An adventure cut short

Isabel Griffith-Gorgati, Princeton University, USA

This Hilary Term saw nearly all visiting students have their time in Dublin abruptly cut short by the novel coronavirus in March. I booked a flight home on March 14th and was back home in Boston on March 15th, safe and healthy and still trying to process this unexpected goodbye.

Self-isolation has prompted me to reflect a lot on my two months in Dublin, especially the level of freedom that I felt on study abroad. Like many others, I went from the period of the most freedom I’ve had in my life to the period of the least freedom I’ve ever felt. I thought I’d reflect on some of my favorite memories from my brief time in Ireland this spring, for which I am so grateful.

The first, of course, is attending classes on Trinity’s campus! The architecture is beautiful, and as soon as you walk through the front entryway there is a sense of calm as the noise of the city center fades away. My home university, Princeton, is often referred to affectionately as the “orange bubble,” but it is a way away from the nearest city. I loved that Trinity combines a homey campus feel with a vibrant city culture just outside its gates. I enjoyed walking just across the street with my art history class to see works of art in person at the National Gallery of Ireland. Two of my favorite spots to eat near campus were Mama’s Revenge (for a cheap burrito) and Bewley’s Café. Bewley’s is a bit pricier, but worth it for one of the best coffees you’ll find in Dublin, a beautiful interior, and some cool literary history for all my fellow English majors.

Here’s Trinity on a beautiful sunset in January.

Before arriving in Dublin in January, Galway was already close to my heart as I spent the summer of 2019 interning for the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children in the tiny city on the west coast. It was special to be able to reunite with friends in Galway, as well as to show some Princeton friends around one of my favorite places when they visited in late January!

Here I am with my friend Emma on a visit to Galway City.

Museums are always at the top of my list of places to explore in any new city. Dublin is full of them, including many that are free of charge, and they’re a perfect activity for a rainy day (of which there are plenty in Ireland). One of my favorite free museums in Dublin is the Hugh Lane Gallery. I especially loved their collection of gorgeous Irish stained glass.

Irish stained glass by Harry Clarke at the Hugh Lane Gallery

Howth is a nearby coastal town that’s a must-visit for anyone living in Dublin – it is just a quick train ride away, but it feels like you’ve left the city far behind. Visiting Howth with a friend was one of my last moments of pure calm before being sent home from Dublin. We walked along the coast and bought tea at the adorable Waggy Tail Tearooms, which serves the best scone I’ve ever had in my life.

Here I am in Howth on March 6th, 2020

I have much more to explore in Dublin and the rest of Ireland. I know I’ll be back as soon as I can make it.

The view from my airplane as I flew out of Dublin on March 15th

How to Explore Outside of Dublin

By Sarada Symonds, Visiting Student Blogger

The Cliffs of Moher are definitely a must-see if you’re visiting Ireland.

Dublin is one of those cities that is steeped in history and culture, and Trinity College is right at the heart of it. However, Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle for a reason, and you should definitely plan to get out of the city and explore the rest of the island. Ireland has plenty of sites to see, and you’ll probably recognize some of those sites from movies and tv. However, while some of these sites are relatively close to Dublin, others require several hours of driving to reach. Other times, you may want to leave for a few days and see what the rest of Europe has to offer. Here’s some of the best ways to make sure you take advantage of your time here in Ireland.

A Journey Around Dublin’s Coastal Towns and Villages

by Alvise Renier

Visiting Student Blogger, Università degli Studi di Udine, Italy

Dublin is more than a vibrant and chaotic city, more than Guinness and Temple Bar, more than Trinity College. Are you fed up with the bustling and buzzing streets of the city centre, with all the cars, buses, bicycles, people rapidly walking to their job, and students running, trying not to miss their next lesson? Let’s take a journey back to the past and visit the picturesque villages and fishing harbours located just a few minutes from the College. Let’s take a journey to the unknown Dublin!

TOP THINGS ABOUT LIVING IN DUBLIN AND IRELAND

Our Global Ambassadors here at Trinity  hail from a range of countries: from Brazil and the US to India and Hong Kong.  They have co-written a blog post about the top things they love about living in Dublin and Ireland. 

Dublin:

Dublin is an extremely student-friendly and international city. Every time I walk around I hear at least one different language other than English, and that makes me feel even more connected to it. In Dublin you also get the best of both worlds, as the city offers everything you would expect from a capital city, but it is much smaller than other urban centres. In a way, you have the same opportunities just not as much chaos! As a literature student, I love “getting lost” in the narrow streets of Dublin. Whenever a new semester begins I go on a hunt for cheap books. My favourite shops are The Secret Book and Record Shop, Chapters and Oxfam.

Luiza Maddalozzo, 3^rd Year English Literature and Theatre Student from Brazil

 

Dublin is booming as an international hub. I love wandering around Grand Canal Docks where all the multi-national companies like Facebook and Google are located. Combined with the gorgeous Bord Gáis Theatre, it feels like you’re in a more futuristic setting and the opportunities are endless.

Audrey Chew, 4^th Year Sociology and Psychology Student from Malaysia

BITESIZE TOP 10 COURSES: BUSINESS, ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL STUDIES (BESS)

Grace is one of our US students who is in her fourth year in Trinity.  Here she lets us know about her experience of studying BESS at Trinity, one of our Top 10 Courses. 

Your name: Grace Tierney

Where you’re from in the US: Annapolis, Maryland – a small coastal town about an hour from Washington, DC.

Your year of study: Final year (4^th year)

Your programme of study / course:
Business, Economics, and Social Studies (BESS) – getting a dual honors degree in Political Science and Sociology. 

What made you decide to study your course at Trinity?

I liked that BESS allowed the opportunity to choose from different degree options rather than choosing a course that bound your degree from day one.

What, if anything, was the most challenging thing about moving to Ireland to study?

The most challenging thing about moving to Ireland for me, as crazy as it sounds, was that I didn’t anticipate it being challenging at all. Going in to my first year at Trinity, not expecting to miss home or experience any culture shock at all (naïve, I know) meant that when those things happened, they really threw me for a loop. Luckily, the Trinity community really helped me find my footing and my friends were there when I needed them. 

How did you overcome the challenge?

As silly as it sounds – I overcame this challenge by letting time run its course. Homesickness and culture shock are things that get better with time and patience. Committing to doing everything I could to make sure that I was building a life in Dublin and making the most of my time at Trinity, through making great friends, exploring Ireland, focusing on academics, and getting involved in societies really helped me feel at home and helped make the transition easier.

What aspect / module of your course have you enjoyed studying the most so far and why?

I’ve really enjoyed getting a more global perspective in my subjects – especially politics. If I had gone to university in America it most likely would’ve been a school in Washington DC and while I love DC, I know that I am getting a more worldly perspective studying politics outside of the “American bubble.”