My journey began Friday night in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and after a long, sleepless overnight flight, I finally landed at Dublin International Airport early Saturday morning, an hour and a half ahead of schedule. I collected my baggage and made my way out of the terminal, only to realize that my ride hadn’t arrived yet. A quick phone call to the driver revealed that I’d be sharing the shuttle with two other Bucknell students, and we’d be heading to our apartments on the University College Dublin campus together. However, this meant I’d have to wait at the airport for another couple of hours until everyone arrived. Finally, I was picked up and driven to UCD. I was excited to finally settle into my new home for the next eight weeks. But things didn’t quite go according to plan. My shuttle was the first to arrive on campus, so the rooms hadn’t been prepared yet. Therefore, I ended up waiting another three hours in a freezing cold check-in lobby. Honestly, I preferred waiting at the airport.
Things started to improve around noon when I checked into my room. After settling in a little bit, my roommates and I walked over to Dundrum, a large shopping mall nearby, to pick up the essentials we couldn’t pack in our luggage. After such a long day of travel I pushed myself to stay awake until 10:00 PM to not get to jet lagged. I hadn’t slept the night before, so I passed out instantly when I laid down and made it through the entire night. This was the first really positive event that had happened since arriving.
Sunday was a much-needed rest day after travel. The only required event was orientation, where we learned about University College Dublin and the city itself. We also received a guided campus tour, which helped us get more familiar and comfortable with our new home. I also enjoyed experiencing the city and getting off campus.
On Monday, I began the first session of my class, Judging Justice. The course compares court cases from both the Irish and U.S. legal systems. I’ll be honest—the three-hour lecture format is challenging, but the material is engaging enough to keep things interesting. After class was our first site visit to EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum. We got a private guided tour, which definitely improved the experience. I’ll admit, museums aren’t usually my thing, but watching some of our group try hurling was entertaining as it added a fun moment to the day. I also enjoyed experiencing the city and getting off campus.
Tuesday marked my first day at Prodieco, the pharmaceutical machine manufacturing company where I’ll be interning this summer. Like most first days, it was fairly routine—I spent time filling out paperwork and getting a tour of the facility, since I hadn’t received my credentials yet. That said, walking through the machine shop and seeing the complex and innovative projects in action was incredibly exciting. It gave me a real sense of the hands-on work that happens here, and I’m genuinely looking forward to what the rest of the summer has in store.
Sending you ☘️ Irish blessings from home…