{"id":20,"date":"2023-02-03T16:39:07","date_gmt":"2023-02-03T16:39:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/juliannamariani.me.holycross.edu\/?p=20"},"modified":"2023-02-03T16:39:07","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T16:39:07","slug":"ireland-update-the-start-of-classes-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.holycross.edu\/juliannamariani\/2023\/02\/03\/ireland-update-the-start-of-classes-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland Update! The Start of Classes and More"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s been two weeks since my last post and so much has happened! For one, classes have started. Officially two weeks in. Classes at UCD are quite different from those at Holy Cross. They\u2019re more lecture based and quite large in comparison. Schedules also seem to circulate around two major exams rather than periodic assignments. Regardless, it is a new, exciting experience, and I am thrilled to be a student here! The weekdays consist of going to class, keeping up with reading, cooking meals, going to the gym and spending my evenings with friends. While these are all things I would do at Holy Cross, doing them in a different country is an otherworldly experience. Every day my friends and I have the opportunity to venture into Dublin for any of the many activities the city has to offer. After a day of classes we often make our way into the center. We will either head to a restaurant (Dublin\u2019s food options are never ending) or a pub to listen to Irish music. Night-time is almost magical in a place where the people take every opportunity to celebrate life. That\u2019s one thing we can all learn from the Irish: why wait for the weekend?<\/p>\n

That being said, the weekends do offer an infinite array of adventures for those seeking them. Since we last spoke, I have hiked in Howth (a small coastal town just outside of Dublin), surveyed the Sunday market, kissed the Blarney Stone, stayed at a B&B in the lovely town of Cobh, and ventured through the city of Cork. All of which was a dream. This weekend\u2019s adventure includes flying to London to see what our neighbors have to offer. Plus visiting my roommate who is studying abroad at Oxford! I couldn\u2019t be more excited. Cheers!<\/p>\n