Arcadia Ireland

As our students rev up for end of semester exams and begin planning their finals travels, I can’t help but reflect on how far we’ve come in this Spring 2022 program. When our students first arrived, we were in the midst of a partial COVID lockdown. Testing, masking, and social distancing needed to be adhered to during travel to ensure everyone’s safety, yet students were not deterred and continued their plans to come to Ireland. By masking up and providing rapid tests, we were able to safely execute our start of year orientation activities. They listened patiently as we introduced them to Ireland. They eagerly joined in on the name game and kneaded bread at the cookery school and they learned about the importance of preserving Irish culture at the GAA.

We engaged with students at our course confirmation pizza night and got them buzzing about Ealu. Come February nearly all of our students enrolled the in program gathered for the trip to the West. They learned to dance at the Ceili. They surfed the waves of Lahinch which many said was the highlight of their time in Ireland. They ate with the locals in Doolin and they gazed upon the ocean from the vast cliffs of Moher. We even closed out the county Clare adventure with a poetry reading from Mary O’Malley at the Falls Hotel.

Later on as students settled into their university studies and social scene, we managed to connect over a few coffee catch ups and enjoy Pancake Tuesday the Irish way (with sugar and lemon on a thin pancake) at the Arcadia center for the first time in two years. Us as staff got to hear about their incredible travels both passed and upcoming, and the excitement for friends and family to visit them and take part in everything Ireland. We shared information on the upcoming St Patrick's Day festivities and on the 17^th of March many of our students got to see the celebration at its biggest and participate in the historic comeback.

This past weekend we enjoyed a sunny trip to Killarney National Park, county Kerry. In their thermals and well profiled shoes, students took advantage of the beautiful landscapes provided along the Killarney hiking and walking trails. It was a perfect way to connect with students again before finals and the farewell dinners. The past two years had been filled with much caution and uncertainty. We had to pivot to mostly online platforms and reduced face to face interaction. This semester we were able to execute our program almost completely as normal, and it shows in the enjoyment and connections we built with students. Many have told me they’ve made friends with people that they hope to stay connected with for the rest of their lives, and their memories from their Irish excursions were truly one of a kind.

To see more about our trips that we are reflecting on, you can find us on Instagram @arcaidaireland to see a snap shot of our best highlights. For now don’t forget to tag us in your adventures with #arcadiaireland to be featured on our Instagram page. Cheers!