Lucy Steele
ISEP Study in Ireland – University College Cork – ISEP Direct
Major: Individualized Studies Major focusing on Art History
Pre-Departure Post
Hi everyone!
Welcome to my first blog post! My name is Lucy Steele, and I am a junior at UMBC majoring in Individualized Studies with a focus in Art History. I am writing this on the morning of January 3rd, and I leave for Ireland tonight! I have an overnight flight, so I’ll be arriving in Dublin at 9 am. I have wanted to study abroad in Ireland since my freshman year, and I am so excited that it’s finally happening!
I’ll be studying at the University College Cork in Cork, Ireland. Cork is in the southern part of Ireland, only a 2-hour train ride from Dublin. I’ll be flying into Dublin and taking the train the next day to Cork! I am so excited to finally see UCC and begin moving in. I’ll be living in a student accommodation building off campus, but only a 5-minute walk to campus, which is so nice.
While at UCC, I’ll be taking mostly Art History and History courses. I’m fascinated by Irish history, so I’ll be taking a class on modern Irish history made for visiting students! I’m also taking a class on Folklore, material culture, and the history of the media in Ireland.
This is my second time studying abroad, but my first for a whole semester. This past summer, I participated in Dr. Oakes’ Art and Power in Japan faculty-led abroad trip, which made me want to travel and study abroad even more! I am so grateful that I am able to participate in these programs and so excited for everything I will learn and experience this semester!
This is my first time traveling to Europe, so I expect some culture shocks. Thankfully, I don’t have to learn a new language to go to Ireland, which makes everything a bit easier.
Recently, I’ve been working on packing and preparing everything I need to bring with me abroad. I do not travel internationally very often, so I’ve been making sure I have all of the documents I need to enter Ireland, so I don’t worry or forget something. Packing has definitely been a challenge. I severely procrastinated and started packing yesterday! Since it will be so cold there, I have to pack a lot of large items like jackets and sweaters, which is not making the process any easier. I’ll be buying most essentials once I get there, so I’m mostly packing clothes. I’m not good at packing lightly, so this has been a learning experience for me since I can only bring so much.
My nerves are definitely beginning to kick in. I’ve been planning this trip for so long, but it hasn’t felt real until now. It’s been something on the horizon for so long that I would be doing in a year or next semester, but now I’m leaving today. I’m sad to be leaving my family and my pets (Augie and June). I’m not looking forward to saying goodbye to them later.
I’m so excited for everything this semester will bring. I know it will be an amazing experience and really force me out of my comfort zone. I can’t wait to update you in two weeks and share more about my time in Cork throughout the semester!
Talk to you soon!
In-Country Post #1
Dia duit (hello)!
I’ve been in Cork for 2 weeks now! Time has flown by already. After arriving in Cork, the first few days were spent collecting everything I needed for my room and apartment. Then I moved in and met all of my roommates!
I’m living in a student accommodation off campus. I have my own room, like a typical dorm room, and my own bathroom. There are seven of us in the apartment, and we have a shared living room and kitchen. There is also a coffee shop right next door, which is going to be dangerous for me this semester.
Most of my first week was spent walking around the city and the university campus. Cork is organized in an interesting wa,y where what we would call “downtown” in the states is called the “city center” and enclosed by the north and south channels of the River Lee. Cork is a harbor city, similar to Baltimore, so water surrounds the city. My apartment and university campus are only a 20-minute walk from the city center so it’s very easy to get there. Walking between my apartment and the city center has allowed me to discover new places. On one walk I found Elizabeth Fort which is tucked away off of a busy road. Walking around the fort gives you a higher up view of the city and Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral which is stunning. Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral is a Church of Ireland cathedral dedicated to the patron saint of the city.
Classes began on January 12th. Since my first post I’ve made some changes to my schedule so now I am taking an art history class on art in Baroque Rome and a Celtic civilization class on ancient Ireland. There are so many classes available to visiting students, I had too many options! I was able to make my schedule so that I only have classes on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday which gives me more time to explore and travel.
When I’m not in class, I’ve been doing a lot of walking around Cork, trying to find new places I haven’t visited. I explored the park here, Fitzgerald’s Park, which is beautiful. I’ve also spent my time getting to know people, in classes and outside of class. I’ve definitely had to put myself out there more in order to get to know people, which is very outside of my comfort zone. I’m a major introvert who likes to have a small group of close friends. Being abroad in a new country at a new school has been a big change but I’m really loving it here and I can tell it’s going to be a great semester!
To close out my blog posts, I’m going to be sharing 5 things I’ve learned, experienced, or noticed while abroad! Here’s the first one:
- The phrase “you are welcome” is sometimes used differently in Ireland. While in the U.S. we use it as a response to “thank you,” here it’s used to welcome people into a space, as well as a response to “thank you”. I’ve been told many times in orientation and classes, “you are welcome to be here” meaning welcome to the school.
- Everyone has a great pair of rain boots and people really don’t care much about the rain.
- Health and food safety is taken very seriously. Restaurants have to follow very strict rules around food preparation and cleanliness.
- Classes are called “modules” and grades are called “marks”.
- If you come to Ireland you’d better know the difference between the Republic of Ireland and the UK. Ireland is not part of the UK, except for six counties in the north.
In-Country Post #2
Welcome back!
Since I’ve updated you all, I’ve really got into a routine here! My classes are in full swing, closing out the 4th week of classes this week. It’s been a bit of a struggle getting used to the grey and rainy weather, but I suppose it’s better than a snowstorm.
A few things I’ve been up to since my last post: I’ve continued to explore Cork City, specifically visiting the Marina Market last weekend. The market was wonderful, there was so much good food as well as local art, clothes, books, and jewelry. It was a great place to get dinner; there were so many options! Then a friend and I did a bookstore shopping day in the city. We went to local places like Vibes & Scribes which is now one of my favorites. I’ve also been to Waterstones which is more likes Barnes & Noble.
The initial shock of study abroad is beginning to wear off, and I’ve become more comfortable here these last few weeks. I generally know my way around and feel confident navigating. It’s been great meeting people and finding things to do together since we’re all new here. I am, of course, missing home a bit, especially with UMBC starting classes this week. I find myself frequently missing food from home, even though Ireland isn’t very different in that area. There are just some things, like Dunkin, that I wish were here.
I
have been enjoying my classes a lot now that I’m feeling more comfortable and settled. I have classes that vary a lot in terms of how they are organized and the class size. I’m in an intro history class which is massive, and then a small art history class that probably has 10 people. I’ve noticed that I really prefer the small classes and generally feel much more comfortable. The classes are also very lecture based which surprised me. In the history and art history classes I take at UMBC they are very discussion based. 
I have one class here that is split into two class periods on the same day, one at 9am and the other at 3pm, where we meet in the morning for the lecture and the afternoon class is our discussion time. It’s a strange set up, given that we’re meeting twice in the same day but in different classrooms, but I like that we have a lecture and discussion.
My history of the media class in Ireland assignment for the semester is based on a conference that we had to attend last week about the 100 years of radio in Ireland. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it very much, but the panels I saw were actually pretty interesting. I listened to a panel about women in the radio business when radio was beginning and learned a lot!
Looking forward, I’m working on planning my trips currently! I have places around Ireland as well as around Europe that I want to visit. This weekend may be my day trip to Blarney Castle (where people kiss the Blarney stone – I’m not doing that) which is only a 30 minute drive from Cork City! I keep hoping that the sun will decide to come out and make my adventures around Cork a bit nicer but that seems pretty rare for this time of year. To close out this post I’ll leave you with my next iteration of 5 things I’ve learned, experienced, or noticed while abroad:
- You often have to pay to use public restrooms (boo!)
- Most of my classes are organized so that we have an in-class exam and a final paper and those are (mostly) our only assignments for the semester. I have readings every week, but no assignments to turn in weekly.
- Support for Palestine is everywhere (yay!)
- There are so many different accents in Cork! Since Ireland is part of the EU, people from other EU countries can come work here and there is a huge international population even other than students. Every day I’ll hear so many different accents which I wasn’t expecting.
- The grading system is very strange. A 70% is an A+ and no one gets a 100%.
In-Country Post #3
Hi everyone!
Welcome back to my blog and my 3rd post in Ireland! Since I’ve last written, I’ve continued to get to know Cork which I continue to love. I’ve been trying new restaurants, pubs, and cafes! I have also started planning my trips around Europe (a little late, I know) and I have a trip planned to Edinburgh, Scotland in March so keep an eye out for that recap!
The most exciting thing I’ve done in these last 2 weeks was going to Blarney Castle and Gardens! It was a day trip for me as Blarney is only a 15 minute drive from Cork City. I took a solo day trip and explored the castle, grounds, gardens, and the Blarney Woolen Mills. Everything was so gorgeous, I spent at least 2 hours exploring. Blarney Castle is very famous, notably for the Blarney Stone which has many superstitions attached to it. The original stone structure of Blarney Castle dates back to the year 1210 but the current structure dates back to 1446. The castle is surrounded by 60 acres of paths, gardens, and forest. There are gardens such as the Poison Garden with poisonous plants, the Fern Garden, the Carnivorous Courtyard, and Water Garden. Blarney House also sits on this land, built originally around the 15th century but was sadly destroyed by a fire and was replaced by the mansion there today in 1874.
I followed the paths and explored the gardens without any intention of going a certain direction and was constantly surprised by what I found. There is a lot of mythology and stories attached to the castle and gardens as well, with Druid Stones and a Witch Stone occupying space in the Rock Close.
Blarney is a very small town, but along with Blarney Castle, it is also home to the Blarney Woolen Mills which has been operating for over 150 years. The mill is considered the largest Irish shop in the world! I spent a lot of time there and bought the most beautiful Irish sweater.
Besides my wonderful trip to Blarney, I’ve been hanging out with friends, trying new foods, and locking in for midterms. This week is “reading week” so many of my classes are canceled to give students time to study for exams and write papers that are due next week. I have a paper and exam next week, as well as a presentation the week after. To be completely honest, it’s been hard to get myself focused on schoolwork. Since my whole routine has changed this semester I’ve struggled to make myself focus like I do when I’m back home. There’s so much to do and see and everything is exciting to me, making it harder to do the less exciting work like studying for an exam. The study part of study abroad is just as important to me as the abroad part because I want to do well in my classes and learn new things, but it does get difficult at times. Managing my time this semester has definitely been a learning experience and sometimes difficult.
In more fun news, I recently got my second tattoo! I went to a wonderful studio called The Ink Collective in Cork City. I got my first tattoo over the summer while on the faculty-led study abroad trip to Japan (there are some great faculty-led trips this summer, be sure to check those out!). I got a heart on my arm inspired by the album cover of one of my favorite bands, Fontaines D.C, who are from Dublin! It’s a tattoo I’ve been planning for a bit, and I thought getting a tattoo referencing an Irish band in Ireland seemed right. I’m so happy with it and love it so much!
I have a lot more on the horizon for this semester so the blog posts will only get more interesting! I have a trip coming up this weekend, so you’ll have to check back so see where I go…
As always, here are 5 things I’ve learned/experienced/noticed while abroad:
- Ireland only uses paper straws. Single-use plastic straws and other single-use plastic products were banned in 2021!
- If you’re an American in Ireland, be prepared to get asked many questions about the US government, especially right now.
- Cork and Dublin have a rivalry over which city is the true capital of Ireland. Cork people are very proud of their city!
- The weather in Cork will change 3 times in the span of 30 minutes. It will be sunny and gorgeous, then start down pouring with the fastest winds, and then 10 minutes later it will be back to sunny weather (reminds me of Baltimore!).
- Classes at my university don’t actually start/end at the times listed on the schedule. Classes start 5 minutes late and end 5 minutes early to give students enough passing time between classes.
Talk soon!
In-Country Post #4
Welcome back!
We have officially hit the halfway point! Yesterday marked 2 months since I arrived in Ireland and I have loved every second here. I have 2 months left now and time is flying by.
To recap the last 2 weeks, I have mostly been dealing with midterms. Last week I had a paper due and an exam and this week I had to give a 15 minute presentation. Thankfully I’m finished with exams for the time being, but I’ll have finals at the beginning and end of April. At UCC classes are finished on April 2nd and Easter recess begins on April 3rd. Easter recess is like spring break but it’s 2 weeks long and there are no classes after. After Easter recess there is a study review week and more finals.
It’s pretty different from academic schedules I’m used to at UMBC. At UMBC we have spring break, return for classes, and then have exams in May. I’m still working on understanding how the schedule works here.
On a more exciting note, 2 weeks ago I took my first trip! It was a weekend trip to Galway on the west coast of Ireland. I went with a group of Cork international students, met great people, and had such a fun time! We took the bus from Cork to Galway and spent the day exploring the town. The next day we took a boat to Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. We spent the day hiking and exploring the island. The next day we headed up to Connemara and visited Kylemore Abbey which had been on my list to visit so it was perfect! The drive to Connemara was so gorgeous and we stopped to see some sheep! We explored the grounds of Kylemore and the inside of the abbey which has been turned into a museum. Then we took the long bus ride back to Cork.
The week following was very busy in terms of school. I spent time hanging out with friends I made on the Galway trip, going out to eat, and seeing movies (Wuthering Heights and The Moment if you’re curious). I have another weekend trip coming up this weekend to Belfast and Derry so be sure to check back for a recap about that trip!
I’ve also begun the process of applying for housing at UMBC next semester and registering for classes. This is something important to remember about study abroad: you still have to do things for UMBC while abroad! I still have to think about when the applications for housing are open, and what time it will be for me since there’s a 5 hour time difference. Now the time of fall class registration is beginning, and I will actually be in Rome when my registration time opens. As much fun as study abroad is, it’s good to remember that you still have to keep up with things at home.
I’m so excited to see what the rest of my time abroad has in store for me. I have a lot planned but some of the best things seem to happen unexpectedly (little Mamma Mia reference…) I’m so excited for my trip this weekend and can’t wait to do a recap here!
On the horizon, St. Patrick’s day is coming up in a few weeks so I know that will be a lot of fun, I’m in Ireland after all! I also have a day trip to Dublin planned for my immigration appointment but I’m turning it into a fun day trip. In Ireland, I have 90 days after arriving to meet with immigration and get my Irish Residency Permit. I also have trips to Edinburgh, Scotland and the Cliffs of Moher coming up!
As always, here are 5 things I’ve learned/experienced/noticed while abroad:
- The west of Ireland seems to speak more Irish than Cork (at least Cork City). In Cork, signs around the city are in Irish and English. In Galway I noticed many signs were only in Irish. I also heard people speaking Irish around Galway and the Aran Islands which I have not heard in Cork.
- Days without rain are very rare. And even though rain is so normal and frequent here, people still complain.
- Many people walk, bike, or take the bus around Cork. It’s not necessary to have a car here like it is in most parts of the US.
- Ginger ale was invented in Belfast!
- Almost everyone I have met has been super friendly. Even quick interactions with people in grocery stores are really nice.