Student Bloggers

It’s been almost a month since my last blog post, and I come back to writing this blog with more knowledge, more stamps in my passport, and more smells on my backpack. Since last writing, I have embraced my traveler’s soul and found myself in Dublin, Ireland; Cardiff, Wales; Stonehenge; Bath, England; and Belfast, Northern Ireland. It almost feels as though I’ve spent no time in London the past few weeks, which is both exciting and disorienting.

My first trip took me to one of the countries I was most excited to visit while here: Ireland. I have a very Irish last name, so I was, understandably, excited to see where my great-great grandparents came from (not necessarily the town, but the country). The first day in Dublin, my friend, Rebecca, and I attended a 2 ½ hour free walking tour in the city. I highly recommend looking up a walking tour whenever in a new city. Led by a very knowledge and friendly Irish woman, the tour led us through some major areas of the city and taught me so much about the history of the city, along with some of the best places to visit. The next day we explored some of the tourist spots in the city, like St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which was gorgeous and incredibly impressive. That night, a group of us went on a pub-crawl held by the same company as the walking tour. Going on the pub crawl was an awesome way to experience the night scene of Dublin, while getting to meet new people from all over the world who were traveling just like me. The next day we went to Howth, a fishing village about 25 minutes outside of Dublin, which was easily accessible by train. After being in a city for the past 5 or 6 weeks, I loved walking by the ocean and cliffs. The fresh air, although freezing, was very welcome to my (probably) smog-filled lungs. Dublin was an amazing first traveling experience while studying abroad. I definitely recommend going to Ireland while in Europe.

My next trip took me to Cardiff, Wales. The wonderful thing about the UK is that you can travel to different countries without much complication at all. My friends and I were able to take a bus into another country as easily as one crosses states in America. In Cardiff, we explored the Cardiff Bay, which was beautiful, and another awesome escape from city life. We also explored the Cardiff Castle, which was very impressive and had some beautiful rooms. I also got into a sword fight with a 2-year old in the gift shop with foam swords. It was a harrowing battle in which I lost by the skin of my teeth (he was really good, I swear). Cardiff was so different from both London and Dublin, which is why traveling is so exciting because every place, despite all having Starbucks, Boots, and Primark, is going to be a new and different experience.

The next weekend I stayed in the country and went on an Arcadia-led trip to Stonehenge and Bath. Before going to London, I was told by multiple people that Stonehenge is both unimpressive and not worth the time or money. However, I was determined to make that decision for myself, and I’m very happy that I did. Despite not being able to go right up to the rocks like I thought I could, Stonehenge was still incredible. The rocks themselves were exactly what you would expect- just big rocks in the middle of a field. However, all the information I learned from the exhibits inside made the structure that much more interesting and awe-inspiring. The rocks are an amazing feat of human (or was it aliens?) ability, and I think the visit is definitely worth it. We then traveled to Bath, and took a tour through the Roman Baths. Mainly set below the current ground level, the Roman Baths are carefully preserved and incredible. The history nerd inside of me was freaking out- I was stepping and sitting on rocks that were THOUSANDS of years old!!!  I was amazed and loved all of it. Bath itself was a gorgeous town that was the perfect spot for a day getaway from London. With quaint shops and small alleys, it was very picturesque.

My last adventure was to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Upon going to Belfast all I really knew about the city was that it was where the Titanic was built, and, being in love with the Titanic, that’s all I was concerned about! However, over the 3 days I spent in Belfast my eyes were opened to the history of Northern Ireland, and I am very thankful for that. The first day, we took a black taxi tour about the political history of the country. During the hour tour, I learned all about The Troubles, a time of political and social turmoil in Northern Ireland. As a political science major, I was enraptured with the story, and felt so surprised and guilty that my knowledge of The Troubles was basically nonexistent. After that tour, I was so much more aware of the on-going separation between the Irish and British in Northern Ireland. There’s literally a wall that separates the British and Irish in Belfast…in 2015. (That’s the wall I’m signing in the pictures). I think it’s so important to have a good understanding of the country you’re in, and that tour gave me such an insight into the country’s political climate and history. We also went to the Titanic Experience, which was so perfect for a Titanic-obsessed person like myself. Over the course of 3 ½ hours, I learned so much about Belfast, the Titanic, and the search for the Titanic after it went down. I felt as though my time in Belfast went by very fast, and I’m glad we made the most of our time there.

Upon reflecting on my travels the past few weeks I feel like there’s two overarching themes that I’ve been concentrating on while traveling. The first is to learn as much as I can. I love to soak up knowledge, and through traveling I am exposed to so much information about the country, its culture, and its history. More than having a pretty picture or a good story, I hope to walk (or fly) away from a country or town or attraction smarter than I was when I came to it. I also have concentrated on soaking in my surroundings in the moment. I, and so many others I have seen, so easily see a beautiful sight and immediately reach for their camera. I love having pictures as much as anyone, but I have forced myself to refrain from reaching for my camera the instant I see something amazing. I think it’s much more important to live in the moment of experiencing the sight. Every time I see something I like, I am forcing to wait at least 10 seconds before I take a picture. When I look back at the pictures I take, I hope to remember the feelings and thoughts I had while looking at those sights, not just remember taking the picture. Documenting my adventures is very important to me, but making sure to really live those adventures is even more important. With all the traveling and experiences I’m planning for the next few months, I know these lessons I’m learning will become all the more important.