October, my second month at the University of Manchester! This month, I traveled to Dublin, Ireland, with two friends. We scored a cheap flight—roughly $25 round trip. To save on accommodation costs, we decided to fly there and back in one day. One thing I’ve learned during my time in England is how close everything is. The country is about the same size as Missouri, making flights to other countries short and cheap! In Manchester, the airport is easily accessible, about an hour by bus from the university or a 20-minute drive. Though I enjoyed the museums, pubs, and beautiful Irish accents (I’m jealous and wish I had one), I found Dublin a bit too touristy and expensive for my taste. This summer, I’ll be going back to Ireland to explore the cities outside of Dublin before I return to Missouri.

Another great thing about England is the public transportation. I love not needing a car when living in a city here. I was worried it would be difficult to get around, but the bus system in Manchester is so easy to use, fairly inexpensive, and much simpler than driving and parking in the city. I love taking the bus—it’s perfect for people-watching, and going out for drinks or coming back from the club and is safe, easy, and much cheaper than hiring a car. Through my multiple trips to London, I’ve learned to navigate the tube, which is surprisingly easy! Traveling to other places in England is also a breeze with the train. Though train travel here can be more expensive than I’d like, it’s very convenient, comfortable, and impressively scenic. I’ve taken the train from the top of Scotland all the way down to Cornwall in the south of England.

October ended with Halloween, of course, which is surprisingly not as big of a deal in England as it is in America. Trick-or-treating isn’t as common for kids here, and decorating the house for Halloween is definitely not as popular. That said, any excuse to party is music to university students’ ears. My last-minute costume was Luigi, and we had festivities in our flat before heading to a club called Hidden in Manchester city center to dance the night away! Unfortunately, I met six other Luigis that night, so I wasn’t as original as I thought.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: University of Manchester