This week marks about a month and a half into my study abroad semester in Ireland! I have really loved getting to know Dublin and Ireland in general. This past weekend, I visited Cork—another city in Ireland known for its food and its proximity to Blarney Castle and Gardens. I spent about two days exploring the city and had a wonderful time!
While I’m having a great semester so far, there have been some cultural differences that have been challenging and that I’ve had to adapt to. A big one is the classroom setting and the lack of continual assessment like in the U.S.. All my classes are graded based on two things, with one of them being a cumulative final exam. This has been a positive difference in that I have plenty of time to learn concepts and seek help from others; however, it also requires a greater amount of self-discipline when you don’t have weekly homework assignments. I’m learning to schedule time during the week to read textbook chapters, do self-developed practice problems, and review lecture slides. One of the things that has helped me most is getting out of my flat and studying in coffee shops with friends.
Here is one of my favorite coffee shops near campus called Bread 41!
In my hybrid internship with the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland (RSAI), I’m continuing to work on developing a bespoke private tour of the Society House with my manager. My work is mostly on my own time, other than when I meet with her once a week at the house or virtually. I’ve had a really positive experience so far with RSAI and have received clear directions and expectations for my work each week. This week, I’m working on a pamphlet for the private tour using Adobe InDesign. I’ve really enjoyed this project because it allows me to be a bit more creative and utilize skills that I haven’t used in a while!
Living in Dublin has been a fairly easy transition from life in New York City this past summer and Pittsburgh. Dublin is also a major city, so I’m used to the hustle and bustle and the tourists alike. Additionally, I’m pretty comfortable with public transportation, so other than it being a different company, navigating around the city has been pretty smooth. Overall, I think Dublin has been the perfect home base for my time abroad.
More later,
Maddie