It's been a while since my last post because I have been on spring break! It was the best time of my life! It began on March 26th and ends this weekend which is sad because I, like all students, do not particularly want to go back and begin preparing for exams.
That being said, it was one of the best experiences having such a lengthy break from classes, I started off in Paris, France which in my completely honest and unbiased opinion was not all it is cracked up to be. That could be because in every movie and tv show that Paris is mentioned in the characters describe it as a magical place with charismatic people. As much as I would have loved for that to have been my experience with it, it unfortunately was not. While I did get to see the Eiffel Tower which is one of the wonders of the world, the people were unkind towards Americans, the Metro was significantly more difficult to use than the underground, and many places were closed due to the upcoming Olympic Games. Perhaps if I were to go back at a time when it was less busy or with my family so that they could create the itinerary and I could just follow along it would be more fun but for right now it is personally ranked 6/10. That is only Paris though, I am sure the rest of France is lovely.
Next, I flew back to Manchester, and took a train into London to meet up with my family! It was a long-awaited reunion and I am so beyond thankful for it. I got to show them around London and take them to see all of the city's sights. I also taught them how to use the underground which I love, but as they have made me aware, it takes a minute to get used to. I absolutely adore London, and it was nice to get to show my family why I enjoy it so much.
Finally, we took a short plane ride to the beautiful country of Ireland. We went to Dublin for a day and a half and just walked around the city seeing Trinity College and Temple Bar which are both famous sights. We also had some of the best fish and chips I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. I got to meet up with my cousins and we had such a blissful time in Dublin, I would recommend visiting to any college student looking to study abroad and venture away from their home base. After Dublin, we headed to Giants Causeway and then Belfast. Giants Causeway was one of the most beautiful feats of nature I have ever seen. The ocean and the cliffs were a sight to behold. Belfast is where my grandfather was from and it was nice for my mother to get to see where he grew up which was nice for me to bear witness to. Belfast also had a wonderful museum based off of the building of the Titanic which is another thing I would recommend visiting if you were to ever find yourself in Northern Ireland.
That was all I went to see with my family before coming back home to Liverpool and finally, after two weeks, I was back where I belong, other than Columbia, SC of course. I got to show them where I shop, the docks, and my university. It was my favorite part of the trip because they finally got to see me in my natural habitat. It also allowed them to see that the place that I am studying is safe and that they do not need to be as worried as they most likely were the first few months, for the next seven weeks. I cannot believe that I now only have four more weeks of classes before exam season begins, but I am excited for what they bring I am going to be exploring more of the United Kingdom and having my last few times to see my friends from all over the world which is incredibly bittersweet, but we have already decided to make the most of our time left.
I am excited to see my family soon though as well, you do not realize how much you miss home until you see someone from it. But I know that I will see them in no time, and be begging to come back shortly after.
Have a wonderful week,
Ainsley Porter xx
PS: I went to Edinburgh during break as well, but more on that next week!
