No one tells you that when you first arrive in a new country, you are not going to feel very different. Of course, you will miss your friends and family, the cars may be on the wrong side of the road, and the accents may be much cooler, but everything about yourself feels the same. You have the same feelings, habits, tendencies, hobbies, and more. You will not just immediately become this new person because you are living in a new country.
However, though this initial arrival can be underwhelming, especially after a long day of travel, as you find your room, begin to make friends, and explore your city, you will feel a new side of yourself forming. You have new relationships, with people and with your environment. A lot of things will remind you of home, though, like your Irish Uber driver playing country music.
Some of the greatest differences I have noticed between Ireland and the U.S., so far, are that cars drive on the left side of the road, there is an expectation of environmental conscientiousness, and there is no order regarding where you walk on the sidewalk. The most foreign thing I have seen is the cars with driver seats on the opposite side. Overall, it is not too different.
Given all this, my first impression of Ireland was how it smelled. The air is so fresh, no doubt due to the abundance of greenery and the environmental preservation efforts in this country. This is one of the things I was most excited about. Almost everywhere you look, you see green, whether it's a rolling field, plush moss, crawling vines, or towering trees. The typically cloudy, misty, and rainy atmosphere adds to this, creating a moody vibe that makes you feel like you live in Twilight, a jazz song, or a Jane Austen novel. All of this is complemented by the crisp, but moist feel of the air and the sounds of birds and rushing water from the nearby River Shannon. There are not many cars around, so it is very peaceful.
While this environment was immediately comforting and exciting, I slowly began to encounter challenges upon my arrival at the University of Limerick. One of my first issues was understanding the instructions from the nice, Irish security guard who was telling me how to get to my building. Next, conquering the heater in my room to combat the chill night breeze. Then, realizing how even a five-hour time difference from home feels monstrous when you are alone and need a friend to talk to. Also, though I am excited to grow my skills in environmental consciousness, the outlet switches and the garbage system took a minute to figure out. Next, getting food, towels, cleaning supplies, and more is not very easy when you do not have a bus card yet. Finally, it took a minute to meet my roommates since everyone was napping after their travels.
On my second day, I walked with my neighbors to an Aldi about thirty minutes away from our village and bought some necessary initial food items. Then, I decorated my dorm and trekked out on my own to find a coffee shop. I bought a delicious raspberry matcha and drank it while walking down a nature path right by my dorm. Despite these activities, I still felt anxious because I had not met many people, I spent most of the day alone, and the grocery store did not have everything I needed.
Despite these initial challenges, by my third day in Ireland, I started to feel much better. This was the first day of orientation and we had a coffee meet-up, a shopping center trip, and a speed friending event. Throughout the day, I made dozens of new friends from all over the world. I also got to know my roommates, and we all made and ate dinner together.
On the fourth day, we had a welcome presentation, a campus tour, and an event called Trad Night. The first two were informational, but Trad Night stole the cake. This event is held at the campus pub: The Stables Club. An Irish band with a fiddle, Irish flute, accordion, and more plays music for a few hours in the pub’s courtyard while students mingle and get food and drinks. Then, they have Irish dancers perform for us and even teach students to dance. It was hilarious watching everyone try to learn and the environment was phenomenal.
Now, on my fifth day in Ireland, we had an academic information session, an Irish Resident Permit (IRP) session, and a scavenger hunt so far. It was weird learning how differently the process of class registration works here because it has so much more fluidity. Additionally, the task of getting an IRP card is daunting. However, the scavenger hunt was amazing and gave me a chance to meet more people! Tonight, there is a movie night where we will watch The Secret of Kells, and then there is another event at The Stables Club, which I look forward to greatly!
Everyone has been so kind and excited to meet people. My heart feels warm, and I greatly anticipate growing these relationships throughout the semester.
The rest of this week is more orientation! I look forward to fitness classes, the Milk Market, and the Cliffs of Moher. Stay tuned!
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