Week 1

Greetings from Dublin!

This has been the busiest 72 hours of my life but I'm finally settling in!

Monday we got here and took a neighborhood tour of the area. There are so many cute coffee shops and small pubs to explore nearby and Grafton Street isn't too far of a walk from my dorm. I am living with another Elon student and two French students! They speak English pretty well so we mainly speak English considering how badly my French has gone down hill.

Tuesday we had orientation at the Dublin Business School. There are about 40 students from Elon studying here and I don't know most of them, so it's been great getting to meet new friends! After orientation, the FIE program took us out to a delicious three-course dinner at a fancy French restaurant. It was absolutely delicious! The girls and I then proceeded to head out to a nearby pub called Whelan's which is the pub from P.S. I Love You! We recognized the pub as we explored and even saw Gerard Butler's autograph on the wall by the bar! I had my first regular Bulmer's there and it was delicious (I lovee the cider). I also tried a Carlsberg which was also good (but not a cider). The local Irish folks were so friendly and fun to talk to. It was a great first night out at the pub!

Today we went on a double-decker bus tour of the city. The sun was shining for most of the day which made for beautiful scenery and great picture-taking! We saw Saint Stephen's Green, Saint Patrick's Church, Phoenix park, and obviously many of the colorful buildings and doors characteristic of Dublin. 

The most beautiful Georgian door in Dublin! The ivy had all turned because of the Fall weather and was a brilliant crimson color. Also, we had the most beautiful weather to take pictures!

 Saint Patrick's Cathedral! The gardens here were absolutely fantastic.

Megan, Jon, and I at the gardens. This was during our Dublin City bus tour! 


We've been going from one thing to the next so far and have certainly been tossed into city life here in Dublin. Tonight we had our first class and focused on Irish politics and their comparison to those in the U.S. I am looking forward to having a set class schedule so I can start getting to know my professors and start really exploring the city and the countryside! That's it for now, I'm exhausted after last night at the pub so I should go to bed. I'll add more soon!