By Melani Opacki

On almost every college campus there are students who choose to study abroad for a semester or two. A few years ago, I never imagined that I would be one of them. I was perfectly happy attending Holy Cross and living my all-American lifestyle ~ and I could not imagine leaving my own school, my closest friends, weekend nights out, and “Grey’s Anatomy” on Thursdays! However, my stubborn attachment to America did not last for long. Maybe it was because I wanted to explore a different country and meet new people (or maybe it was because I realized that I could still watch “Grey’s” episodes by downloading them on iTunes); nevertheless, I did spend a year abroad ~ a year abroad at Trinity College, Dublin, and it turned out that leaving the comforts of HC was not all that bad. In fact, as my Irish flatmate Deirdre says, it was a year filled with plenty of “good craic” (and I should clarify ~ the Irish use “craic” to mean “fun”).

So, how did I end up making the decision to go to Dublin for a year? Well, I wanted to be independent, live and study in Dublin, and experience the Irish culture and its people. From October to March, I researched and applied to a few Irish universities through the Study Abroad Department at Holy Cross. It was a long, meticulous, and tiring process. There were essays, forms, interviews, and many lists of pros and cons; but last spring I finally decided to accept the offer that I received to attend Trinity College, and it was well worth my efforts.

So, I packed (well, stuffed) as much as I could into my two allotted check-in bags, and in October I arrived in Dublin with five fellow HC students (whom I had not known beforehand). The first few weeks were a struggle to adjust to foreign surroundings, make friends, and set up our apartments (from cell phones to linen to silverware, we had to find and buy it all!).

However, I quickly grew accustomed to Dublin, adapting to the slower pace and coming to better understand the accent. I even remembered those small but important differences ~ like bringing my own bag to the grocery store to avoid being charged for plastic bags and, much more importantly, learning to expect the cars to drive on the left side of the road! I also soon realized that professors don’t adhere to scheduled office hours, and the administration finds no shame in taking lengthy lunch breaks.

It was very easy to make friends with other Americans, a little more challenging to get to know the Irish…but I am lucky to have still made some life-long friends and have met a lot of interesting people from all over Europe. That’s not to say that I didn’t miss my friends and family from home because I indeed did, but calling cards, emails, and Facebook kept us easily in touch.

I attended lectures and seminars during the week, but compared to HC, I spent less time in the classroom as Trinity places more emphasis on individual work. So as an English major, I spent a good amount of time reading and writing. Searching for books in their library was no quick task either!

During my time there I traveled throughout Ireland and mainland Europe and got to know the city of Dublin very well. I even took a numbing swim in the Irish Sea! I frequently browsed the stores along the famous Grafton Street (the 5th Ave of Dublin). I went on runs through St. Stephens Green Park and on the nice days I read in the more intimate park, Merrian Square. Oh, and by the way, Dublin does get its fair share of rain, but I actually preferred the weather over there!

So where did I spend many nights? Well, the pubs of course! Whether Irish or American, all my friends and I were frequent visitors to college hot spots such as the “Pav” and Doyle’s. We also ventured to the popular and trendy Temple Bar area on the weekends, finding it filled mostly with tourists. By the end of the year I’d really grown to appreciate the quintessential, original Irish pubs. Grabbing a pint during the week with some friends is as common and casual as, say, grabbing a cup of coffee in the States. So, while the Irish enjoy their pints of beer, they mainly drink to socialize, relax, and talk with a few friends or listen to music.

I had an amazing year, but eventually June arrived and it was time for me to come home. I was excited to see family, friends, and familiar places, but it was very difficult leaving ~ I miss my Irish friends, their easy-going Irish lifestyle, Trinity’s beautiful campus, having a pint of Bulmer’s (Irish Cider) at O’Neil’s Pub, and walks along the River Liffey. It was a bit of a culture shock to enter back into the big and busy American way of life, and I imagine it will be fun, but also strange, to be back at Holy Cross in a few days.

Needless to say, I loved my experience abroad, and I encourage all college students to take advantage of the opportunity. I attended some very interesting lectures, but the majority of learning happened outside the classroom! It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel, see the world from a different perspective, and get to know a new country, its people, and have a lot of fun!

If your own college or university does not have abroad programs (or ones that appeal to you), then don’t hesitate to do some searching online and go through another school!