Well, I’m finally here, in the final week of my study abroad in Limerick. It’s been loads of craic. In case you forgot from the third blog I wrote, craic is essentially Irish for fun. It’s usually meant to coincide with fun at a bar, or out in a social setting with banter and laughter and messing around with your mates. I’ve spent the last 14 blogs detailing some specific craic filled weekends and trips, and some general stuff and tips about what it’s like to study abroad. I want to use the last blog, #15, to form some sort of recap. Not to repeat what I’ve already written, but just to find out what my favorite parts of studying abroad in the most organic way possible: just writing the first things to come to my mind as I procrastinate studying for my last two finals and reflect on the last 3.5 months.
Probably the coolest thing I did over my time here was go windsurfing with the UL windsports club twice. Each time I got to meet a whole bunch of awesome new people, and learn a lot about a sport related to one of my favorites from back home: surfing. Being able to learn windsurfing was also the least expected of all my activities as UL.
I also had more fun than I expected learning how to play the Bodhran, a traditional Irish drum for my music class here. Weekly Bodhran lessons were typically the “academic” highlight of my week, and I have a lot of respect and appreciation for Bodhran players in trad bands around Ireland. The Bodhran is a truly unique and cool instrument, and if you still have no idea what I’m talking about, check this video out! Watch the whole thing if you’d like to hear some Irish music and have the time, or just skip to the two-minute mark for the bodhran solo (which happens to be performed by my instructor at school! Didn’t notice this until after I linked the video).
Following that, my experiences having fun to Irish music here come to mind. Whether around campus, bars, outside festivals, or elsewhere, traditional Irish music is a significant part of life here. Wherever I am from now on I’ll be able to recognize the Irish Jig and it will bring back memories of my time here. Fun fact – my music exam actually had a question about craic, as it is a cultural word relating to the social fun had while listening to traditional Irish music. Aside from the traditional music, I got a lot of enjoyment out of expanding my musical tastes in Ireland in an unexpected way as well. The Irish are more into dance and electronic music than we are back home. Dance jams from the club play everywhere. The bus, the grocery store, you name it. At Northeastern, Afterhours tends to play alternative rock or pop bands, but at UL, it is ALL about DJs. I was not really impressed by the idea of DJ performances before coming to Ireland, but now that I’ve seen some good ones I appreciate and enjoy the music on a night out.
I’ve also had a lot of fun with languages since I’ve been here. Both slang within other English-speaking areas, and foreign languages. In English, I’ve actually begun saying cheers instead of thanks. And words like jumper (sweater), car-park (parking lot), takeaway (take out), and mate (friend) have all popped into my everyday vernacular on occasion. Words that haven’t stuck with me include flat (apartment), chips (fries), or crisps (chips), because those are just too weird to me. In my international travels and from my other roommates I’ve also enjoyed learning some words in other languages. Mostly just the basics, like cheers and thank you, but I’m still somewhat proud of it. All the craic with languages here has even prompted me to start using Duolingo (a language learning app) in my free time on occasion to brush up on French, which I used to study in high school.
Friends! I’ve made a whole bunch of new friends. Mostly through my 7 other housemates and through windsurfing trips, and ironically very few people from Ireland. The people you meet obviously must feature on my final blog, and I’ve been making new friends even in my last month here, such as one guy from windsurfing who I bonded with over our musical taste.
Ok, here I go talking about food in my blog again. I’m going to miss sticky toffee pudding, and rashers, and I’m pretty sure my diet when I go back to Boston will consist of many, many, more potatoes than it did when I left.
My time in Ireland was more than just a highlights reel of travel and adventure. It was also educational at the highest level, teaching me to adapt and adjust to a new culture, location, and lifestyle while undertaking the usual everyday stresses of a student in addition. It taught me how to travel smart, travel light, and think positive, even when you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere at 4:00AM because you took the wrong bus trying to get to the airport. Even in classes, I’ve learned things I never would have learned at home that have given me a broader understanding of engineering on a global scale: designing for problems in Ireland isn’t necessarily the same as it is in Boston. I learned to be more comfortable talking to professors – they’re people too after all – as they all go by their first names here. Reflecting on my favorite parts of the trip barely scratch the surface of what the journey means to me, what I’ve learned, and how I’ve changed. Going back to Boston I don’t think I’ll fall back into my old routine after studying abroad (except for biweekly trips to Amelia’s, those are essential). I think I’ll end up doing something new, something exciting. That’s what I’ve come to expect out of life after this semester, and wherever in the world I end up, I don’t think that will change.
