Posts filed under 'Study Abroad Students'
My oh my, time sure does fly!!! We regret to inform our loyal readers that only three weeks remain of our glorious blog sessions. We like to think of them as a modern day, Fireside Chat of sorts. Make your own assumptions.
Since our last blog Emma was able to bask in the familial comfort of her visiting parents and sister…and brother in law. They visited County Donegal and were amazed by the spectacular scenery, i.e Tara’s Hill, Glenveagh National Forest/Castle, and quaint authentic thatched roof houses. It was great craic, but all good things must come to an end. The family jet-setted early this a.m. back to the U.S.
Currently Caroline and Emma are sitting in Insomnia cursing their ill-fated muffinlessness. Although Insomnia offers a great study local as well as delectable delights, the staff here don’t quite mirror that same convenience. The two of us were ill-informed one day about the muffins. We were told that to preserve the freshness of their products, Insomnia threw out all the muffins at the end of the day,that were not yoghurt based, and would readily give them away to their patrons free of charge. As poor college kids, we were quite obviously delighted. However, it’s a farce! We have yet to receive these aforementioned muffins and instead receive harsh glares and quizzical eyebrow raises upon our weekly inquiries. They haven’t a clue what we’re asking even though they initially made the offer. What say you, Insomnia?
We just had to get that off our chest.
As previously mentioned in our tribute to P.S. I Love You, blog, we have set out to find our future husbands of the Irish nationality. Caroline has been the only one of the two to make progress on this front. At Whelans, ironically, she and a friendly chap (the one whose name we couldn’t pronounce) hit it off and have had several additional “outings”. As much of a delight as he is, he doesn’t appear to be the future husband of the Irish variety. However, tonight at the Erasmus partizzle we are fo shizzle gonna meet someone that is fo rizzle.
Enough boy-talk. We are normal human beings; we are not ‘boy-crazy’ teens.
Upon Easter weekend Caroline will be jetting off to Copenhagen, Denmark and has not a clue what she will embark upon. However, she will be rendezvousing will aforementioned friend Kari of Pari. The two of them plan on spending lots of quality time together as well as spending lots-o-cash. Apparently Copenhagen will put a dent in your wallet as it is one of the world’s most expensive cities. Rats!
Emma on the other hand, will be cycling across the Aran Islands with her roomie, Jacquie, and some random international kiddos. Hopefully the weather will be as glorious as it is today.
Last Thursday, before Emma’s family came, Caroline and Emma had a family night of their own—roommate style! The weather was so glorious that they decided to gather up the troops and enjoy dinner along the canal. Heavenly! The company was grand and the patio overlooking the rippling brown waters with mother ducks and their ducklings enjoying the rebirth of spring was superb. Although Emma and Caroline have a brother-sister relationship with their roommates, the night followed a dating-esque scheme. After dinner we all headed to Savoy Cinema whereupon we viewed the joyously hilarious film, The Boat That Rocked. Rocked it did. Not only were the jams absolutely energizing and nostalgic but the comedic British cast were wildly entertaining! We left the theatre on a high that lasted through the walk home. Five stars, most definitely.
Though the flick was great the company was even better. Our roommates will be painfully missed upon the end of our stay here in Dub Town. Speaking of roommates, our two dude roomies after trekking around Europe for 10 days returned to us even more rugged than before and almost unrecognizable. Our house as we’ve mentioned before has turned into quite the youth hostel so when the two gents rang our bell Caroline answered and found them transformed. The two of them had miraculously sprouted quite impressive beards and looked at least five years older and wiser. Matt quickly found his way to the local barber and returned to his clean-shaven self. While Andy, on the other hand is becoming hairier by the day. His beard coupled with his heel-clicking capabilities and spritely personality will soon turn him into a leprechaun; we’re convinced of it.
Log on next time for more lasting impressions of our impressions of Dublin.
Slan!
E and C
April 8th, 2009
So, by now we have settled back into the mundane routine that is our life, but we do not settle for anything below brilliant! Coming down from the high which was Spring Break ’09 we decided to shake it back up a bit!
Caroline enjoyed a relaxing yet fulfilling week of being pampered by her mom and close friend… delicious meals, fabulous accommodations, and the love from a mother was well deserved and received after months of separation. She went to beautiful Galway and Connemara for a weekend trip and reveled in yummy seafood dinners and quaint B&Bs. After her family’s departure, Caroline was thrown back into roommate living.
To pay homage to the film P.S. I Love You (it wasn’t the best movie, but when in Ireland, right?) we decided to relive Hilary Swank’s experiences, starting with a night on the town. We headed to Whelan’s with our roommate, Kate, and were pleasantly surprised by all the locals between the multiplicity of rooms. Six hours later, we emerged from the pub confused by the daylight savings time change and at least 4 hours of the 6 are unaccounted for… even in our semi-sober state. Time flies when you’re reliving a movie. Regardless, we had a blast! Whelan’s delivered, and without a cover charge before 10:30pm. Needless to say, we didn’t leave wearing the leather jacket of our future husband or with a song dedicated to us… unlike H. Swank. But the local lads we did meet were quite eccentric. Of the three, we still can’t pronounce the authentic Irish name of one, and the other two we dubbed the Tall Arrogant One, and The Cynical Ginger. It was good craic.
On the way home, still confused by falling into a blackhole of time, we stumbled into Harry’s Diner where we proceeded to gorge on a bag of chips. Fortunate for us, the people next to us were a little less hungry and left their Deluxe Chips for the taking. When opportunity knocks… we say pass me the fork! Without hesitation the three of us proceeded to lick their platter clean. Don’t worry readers, we supplied our own sterile utensils.
Sunday we set out on Part 2 of our Hilary Swank reenactment, sans the Wicklow Mountains. We ventured instead to the quaint sea town of Greystones, and were pleasantly surprised. Not only did the town provide a gratifying atmosphere, but the Happy Pear did a number for us! Between all the inspirational quotes, organic soups and delectable dishes, the true treat was the “pear” of twins who owned the establishment! Delicious! Possibly the best part of our experience. We set out to meet our future hubbys, and similar to H. Swank’s experience, we succeeded… they just don’t know it yet. Sure, our interaction was brief, but no less magical. We plan on returning and fortifying the relationships. We hesitate to even speak of the Happy Pear, because we know all of our readers will rush to whisk them away from us… we trust you will respect our wishes and LAY OFF!
Kind regards,
E and C
P.S… Log on next time for more lasting impressions of our impressions of Dublin! Slan!
April 1st, 2009
Returning from the relaxation of Paris, we were rudely awakened by the disrupting reality of what was awaiting us back in Dublin: St. Patrick’s Day Madness!!! Don’t get us wrong, we were STOKED to spend such an historical day in the country of its origin, however our house was transformed into a youth hostel—nothing like the one we’d just stayed in. These guests were nothing like the 12 and under we were exposed to before but rather 20 college kids in one house eager to explore the Irish culture and its nightlife!
It’s all basically a haze, especially since Emma’s family was visiting at the same time AND our roommate welcomed the celebration of his 21st birthday the night before St. Patty’s but Dublin doesn’t fool around with tradition! The streets were a sea of green and it was basically impossible not to bump in to some stumbling pedestrian who’d been drinking the good stuff since the early am. Temple Bar. Insane. Lots of People. Lots of green. Lots of Guinness. The pubs were overflowing with animated leprechaun lovers excited to perpetually celebrate the holiday Irish-style! Almost better than the parade itself was the carnival festivities located in Merrion Square—mere blocks away from our comfy abode (nobody stalk us, please). It was catered towards a more familial, younger crowd, but even so we enjoyed a nice dollop of ice cream and a lovely stroll in the brilliant weather!!! Dublin sure delivered on the weather and it was a delight to show our guests how accommodating the weather is to visiting foreigners. Springtime in Dublin is a beaut!
As much as we enjoyed the holiday it was a relief to have the calm return after the storm. We prefer the city sans-tourists and delight in having oxygen once more after the six dwellers that occupied our floor vacated.
Honestly, it was quite difficult to return today back to collegiate lifestyle. Darn you, responsibility! Even so, we both have grown quite fond of the campus, our radio show (odd we never mentioned this before, but we have a radio show on Belfield FM titled Queens of the Airwaves –aka… US! Do tune in every Tuesday 6-7 pm. We are now officially on the FM frequency. Thanks for the plug, UCD Bloggers!), and the bi-weekly meetings provided by the study abroad Quinn school (free info and free FOOD and COFFEE!).
Slan!
Tune in next time for more lasting impressions of our impressions of Dublin!
E and C
March 24th, 2009
Paris, we “louvre” you! At the onset of our well-deserved two-week break from UCD we jetted off to the lovely City of Lights: Gay Pari!!! Every cliché stereotype was completely dead-on in that magical city. We stayed in a charming hostel in the Latin Quarter (Le Fourcy for any of you who plan on taking a trip). This hostel was unlike any other hostel. “Youth Hostel” was a bit of an understatement as the joint was crawling with , little ones (not the leprechauns you find here) but rather 12 and under kiddos. We were unaffected, however, as the two of us shared our very own boudoir complete with its very own shower…and breakfast (two very uncommon amenities in hostel-living).
Paris
We explored the city and rendezvoused with Kari, who visited Dub town only a week prior. She showed us the same hospitality we showed her and took us to all the non-tourist neighbourhoods where we enjoyed many a crepe and a true ‘taste’ of Parisian lifestyles! Later, after reveling in the majesty of the Eiffel Tower the two of us headed down to the River Seine to enjoy the setting sun, gelato, and the far off melodies of a saxophone. Too bad we were the only non-couple sitting there. That’s the only thing Paris didn’t deliver on—romance. Regardless, we were still very taken by the city. Favorite places, you ask? Hahaha. Well, Montmartre for starters was absolutely adorable complete with bustling cafes and the Sacre Coeur. Drawback? We were badgered by conniving tourist trappers who many a poor soul fell victim to. Watch out for the guys who attempt to tie a string on your finger. It’s not free, in spite of what they say!
Paris
Down the river from the Latin Quarter, in a darling neighbourhood we enjoyed a delectable artichoke tart while sitting elbow-to-elbow amongst friendly French locals!!! The cuisine was divine and so was the experience of eating in a typical French restaurant!
For those on a budget, we recommend the free four-hour walking tour that meets near the fountain near St. Michel. The tour guides are very animated and full of information. Wear comfy shoes! Three days was no where near enough time to spend in one of the most iconic cities in the world. We left already wanting to return and wishing we spoke more French. There’s so much to see and do!
Slan!
Tune in next time for more lasting impressions of our impressions of Dublin!
E and C
March 24th, 2009
Greetings from Ireland!
A lot has happen since we last check in with you guys… we experienced a crazy snow storm in Dublin complete with war-like campus snow ball fights, a weekend trip to Limerick, the UCD musical Guys and Dolls, a day trip to Powerscourt where we saw the gorgeous gardens and waterfall, and most recently a weekend excursion to Belfast.
Our friend Heather, who is studying abroad in France, made a trip up to Dublin to see her favorite gal pals and grab a pint of Guinness last week. Without her knowledge we purchased Franz Ferdinand tickets for their Belfast concert on a whim and decided to make the whole experience a weekend trip!
Heather gladly accompanied us to Northern Ireland on Saturday where we stayed in a darling Bed and Breakfast on Botanic Ave. This reasonable accommodation came complete with a yummy breakfast and friendly staff. That Sunday we took a bus to Giants Causeway which was absolutely phenomenal. We got really lucky and made the trip on a day where there were a lot of billowing clouds, blue skies, and sunshine. The views were amazing… standing on the cliffs with the sea beneath us and the countryside behind us was like a fairytale. After we spent some time frolicking in the fields, mingling with the nearby herds of sheep, and snapping pictures, we headed back to Belfast for Heather’s departure.
Franz-Ferdinand
The next day we enjoyed some shopping and took advantage of the more reasonable prices of Northern Ireland and then prepared for the festivities ahead… Franz Ferdinand was that night! The concert was held in the bottom of the student’s union at the Queen’s University in Belfast. The venue was awesome, and very small and intimate. We got there early to ensure that we’d have a spot close to the band. Success! We were second row… and at times made it to the first row. After an hour and a half of jamming to the tunes of FF and on a music high, we moved on to purchases some memorabilia and enjoy a drink in the student bar with some of the local college students.
The college bar at the Queen’s Uni. is pretty awesome, especially since there are three! After grabbing our garb, enjoying some chit chat with the locals, and grabbing a bit to eat, we hopped on a bus at midnight back to Dublin in order to attend our 9 am classes the next morning. Good students, we know.
It has been a great couple of weeks since our last entry, and a darn good weekend in Belfast! We loved the artsy feel the city gave and the young college vibe, along with the cool history. Check out Belfast!
Log on again soon for more lasting impressions of our impression of Dublin!
Slan!
C and E
March 4th, 2009
Unfortunately our week in LA is now over. We’re back and recovered from the jet lag. It was a very tiring week with every minute of every day being scheduled but it was a fantastic experience. We were extremely lucky to have a wonderful host, Christie, take care of us and show us the different sights of LA and also to look after us with anything we needed during the case preparation.
The case study was given out on Thursday morning after we had randomly selected the groups we were in. We had selected a presentation time of 9.40AM on Friday in a group including University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business, Manchester Business School, Chinese University of Hong Kong and University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler School of Business. The presentation itself was on issues that Nestlé was having in their Nutrition, Health & Wellness division of their U.S. operations which was challenging given the range of issues associated with such a large division. We had 24 hours to analyse the case from the minute we received the case study itself until the presentation time. The case was interesting and tested every part of our business education.
The amount of work involved in preparing the case was intense given the time scale. We developed several innovative solutions for new product lines which linked into the overall Nestlé strategy, as well as considering implementation strategies and calcualating financials for such line extentions and renovation. We then had to compile a two page executive summary and a Power Point presentation based on our analysis and recommendations which we presented to four judges the following day. After very little sleep, we were glad to get back to the hotel for some rest before the final round presentations. In our group, Wharton School of Business came out on top, we are very disappointed that we did not get through to the final as our however, we are still glad we were given the opportunity to represent Quinn School of Business in Los Angeles and to compete against 29 of the other top business schools in the world. We urge everyone to compete in Quinn’s internal competitons next year for a chance to realise such an opportunity like this themselves!! We owe a huge thanks to the hosts that have helped us, all the organisers in USC Marshall, Elaine Hutson our adviser on the trip and everyone in the Quinn School who helped us prepare for the competition including Aoife Doherty and Aileen Pierce who organised the trip and really gave a lot of their time and effort to us.
Fionn, Róisín, Elaine, Lin.
February 25th, 2009
There’s actually a lot that has happened these past few weeks so we’ll highlight a few and bring everyone up to speed!
Being at an actual university has been a breath of fresh air after being coddled like youngsters back at our schools in Madrid and Rome. The UCD campus is legit. We don’t even mind the twenty minute ride into Bellfield from our abode. We feel inclined to mention the top-notch facilities (not to mention staff) of Quinn Business School. The student-friendly work-rooms, schnazzy Insomnia café, and the perk of actually having internet brings us almost to the point of tears when it’s time to say our adieus each afternoon. So maybe that’s a bit of stretch, but it’s a good place to be and do work.
Powerscourt
Now on to the good stuff! Instead of advocating Quinn we’ll move on to Temple Bar and some of its hot spots—Purrty Kitchen in particular. Our first and only experience there thus far, was a good one! Free cover for the ladies and two-for-one cocktails on top of live entertainment and a rockin’ dance floor sweetened the pot. After we had our fill of the live band playing covers of The Killers and Kings of Leon we decided to mosey on to the dance floor; a decision we don’t regret! We dance without inhibition and we expect the same of the opposite sex… so when we saw two freestylin’ hotties bustin some moves, we’re not going to say we weren’t immensely intrigued! After being a titch aggressive in terms of making ourselves obvious they took note! From there commenced 2 hours of an intense America-Norwegian dance off… that’s correct, dance off! We were whipping out moves left and right: the Shopping Cart, Lawn Mower, Sprinkler, even a rendition of Soccer Mom Baking Cookies While On The Phone. It wasn’t nerdy. We were the coolest ones out there. The dance off fizzled after awhile, and Henrik and Nicolai moved in on us. We’re gonna be honest here… they represented their country well… and left favorable impressions. Unfortunately, they were here with their football team and were leaving the Isle the following Monday. All good things come to an end.
Howth
While we’ve been enjoying a semi-typical study abroad experience, our roommate has been hitting it off with the Irish mamas, grandmamas, and homeless men? While at another bar he struck up a conversation with an older lady who ended planting a kiss on his cheek and confessed that she “likes her young-uns young”. Weird? Later he hung out with a clan of 40 year olds at their birthday celebration, and even later had a heart-to-heart with the dancing bum at Temple Bar’s Trad Fest. An atypical experience for an atypical roommate.
Log on again soon for more lasting impressions of our impressions of Dublin!
Slan!
E and C
February 4th, 2009
Hey all! As representatives of the United States of America (Go BARACK) and the University College of Dublin Quinn School we are proud to bring to you our friends, Irish, and countrymen our very own blog. Take a hit of this craic!
We endeavor to share our unique experiences whilst living in the grand city of Dublin. Buckle up… it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!
Previous to our landing on the Emerald Isle, the two of us shared distinct experiences studying in Madrid and Rome. It has been a refreshing three weeks actually being able to communicate, somewhat effectively, with the people in Ireland. Once escaping a possible deportation, Emma and Caroline (that’s us!) arrived in Dublin on January 15th. We were greeted by 4 other giddy American students excited for their semester ahead. Our first thought… “why aren’t they Irish?” Two of them are from Boston College… they like to think that makes them pretty Irish. The other two are straight from Jersey and have enlightened us on the magic that is WaaWaa and guidos. Ahhh… Jersey. Despite our initial lurch that they weren’t of Irish blood, we learned that there still is a lot to discover on our side of the pond. They’re great!
Spain and Rome, which are less modern than Ireland, somehow brought us internet, no ant infestations, and hot water. But we’re not bitter. Luckily, UCD is hooked up with all the technology we need. And the lack of a shower is more our peers problem than ours. Sorry ‘bout that. But don’t get us wrong… the place is great! Located in the heart of the city we have easy access to the tourist sights and wondrous nightlife.
Part of why we came here is to mingle with as many locals as possible, and without the language barrier. Next time we’ll give you a bird’s eye view on some of our escapades and insights. And maybe we will have a video or two for some added entertainment. Looking forward to it, we know you are!
Part of why we came here is to mingle with as many locals as possible, and without the language barrier.
Log on again soon for more lasting impressions of our impressions of Dublin!
Slan!
E and C
February 2nd, 2009
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