Travel Writing chronicles in Ireland

Studying overseas presents a novel lens via which younger individuals view the world, distinct from household holidays or guided excursions. 

Last summer season, my expertise in Rome Connection, a two-week summer season examine overseas program for first-year college students, set a excessive bar, and I eagerly anticipated my subsequent two-week summer season program overseas, Travel Writing in Ireland. 

My expectations had been easy: Guinness, fish and chips, the Cliffs of Moher, and pub tradition. Yet, I shortly realized that journey writing calls for extra than simply statement; it requires dealing with the surprising, the irritating, and the deeply private. 

My time in Ireland unfolded via three intense experiences that reshaped my preconceived notions: the fact of pub tradition, the profound solitude of the Cliffs of Moher, and the unsettling feeling of being an “American” overseas.

For many younger vacationers, Ireland’s pub scene is a main draw. I found a desire for Guinness with a shot of blackcurrant, a element a bartender wryly famous was sometimes for first-timers. This instantly highlighted a refined, but persistent, feeling of juvenile awkwardness regardless of being effectively previous the authorized consuming age. It was a wierd sensation, feeling misplaced in an area meant for adults, continuously reminding myself that I used to be sufficiently old.

My first night time in Galway supplied a stark distinction in pub atmospheres. Coyotes Late Bar, with its sticky flooring, dim lighting, and mixture of bachelorette events and younger individuals in Western put on. It felt jarringly like spring break at a Nashville bar. 

My pals and I shortly moved to Skeffs Bar in Eyre Square, a totally totally different world of heat lighting, leather-based seats, and reside music that blended nation and Irish covers. Here, the power was infectious, and becoming in felt easy. While not uniquely Irish, it was an evening the place real connection and pleasure flowed freely—a reminder that one of the best journey moments usually come up from surprising, genuine connections, even when they’re with a crowd singing alongside to Noah Kahan.

The undisputed spotlight of my journey was the Cliffs of Moher, a fixture on my Pinterest imaginative and prescient board and it surpassed each expectation. The wind whipped my hair and stung my eyes, but the views had been breathtaking. 

What actually elevated the expertise was my choice to enterprise off alone after the customer middle, strolling for half an hour in the direction of the ocean stack, previous O’Brien’s Tower. With classical music drowning out the crunch of gravel and the chatter of vacationers, I immersed myself within the panorama. 

It was a second of pure, unadulterated awe, a sense of lightness as I gazed on the huge expanse I had solely dreamed of. This solitary communion with nature was the height of my journey, an expertise I’d recommend doing alone.

Yet, not all reflections had been idyllic. Feeling like an “American” abroad isn’t a praise. I aspire to be a seasoned traveler, adept at navigating new cultures, however in Ireland, I usually felt decreased to a stereotype. 

The most jarring occasion occurred at a membership in Dublin, a well-liked spot for younger American adults. The bouncer’s opening query, “Do you want Donald Trump?,” instantly set an uncomfortable tone. 

My instinctive “No, never!” was the one acceptable reply, but it underscored a pervasive sentiment: a perceived pity for Americans on account of our political panorama. This bias, the grouping with “inexperienced American tourists,” was a irritating undercurrent to my need for unbiased cultural engagement.

I additionally made my share of errors—embarrassing, irritating, and expensive ones. The botched Leap card buy in a bustling Galway SPAR, the place an overwhelmed worker loaded $24 onto a Dublin-only go, was a monetary hit for 5 of us. Standing on the incorrect aspect of the highway at Malahide Castle for 45 minutes, or falling into vacationer lure bars with $15 martinis, had been all a part of the training curve. 

It was straightforward to dismiss these as “dumb American” moments, however I’ve come to appreciate they’re merely the inevitable stumbles of any human studying to navigate a brand new atmosphere. 

As Nathan Oates, English professor and director of undergraduate writing research,  correctly put it, these moments are “Part of the travel experience…”

My time in Ireland, with its numerous and generally unusual classes, has considerably formed my understanding of journey. While I cherish the constructive affect of learning overseas with friends, I additionally acknowledge that group dynamics can, at occasions, hinder particular person studying and pure, unjudged perspective. 

Ireland, in its stark variations from Rome and different nations I’ve visited, has solidified my craving for future solo adventures. To actually be taught from a brand new nation, to soak up its essence with out exterior affect, is now my final journey aspiration.

Keira Bala is a videographer for The Setonian. She may be reached at keira.bala@scholar.shu.edu.