Student Bloggers

If I were to give a single word of advice to potential study abroad students it would be, patience. Not only does this apply to the various cultural differences you will encounter but it certainly applies to the travel aspect you WILL be participating in. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve sat helplessly in airport after airport begging the plane gods to land something suitable for flight on the tarmac outside my gate.

Often times, an hour flight can turn into an 11 hour day of travel by plane, train, ferry​, and automobile (sometimes even bike) and this is where patience can really come in handy. Be prepared to change your plans at the drop of a hat and always be willing to sleep on the floor because there is no shame in using your luggage as a pillow. Just a hint, various clothes items can be used as blankets and sheets in times of desperation. Flexibility is the only thing that has allowed for me to keep my sanity while traveling around the world. Embrace the unexpected, sometimes a 7 hour delay can end in adventure or at least a tragic story to tell at the pub later.

The Luck of the (Non)Irish

Courtesy of my inability to wake up in time, we missed our bus from Belfast to Giants Causeway. At first we sat disappointed in the bus station wondering, “what the heck do we do next?” After our period of mourning passed we decided to go exploring and man, thank god I can sleep through any alarm clock because this impromptu visit sure ended up to be a blessing in disguise. With beautiful weather and even more beautiful buildings, I highly recommend oversleeping and spending the day in Belfast. You surely will not be disappointed, plus you’ll get some unintentional extra sleep.

P.S. Embrace timing accidents.. they’ll happen. You’ll miss a bus, maybe 10 if you’re me, but I guarantee if you take it as a blessing rather then a burden you’ll end up enjoying yourself. Be flexible people!

Sheep, Leprechauns, Beer and Dublin

The streets of Dublin never sleep. Constantly brimming with tourists, locals and anything in between, walking around this city offers a view into an eclectic variety of people. With an economy based highly on tourism (much like any European country), Dublin does a great job at tending to any and everyone who walks its cobblestone streets.

The Temple Bar aka Dublin’s number one tourist pub attraction funds street art all across the city for your viewing pleasure, also I’m sure as a hope to pull you in to its crowded surrounding streets. Don’t let the party scene fool you, this city has something to offer for everyone. From its vast history dating all the way back to the Vikings, Dublin is certainly not short on things to see.

When you step out of the tourism district it’s less than a 5 minute walk to the medieval streets that once were home to Vikings, Huguenots and any and everything in between. If the architecture of these ancient buildings doesn’t attract you the magical history behind them certainly will.​