One of the best parts of studying abroad in Ireland was exploring Dublin and the surrounding areas. My favorite place I visited was the Botanical Gardens. It was gorgeous and I went back multiple times. My absolute favorite day of exploring Dublin was the day I went to the Botanical Gardens in the morning, walked around to look at the plants, and sat down on a bench to read my book. Then, in the afternoon, I walked around Glasnevin Cemetery before going to a famous pub next to the cemetery to get a pint. A lot of my favorite places I visited had to do with nature, including St. Stephen’s Green and Phoenix Park.

Finding my favorite restaurants and places to get a sweet treat was also a lot of fun. I found a lot of these places through recommendations from my coworkers and other locals. One of my favorite meals was from a restaurant called San Sab where I got a spice bag. A spice bag is a dish unique to Ireland that features fried chicken, peppers, and onions on top of fries coated in a spice blend. Talking to locals is the best way to find hidden gems within a big city like Dublin. They can help steer you away from tourist traps and help you live more like a local. Traveling around Ireland was also an incredible experience. I visited the Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Westport, Howth and more. Traveling to Galway was my first time on a train! Each place holds so much history and unique landscapes and beauty. It was incredible getting to see and hear about all the stories associated with each town.

Visiting the Cliffs of Moher was ethereal almost. We traveled there on a day bus tour and our tour guide told us how people used to think the cliffs were the edge of the world before the Americas were discovered and looking at them with that frame of reference made them all the more mystifying. What made so many of these experiences and travels all the more special was the fact that I experienced so many of them alone. I’d never solo traveled before this trip, and it was honestly such a therapeutic experience. I think that adventure of doing things on my own, eating in restaurants alone, and it being up to me to plan my itineraries and trips was so much more valuable and taught me so much about myself in a way that spending time with others never could have.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Global Internships