A writer once said, "Either the soul is on the road, or the body is on the road; one must always be in motion." This profound statement captures the essence of both reading and traveling, two powerful experiences that shape and enrich our lives. Through reading, we expand our minds and feed our inner world, embarking on intellectual journeys that allow our thoughts to evolve and grow. On the other ...
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In China, although the culture of studying abroad is not as prevalent as it was a decade ago, the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, followed by the citywide lockdown in Shanghai from April 2022, reignited the desire among some returnees to venture abroad once more. One such individual is my colleague—let’s call him Benjamin (a pseudonym)—a quintessential example of this trend. In September 2021, Benjamin and I ...
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The song "Summertime Sadness”[1] was playing in a shop, and I couldn’t help but pause and reflect on this musical motif, which is common in literature and lyrics for evoking feelings of sorrow. Typically, summer is associated with joy, happiness, and freedom. I find it hard to imagine such sadness in Ireland—a country known for its beautiful landscapes, stunning nature, and kind people. How could one feel sad amidst such ...
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So let me start by saying that June has been a great month. I finally was able to leave Dublin for a bit, which was super refreshing since I hadn’t been out of Dublin since the summer. I got to go on a bit of an adventure to the west of the country in County Clare. It is now my new favorite part of the country, sorry Maynooth and Dublin, ...
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It is now a full year since I first came to Ireland to study at Maynooth University. This opportunity changed my life: I’m learning every day in my PhD, I’m in contact with different cultures constantly, I’ve made many good friends and I enjoy every day more than ever! As someone who comes from the American continent, before it was harder for me to travel through Europe, now it is cheap and easy, and I can’t find enough ...
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It is well known that Ireland has chaotic weather. If you Google the phrase "experience all four seasons in one day", Ireland will surely pop-up in the results. I found it lovely that Irish people seem to be proud of their country's weather and are willing to joke about it. An Irish friend recently told me "Having waterproof clothes is more important than having warm clothes". This is true. It can be really cold sometimes, but being ...
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It’s already less than two months left until the academic year starts, and I guess that a number of international students will soon be coming to Maynooth University! So, I would like to give some advice about what to expect when you start living here in Ireland. 1. Friendly and polite communications Firstly, as you know, the Irish are well known for being friendly and chatty people. I’d say this is certainly true, when I started living in ...
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There’re a lot of opportunities to explore Ireland during your stay at Maynooth University. Today, I’d like to share my experience of the break between the second semester and the summer semester of the International Foundation Programme. I went to Waterford for a two day / three night holiday. Waterford is a city located on Ireland’s south coast, and is the country’s fifth biggest city. It’s also an historical city made up of museums giving visitors a ...
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According to the 2018 Condé Nast survey, Ireland has three cities in the top ten friendliest cities list, with Cork (third place), Galway (number five), and Dublin (eighth place). I can feel this friendliness with all my heart. Galway, a harbour city on Ireland’s west coast, is located in the place where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean. The destination is a cultural hotspot with many theatres, art galleries and ...
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I had arrived in Ireland on the 17th of September, 2018. Upon my arrival I was initially nervous regarding how my international experience would be. I had no idea of how I would get to the town of Maynooth from Dublin Airport. It was my first challenge in this new country. But soon enough I was guided by an elderly couple who very willingly helped me out by letting me ...
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