Tag: shannon

It’s A Nice Little Island…
Emily Bernstein
January 19, 2017

I wasn’t going to write a blog post until school started, because all I’ve really been doing is going to orientation events, getting a good feel of the campus, and walking a lot (it’s very strange moving from LA which is a total driving city to walking all around Castletroy to get places).

But I decided that I just had to write one today because it was sunny! 

Yesterday, I came to terms with the fact that maybe the Irish sun was really just the light that shines through the clouds, but when I woke up this morning, it was to blue skies and sunshine. I was so happy. The sun made everything look more vibrant and wonderful (as if it isn’t already beautiful) and it made it warmer as well (and by warm, I mean it was 50 degrees). And beyond this, it made daylight that much more worth it – we get about 8 hours of sunshine and daylight, so any time in the sun is amazing.

The two flagpoles that mark the entrance to campus.

Today, the main thing that all us international students did was get a campus tour. The tour of campus took 2 hours. The University of Limerick is huge! We could have toured Chapman University at least twice. It’s strange going to a school that is so big compared to my home university, but I think it’ll be a great experience for me. Our tour guide kept telling us places to go while we are in Ireland, and all the while was muttering, “it’s a nice little island,” so I couldn’t resist titling this post that.

The university is so big that it actually crosses two counties: County Limerick and County Clare. The Shannon River is what separates the two counties, and there is a beautiful walking bridge that crosses the river. Right now, the view is kind of drab, just because it is winter here, but with the beautiful blue sky reflecting in the water, I still think it is a rather nice view.

The Shannon River.
A stream on campus that feeds into the Shannon River.

I really can’t wait for classes to start. That’s really all I’m waiting for at this point. Not only am I looking forward to having a regular schedule, and being back in school, but I’m also really looking forward to just see what classes will be like (and to start traveling)!

After an early dinner, we all headed to the concert hall for a Celtic Steps show. We had no idea what to expect, but it was amazing. The Celtic Steps are a group of musicians and dancers that play authentic Irish songs, while Irish Step Dancing. It was so cool. It’s hard to describe but the show was full of great music and amazing dancing. Some of the dancers are not only University of Limerick students, but also world champions in traditional Irish dancing. So cool. 

Not the best photo, but it’s the Celtic Steps!

Until next time!

Sláinte.

 

Girls Like You Always Get To See Ireland….
Emily Bernstein
January 16, 2017

Today was a whirlwind to say the least. After flying to Boston yesterday, watching the Packers beat the Cowboys (woo!), then boarding a plane to Shannon, Ireland that was probably 1/3 study abroad students, the day felt like a week.

After landing, everyone that was on my flight navigated through customs, then met up with University of Limerick students in yellow shirts (meaning they are International Student Guides). They shuffled us all onto a bus that took us from Shannon to Castletroy, where the University of Limerick is (the city center of Limerick is actually about 20 minutes away from us). I tried to take photos of the drive, but it doesn’t get light here until about 8:30am, so I’ll have to snap photos some other time.

I got to my apartment complex – Troy Village – around 8am (local time). I immediately got to unpacking so that I wouldn’t have to do it later.

At 10:30, we (meaning the other international students in Troy Village) walked to main campus for a tea/coffee social. From Troy Village, campus is about a 20 minute walk, which I moaned about at first, but it’s beautiful and it’s pretty nice to be off campus.

I shopped for bedding and for some food that would tide me over until tomorrow when I can focus more on what I want to eat throughout my months here in Ireland.

I have my own room here at Troy Village, but I do live in a three bedroom apartment. One of my roommates is from Venice, Italy. She is so so nice and funny. We get along great and she even offered to show Italy to me over spring break if I wanted. How could I say no to that?? I have yet to meet my third roommate because they have not yet arrived.

I met up with some people from my flight at Scholars Café, which is just a pub with a fancy name on campus. They are so nice and sweet. We went from there to another pub a little ways away (don’t worry, Dad: Castletroy is safe, plus I was with a group of people which included three men). This was a real Irish pub full of Irishmen drinking whiskey and Guinness. Here, I found Orchard Thieves Apple Cider so, while I could not participate in the trying of Guinness, I could still have a pint in my hand while chatting.

At said authentic Irish pub, we met Eoin (read: Owen). Eoin is a 40 year old Irishman who was all too happy to chat with the group of us at the pub about Ireland, ourselves, and himself. He was funny and was such an interesting person to meet. It’s definitely an encounter I won’t soon forget.

We returned to UL campus where I met up with my roommate, Marzia. We walked back to Troy Village together, ate a quick snack, and then retired to our respective bedrooms.

Today, I learned that Ireland has so much in store for me – friends, learning, culture, etc. Today, I learned that the University of Limerick is huge and that I can’t wait to start classes. Today, I learned that Ireland is beautiful and cold and wonderful.

Today, I learned the Irish/Gaelic/Celtic word for cheers. Everyone says it slightly differently, and it’s definitely a strange word. But that’s most of Gaelic for you.

Sláinte.

PS: in my local grocery store, they sell taco ingredients, so a few people and I are going to have taco night tomorrow night (yay!). Taco Tuesday in Limerick is real now.