Just like that, we hit the halfway point in our summer abroad in Dublin this past Friday. When my roommates and I came to this realization, it was a mixed reaction. To this very moment, I have no idea how I have amassed so many memories and learning experiences all whilst only being in Dublin for a month. Following this initial reaction, we also realized how many things we still had on our agenda to complete in our remaining month here. For now though, let’s look back on another incredible week I had!
After another routine week at work, I clocked out on Friday evening with heavy anticipation for the weekend to come in Northern Ireland. Saturday morning, we set out for Belfast. Prior to reaching the city, we attended the Titanic Museum which I was unfamiliar with, but excited to attend. The Titanic has always been a tragic event that I am quite interested in educating myself on. The museum did an excellent job at demonstrating what life may have been like onboard while respectfully telling the stories of those lost and those who had survived. After the self-guided tour at the museum, we headed to Belfast for a political taxi tour. It was eye-opening to see how prevalent the segregation remains in Northern Ireland for the Catholics and the Protestants. The peace wall that divides the town was such a tangible identifier that truly put the historical context into reality. Eventually, we made it to our hotel to shower and prepare for our night on the town where we explored Belfast with a large group of us on the trip! The following day was my most favorite of the weekend! After eating breakfast at the hotel, we first drove to the Carrick-a-Rede rope walk. This was one of the events that had slipped through the cracks in the sense that I was not looking forward to it as much as I should have been. The views from every point of the walk were spectacular. We all admitted to our lack of knowledge on the area and were pleasantly surprised as we headed to Giants Causeway. In a similar nature, the coastline from the hike at this location was breathtaking. The green mountains against the coastline will never get old especially because they all have unique features. We hopped on the bus to catch a late lunch and after, got to enjoy a demonstration with sheepdogs herding cattle as well as hold baby sheep – the highlight of most of our days!
I have to admit – Derry was not what most of us were hoping for. It was definitely different than Dublin city centre, but we eventually found ourselves in an extremely traditional pub and it was a joy to see other people enjoying themselves. The next morning, we enjoyed a walking tour of Derry’s history in addition to taking a visit of the Free Derry Museum. Once again, it was a humbling experience to see the reality that Derry has faced. The divide captured in the museum from such recent history was devastating to see, but important to acknowledge and I am glad that we had the ability to do so. After the museum, we grabbed lunch at a very nice spot and then got to explore a bit; this meant shopping to my roommates and I! We were exhausted on the ride home from a long weekend and once dinner was made, we all happily retreated to our rooms to get some sleep before the work week began. I had yet another incredible week in Ireland learning more about the culture, its people, and making more memories with my incredible friends. I am looking forward to seeing what this week holds!
Life vest at the Titanic Museum
The view after crossing the rope walk at Carrick-a-Rede
Giants Causeway from the hilltop
My new best friend!
Beautiful beer garden in Belfast!