It’s been about a week since I left snowy Rhode Island for a not so rainy Dublin. Surprisingly, it has not rained a lot here but does always seem to be damp. The city is beautiful and very easy to get around. I now understand why they call Dublin “The Walking City”.

This past week I took part in the Semester Start-Up Program. Its a program made for Non-EU students studying abroad at Trinity for the semester. I was hesitant at first about doing it because it meant I had to leave very early but I am so glad I did it! I was able to meet and make a ton of friends, mostly from America, but hopefully I will meet some Irish students, especially now that classes start. The Semester Start-Up Program consisted of morning lectures on Irish history, architecture, and culture. Then on some afternoons they took us all on field trips. The first one was to Croke Park, home to Gaelic Football and hurling. The stadium was very impressive, but it was not Gillette or Fenway. We were able to tour the stadium, the locker rooms, and even the room where they set up artists’ dressing rooms when they come to perform. Fun fact: the  last performer there was Beyonce. Another field trip we went on was to see a Russian play name “Anna Karenina” at the Abbey Theatre. Our last field trip was to Glendalough, which is home to an old monastic city and a beautiful lake.

Yesterday, a couple friends and I took a trip to Howth, which is a coastal fishing village outside of Dublin. We walked around the village and were able to see some fantastic views! We stopped at Crabby Joe’s for some delicious fish n chips.

Many people I know live about a 20 minute walk from campus; thankfully I live on campus in a dorm called Goldsmith Hall. I have three other roommates. They are all girls. One is studying abroad here for the semester and is from America, one is studying abroad here the whole year and is from Australia, and the last one is from Ireland and is in her last semester at Trinity. They are all really nice and I am able to get great advice and recommendations from my roommates that have already been at Trinity for awhile, which is great!

I am definitely still adjusting, but my jet lag has gone away (thank god!). Still trying to get use to the “Irish Slang” and having to explain to people that Rhode Island is not apart of New York, but an actual state in the USA. Besides all that I am enjoying my time in Dublin and excited for what lies ahead!

Cheers,
Heidi