Cheers from Dublin! We want to tell everyone back home at Marist that the six of us in Ireland are having a great time. We've been here for only a month now, although it seems like forever. It has been easy for us to quickly assimilate into the Irish culture and school program thanks to the similarity in language. Since college classes don't start until the beginning of October, we have begun our studies with an Irish history and culture course. It was such a great class to take because it taught us about the country's past and helps explain why the people live the way they do. We also took field trips to several places around Dublin, the West, and South of Ireland. They have all been great trips and have helped us to better understand what we are learning.
Along with taking classes, we are each involved with an internship where we work about three days a week. Our placements are all very different. Some of the different assignments include working with the Irish Police force, an advertising firm, a band, a professional soccer team, and a library. Instead of living in dorms or apartments, our program offers us the chance to live with a host family. They have all been incredibly nice and try hard to make us feel at home and comfortable. We get home cooked meals every night, which is definitely better than a cafeteria. Another great thing about studying in Ireland is its close proximity to Continental Europe. Our group has taken advantage of this and have already planned trips to Oktoberfest in Munich, Amsterdam, Scotland, England, and Prague.
For those of you who are thinking of going abroad I implore you to seriously consider it. There is no other time in your life where you will have this opportunity. So much is packed into only three months. Our time here has moved unbelievably quickly. Marist will always be there when you get back, so take a chance and go somewhere. I promise you will never regret it!
