Allie Aron
University of Limerick, Ireland
I am not any bit Irish and, although I was well aware of the beautiful landscapes in Ireland, I had never read much into the culture.
So when I arrived in Ireland a week ago, I immediately asked myself what my purpose was for being here.
Now, I feel like my life has been flipped upside down.
They do speak English here, but they speak a completely different type of English.
Kissing is called “shifting” and when we asked if they had tupperware here they looked at us weird and said, “You mean a lunch box?”
Contributed Photo / Allie Aron
At home, people would say “Did you have fun last night?” but here they phrase it “Did you have the craic (pronounced crack) last night?” which sounded like a drug reference to us, so we became immediately alarmed until we got the, “Oh, you’re study abroad students” look and a further explanation.
It feels as though everything is just the slightest bit different, from the way they phrase their sentences to which side of the road they drive on.
Not to mention they have different foods for each meal and sometimes a beer at noon in between classes from one of the three pubs on campus.
The weather also took some getting used to.
If it doesn’t rain one day, then you can bet it will rain the next. I have walked to class on a clear day and gone into the building to look outside only to see it downpouring.
Although the weather is incredibly indecisive, I notice that the people from here are so used to it that it doesn’t disrupt their plans.
The rain is also essential, seeing how much foliage there is. Every patch of grass is vibrantly green. Whether I’m driving through the different counties or just walking to the grocery store, the colors are so vibrant they look like a painting.
Since I am a nutrition major, I pay a lot of attention to the food that surrounds me. The grocery stores here are less intimidating because there are less advertisements and, also unlike the supermarkets in America, they only have produce that is in-season. Meat and dairy are huge staple foods here and, although I am a vegetarian, I really love how many organic farmers there are.
Additionally, the campus is incredibly environmentally-friendly and they have the heat on for only four hours a day to conserve energy. Also, in the kitchen or every house they provide a trash bin with recycling and compost.
Every Saturday there is a milk market in the center of town, which is like a farmers’ market with all types of food but also music and clothing as well. I think it’s a great event to get people in the community together.
I have joined the International Society on campus, which holds many trips around Ireland that I am really looking forward to, such as Galway, Belfast, Cork and Dublin.
The professors and everyone on campus are passionate about travel and actively encourage it.
In a few weeks, I plan on traveling to Krakow, Poland to visit the concentration camps, but also to experience the city, which is full of culture.
I also have a friend studying in Germany whom I plan on visiting. I also plan on going to the beautiful Amsterdam in late April for Queen’s Day.
As for while I’m in Limerick, I know I’ll stay entertained.
They have a big nightlife here that is also different than what I am used to.
Although in America the weekends are optimal nights to go out, here people go out on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
Beer and whiskey run the show most of the time and the clubs and bars in the center of town fill up around midnight or 1 a.m. and stay open until 4 or 5 a.m.
I still don’t know my exact purpose for being here, but I have accepted I may not know the answer until it’s over.
Meanwhile, I am keeping myself open to learning and experiencing everything that I can.
