Student Bloggers

Although I haven’t been in Ireland for too long, now may be a good time for an update on the common question: “What’s different?”. Personally when I meet people from a different culture, who I am able to communicate with, learning how they live is one of the first things I ask. It’s outrageously interesting to compare and comprehend how different people operate because we all essentially share the common goal in life to live well.

Though it can be easy to ascertain differences in life, it’s often more difficult to understand why certain things are different. In Dublin, life doesn’t seem to be too culturally diverse from any Western city I’m used to. We speak the same language, eat similar foods, and have similar relational structures as well. That being said, it is a completely different country!

Here is a list of things that as an American I have found different so far:

Authority

During our first orientation with Arcadia in Dublin we talked with a policeman about safety and structure in the city. The police in Dublin are called the Garda and they all seem to be people you want to be friends with, not only because they keep you safe but because they are cool guys. If you’ve ever seen the movie Bridesmaids, the officer we talked with resembles the character Rhodes who was the policeman. He explained casually that the Garda don’t carry guns and weapons in general aren’t a big thing here (signal my American confusion). He also informed us pepperspray was illegal to carry, which I found interesting as pepper spray is considered a very low threat in the states.  

Commerce

The rule of thumb for shopping here is to bring your bags. I know in America it’s trendy to bring reusable bags to Whole Foods and what not, but here this is standard for most stores. If you don’t bring a bag you have to purchase one at the counter or carry your items. Energy costs are higher here so many steps like this are taken to conserve. It’s interesting because in America you rarely even think about the quantity of your resources or if you have to put effort into attaining them.

Commuting

I’ve seen more people on bikes in these past few weeks than I have ever before. Riding your bike is very common and in the morning the herds of peddlers is astounding. That being said, I could not manage riding a bike especially since I still look over my left shoulder when crossing!

Curriculum

It’s currently “Freshers Week” at Trinity College where all the clubs come out for you to sign up and get involved. While being a freshman again doesn’t bother me, what is a little anxiety inducing is the school’s system of organization. In Ireland high school students take a big test before they graduate which sets them on track for a major with little room to explore other interests. While this makes scheduling pretty upfront, it still makes it confusing–at least for the exchange students. During this week's time we have to go seek out classes to take, time tables, professors, and people to sign off on various paper work to create our fall semester schedule. There is no easy way to explain this system because no one, not even the faculty, really know or worry too much about it. Worrying is not the Irish way and they strongly believe things will work out eventually. This concept can be really hard to digest coming from a competitive university and American life where it’s extremely satisfying to have control over everything.

School

Here, saying you go to school doesn’t register the same way it does in the US. To indicate you go to college you really have to mention that it’s a university or if you can pull it off “Uni.” Also one thing that’s different about my school, Trinity College, is that it’s a huge tourist attraction. Trinity is a very old institution and holds some crazy relics like the Book of Kells. It’s also very close to the city center which makes it a bustling area in general. Millions of people walk through its campus each year which makes it extremely different from my home school which is a small rural college town.

Social Life

Anyone can guess that the Irish have a social life surrounding pubs and Guinness. While all this is really fun, as an American I’ve learned I have no credibility when it comes to nightlife here. Not only am I poor which poses a hurdle, but when it comes to Irish kids I can’t hang. Being in a sorority really gives you little cred when it comes to going out here.

Food

The food in Ireland really isn’t too different than at home. However, it seems the potato stereotype holds true because I have yet to find anything but crisps (potato chips) in the snack aisle. The search for pretzels continues…

Phone

After getting a sim card here I’m really confused with American cell phone carriers and why they are so pricey. I bought unlimited data and calling for 20 Euros a month while at home I have neither for a higher price!

Weather

A really big topic of conversation here is the weather. The weather in Ireland is mild, but moves quickly. Bits of sunshine and rainshowers are few yet frequent and I’m really enjoying the sweater weather we’ve had thus far!

Friendliness

It’s very true when you hear the Irish are a friendly folk. Their ability to care and welcome people has really made my transition easier! From our cab driver giving us a brief history on the city to the endless tea at every meeting, they really do make you feel at home.