On presentation day, I entered class armed with Waterford Crystal, an Aran Islands Irish wool sweater, photos of the ancestral seat on my mother's side (Dromoland Castle), home-made Irish stew, and my performance of "When Irish Eyes are Smiling."
Ever since that time, one of my strongest desires has been to visit the Emerald Isle. When the opportunity arose to study in Ireland, I jumped at the chance. A spring session Public Relations course was being offered in Dublin by the University of Texas, which I attend. While I would like to say that the top-notch curriculum and educational experience in the classroom was the major draw for me to come to Ireland, this would be dishonest. The real educational experience in coming to Ireland lies in cultural exploration, in the discovery of my past, and in the appreciation of the future of this nation.
Because of this, I'm looking forward to all of the cultural/touristy activities that I will be able to take part in. This past weekend, I took a walking tour of Dublin where I saw homes of such Irishmen as Oscar Wilde and James Joyce; I drank my first Guinness, had fish and chips, explored the Dublinia museum that explains Dublin's Viking past, spent hours in the sanctuary and crypt of Christ Church Cathedral, and hiked through Glendalough, the ancient monastic site in the picturesque Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin. These simple activities are all leading to a greater understanding of the culture of this country, and hopefully to a more solid connection with my past.
That's going to be the focus of this blog: the education I receive outside of the classroom by experiencing all that Ireland has to offer. So buckle up, get excited, and learn with me. In Ireland, Out of the Classroom.
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| This is me at the top of a mountain in Glendalough. |
Dublinia Website: http://www.dublinia.ie/
Christ Church Cathedral: http://cccdub.ie/
Glendalough: http://www.glendalough.ie/
