It’s hard to believe this is my eighth and final Dublin blog. My summer abroad has flown by, and while I’m sad to see it end, I’m also ready to head home, reset, and gear up for the school year. Reflecting on these past two months, I feel like I’ve accomplished so much—between my internship, my class, and the adventures of living in a new country.
After spending the whole summer in the unpredictable Irish weather, my friends and I decided we deserved some guaranteed sun. We took Thursday and Friday off from our internships and flew to Tavira, Portugal, on Thursday afternoon. Tired from our day of travel, we decided to keep it simple and grab a quick dinner at the restaurant in our apartment complex. We ended the night on our balcony, soaking in the warm air before heading to bed.
Friday was our first full day, and we were all eager to get some sun. We ferried over to Tavira Island and spent the day basking in the sun at a beach club. The Atlantic was freezing, but after roasting in the sun, diving into the icy water was pure bliss. That evening, we got dressed up, put our name in at a tapas spot, wandered through Tavira’s charming streets, and had a little impromptu photo shoot.
Saturday was another beach day, but instead of staying in Tavira, we took an hour-long Uber to Albufeira. The beach at Albufeira was definitely more picturesque than Tavira, with the beautiful cliffs and rock formations, but honestly, the town was a bit of a let-down. It was insanely touristy, and tacky gift shops lined the streets. We were not impressed with the city of Albufeira, so we grabbed dinner at an Italian restaurant and then retreated back to Tavira.
By Sunday, the relentless sun had caught up with me. I was not burnt, as my skin tans rather than burns; however, I felt like I had gotten enough sun for the weekend. While my friends were determined to squeeze in one last tanning session, I happily spent the day in the shade with my book. Our final dinner was at an all-you-can-eat sushi spot that sounded way better than it was. The food was mediocre and the service was worse, but we laughed about it and enjoyed our last night in Portugal anyway.
The journey back to Dublin on Monday was a true travel day marathon: a quick breakfast in Tavira, a flight to Liverpool, a delayed connection, and the kind of delirious exhaustion that only comes from cramming a full vacation into four days. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see my UCD dorm room.
Now, in my last week here, I’m racing to finish my internship and classwork before my early Saturday flight home. This summer has been one I’ll never forget. I’m grateful to my parents for making this experience possible, to Dean Kepner and Professor Aikey for guiding us through Ireland, and to my friends for turning every adventure, rain or shine, into a memory.
Dublin, thank you for an amazing summer. Until next time!
Such cool photos, Zoe! I’ve loved keeping up with your blog throughout these past 8 weeks and I’m so happy you’ve grown to love blogging. I hope you continue this healthy habit so I can stay up to date with you! It’s been awesome living with you these past weeks and I cant wait to do it again back at school!