Our management class begins at 9:30, so I typically wake up around 8 to get ready. After getting ready, I’ll make a breakfast of eggs, cheese, and toast (Ireland has the best tasting breakfast foods). Typically there’s a group of people already in the kitchen, so we discuss our plans for the day and what we’ll do after class, always ending in a centra run to get coffee before heading off to the business school. The UCD campus is extremely walkable and more so for our specific program. We live in The Village which is right next to a student center with a centra (think of it like a wawa), gym, and a short walk away from laundry and the business school. Our management class has been so interactive and interesting so far! For instance, we did a simulation about a pandemic and made decisions on how to run a country based on different scenarios. We have class from 9:30-12, a break for lunch, and then resume either class from 1-3 or work on group projects. After class we usually hit the gym, take a nap, or study for a bit before heading out to dinner. I will say that collectively we’ve eaten out more for dinner than cooked, but it’s all for the experience right! Friday is a bit different as we have our global immersion class that day in the Blackrock campus. Together as a group we get on the S6 bus to head to Blackrock around 8 so we can grab breakfast at the Lazy Days Cafe. During our first class we shared our favorite foods from home and tried some Irish snacks! Weekends are variable as sometimes we have scheduled excursions, and sometimes have free weekends. For the first weekend we had excursions to the Guinness Storehouse and Jameson Distillery.

We’ve been in Dublin for a week now, yet it feels like we’ve been here for weeks. It instantly felt like home from touching down in Ireland to going to the pub with friends and talking with our professor during lunch. I’ve really tried to appreciate every little moment we’ve had here in Dublin so far as I’m not only grateful to have the opportunity to live abroad in a country I have ancestral ties to, but also to learn from a variety of experts (professors and guest speakers) in their respective fields. I’ve been to Dublin once before, but honestly it feels like a completely new city this time around. On day 1, the students in the program already were familiar with each other having met once in person and for a week of virtual classes, so it didn’t take much to start becoming friends. There are 14 total students who each get their own room, but we all share two kitchens and common areas, but somehow we decided to all use the same kitchen, cooking breakfast and dinner together. We established a house charter through our second class in management, establishing rules for cleaning, talking in the hallway, and of course pirate tuesday! The best thing about living in Ireland during the summer are the long days. The sun rises before 5am and sets around 10pm, so it’s basically like having two days in one. So far, we’ve explored the city center, Blackrock, and Bray. I’ve climbed a mountain, studied in multiple cafes, yelled “that’s so cute!” about 5000 times a day, missed too many buses, gone to so many different pubs, taken a billion photos, heard lots of live music on the streets and in restaurants, and made so many lifetime memories and friends. I can full heartedly say that this was the best decision to come here and I can’t wait to learn more, explore more, and see where this journey takes me! 

As a former competitive dancer, I’ve had numerous experiences with packing and planning for trips both short and long, domestic and international, but preparing to spend over two months in a country is nothing short of overwhelming. What should I bring to a country with unpredictable weather and highly variable temperatures? What should I buy there instead of bringing with me? I already know I’m not one to pack light, but trekking tons of luggage across the streets of Ireland is probably something I’ll regret once I arrive. Also considering the massive amounts of souvenirs I’ll bring back for friends and family, I need at least some room in my suitcases. 

Here’s my thought process for packing: everyone in the program was given a brief list with things that will be provided (we get housekeeping and free linens!), along with things to consider bringing. After looking at this list, I started with my essentials and required items. What are the things I cannot operate without, what clothing items are staples in my wardrobe, (obviously a raincoat will be needed since this is Ireland), can’t forget power adapters, a basic first aid kit, important documents, toiletries, computer, phone, etc. Then I added clothes and shoes for all weather conditions besides snow. I divided things into what I should put in my carry-on and larger suitcase based on how much I might need to access them when travelling. This helped to keep luggage to a minimum and consolidate only what I actually needed to bring. During the packing process I made sure I understood that whatever I was bringing, I’d have to repack at the end of the trip to bring home. 

As for beginning the actual course content, this proved equally as difficult. I have been working as a dancer in a show at Busch Gardens since March, and two weeks before leaving for home I injured my knee. Being abruptly and unexpectedly unable to dance or walk without crutches, my planning and excitement for Ireland quickly got pushed to the backburner. I had to focus on the obstacles in front of me in order to confirm I would be able to continue on the trip. The same week of the injury and being put on crutches we had our first week of synchronous classes, luckily over zoom. Each class was three hours and introduced key concepts, team projects, and how being in Ireland would impact the structure of the class. The two weeks after, we continued our classwork asynchronously over blackboard. My first class once arriving in Ireland will be Management in a Global Environment! Each class will last two weeks (imagine having a final every other Thursday!), and will be a fully immersive experience with guest speakers, excursions, hands-on group projects, in place of hour long lectures. 

Luckily, the recovery process has been going smoothly and in a couple days when I get to Ireland, I should be fully on the mend. It’s been quite the rocky road to Dublin! I’m so excited that this trip is finally just a couple days away from becoming reality and am looking forward to sharing all about it here in the Dublin Diaries!