Street Smarts & Travel Tips

June 27, 2017

Most of the safety tips that I picked up on while abroad, including those that I mentioned in a previous post, such as keeping valuables on your person, being aware of pickpockets, staying in groups when possible, etc. are mostly common sense. Ireland is generally a very safe country. The worst thing that happened to anyone in our group on this trip was that one person lost his wallet. Although this was very unfortunate, he was able to cancel his cards immediately and disaster was averted. Moreover, this is a situation that could have been prevented, as the wallet wasn’t stolen off of it—he left it somewhere. The biggest safety tip that I can emphasize is to exercise general caution. Make sure you keep your valuables close and always double check you have them before leaving any location (and definitely don’t sit them on tables, counters, etc—it’s too easy for them to get left behind or snagged by thieves). Also bear in mind that Dublin is like any other big city, so common sense street smarts should apply (don’t wander off by yourself alone at night, stick to more frequently traveled areas, etc.)

Since arriving in Dublin, I’ve learned a few insider tips about getting around the city. I’ve learned the hard way to be careful when relying on the bus system and always leave plenty early, since the buses can be unreliable, and sometimes buses that are scheduled to arrive will fail to ever come, and there won’t be any warning or explanation. Also, remember that buses operate on different schedules on different days (for example, they come much less frequently on Sundays and bank holidays). Unfortunately, buses stop running rather early (the last bus on a given route is often between 11 and midnight). This is less than ideal for people who like to go out at night. Probably the best tip that I learned was to use the MyTaxi app. It’s an app which is very popular in Europe. It’s rather like Uber, but you use it arrange rides with actual licensed taxis. It allows you to call cabs or schedule rides in advance, and you can even pay through the app (this is especially key since many cabs only take cash). Best of all, rates are generally quite reasonable—when we split fares four ways, we often wound up paying only a few Euros each to get from the center of the city to our dorms at UCD.

Written By

Brendan Lewis

I’ve always loved traveling and exploring other cultures, so I knew I wanted to study abroad at some point during my time as a college student. When deciding on a program, I wanted to find an opportunity that would allow me to earn credit toward my major, English. I chose Ireland as my destination especially because of its rich literary tradition, which had great appeal for me as an avid reader and writer. I am thrilled to have the chance to study some of the English language’s greatest works of literature, both classic and contemporary, at the sites where they were written, as well as delving into other fascinating areas like film and culture. I’m particularly excited for the chance to get to meet and connect with local authors and filmmakers. I hope to come away from the program with a newfound knowledge of and appreciation for Irish literature, film, and culture, all while also having honed my reading and writing skills, as well as sightseeing, experiencing the culture hands-on, and having a lot of fun.