Galway…all it takes is one question | Education Abroad GeoBlog

This weekend I made my way to Galway with some new friends I made at Trinity. Being the only American amongst 5 other French students was an experience in and of itself. You might be wondering why and how I managed to integrate myself so quickly because it took me time to piece that together myself. The first tip I would give to anyone who plans on studying abroad is to figure out your surroundings as quickly as possibly. Learn where the landmarks and their surrounding pubs (if you are in Dublin ;P) are and you have the city down in a nutshell. If you are at a university join the clubs and societies it has to offer. Or be bold and ask a simple question to the person sitting next to you in class. It could result in you making a new group of friends or joining that person on an expedition two weeks later.

This is the moment where I feel that I am truly in a different country and far away from anything American. Talking to foreigners seems hard at first until you build up the confidence to do it. On the bright side, everyone here studying abroad or through Erasmus is on the same page and with the same goals: To be in a foreign country, explore it, and meet new people. The Irish are some of the most welcoming individuals I’ve ever met and if you want to meet them they want to meet you. The more people you meet the smaller the city becomes. Especially after walking from your apartment to the east or west or the south or north 45 minutes in each direction.

Location: The Beggars Bush, Dublin

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