The first few days of the program have been great so far. I arrived in Ireland early with my family, so fortunately most of the jet lag side effects had worn off by the weekend. We had a whirlwind of a week, starting in Dingle and Galway before ending in Dublin for a few days, so I was definitely tired and ready for a home base. Saturday’s primary focus was on move-in, while on Sunday, we had orientation, a campus tour, and downtime to get acclimated and familiarize ourselves with the new digs.
On Monday, we began to get on more of a schedule, attending Professor Wilck’s ANOP class in the morning and heading into the city for a tour of the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum that afternoon. The tour was thoughtful and engaging, even including apt references to Irish influence in America. We also learned about Dr. James Barry, an Irish doctor who concealed his identity in order to attend medical school and eventually become a surgeon in the British Army, which I found particularly interesting. The commute to the museum also allowed for more time to get to know each other, which I’m sure will continue to be the case.
Following EPIC, a group of us headed to O’Connell Street to check out the NYC Dublin portal. The weather here has been almost perfect, so I can’t complain, but New York definitely looks warmer.
On Tuesday, I started my internship at 4 Property. I’ve loved commuting to and from work thus far, and the bus system gets easier to navigate every day. It’s been fun being in an office and getting a taste of the Irish work culture, as well as getting to know my fellow interns – none of whom are here with Bucknell, though most are with similar programs. Today we spent our lunch hour walking the neighborhood and sitting in St. Stephen’s Green, learning a valuable lesson of why not to eat around obnoxious birds.
Without a doubt, the biggest difference I’ve noticed in the week and a half I’ve been here is how late the sun sets. When I arrived back at UCD at 6:30 on Tuesday, it felt like it should have been 4pm. This picture is from that bus ride.
Overall, I would say my transition to Dublin has been pretty seamless, made easier by fellow students who are also just trying to figure it out. I’m excited for our trip to the Wicklow Mountains this weekend, and to head back West to Galway and the Aran Islands the following weekend.