Holy moly! Have I really been in Dublin for two weeks? I seriously just had to look at a calendar to realize this. Time has done what it usually does and just whipped right by me without even asking for my permission. Time... it is such a little rebel! Nevertheless I am thankful for what my time in Dublin has brought me thus far. Two weeks is all it took to make me fall head over hills for the exquisite country of Ireland. Its bright green grass, extravagant castles and never ending seas make it easy to love. However, it is not just the beautiful sights that have made me adore every moment spent in Ireland. The friends I have made here have really made the difference.

My first couple of days here were all pretty much a blur with running to the stores to shop for essentials, setting up bank accounts, figuring out the campus layout, getting my school schedule perfected and attending international student events. However, these first days were the days I met lots of my friends and from places all across the world. So far I have made friends with people from Switzerland, Chile, France, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Canada, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Ireland and naturally the United States. This has been by far my favorite part. The University of College Dublin has accepted 4,000 international students this year and from over 120 countries. This is amazing and quite a learning experience that has taught me more in two weeks than any class ever has! For example: I now know how to say cheers in about 4 different languages! How cool is that?!

Seriously I am really just blown away with the experiences I am gaining here. When I signed up for this exchange, I knew that I would learn a lot and have great experiences but my expectations have been exceeded to the max. Every day more than one thing is learned and to me that is what it is all about. It is so cool to talk about the differences amongst all our countries and witness all of these cultures being mixed. My mom once told me that she went to a seminar for work and they told her that you are most like the 5 people you hang out with the most. If this is the case, it should be interesting to see what I am like at the end of this exchange. I would be a mix of French, Irish, Chile, German and American and I would not prefer to have it any other way.

Aside from making the best of friends here in Ireland I have also been super blessed with AMAZING roommates. There is Ryan who is from Ireland and a 3rd year studying Chemistry, Mary who  is from Ireland and is a 1st year studying Medicine and Elliot who is from Iowa and is a 3rd year studying Biomedical Engineering. Not only are they super smart but they are three of the nicest people you will ever meet. The atmosphere in this dorm is absolutely incredible. We all talk in our kitchen everyday for hours and laugh until it hurts. It is the perfect mix and exactly the kind of people that I need to not make me feel homesick. We are a family and I love them all already!

Since I am fortunate enough to have Irish roommates I have really gotten to hear some of the crazy Irish slang and have even caught myself  saying lots of the words. Here is a little list of things they say that is different.

Irish Slang:
Shifting= Making out
What is the craic= What's up?
They are good craic= they are good fun
Nickers& Trousers= pants
Bogger= a person from the country
Taking the piss= making fun of ( slagging off)

Words that are said A LOT:
Proper
Grand
Lovely
Posh


Now that you know a little about how the Irish talk, I will now enlighten you on their way of life.

Irish Way of Life:
1. They drink a lot. There is a student bar in the middle of campus and students have the opportunity to go in between classes and enjoy a pint.
2. Not very many students have cars.
3. They are very relaxed on time and are not planners.
4. Many of them curse very often.
5. Their 3 meals are breakfast, dinner and tea instead of breakfast, lunch and then dinner.
6. Most students go home every weekend.
7. There seems to be a divide between city people and country people
8. Soccer, Hurling and Rugby are huge here.
9. They like their potatoes.
10. Many students talk during the lecture.
11. No girls carry backpacks
12. Fake tans are the thing and many girls wear insane amounts of makeup
13. More young people smoke here.
14. Every one knows everyone in Ireland.
15. They blame everything on the English.

Now that you are a little more educated on the Irish I guess I can inform you on my education and how classes are going. I am taking four classes. Three agriculture related courses and 1 German course. The German is my favorite by far and very challenging. I love all my classes and could not have gotten a better schedule because I only have class on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so I plan on traveling a lot! I already booked a flight to Rome for November 1st and still plan to go to France, Spain, the UK and Greece.

Words can't explain how excited I am for these trips or how happy I am here in Ireland. Thank you to those of you who are constantly checking in and making me feel loved and missed while I am thousands of miles away.  I love you all!

Cheers, Sante, Prost, and Slainte.
Bobbi

The last time I wrote I was nervous and just starting my two week journey in Germany. I had not seen Nils yet and had no idea of what to expect. Now, almost two weeks later I have a flood of emotions and experiences. It does not feel like it has just been two weeks because it has been jam packed with a whole new way of life. I will try to give you a summary of these beautiful weeks but I am certain that words will not give my time here in Germany justice.

When I arrived to the Dusseldorf airport in Germany I was seriously shaking with the excitement of seeing my boyfriend. I waited at the baggage claim for what seemed to be forever and then made my way towards the exit (where Nils told me to meet him). When I walked out I was searching for Nils and I immediately saw him coming towards me with a huge grin on his face and a sunflower in hand. It was the perfect moment and the one I had been waiting for, for months. That day was exhausting and we didn’t do much because I was so tired. However, I did get to see his university and have lunch with a few of his friends and two of the other German students who studied at A&M last spring. I also rode on a train and subway for the first time and had a realization that even the smallest of things are different in Germany. I was actually quite frustrated the first day and was left feeling hopeless. I had broken Nils’ shower door, was confused by the toilets and was just really in shock that I was in another country when just the day before I was in Texas.

Ever since that first day in Germany, the time has just flown! I have learned something new each and every day and have had the opportunity to see some of the most breathtaking sights one could ever see. These last two weeks have been a dream come true. With meeting Nils’ family and friends, reuniting with the German students who studied at Texas A&M last spring, exploring Nils’ hometown, taking day trips to Aachen, Duelmen, Cologne and the Netherlands, vacationing in Berlin for a week and last but not least spending time with my incredible boyfriend who went out of his way to make sure my time in Germany was perfect.

Since I can’t tell you EVERYTHING about my trip to Germany, seeing that it would take well over twenty pages I will just create a list of things I have learned. Here we go!

THINGS I LEARNED IN GERMANY:

1.       Toilets in Germany are different…

2.       Germany is SOOOO green!

3.       They recycle in Germany… like a lot.

4.       Germans are planners.

5.       Pretty much everyone can speak English.

6.       Texas public transportation systems SUCK!

7.       Germany has lots of graffiti within the city.

8.       People dress up every single day. I really miss my Nike shorts!

9.       If you do not like potatoes, sausage, bread or noodles, you’re screwed in Germany.

10.   Want to see a church? Go to Europe! They will take your breath away.

11.   Want to fall asleep in church? Go to Europe! There are no young people and the church music is dark and not refreshing for the soul in the slightest bit.

12.   It is hard to find a public restroom that you do not have to pay to use.

13.   Germany is a friendly atmosphere for homosexuals.

14.   Every German wears house shoes.

15.   Converse are in style.

16.   Germans like to drink!

17.   You must have a bike in Germany.

18.   Lots of people smoke in Germany.

19.   Yard=Garden for the Germans.

20.   Air condition is not necessary for survival everywhere. ( I have not had air condition for 15 days)

 

So you get the gist. I have learned a lot, seen a lot and lived a very different life these last two weeks. It has been a whirlwind but I have enjoyed every moment of the ride.

…

Now I am in my dormitory at the University of Dublin and all I can say is that it has been a long day. Today is the day that it hit me that I am really doing this. I am really studying in another country for a semester and it feels like it is my freshman year of college all over again. I am entering a whole new world full of unfamiliar faces and places.

Today as I completed the mile journey with my two suitcases from the bus stop to the residence check in, I came across local freshmen who were checking in with their parents and moving all their belongings into their dorm. There were tears shed from saying goodbye and I couldn’t help but think of how far I have come since my freshman year at A&M when I was daunted with the task of telling my own family bye as well. I remember balling as I said goodbye, knowing that they were a whole 3 1/2 hours away. I thought that was hard but now I am in another country moving into a dorm by myself and with my family being across the ocean. I had no one to help carry my luggage, buy my groceries, make sure my dorm looked cute or assure that I had everything that was needed. I arrived to a dorm that had no toilet paper, towels, sheets, bed spreads, hangers, bowls/plates, or food. I had no car to go get this stuff and didn’t know where the bus stop was and when asking a local, I couldn’t understand them because of the thick Irish accent. I was seriously alone in another country and didn’t know a soul and that is the experience I came here for. Although frustrating at times, growing up is inevitable and I can’t think of a better way to do it than by spending a semester abroad in the gorgeous city of Dublin. The campus is beautiful and the people are lovely.

 I have met one of my roommates, Elliot who is from Iowa but attending Syracuse in New York and he is GREAT! He really knows what I am going through and we have been counting on each other to get through the day.  Our other two roommates’, 1 more boy and girl should be arriving sometime this week! This week will be an exciting one for sure. I am feeling quite overwhelmed with things that must be done before classes start Monday but I am truly excited to see what this semester has in store. I will be sure to keep you all updated the best that I can.

Cheers,

Bobbi