Hello from the other side (of the World) Readers, Sorry for the shameless Adele plug but that song is my eternal jam!

This week’s blog will be a recap of my recent trip to Dublin with my sister over the weekend. I know what you guys are thinking, you’re talking about Erin again ughh bye. What can I say guys, she’s my ace of spades remember? Anywho, without further adieu lets get crackin.

This was my first trip to Dublin that I wasn’t just passing through to get to the airport which I was totally stoked about.  After a 3 hour ride on the aircoach bus (aka my 2nd home), I arrived in Dublin and waited for my sister’s arrival. Once she got there we got some food and caught up before heading to our air bnb. We stayed with a wonderful elderly Irish couple named Audrey and Michael. They were probably the best air bnb hosts that I’ve ever had. They gave us towels with facecloths. Facecloths people, I repeat facecloths (most people just give you a body towel)!! They provided maps, tour brochures, tissues, water, an extensive breakfast (another rarity in the airbnb world), and Michael even dropped us off at the train station because it was so chilly this weekend. They really welcomed us into their home and Erin and I were so grateful. I would totally stay with them again if I ever was in Dublin.

After an early morning wakeup on Saturday morning, we made our way to the Paddywagon bus stop on O’Connoll street to head on a daytrip to the Cliffs of Moher. We boarded the bus and there were so many American study abroad students also on the tour. I guess we just travel in droves, am I right readers? We stopped at a chocolate factory in The Burren (a mountainous region in Ireland), the ruins of an abbey, and grabbed some lunch at a pub. After a 2 and a half hour bus ride, we finally made it to the main event: the Cliffs of Moher. It was my 2nd time to one of Ireland’s most popular attractions (it was even featured in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince). I must say that they were better the 2nd time, maybe because of the company? I had never been to the left side of the cliffs where you can get close to the edge. Some people were getting a little too close in my opinion (smh). We snapped some pics and walked to the right side as well. It was so windy/rainy that we had to seek refuge in the gift shop to warm up. Our last stop on the tour was Bunratty Castle, another attraction that I’d already visited with my early start class.

We got back to Dublin and after eating some fish and chips made our way to a local pub for some drinks and Irish traditional music. Erin tried her 1st pint of Guinness which she immediately said that she hated (I agree that stuff tastes like fermented coffee). She said that she did like the music though. The next day we rose early again (I’m sensing a pattern here) and went on a free walking tour around Dublin. It was great but the tour guide was telling us so much history and information that we didn’t really walk a lot so Erin and I decided to leave a bit early, but we did see the Dublin Castle and the Temple Bar area before we left. We made our way to Trinity College and walked around the grounds, I even ran into 2 girls from HC who are studying there (What’s up Megan and Emily!). We then went to lunch and ate some traditional Irish mince pies and mashed potatoes. My bus left at 2:00pm so we headed towards the bus stop and as it turns out that Erin’s airport bus was also leaving from there and we said our goodbyes and boarded our respective buses. It was Erin’s last trip before she heads back home for the holidays and I’m so happy that she got a chance to see my little island before she left. Overall, Dublin was nice to visit but I think I still like Cork more (1 Corkonians 0 Dubliners).  Happy Thanksgiving Readers! I’ll be celebrating abroad with my Christian Union family, but I hope everyone has a great Turkey Day. Gobble, Gobble!

Until Next Time,

Keep Calm and Finish this Semester Strong

Elena

Erin and I at the Cliffs of Moher!

That’s Irish for Dublin

Trinity College! The oldest college in Ireland.

Greetings & Salutations Readers!

This week’s blog post will be a bit of a departure from what I normally post.  I’ve been told that I’m a pretty honest and blunt person and I believe that my blog should reflect that. It’s time to pull back the curtain and  get real about studying abroad.

I know that I normally post about my travels and all of the fun learning experiences I’ve had. Now some might look at my blog and think oh studying abroad is so much fun and carefree. That is accurate to an extent, but there are downsides. Studying abroad is extremely isolating and can be lonely at times. You’re thousands of miles from your friends and family. I’m 6 hours ahead of my parents back in Nashville and I’m constantly having to schedule time to Skype/Facetime them. No one is just a phone call away anymore which is a bit frustrating. It’s hard to make Irish friends at least in Cork because most Irish students go home on the weekends. Also, as a study abroad student you’re kind of in this weird limbo social state. You’re in your junior year which comes with experience, but you’re like a freshman too because you’re new to UCC. It’s hard figuring out who to hang out with and penetrating already established friend groups is no laughing matter. There is no communal dining hall/dorms where all of your friends can meet up. Everything is apartment based and spread out which complicates things. I’m cooking for one and the only company that i often have is either my friend Emily or an episode of Gossip Girl which has been quite an adjustment.

It’s easy to be anti-social at times because you have your own room that you can hide away in. All of my friends are traveling at different times and if I’m not one weekend then I just become a home body. I miss the familiarity and ease (not homework wise) of Holy Cross and all the activities that I look forward to during the year (BSU events, apple picking, Spring weekend).

Now I’m not writing this post to discourage anyone from studying abroad. I believe that it will be one of my favorite experiences of my college career, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not a struggle to.  I don’t want you as my readers to just think that studying abroad is all sunshine and rainbows when there are some storms too (there are a lot of those in Ireland haha). One of the main points of studying abroad is growth and I believe that my isolation  will only help me grow and become the confidant woman that I want to be. I’ve accepted my own isolation and admitted it to myself which is the first hurdle in my journey. Studying abroad is marathon not a sprint and you just have to dig deep to deal with that fact.

Until Next Time,

Keep Calm and Keep it 100

Elena

This always brightens my day, Enjoy!

Hej Readers (that’s hello in Danish),

This week’s entry will be a recap of my Halloweekend trip to Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark. That’s right readers I traded gouls and goblins for a new stamp in my passport and a visit with my sister. I know I’ve talked about this a lot but for those of you who are just tuning in to this insightful blog, I have a twin sister named Erin. She’s studying abroad in Copenhagen for the semester. Erin can be best described as my soul sister, my ride-or-die, my rib, my other half, and any other sisterly metaphors you can think of. We’re very close and that’s why I was so excited to go visit her. Our friend Arianna and I decided to make a pilgrimage to Erin’s new hometown and see if the Danes are really the happiest people in the world.

After arriving in Copenhagen and eating some dinner, we made our way to Erin’s new home and met her host parents Asta and Ove and fellow study abroader, Mary Clare. They were all so nice and so hospitable (they made us breakfast and dinner during our stay!!!). It had been so long since I’d had a home cooked meal that wasn’t cooked by me so to say that I was excited would be an understatement. Over the course of the weekend my sister showed Arianna and I all around Copenhagen’s famous sites like Tivoli, a famous amusement park that was the inspiration for DisneyLand, the Little Mermaid statue (the writer of the famous fairytale was Danish),  Nyhavn ( a row of colorful houses and boats), and we even climbed the famous Church of Our Savior tower (it was 400 steps and we were winded by step 200). It was so nice getting to peer into my sister’s study abroad life and have someone who had data on their phone (that is essential). Erin was a perfect tour guide and I can’t wait to show her some of my life in Ireland when we meet up in Dublin in a few weeks.

Until Next Week,

Be Bold, Be Brave, and Be Better

-Elena

Squad

Views from Cope!

Me at the top of the Church of Our Savior Tower.

Me & The Little Mermaid Statue!

Nyhavn

Me at Nyhavn!

Erin and I at Tivoli!

Tivoli!!

Salutations Readers,

It’s time for my weekly update. Things are definitely ramping up homework wise here at UCC. I got my first essay assignments and they are both due back to back! Consequently, I’ve been in full prep mode: finding books in the library, writing outlines, etc and hopefully the creativity flows. I’m generally pretty good at writing essays but these unlike the normal essays at Holy Cross count for a greater percentage of my grade. Wish me luck!

On Friday, I went to the world famous English Market in Cork. I know I’ve mentioned it before on my blog, but it truly is one of the many gems that Cork has to offer. Armed with my grocery list, backpack (If anyone wants to hire a pack mule I’m your gal), and some good walking shoes (shoutout to Nike), I made my way into the city center. The great thing about the English Market is that it known for its local, fresh, and cheap items. Whether its meat, fish, or cheese I can guarantee that the English Market’s got it. I picked up a fish pie (mashed potatoes, cream sauce, and fish), some ground beef and some flank steak for next week’s dinner. On my way back home, I grabbed my first burrito since leaving the U.S at a local place Burritos & Blues. It wasn’t as good as Chipotle but it definitely hit the spot.

On Saturday, my friend Emily and I rose early in the am to catch the bus to Waterford. Waterford is the oldest city in Ireland and was founded by the Vikings. It is also home to the Waterford Crystal Factory, which we were lucky enough to take a tour of. Most of the crystal is handmade by master cutters who train for 10 years!! All of the custom Waterford pieces are made in the factory in Ireland like the NYC New Year’s  Ball that drops in Times Square and the college football championship trophy. For those custom pieces backups are always produced just in case someone drops the original (Yes that has happened). It was really cool to see how something as simple as sand can transform into a beautiful piece of crystal!

I’m headed to Brussels, Belgium this weekend for the bank holiday weekend (Our only day off in the whole semester). Brussels is home to waffles, french fries, and chocolate: aka heaven on Earth. I’ll share pics next week. Until then…

Peace, Love, and Waffles for Days

Elena

Reginald’s Tower- Oldest building in Ireland

Crystal Coke Bottle

Making Crystal 3

Outside the factory.

What’s Up Readers!

This past week, I went to my first official week of beginners badminton practice! I know what you’re probably thinking, badminton is just a leisurely game that I play during the summertime when the fireflies are out and the bbq is lit. Well friends, badminton in Ireland is quite a serious game. There are leagues, racquet cases, and specific nets to play on! At this practice, I learned some of the basics of the game of badminton (I was a little fuzzy on the rules) and even got some match play in. Luckily some my tennis skills transferred over and I wasn’t too bad. I’m really excited to keep playing and learning more about the fabulous game of badminton!

In other news, on Saturday some of my friends and I took a day trip to Blarney Castle. At the top of the castle lies the Blarney Stone. There is a legend that if you kiss the stone you will receive the gift of gab or eloquence. Kissing the stone is no easy feat though. I had to lean over backwards on my back to properly kiss the stone. I’ll let you know if I start speaking any better!

On Sunday, I went to watch Ireland play in the Rugby World Cup at a local sports bar. Ireland was playing France who they had never beaten before in the world cup. I’ll be the first to admit that I know nothing about the game of rugby, but after watching that game I definitely learned a lot. In rugby, you don’t wear any padding (Sorry HC football players, rugby players are tougher than you). Also you can’t throw the ball forward, you can only throw it backward which seems a bit counter-productive to me. Anywho, Ireland managed to beat France 24-9 after losing 2 of their best players to injuries. Everyone in the bar went crazy after they won and I must say it was quite a spectacle to witness.

Until Next Time

Keep on Keeping On

Elena

My friend Katie, Bethany, and I at the top of Blarney Castle.

Bethany and I hanging in a tree ( it took us 5 minutes to get up there)

Greetings Readers,

Sorry I didn’t give you guys an update last week. I was busy with classes and badminton and just couldn’t find the time to sit down and write. Fear not, I’m back in business and hear to update you on the latest happenings across the pond!

Over the weekend, I went on a day trip to the seaside town of Kinsale (about 45 minutes away from Cork City) and some other places around West Cork. I boarded the bus at 9:30am (it was a bit early for me) and me and 12 other day-trippers headed to our first stop: The Drumbeg Stone Circle. This was a place of pagan worship in the pre-Christian era and is one of the most visited megalithic sites in Ireland.

We then headed to the Old Head of Kinsale. A beachy area complete with its own mobile sauna and golf course!  It was the closest land site to where the Lusitania sunk in 1915. After that we went to the main attraction of the day: the town of Kinsale. Kinsale is known as the gourmet food capital of Ireland and I must say it did not disappoint. I had fresh fish and chips for lunch and they were delicious! I got to walk around for a little bit and Kinsale is absolutely gorgeous, especially the harbor. Kinsale is a big fishing town and at one time was one of the biggest ports in Ireland. Our last stop on the day tour was to Charles Fort. A star-shaped fort that played a key role in the Battle of Kinsale. There are spectacular views of Kinsale harbor from the this 17th century military stronghold.

It was a fun day and I can officially check off another stop in Ireland off my list. Where to next??? Leave me a comment if you’ve got any ideas.

Until Next Week,

Peace, Love, and Discovery

Elena

Views from Old Head

View from Charles Fort

Cliffs at Old Head

Me at Old Head

Drumbeg Stone Circle

Hello World,

This week, I’ll posting pictures from my weekend trip to Berlin. I went with my twin sister, Erin (she’s studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark) and our childhood friend, Arianna (she’s studying in Istanbul, Turkey). I flew out on Thursday out of Dublin and returned early morning (3:30am zzzzz!). It was a great first trip and I had so much fun catching up with my pals. Berlin is a great city and I encourage everyone to go sometime.

Me and my sister Erin in front of the Brandenburg Gate

Arianna, Erin, and I in front of the Brandenburg Gate! Photo creds to my selfie stick

Holocaust Memorial

Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie

Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall

German Flag on the Berlin Wall

Berlin TV Tower

What’s Good Readers,

I’ve officially survived my first week of classes at UCC! Can you believe it?? The first week went well, I found all of my classes without too much trouble but now that the first week is over I’m definetly noticing some differences between HC and UCC. Here’s what I learned.

#1- UCC is so much bigger than Holy Cross. There are at least 20,000 students on campus and walking around is like walking through a maze. There is a lot of bobbing and weaving involved and the buildings are so much more spread apart.

#2- UCC has an odd relationship with punctuality. UCC blocks their classes so that are all back to back without a break to get to your next class. So you could have a class from 10-11 and then another one from 11-12 and you would have no built in time to get to the next class. Therefore class usually starts 10 minutes late to give everyone a chance to get there.

#4- UCC professors put all of their lecture notes on blackboard (similar to Moodle where you can access course docs and assignments). For that reason, many Irish students don’t think it’s a necessity to go to class all the time.

#5- With a bigger school comes more activities. After attending UCC’s clubs and societies day, I now know that UCC has every possible club that you could ever want. From harry potter to surfing to badminton, they’ve got it all.

Over the weekend, I also went on a day trip to some local sights around Cork. My roommate Hailey, Emily, a girl who lives in our apt complex, and myself rose early on Saturday morning to hit the road. We first went to the Tower of Shandon which is located at St. Anne’s Church. It’s essentially the Eiffel Tower of Cork and you can see all of Cork from it. We then went to the Cork Butter Museaum (Yes that exists) and finally made our way to Middleton which is about 30 minutes by train to the Jameson Whiskey Distillery. It was a day well spent and after reflecting on the day I realize how grateful I am to be able to study abroad in Cork. It truly is a blessing and I couldn’t be here without all of the support from back home. I’ll post pics below.

Until Next Week,

Peace, Love, and Blessings

Elena

P.S. Here are the classes that I’m taking: The Literature & Culture of Ireland through Time, Sociological Theory, Geographies of the Irish Diaspora, Women, Confinement, and Control in 20th Century Ireland, and The Celtic Hero.

The Jameson Distillery!

Cork Butter Museum!

Cork from the Tower of Shandon!

The Tower of Shandon! Yes that is a salmon at the top.

Me ringing the bells at the Tower of Shandon