Beginning of Week 4 London/Dublin 2015

The best way to meet the local people for me has been talking to tour guides, waiters/waitresses, and staff from Arcadia University (global studies school which our program is taught through) every day. I feel as if I get the best insight into local living from the blue collar workers of the area. It allows me to learn local slang, fun facts about the city, and their favorite places to go. In London, it was recommended to me to go onto the London Eye from a waiter and I do not regret that choice at all. In Dublin, speaking with an adviser from Arcadia University I heard of a cafe called ‘Butlers’. At Butlers, I had the most delicious hot chocolate I’ve ever had, and every purchase comes with a free piece of chocolate. It was a wonderful highlight to my day.

This hot chocolate was one of my greatest purchases thus far on this trip. It tasted like melted chocolate that was heated up. I’m already craving to buy another one tomorrow and I’m only 3 hours removed from finishing my hot chocolate today.

Using the Euro has been fairly basic. The Euro is almost equivalent to the USD, so I simply add a few dollars in my head with purchases of 15 or more euros. Using the pound was probably the most stressful math in my life though. One pound is approximately 1.5 USD, so every purchase I made, I multiplied the numerical value by 1.5. The USD amount would be painful at times, but in terms of pounds, the purchase would be a fair deal. I was extremely mindful of my wallet in London. Dublin has allowed me to lighten up slightly, thankfully.