castle, the group dispersed to do whatever they would like to before our farewell dinner.

We were asked to meet a little bit before our dinner reservation time so Professor Cuevas and Morgan could go over the details for our departure tomorrow morning. We came downstairs to the lobby to be surprised with bags of souvenirs from various places we had traveled too. It was the sweetest thing ever!! We all had the chance to discuss what our favorite parts of the trip were and all the great times we had. It got emotional for some people. The group then walked over to The Locke’s to have one last meal together before we travel home. I just feel like our time here in Ireland has gone by so quickly that it is hard for me to believe today was our last day here. Thank you, Professor Cuevas and Morgan, for a trip that I will never forget!!!

Cheers,

-Leslie

[lepre-gone2017]

University of Limerick

Today we caught a bus over to the University of Limerick. The campus was on the outskirts of the city. I was really surprised by the campus. All the buildings were very new and modern looking. Each build had a different style of architecture. I was also surprised by the size of the campus. Oh my gosh I think we walked 5 miles just touring the place. It’s crazy how big their campus is compared to the size of the student population (~15,000 students). It seemed like they had just as many academic buildings as we do at USC. Their campus is also very green. Everywhere you looked, there were green grass and trees. We learned on the tour that there is a reason why the campus is so lush. Apparently, the family who donated the land to the county have two requirements: 1.) that the land be developed into a university, and 2.) that every tree cut down must be replaced. After our tour, we stopped at the campus pub for lunch (yes, every college we’ve visited in Ireland has had a pub on campus). when lunch was over, we headed to the heath sciences building to hear a talk about speech pathology and its impacts here in Ireland. Soon after, we headed back to our hotel to freshen up and get ready for dinner. To our surprise, on of the professors at UL treated us to dinner. We ate dinner at this cute little pub on the river. The food was so amazing! Man, I’m going to miss this place. I can't believe we leave in 2 days!!! I'm definitely not ready. Well, I'm officially signing off! See ya in the states!

-Taylor Vincent

[lepre-gone2017]

UL-Go Wolves!!!

Today we went to the University of Limerick and got a taste of what it would be like to be a student there. Most of the students had already gone home for summer, but we did see a few med school souls doing some last minute studying in the library. We got the chance to see some Exercise Science and Psychology labs. The Exercise Science labs were surprisingly very similar to our labs at USC. That was very interesting because almost everything we have seen in Ireland has been different than how it is back home. The psychology lab was really cool, they were doing research on Esports, which are PC computer games. I have never heard of anyone doing research on PC sports, most research is done on athletic sports so that was an interesting and different change of pace. We also got to hear from a speech and language therapy (or speech pathologist) professor. She did an overview of what an SLP does, why people may need an SLP, and the schooling for SLP's in Ireland. Apparently it is way cheaper than back home, so if you're interested in Speech Pathology, hit up UL's department. THE BEST PROFESSORS EVER surprised us and treated us to dinner at a really cute restaurant right on the Shannon River. The views were amazing and the food even better (if that's possible). Today was a great day, I am looking forward to tomorrow even if though it is the last day. Preparing for Goodbye, Grace Ivey

[lepre-gone2017]

A Hint of Eloquence

Today as a group we traveled to Blarney to explore Blarney Castle. The story of the castle goes that if you can make the pilgrimage to the top of the castle and kiss the Blarney Stone, you will gain the gift of eloquence. We all hiked up to the top, squeezing through the winding, steep steps. Unfortunately to kiss the stone you have to be held bending backwards over a large hole and I was too afraid of heights to fully commit! Instead I just blew the Blarney a kiss, hoping to get half the eloquence. After the castle Becca, Riley, Leslie, Jillian, Caroline, and I went to explore the poisonous garden and surrounding grounds. We stumbled upon the Wishing Steps which state that if you can walk down and back up the steep ancient stairs thinking only of your wish, that wish will come true. Some say doing the steps backwards too gives you extra bonus points! Once we were done exploring, we all met up with the entire group to eat lunch. Following lunch, the group had the opportunity to shop around for an hour before heading back into Limerick. One of the shops at Blarney was the largest gift shop in Ireland! Once back in town we had the evening to do as we please, so a couple of us grabbed dinner at the hotel then went out to explore the town. Today was full of adventure and hopefully a little luck! -Jordan Robinson

[lepre-gone2017]

Sorry boys, I’m taken by the Blarney Stone

Today we visited the Blarney castle and got to kiss the famous stone. The line was long, and the spiraled staircase was kind of dizzying, but I'm sure the luck will be worth it. You could even explore the castle rooms on your way down. The adventure didn't stop there, though. We made or way to the Poison Garden, where an ominous sign directed us not to smell, touch, or eat any plant, and it didn't take long to see why. The garden housed opium poppy, screaming mandrake, deadly nightshade, and so much more. The most dangerous were caged up, but still way too accessible, and ghostly faces decorated the grounds. Next we explored the dungeon and caves, which both had equally dark aesthetics. At 5'2", even I couldn't stand up straight, but it was fun to explore the caverns beneath the castle. We finished off our journey at the Woolen Mill restaurant with a hearty lunch. The Woolen Mill also held the largest Irish store in the world, and many girls shopped for wool sweaters, Claddagh rings, and other souvenirs. All in all, it was another amazing day in Ireland!

-Lauren Duncan

[lepre-gone2017]

Gamecock pride at the Cliffs of Moher. 🍀🐔🇮🇪

[lepre-gone2017]

Today we visited Blarney Castle!

Before heading out on our 9am bus, we had a really nice breakfast at the hotel. The drive to the castle was about an hour and a half so after our breakfast of eggs and toast and bacon… you know we were all sleeping again. Every time we get on a bus for more than an hour, without fail, we will all fall asleep! But we have been so busy, we can’t help it!

After arriving and getting a coffee, a group of us decided to head straight to the castle and the Blarney Stone. The castle was built by the noble MacCarthys sometime in the 1480s. There was one long line to enter the castle which eventually turned into the line to kiss the Blarney Stone. Why is this stone so important and why do people kiss it? We were a little confused at first. There are many different stories and legends about the origin of the stone and how it got to Ireland. One interesting version says it was Jacob’s pillow, brought to Ireland by the prophet Jeremiah. Nevertheless, once the stone was here it represented a kind of ~royal succession~ and is said to be the stone upon which Irish kings were crowned or “chosen" on. With all this history and royal power, people come from all over to kiss the stone and to receive its special gift of eloquence. After hiking all that way up to the top of the castle, there was no way I wasn’t going to kiss the stone! So I laid back and hung upside down to kiss it and everyone else did as well! I am not sure if any of us are any more eloquent… maybe the special powers haven’t kicked in yet… but we did manage to at least get some great pictures! After making the trek down from the top of the castle, a group of us visited the poisonous garden and the ‘Wishing Steps’. The Poison Garden is like any other garden except all of the plants inside are poisonous. There was a warning sign that said “DO NOT TOUCH, SMELL, OR EAT ANY PLANT!” Jordan made the joke that she was going to go make a quick salad lol. The wishing steps were next and they were also fun to see because when you got to the bottom there was a pretty waterfall. Story says that if you walk down these steps with your eyes shut, and preferably backwards, that whatever you wish for will come true! Obviously we had to try it... TBD if our wishes come true!

After a warm lunch at The Mills restaurant and cafe, we all did some shopping at some nearby stores before getting on the bus and making the trip back to the hotel. Even though it was cold and rainy today, I think this was one of my favorite experiences so far! It was just really fun to hangout with everyone and walk around. We had lots of time too so there was no rushing or hurrying. It was great!

Only a few more days here in Limerick… and my last blog post! This experience has been amazing. Thank you Mom, Dad, Barb, Morgan & Hayley for making it all possible! I wish I could start it all over! (help me out here Wishing Steps!!!!!)

-Riley

[lepre-gone2017]

*Bye Galway, Hello Limerick* Bittersweet morning saying goodbye to Galway, but I am excited to see the adventures Limerick has in store. Our time here in Ireland has flown by I can't believe we will be heading home this Thursday! We have had the opportunity to participate in many activities and learn about the Irish culture as well as the health system. Reflecting on everything I have learned about their health system so far it makes me grateful for ours. In Ireland the average wait time to be seen at a public hospital is 10-12 hours that is crazy! And also the hospitals are out dated and their plans for advancement are things that we advanced in many years ago. These are just a few of the problems with the health system here in Ireland, while ours needs improvements theirs needs much more. On our trip to Limerick today we got to stop and see the Cliffs of Moher. It was a beautiful site to see and a little nerve racking the higher you got up the cliff! We enjoyed a nice welcome dinner at Chocolat...which obviously from the name you know had the best desserts! I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to come on this trip and learn about another culture that is so different to ours; it really makes you think about how much the little things mean. Until Next Time XOXO Marisa Davis

[lepre-gone2017]

I can't believe we are already leaving Galway! It feels like we just got here. This morning got off to a little bit of a rough start when we realized the bus company sent a bus too small to take us to Limerick. This normally wouldn't be that big of a problem, except the bus company comes from Dublin so we would have to wait 2 and a half hours for another bus. Instead of waiting, we packed everything onto the small bus. We had suitcases taking up a whole row of seats, but we made it work. On our way to the Cliffs of Moher we decided to make a few stops along the way. Our first stop was at a castle. Right when we got off of the bus I stepped in a giant puddle. Then when we were walking up to the castle then wind picked up and it started raining. Safe to say this is not our morning. We got into the castle and realized there was nothing to see. Haley asked if we wanted to take a picture but everyone was already going back to the bus. Haley then yelled "RETREAT" as the rest of ran back to the bus to avoid more rain. Our next stop was at Corcomroe Abbey. When we were driving in our bus driver told us the story about how after the King of Galway had this Abbey built he killed the five stone masons who built it because he didn't want them to build anything like it for anyone else. Only the one head stone mason was buried in the Abbey. Now the Abbey is apparently haunted at night. When we were walking through the Abbey, the bus driver hid and jumped out at us. I was in front and screamed pretty loudly in the middle of the Abbey, definitely not my day. Next we were on our way to the Cliffs of Moher! The drive there took a little while so most of us napped the whole way there. Once we got there I couldn't believe the view!! It was one of the most breath taking things I've ever seen in my life. We climbed to the top and took a picture with the whole group in our USC shirts. Riley, Leslie, Caroline and I took a few more pictures before stopping for lunch. We ate in the cafe and then went back outside to take a few pictures. Although it was windy, we were lucky that the skies were mostly clear so we could see the Cliffs. The drive to the hotel in Limerick was 2 hours so we all took a nap again. Apparently we are all very good nappers! The city of Limerick is a lot more modernized than any of the other places we have been. When we got to the hotel a lot of our rooms weren't ready so we had to sit in the lobby for a while. Then it was time for dinner! We had dinner at Chocolate, and it was delicious!! They had such a wide variety from burgers to Chinese to sea food. Everyone had a great meal. Today was such a great day! Only a few more days left, and I can't believe it!

-Becca

[lepre-gone2017]

Missing Galway already!!

I cannot believe today is our last day in Galway! This trip is flying by and I don't want it to end. I have really enjoyed being in Galway. It reminds me of the kind of town you think of when you think of Ireland. Today was a free day so we woke up and went into town. On Saturday and Sunday in Galway, there is a market with fresh produce, flowers, jewelry and other crafts. We shopped around for quite a while, exploring the different crafts and jewelry. When in Galway, the most common piece of jewelry to purchase is a claddagh ring. The story behind the ring changes depending on who you talk to but on our walking tour when we first arrived, our tour guide told us his version of the tale. He told us that a jeweler in the town of Claddagh (located on the shore right next to Galway) created the ring as an engagement ring for his love, the hands representing friendship, the heart representing love and the crown representing loyalty. Later this evening, we will be watching a hurling match, one of the Gaelic games we learned how to play in Dublin! It should be interesting to see how the game is supposed to look, when the professionals are playing! I am excited for the rest of the trip! -Brooke

[lepre-gone2017]

Goodbye Galway

I really cannot believe today is our last day in Galway. This week has flew by and I’m really sad to leave. I completely fell in love with this city the very first day, and I don’t think anything else will compare. Galway’s vibes and atmosphere are just unlike anything else. With today being our last day, I started it off right by sleeping in! We had a free day today so we could do whatever we wanted. A few of us made plans to eat brunch then go shopping for more souvenirs in the city center. After almost missing the shuttle into town, we went to a restaurant called Maxwell’s for a delicious brunch. I had coffee, french toast, and bacon. This was my first time getting a real breakfast in a restaurant here and I really enjoyed it! After brunch we started to walk around to do our shopping. I got the rest of my souvenirs for my friends and family, and some things for myself. I have been struggling for this whole trip on whether or not I wanted to get Claddagh ring, and I finally got one today. I wanted a gold one rather than silver, but they were all super expensive! So I ended up just getting a really cheap 10 Euro one (oh well). After shopping we all went back to the apartments to rest before we met to watch a hurling scrimmage. I was really excited to watch the scrimmage after learning how to play last week. I definitely preferred watching a real team play rather than playing myself. It was really intense but sometimes hard to follow. There was no score board so I wasn’t able to keep up with what was going on the whole time. Unfortunately, the team we were routing for lost, but it was still great fun! After the scrimmage, a few of us went back to the city for dinner. Since it is Saturday night, everything was packed and it was hard to find a place that could sit 6 of us. We ended up just getting pizza at a place called Pizza and Pasta. It’s kind of a whole in the wall, but it is very good. I am now currently staring at all the clothes on my floor dreading having to pack. I will probably avoid it until tomorrow morning, which I know I will regret. I have had such a great time in Galway and I am reluctant to leave, but also excited to experience Limerick for the next few days. 

-Jillian Wilks