Student Bloggers

I have been putting off writing about my trip to the Aran Islands because I feel like there is no way I can do it justice. A group of us took a day trip to bike around the island and I fell in love. Everything is so serene and so perfect. The landscape looks untouched and the remains of stone walls give the feel of stepping back in time. I can’t explain what it feels like to stand looking out into the Atlantic with rolling green hills behind me. Not to be completely sappy, but this trip was the moment where I really felt the impact of studying abroad for the first time. It was an amazing adventure biking past centuries old cemeteries, seal watching sites, and beaches. I love how at peace everything seems to be. I am used to a fast-paced schedule and I am beyond grateful to have been able to spend the day with amazing people in one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. As a friend and I were standing by the ocean trying to take in everything around us, we were discussing how there is no way we are ever going to be able to describe what it feels like to just be in this place. Even now, I feel like I’m babbling because I want to try and convey a feeling that is impossible to describe.

My day trip, sea sickness and all, has made me even more excited to travel through Ireland and all of Europe. Since Saturday, I have planned trips to the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara, Madrid, Amsterdam, Cork, and Poland. While I did experience my first little bout of homesickness, all I have to do is look at my photos from the Aran Islands and remember that I am in one of the most beautiful places in the world with some of the most genuine people and three months from now, I know I will be heartbroken heading to the airport.

But enough of the heavy! I have my first official week of lectures under my belt and feel like I’m finally getting the hang of Galway and NUI, at least I’m not getting lost on campus anymore. I am participating in a service learning course that allows me to spend an hour each week at Scoil Briege tutoring primary school students. I love being in the classroom and chatting with the kids. They ask the best questions and their opinions on America always make me laugh. Being with these kids and watching how excited they are when they finally master a new math skill or grasp a new vocabulary word makes me even more excited to attend my own lectures. One kiddo likes to help me learn Irish and it cracks him up to hear me attempt to pronounce things with my “strange American voice.”

I have also been spending a lot of time at the Galway farmer’s market. There is a man there that makes gorgeous paintings of Ireland and each time I go he tells me stories about the places he paints. The market is one of my favorite places in Galway because of the people that have stands; everyone is so friendly and excited to share their craft and culture. It is one of places where I learn the most about Ireland. I also attended mass at Galway Cathedral. If you ever need a humbling experience, just walk into a cathedral. The stone arches, high ceilings, and stained glass windows make me appreciate the attention to detail and beauty that has been taken.

It is sunny in Galway today and I have much to be thankful for and excited about.