My First Weekend in Dublin

I’m officially in Dublin!  I’m already loving this city more than I could have ever expected.  And while it’s hard being away from my family and friends, I’m ready to make the most out of my short time abroad. 

My first weekend here gave me just a short taste of what to expect this summer. 

Friday  

In the morning, my roommates and I ventured across Dublin to our final orientation session. It was our first time on the Luas (Dublin’s train system) and we managed not to get lost. We also met a super friendly security guard who chatted with us about our travels.  

After an orientation session where we learned more about our internship placements and our summer classes, I took the Luas back to the apartment. I needed to spend the rest of the afternoon running errands. I went to the bank, the grocery store, and the drugstore.  I’m feeling much more settled now that I’m stocked up on home-y necessities like tissues, zip-loc bags, and bagels.

Saturday 

IES Abroad provided all of the interns with tickets for the hop-on-hop-off tourist bus.  I spent the afternoon touring the city with a small group of fellow interns I met during orientation. We rode the entire loop, taking pictures and soaking in the geography of our new home. I added about a dozen new sight-seeing opportunities to the ever-growing list on my phone. 

After we completed the full loop, we ventured out into the Temple Bar area of the city.  We got delicious donuts and bubble tea to refuel before heading to Trinity College. We needed pre-booked tickets to enter the library (I’ll definitely purchase tickets soon!), but we could walk around the grounds for free. We even saw a beautiful bride enter a church on campus for her wedding!

Finally, we explored The National Gallery of Ireland. We thought we’d only have time to see a fraction of the museum, but it’s not too big. If you only have an hour or two to dedicate to a museum, I would highly recommend checking this one out.  Our favorite exhibit was the stained-glass windows. 

Sunday 

On Sunday I spent the afternoon thrift shopping, and further exploring the Temple Bar district. I’ve only ever been thrift shopping once, but the people I went with were far more experienced.  While I don’t have a large reference-point, I would say that the shops here varied a little bit from typical thrift shopping in the U.S. The stores were highly curated, and seemed very focused on antiques.  I loved looking through the jewelry, cameras, pins, and books. I’m collecting postcards during my time abroad, and I added the first one to my collection at my favorite of the stores we visited.  This particular store also happened to be playing an album from one of my favorite bands, ABBA. 

We also experienced such a genuine moment of kindness during our shopping trip.  Just as one of the members of our group was posing for a picture in a particularly photogenic alleyway, a young woman gifted her a bouquet of flowers!  She didn’t give us a reason, just told us to have a great day and waved as she walked away.  We couldn’t stop gushing over her act of spontaneous kindness.  I know it’s a stereotype, but I’ve encountered some of the friendliest people during my short stay in Dublin. 

Monday

Monday was a bank holiday, so we got an extra long weekend and decided to spend our bonus day off in Howth.  Just a fifty minute bus ride away, Howth is a stunning seaside town with gorgeous views, delicious food, and so much green space. 

The bus route goes to the top of a stunning cliff, and it’s a short but scenic hike down to the piers.  I already can’t wait to go back and embark on a longer hike through the cliffside.  We spent the rest of the day exploring the shopping near the piers (I purchased a second postcard!) and eating lunch from a small fish and chips stand.  

While this weekend was full of fun adventures, I can’t pretend it wasn’t difficult.  Honestly, these few days were my dream and my nightmare all at once.  I get anxious in new social situations, and it’s easy for me to want to hide from the rest of the world and miss out on important bonding moments.  Almost every day I had to force myself to leave my room to go on adventures with my new friends, and I’ve called home nearly every day.  If you’re reading this while feeling anxious about an upcoming experience, I urge you not to let your fear hold you back.  Take a deep breath, lean into your support system, and remind yourself why you chose to take this leap in the first place. You’ve got this!