If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that I’ve been struggling with a knee injury since October. After re-injuring myself during our Christmas trip, I had to restart from square one. To say that was frustrating would be an understatement. Having to start all over rehabbing my knee when I was so close to being able to play again back in December was infuriating. Not being able to workout with my teammates was isolating, and attempting to navigate the Irish healthcare system was a challenge.

However, I’m happy to say that with the help of Coach Jim and the WIT Vikings, I’ve got myself a brand new knee brace. I was finally able to practice the other day and let me tell you, it felt fantastic. Being able to run up and down the court again was so liberating. Granted, I was extremely rusty and slow, but just the fact that I could run those 94 feet made me so happy.

As I’ve said before, being injured put everything in perspective. The experience made me realize how important basketball was to me – it really is a part of my identity. I realized that just because I wasn’t playing, didn’t mean that basketball was completely cut out of my life. I was still able to use my knowledge of the sport to coach in the community and cheer on my teammates. Playing is only one aspect of the sport – being able to use my love of the game to help others have the same opportunities and experiences I’ve had makes it all worth it. That thought is what kept me going through my own struggles, and what will help me inspire others in the future.

 

 

Athlone BC had a two day Mid Term Camp and they allowed me to be apart of it and really help out!  It was split day camp where u10-u14 had the morning session and then u16 and up were after! This is the second camp I have helped out with in Athlone and it’s always a great time! At the camp the girls on my u12 team were there and also the boys from the u14 team I help out with.  This camp was set aside to work on shooting. Shooting is huge and it is important to get the children to focus on it at a very young age! So it was fun to watch how much the progressed!

I worked closest with the u12 girls since they were so used to being around me!  They were so eager to learn more and they wanted to get better so we really tried to challenge them.  A big part of Irish basketball is the Euro step and under hand layups! Two moves that were kind of looked down upon when I was learning how to play! So I have had to self teach myself these moves so I could help these girls learn it!  And when I say they do it better than me, I mean it!  Towards the end of the camp we always split the kids up and let them play some live games!  At this time we really try to just let them play and make mistakes so they can learn more!  We ask them to try to really focus on their shooting form that way the can apply it in a real game situation!  Everyone got better in those two days and it really showed!

The Second part of the day were the u16 and up kids!  Mike was in charge of this session and he gave me the option to join in and get some skill work done so I did!  It felt really good to go through individual skills like that again because I have not done anything like that in a long long long time! Yet once we got into some of the live play action of drills we split the court up and I had to play and coach because we were low on numbers and Mike was on the other side of the court!  It was definitely harder to coach and play at the same time but I managed and it all worked out in the end!

Overall this mid term camp was a lot of fun! The younger kids came in ready to learn and it was inspiring to see it in their faces! They truly are the reason I love being here! They never fail to amaze me! And also being able to get back on the court as a student of the game was amazing! It is not everyday you can improve your game as a 22 year old! So I was glad I got to focus on myself a little during this time as well!

I figured now would be a good time to give a little update on how our Mystics season has been going. While we’re still in pursuit of out first win, we’ve definitely been showing big improvements. About halfway through the season we had a coaching change. Our new coach brought along some new players so it’s been really nice having more players on the team. Even though our season hasn’t been going great, the spirit and morale still remain high and honestly that makes everything so much better. Everyone’s still having a great time, our team has become so close and the whole experience has been amazing.

This past weekend we played the team who had just beat the number one team in the league. It was probably our greatest game of the season. We came up just short, losing by 2, but it was such an exciting and hard-fought game. It was probably the best we’ve all played together. We only have two games left this season but we’re really hoping to get a win.

Outside of basketball though, I love how close our team is. Whether it’s team dinners, going to the movies or hanging out together after games, it’s always great craic. There’s an amazing blend of personalities that all mesh really well together. Having all of them here has really shaped so much of my experience in Ireland. When we joined the team there was only one returner, I think the fact that there wasn’t an already established team and that we were all new really helped bring us all together. So while we might not have the best record, I would not trade this team and this experience for anything.

 

This past week scholar Ellen and I were fortunate enough to travel to Belgium for 5 days with our business master’s program at WIT. We are both studying for a master’s in business management. The entire master’s business program (50 students) travelled to Leuven and Brussels for a study trip. We stayed at Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe, which is located 30 minutes outside of Brussels. The week was jam packed from early morning to evening every day. We attended lectures presented from different business owners in Leuven and Brussels. The lectures were very informative and it was interesting to hear how businesses function in different areas of the world. On Tuesday, we had the chance to visit some of the EU Institutes in Brussels and hear from high ranking EU officials. I am not the biggest fan of politics and governmental issues but it was awesome to hear about how the EU operates since I did not know much about it being from America. 

              

The final day of the trip concluded with our presentations and round table debate. As a part of the trip and the class, we were split into groups and assigned a European country. Each group had to complete a country report on their respective country and prepare a pitch as to why their country should have the presidency of the EU. Ironically enough my group was assigned Belgium, so we were able to use this to our advantage and take some of what we learned during the week to incorporate into our project. The study trip was a lot of fun and we were even able to do a little sight seeing and try some Belgian food! Wednesday we visited the Stella Artois Brewery and were able to try some freshly brewed pints there. I ate a delicious gourmet hot dog from Wurst which was recommended for us to try by fellow scholar Tricia! I can’t forget the Belgian waffles I ate from a little ice cream waffle shop in Leuven. Overall this was an awesome experience that I am thankful to have been a part of. It was great to learn more about my colleagues and we all bonded immensely! Thanks Sport Changes Life and Waterford Institute of Technology for this opportunity! 

When I was first told I was going to be going to Athlone, I was honestly a little nervous. Marisa and I were the first two scholars to be placed here and no one could really tell us much about where we were going. Whenever I was asked where I was going to be living I was met with a lot of “I’ve never even heard of Athlone, where is it?”’s and “Really? Why are you going there?”’. Imagine my concerns when no one could tell me a thing about where I was going to be spending the next 10 months of my life. I’m hoping to ease your concerns and answer some of your questions by telling you a bit about my life here.

Let’s start with the town itself. Athlone is a pretty small town located right in the middle of Ireland. This has been very convenient as it’s not too hard to get around. There is a train and bus station that will take you directly to Galway or Dublin for about 10 Euro, with easy transfers to other places if you want to go explore. The town has some great little shops and restaurants, a castle and the oldest pub in Ireland, Sean’s Bar. It’s also beautifully located right on the Shannon River. It’s a fun little place to explore on a good day and some of things you find might surprise you.

Within Athlone, there are two major shopping centers which will have almost anything you need. The Athlone Town Center has mostly clothing stores, craft stores and (our favorite) a Starbucks. This has been huge for us because it’s one of the only places you can get an iced coffee around here. Golden Island Shopping Center is down the street and has stores like Penney’s, Boots Pharmacy, Costa Coffee, Tesco and more clothing stores. Marisa and I do most of our grocery shopping at Tesco. It’s a little bit more expensive than stores like Aldi and Lidl but we’ve found the selection at Tesco to be a lot better. Penney’s is also our go to store for affordable clothes and room decorations. It’s similar to Primark and Forever 21 and has almost anything you could need in those departments. Both of the shopping centers aren’t far from Richie’s house; about a 20 minute walk or so. If it is raining, it’s not hard to call a taxi on the MyTaxi app.

AIT itself is a pretty nice campus. It’s mainly one connected building but classes are located in all different parts of it. I am currently in the Higher Diploma for Business program and it’s been pretty straightforward. I do have a pretty busy class schedule, with 19 hours a week last semester and 17 hours this semester. Also to note, finals are weighted a lot heavier than both Marisa and I were used to in undergrad. It’s very common to have one assignment worth 20% of your grade mid semester with a final that’s worth 80% at the end. My advice to you is use the past exam resources on the library page come finals time because they post multiple years of past exams to give you a feel of what yours may look like. You will also be known as “The Americans” by a surprisingly large amount of people. There’s no way around it. Hopefully we’ve taken the brunt of this for you, but I doubt that’s going to be the case.

Basketball is definitely a different game here. It is way more aggressive than most basketball we’ve been apart of. Our team in Tullamore is young, but their hearts are huge with passion to match. Be patient with them, work with them and you will find success. They work so hard, and I know it’s not the same basketball you’re used to playing, but match their efforts and raise them higher. Have fun with it! AIT basketball was tough for us this year. It was really hard to get more than 4 people at training after our first couple games. That being said, the team was really fun to play with and we’ve made some great friends through it. Unlike most places in Ireland, you will have student athletic trainers here. They are students so they haven’t learning every thing you may need help with, but they absolutely saved me this year and I can’t thank them enough (or apologize enough for being such a problem). I’m also hoping by the time you guys get here they’ve gotten wood floors for the gym!

Saving the best for last, the people in Athlone have been absolutely wonderful. Mike, Christine, Richie, Paddy and their families have been so amazingly helpful during our time here. I cannot stress it enough how much they have made Athlone and Tullamore feel like home. Every single one of them are there to help us if we need it and have taught us so much. Listen to them, ask questions, be kind. This has been our most solid foundation and I don’t know what my time here would look like without them.

Well, that’s my overview of Athlone. If there’s anything I’ve missed or something I learn along the way I’ll definitely add it to this blog or put it in another. I hope Athlone is as good to you as it’s been for me. If you have any questions at all before or during your time please don’t hesitate to reach out to me on social media! Good luck and take every day in, it goes by way too fast.

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I can remember one Sunday in early October I had the thought “How am I going to watch the Superbowl this year?”. A very trivial concern at the time, but a concern none the less. I was unsure if the Irish even watched the Superbowl. Fast forward five months and I am the one planning the Superbowl party. I had a good number of teammates coming over, a paid international stream for the game ready to go, and my roommate Alyssa was even making nachos and buffalo wings for the occasion.

yes she really made those. follow her on Instagram @delishdishesbylyss

Outside of the game lasting until 3 o’clock in the morning, it turned out to be not that different from the Superbowl’s back in the State; there was good food, great friends, and Tom Brady receiving another trophy.

 

Despite the game being one of the most boring Superbowl’s in recent memory, the night was still a memorable one. For so long I have been living in a new culture, experiencing how life is lived in another country. This night was the first time that I was the expert in what was going on. My teammates looked as lost as I was the first time I watched a hurling match. They spent the game asking questions about the rules, the players, and even why there were so many commercials. At one point I had to stop and point out how nice it is that the roles have finally been reversed, for once I was the one who knew what was going on. The Superbowl served as another example of how blessed I am to be in Waterford. I was once concerned about how I was going to watch the Superbowl, and ended up having one of my most memorable nights in Ireland.

In my four years at the University of Dayton, I made countless friends – many of which will last a lifetime.  Even though I’d bet my life savings they don’t read this even if I text them the link I’d like to give a special shoutout to my three roommates and teammates PJ, Brendan, and Tripp – you guys are locks to be in my wedding, assuming that day eventually arrives (Brendan will be at the far end of the groomsmen line because I know he would try to make me laugh).  If I could offer any proof for them being lifetime friends, it would be that PJ actually flew overseas from Cleveland to visit for a week in late January.  Peter Malik Jr (AKA Peter, Pete, Junior, PJ, Peaches, and *sigh* “Pistol”) fancies himself as a true Irishman with his ginger hair and almost entirely Irish ancestry, so this gave him a perfect opportunity to finally make the trip to the emerald isle.

We spent the day of his arrival in Dublin at the mildly famous Brazen Head pub (Est. 1198) which is more than three times older than the country we are from.  That of course means they’ve had plenty of years to perfect the pouring of a pint of Guinness, which naturally we each enjoyed with our full Irish breakfasts.  On a completely random note, when doing introductions at the Jameson tour that day I discovered that four of the 25 people in our tour group were from Wisconsin (like me) and they all live within a 20 minute drive of where I grew up, and we had tons of mutual friends.  Small world we live in!

Anyway, we spent the rest of his trip in Belfast, where we were able to celebrate my (belated) 23rd birthday as well as Shay’s and Kollyns’ birthdays.  It also was Super Bowl weekend and if only it weren’t the most boring Super Bowl in the history of the game it would have been a perfect week.  Pete and I are a lot bigger fans of the pub and live music scene than we are clubbers, so Belfast is ideal and it was easy to show him my favorite places.  It really is a small, Northern Irish version of Nashville, but without the cheesy/touristy parts.  Every good pub seems to have live music most nights a week.  For the sake of sounding like I have my life together, I won’t list all of them, but if you’re a scholar reading this in future years just know that you can’t go wrong with the Thirsty Goat, the Dirty Onion, and The Points.  I’ll let you figure out the rest.

As he was a teammate of mine at Dayton, I was able to bring him along to Holywood GC for some extra help at our coaching sessions.  I started to realize how much pride I am taking in the junior program we have when I was excited just to see him be impressed by the talent and attitude of the kids we coach.  Lastly, we made a few trips up to Monkstown Boxing Club for some (as always) intense training.  He was hoping to spar but I don’t think he realized trainers don’t let you just pull up and get in the ring on your first night!

That week was one to remember.  We had a ton of fun, spent a little too much money and energy, and I got to show one of my best friends around a city that I’ve been calling home for almost six months now.  While I’m confident I will make friends wherever I go, I’m very fortunate to have a handful of close ones that will last a lifetime.  Pete coming overseas solidified that notion.  I’m also making an Amsterdam trip soon with some of my best high school friends, and I’m sure that will be a week for the books as well.

Food has to be one of my favorite things in the world! After telling people of my acceptance to the Victory Scholars program, many people said that I would like the food in Ireland. My friends and family notoriously make fun of me for having “tan-colored” plates, loaded with many breads and potatoes. I guess Ireland with its brown bread, meat, and potatoes, seemed like a perfect place for me to be.

My two favorite foods in Ireland have to be the spice bag and beef stew. A spice bag can be bought at a Chinese restaurant or takeaway place. It is essentially a massive bag of french fries, spices, onions, peppers, and shredded chicken. Apparently spice bags are only sold in Ireland, so I will have to leave them behind or start my own business in the U.S. A popular pub in Galway called, “The Front Door,” makes an incredible beef stew. This meal is definitely your basic meat and potatoes type meal, but it never disappoints!

I was surprised by the fact that Galway has an incredibly diverse range of restaurants. If you walk through town, you can find authentic Irish food, but you can also find Indian, Nepalese, Moroccan, Mexican, Italian, and Chinese restaurants. I never expected such a broad range of options in one city. I don’t eat out too often, but it’s great to have so many options when I do. While I do love meat and potatoes, the food scene in Galway provides much more than that.

In my exercise physiology course, we learn a lot about nutrition, and I’ve realized how critically important it is to fuel our bodies for activity! Since arriving in Ireland, I have gotten a lot more adventurous with vegetables and I have actually learned how to cook a few things! Being a Victory Scholar has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone in many ways, and opening myself up to new foods and recipes is just one example of this.

Just a little context before we get into the blog. I’m on my way up to Dublin with my college team to compete in a friendly game against a division 1 college basketball team. Yesterday after going to college in the morning and finishing some work for a group assignment I got picked up by this lovely woman named Sarah. Now Sarah is American but moved here about 15 years ago. I first met Sarah at a basketball game in St.Munchins College. One of my basketball games got moved to that gym because our roof was leaking. Anyway before playing my game I sat in the first seat I could to watch my fellow victory Scholar Taylor play against another Victory Scholar, Jamie. While I was cheering both of them on and talking to my teammates a woman next to me asked if I was American. I replied yes and she was like “yeah, I could tell by your accent”. This drew me in…because I felt someone was watching and noticing me. I ended up taking part in the conversation and found out she is originally from Connecticut, has two kids (Pearse and Deidre), and moved to Ireland 15 years ago. I told her all about Sport Changes Life and the work they do and how they are the reason I’m in Ireland. She had heard about Sport Changes Life but was nevertheless impressed by all the great work they do. I had to get ready for my game so I said bye for now and honestly thought I would never see her again. After this conversation I didn’t feel alone, I didn’t feel like the only American in Ireland adjusting to new life. Meeting her made me feel better about myself and my situation out here.

Fast forward about 5 weeks, during one of my coaching sessions, my Coach Mike brought myself, Taylor, and Matt out to Shannon to work with a group of U13 and U10 children. This group of children are so full of energy and love when we put these sessions on because they get to learn and interact with us Americans. So we usually have the boys first then the girls. So the boys all walk in and are shooting around and as I greet them all with high fives this one kid comes up to me and says, “Drew! You know my mom!” And to say I was caught off guard was an understatement. I was like, “what?! Who’s your mom?” And he said, you don’t remember? Her name is Sarah and you met her at the Celtic game in St.Munchins.” It took me a while to put two and two together, but after it hit me… he was the son to Sarah… SARAH the mom I met in St.Munchins… the one who knew I was American and took the time to talk to me. I told him, “Yes I do remember. She was so cool to talk too. She must be an even cooler mom!” He laughed and agreed and went on his way. Again I thought nothing of that encounter… I thought maybe that was the last time I was going to see that kid (Pearse) but I’m glad it wasn’t!

February 17th my national league team played Ulster University from Belfast. My coach mike has a great connection with the community in Shannon and invited 40 boys and girls with their parents to come watch our game. Our gym was packed. So many people, eyes, and kids were at our game. You could feel the energy in the gym. I’m warming up for the game and I see Pearse! We run over to each other and say hello and hug. He brings me over to his mom and we embrace each other. This encounter felt different from our first meeting. Granted, we were still strangers… but after that first time seeing Pearse at that camp Sarah added me on Facebook and kept up with my life here in Ireland with my pictures and constant updates. I kept up with her as well… and when we hugged – it felt as if I knew her my whole life even though we only met each other twice. We talked for a bit and I headed back to warming up for my game. The game was unreal, back and forth action, but we ended up losing 98-95. After our game we shaked hands with the opposing team and the refs, then immediately all 40 kids ran onto the court shooting their basketballs. It was time to move on from the game and run this camp with all the kids who came to watch our game. The camp was a mixture of boys and girls and we did drills that were fun and kept them moving. After the two hours we took pictures with the kids and I said goodbye to Sarah and Pearse.

Later that evening I got a Facebook message from Sarah inviting me over to her house for dinner.. ( side note, in America you don’t often get invited to dinner in another persons home unless you’ve known them for years – but I remember the packet I got when I first applied for Sport Changes Life had a list of tips from past victory scholars and one of the tips was that if you ever get invited over to dinner from anybody, just GO. It may be different, but it will be a new experience and something that will mean a lot looking back.) so I decided to take that into consideration with my decision and said yes to Sarah.

We arranged to meet the next day in the afternoon. After class, I waited outside my school where Sarah stopped by and picked me up. I put my bag in the boot of the car and was welcomed with a hug upon entering the car. Her children Pearse and Deidre where in the back excited as ever to see me! We were off to Clare about a one hour drive from where I live. We talked about everything from my life, to theirs, sports, and even college basketball. Usually when I get into a car I could be awkward and not talk, but this drive was just chill vibes. I didn’t feel pressure to say the right thing or think out loud. They weren’t judging me and I liked that. We eventually made it out to their house and I could slowly start to notice we weren’t in the city anymore. As we pulled up, Sarah jokingly said, “Welcome to our little farm.” Now I never been to farm so I was a bit hesitant, but I continued to remind myself of those tips from past victory scholars of just take in the experience when going to someone else’s house. So as I walk into the home, I could feel this place and was a place of comfort and relaxation away from the stresses of life. The lighting, aesthetics, furniture, pictures, everything was pleasing and cosy. I sat down and was offered a glass of apple juice – we continued with our conversations about college basketball and I came to find out how well Sarah and her family really knew American sports. They were naming players that I didn’t even know. As Sarah prepared for dinner, Pearse offered to show me the barn where the animals were. We put on our shoes and head outside, as we walk in it is dark and the lights aren’t on – I was greeted by a huge horse! I immediately yelled for Pearse where he peaked his head around the corner and said, “sorry I forgot to put on the light with a smirk on his face”. Later his older sister Deirdre walked with a commanding presence. We talked about the farm as they showed me their animals which were horses, chickens, and ducks. Come to find out Deidre takes care of the farm whether it is cleaning or feeding the animals and I thought that was so cool. For a moment I shared with both of them how different my upbringing was in America. Being raised in the Bronx you don’t often see animals or farms so all of this was just new and fresh for me to see. And to see how comfortable and “in their element” Pearse and Deidre was just a cool experience because I know kids back home that are their ages are having a totally different childhood.

After an hour of talking in the barn, we came back inside and sat in the dining room. I saw a wall full of board games and asked Pearse if we could play one. When I was child I used to loveeeeeeee to play a card game called “spit” but I forgot how to play because I never had siblings to play it with. Luckily for me, Pearse knew how to play! He showed me the set up and we began to play very slowly. I could tell he was taking it easy on me as I was getting adjusted. But I was determined to learn and get my “skills” back. Slowly I started to relive my childhood though this game having moments like “ahh I remember this!” Or “yes! This is how it goes!” We ended up playing the game for an hour – there was no winner because dinner was ready, but their were laughs, competition, and enjoyable memories I took away that I would never forget – thanks Pearse, you’re the man! Dinner was ready and Sarah made Chicken Parmesan . Her neighbors Mary Ann and Kimberly joined us for dinner as well. We said grace together and as the guest I took the lead. I never say grace in front of people, just because I feel it makes people feel awkward but for 2019 I made a goal to always say grace before eating. As I was saying grace and holding the hands of Pearse and Deidre I started to get emotional because as I was talking the thoughts of how blessed I actually was to be in the presence of such amazing people who took me in for the night just made me feel overwhelmed with emotion. That dinner wasn’t just food and people around the table, this was the moment I realized my time here really does matter and people are taking notice. A simple basketball at the age of 8 back home in the Bronx somehow someway brought me all the way out to Ireland at the age of 22 sharing dinner with people who couldn’t be more welcoming, undjudging, and just overall great people. To Sarah, Pearse, Deidre, Mary Ann, and Kimberly… thank you so much for dinner and taking me in for a night. It meant so much for me to be in your presence. I know that won’t be the last time we get together so till then #WinTheDay !

I just spent the past weekend over in Galway. This was my first time over there and had such a blast. We played Maree which is the number one team in the league. They are undefeated and us winning would help our ranking in the league. It was such a close game ! Unfortunately we came up short, lost by 5. But we had fun things to look forward too. The whole team was staying over in Galway and I knew it was going to be so much fun! We stayed in a hostel called Bunker and it was super nice! We got our own rooms and did pre-drinks in the living area which was a huge space for us. That was such a great night! The team is so much fun and great Craic. Our coach lived in Galway so we went over to his sister’s-in-laws place for brunch the next morning. She has a beautiful penthouse apartment that was right on the harbor. Some of the girls took a dip in the ocean after brunch. I didn’t go in this time because the water was just way too cold. Then we had the long journey home. The team is super close which is nice to have and we always have a good time together! I am so happy to have met these girls, they are wonderful!

 

Yesterday was a roller coaster of highs and lows. Our main objective of the day was to go to our tournament in Thurles for Tullamore. It started off when Christine picked us up in the morning and our road trip began. After picking everyone up, we collectively decided that it was a good idea to stop and get coffee at Costa. We got our coffee and snacks, got back into the car, and cue smoke. Something under the hood had created a worrying about of smoke and the battery was quickly draining. With only an hour until game time, we had to take a detour to switch cars with Damien so we could continue our road trip. At this point, we were definitely going to be late and were looking at potentially not making it in time to play in the first game. Christine was not going to let that happen though. We made it there with time still left in the second quarter, and honestly Christine should look into her future as a professional driver because she killed it.

The tournament was a great time! We played two other teams from Thurles and one team from Cork. We were short for numbers from our usual senior team so we were able to play with some players from the U16 team and it was so much fun. We ended the day 3-0 and were named the winners of the tournament! We got a nice little plaque for our title and were ready to go home.

Little did we know, it had snowed a lot throughout our day spent in the gym. It was the first snow Marisa and I had seen here, but all year we had been warned the Ireland doesn’t handle snow well. Trying to get home, our GPS wasn’t working, the major motorways had shut down, and we had no idea where we were. It took us a bit, but we finally got back on track and, lucky for us, were driving in the opposite direction of the snow. We made it home with only a small delay and were all thrilled to get to bed. While the day was filled with highs and lows, and I may be getting too old to play 3 games in a day, it was great to get the win with our team and actually see some snow on the ground!

Family is and always will be everything to all of us, living away from them has become normal these past five years which brings challanges. In recent years, I have become an uncle, twice. Being an 18 year old freshman with very little responsibility made me not miss home too often, but years pass and life changes to where I now have two extremely cute nephews. Perspective on family changes when new arrivals come, especially ones who sing you happy birthday over facetime and hug the phone as they miss their favourite uncle.

Belfast though has been great, much closer to home than in America, I managed to get a few days off where my sister and family came to visit me in Jordanstown. Being closer to home is a great feeling especially when the wee ones can take one of their first holidays of their lives to come and see me and board and airplane.

Northern Ireland was great for the kids as we traveled up to the beaches on the north coast and watched the boats, played in the parks and had lunch in the famous Ramore restaurant (an absolute must!).

I truly feel very lucky to be studying in a place where I can make an impact all across Belfast and be close enough to see the people most close to me. Visits like this one keep me grounded, relaxed, and more focused on how fortunate we are and how important it is to keep working hard.

That’s right people, Linda K came back to Ireland, for the third time! (She must be missing her favorite child a wee bit.) This time around, we went to a few places in Belfast that we haven’t been together yet including St. George’s market, the Peace Walls, and the Crumlin Gaol which was an awesome tour. She also got to see 2 of my games (one college and one club) which was really nice. We had some great weather, so we went back to the Giant’s Causeway, Dark Hedges, and Rope Bridge, which she actually got to walk across this time! Overall it was another great trip for her- she is basically a local now.

Although I honestly have loved my time in Northern Ireland, being away from home can be really hard some days, and it’s tough to not be around my family for such a long time. There is nothing quite like getting a hug from my mom, having her here to talk to over a cup of tea, or explore new places with her. These visits give me the boost I need to keep on trucking until June, when I will be headed back home to the states. Until then, I’ll be living it up in Ireland. Cheers!

 

 

 

 

Last year, at the beginning of my senior year, I decided to become a pescatarian. I saw a few documentaries that compelled me to do so. It was a tough transition, not just figuring out how I would substitute meat, but also realizing how much I was giving up. Don’t even get me started about how long it took me to get my family to take me seriously and realize it wasn’t just a phase!

By the time I had become a ‘pro’ in preparing and eating the right foods for myself, I knew I was going to Ireland in a few months. The foods that came to mind when I thought of Ireland were meat and potatoes… Okay that might be a problem. All my friends laughed at me and said “good luck eating only potatoes!”

The whole meat and potatoes thing is clearly a stereotype, but I was still quite worried about how difficult it would be to keep up my eating habits over here.

To my surprise and my benefit, there are so many vegetarian options here. When I go out to eat, there are always vegetarian sections of the menu, nearly every starter soup is a vegetable soup, and there is a lot of salad! It was a smooth transition from the States to here.

The most difficult meal is breakfast. I can’t tell you how much I miss egg and cheese sandwiches on bagels. Breakfast sandwiches here are meat in a roll, hold the eggs- pretty strange. Even the traditional Irish breakfast is centered around meat. Egg white omelettes are pretty hard to come by as well. But it’s okay because I’ve mastered making my own veggie omelettes in my kitchen, which makes up my morning routine.

As a pescatarian, I can eat fish, so if you’re wondering whether I can eat fish ‘n chips or not, the answer is YES. And man have I had some good ones over here!

I will say that I was probably blessed to be put in Dublin because I think that makes my life a little easier with a plethora of food options. Had I been put somewhere more in the countryside, there might be fewer vegetarian options- or so I’ve heard! But Dublin is the main city, so I have a lot to choose from.

Even though I miss some of my typical snacks or meals from back home, eating here has been so good and easy! I can now confidently say that Ireland is not just the land of beef stews, chicken pot pies, and potatoes. Though, they definitely do have quite a bit of those things!

One module of the business masters program at WIT is the International Study Trip, which involves a semester-long project and a trip to Brussels, Belgium. The project involved arguing that our assigned country was best suited to hold the Presidency of the EU for 2.5 years. This is considerably longer than the actual half year Member States of the EU currently share on a rotational basis.

Since one of my undergraduate degrees at Lafayette was Government & Law, this project was right up my alley. My team was assigned to Denmark, and we absolutely killed it! Our 20-minute presentation and arguments during the roundtable debate on the last day of the trip went well.

The rest of the trip was extremely educational as well. We participated in multiple seminars throughout the week, listening to speakers present on a broad range of topics. Not only this, but we were able to tour all of the EU Institutions. First, we were able to go inside the European Parliament. To be standing in the same room where major decisions are made for the entire EU was so cool (major politics-crazy nerd moment).

We also got to go inside the European Council to see the Consilium. There we listened to Mr. Christian Froik explain the inner-workings of the EU. Afterward, we walked to the European Commission to have a short Q&A session with Ireland-native, Phil Hogan, who is the European Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development.

There were many great things about this trip, but you can’t go to Belgium without having a Belgian waffle! Alyssa, myself, and our teammate Helena found a great waffle stand in Leuven where we were staying.

Overall, the experience was something I’ll never forget. Big thank you to Sport Changes Life for giving me the chance to have this opportunity!

Coming into the Victory Scholarship program, the extent of my coaching background was limited to working with kids who already possessed an interest and baseline skill set in basketball. I had never really been the first person to put a basketball in someone’s hands and to teach from scratch. And as I have seen before, being a capable player far from guarantees you are a capable coach. In full transparency, the thought of going into schools by myself to work with twenty to thirty children, many of whom had never played basketball before, seemed overly daunting. What if I couldn’t keep their attention? What if I failed at teaching? Even worse, there are so many of them and only one of me, what if they join together and revolt?!

Coaching a rotation of classes in several schools around the city, I really only get to interact with one particular group of kids between thirty and sixty minutes per week (often times biweekly). Thinking back to how much time I invested into the game growing up, sometimes I can’t help but think, “am I actually making a difference with these kids?”. By and large, the kids seem to enjoy our sessions, but with so many of them and one of me, it’s often difficult to give each one of them the individual attention needed to really measure the strength of the impact you’re having.

While the thought still creeps into my mind from time to time, I think I’ve finally found the reassurance I needed. Walking to class this past week, I bumped into a few kids I previously coached at the Claddagh [with the new semester in full effect, my coaching schedule has adjusted to reflect a new course load— meaning though I’ve added new coaching opportunities, I’ve also had to cut back from several weekly school visit hours from my first few months]. I was shocked how excited they became when they saw me. Seriously, even my relatives aren’t that excited to see me after prolonged periods of time apart. We spent a few minutes conversing about their enjoyment of the class, and how several of them have continued working on their games outside of school. As for any new coach, these were words I dreamed of hearing.

Although I have spent time assisting with camps, club teams, and the BI Regional Academy throughout the year, it has surprisingly been what I was most nervous of that has become the most memorable aspect of my outreach— working in schools like the Claddagh, St. Michaels, and the Jes Primary. While my time in the Victory Scholars program may be nearing an end, I only hope the mark I leave behind will help continue to inspire these amazing young minds like they have helped inspire me.

Time flies!

No but honestly time flies!! I’m talking a jet not even a airplane. It’s crazy to look back on things throughout your life and think “wow that was a year ago” sometimes it doesn’t even feel like it. The thing is when you’re busy time typically seems to fly by even quicker. There’s moments where I can remember vividly growing up with my siblings and I literally feel like it was maybe 2 years ago but it was 10 years ago. On somedays I can’t believe I’m actually 22 years old, I remember having camps and counselors would be in their 20’s and I’d say to myself “ew they’re kind of old” and now that’s me. IM HONESTLY PAST HALFWAY TO 40! Craziness

Looking back a year ago, I played in my last NCAA college game. For me, my college experience kind of went by slowly. I think because I was so eager to turn 21 the time just went by slower, everyday I would wake up and see how many more days I had until I was 21 and I was only 19 so waiting 600 plus days probably didn’t make it any better.

My college experience was my favorite because it’s where I truly emerge from my little shell. A lot of people that know me now probably wouldn’t believe me if I told them I have a hard time opening up to new people and I’m really shy. Luckily the advanges of sports pretty much allows you to express yourself easier. Playing sports is literally all about communication, to stop the other team it’s imperative to constantly talk to each other. So it kind of helps me make friends because I gained more confidence while playing the sport I loved. In college I was surrounded by constant love and guidance. Coming in my coach allow me to follow my passion on and off the court. She was aware of my passion for coaching so she constantly taught me and allowed me to run camps and clinics on my own. Having someone like this in my corner allowed me to be truly grateful because in NCAA basketball it’s rare to find a coach that cares about you outside of your sport.

A year ago playing my last game, honestly I am able to say I have no regrets through my college career. Everything that happened has made me a better person. The mistakes I made help me understand why certain things in life happen and what valuable lesson it teaches. Before entering college I thought I had knowledge about many things, such as basketball and still to this day I am constantly learning new things about the game of basketball. Being a senior in college a year ago I was happy to close my career with amazing friends, amazing bonds throughout my school and athletic department, and valuable lessons learned from coaches, staff, and professors at GCU. A year ago feels like a day ago but I am forever grateful.

 

 

A recap of the top 3 tips to survive while at DCU:

GET A LEAP CARD

PLACES TO SHOP

PLACES TO GROCERY SHOP

As I have mentioned before, DCU is not directly in the middle of the city centre—unlike what its name suggests… So, I have prepared more tips in success when staying here.

1. SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR TRAVEL

   • I know it is tempting to want to spend all your money on food, drinks, and clothes but those items can be bought anywhere. Save as much money as you can for travel as flights from the Dublin airport are cheap compared to flights back home. (Check out my Christmas photo blog). Review my places to grocery shop for ways to stay on budget.

2. EXPLORE THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS

   • I have been so lucky to have Samantha (the other DCU Victory Scholar) as my taste tester or restaurant suggestion master. There are so many delicious places to eat within walking distance of campus if you are willing to explore. For fish and chips: Peter’s Traditional on Drumcondra and Macari’s Take Away on Ballymun. For thai: San Sab and Chili Restaurant both on Drumcondra. For cute little cafes: Andersons Food Hall on The Rise.

3. EXPLORE THE CAMPUS RESTAURANTS

   • Let me tell ya, food on campus is BOMB. I haven’t had anything bad to say about anything I have eaten while on campus. We have a bar called Nubar that has a wide variety of food options like chicken curry and chips for only 5.25eu. We also have a pizza oven in the Londis on campus that makes personal pizza fresh to order with 6 toppings for 6.25eu. The canteens (what you think of as the cafes on campus) are looked in three different places—its own building, the 2^nd floor of the business building, and ground floor of nursing building—the meals here are hearty and taste homemade. My favorite place to get food is the Sports Café, located in the Sports Centre, it has a Starbucks, fresh salad, sandwich, and smoothie making area, and also healthy items to go. I always get a salad with 7 toppings for 5.25eu (this place made me love salads). Side note: they do not provide meal plans. Do not ask because you will look goofy.

These are just a few more tips you should know when you make the plunge to come to Ireland. It is not much different as it may seem, you just have to be patient and DCU will soon become your home.

 

One of my main coaching responsibilities at Neptune is to serve as the assistant coach to their 14 and under team. Most of the players on that team are only 13 years old and a lot have just started playing basketball this year so we’re younger and less experienced than all the other teams. As a result, it’s been almost 2 long years since the team has won a league game. That is until today. We played the Limerick Lions who are one of the top teams in the league and had previously beaten us by 40 points only 2 months ago. At the start of the game our team looked like they had no expectations of winning, but I think it hit the team that it was possible to finally win the game when we were only down 4 points after the 1^st quarter. The game was back and forth and before anyone knew we had the win locked up as we were up 4 with 15 seconds left with Barry (the head coach) and I yelling HOLD THE BALL as our team jacked up a three and got the rebound and did it again, oblivious to the fact that all we had to do was hold the ball to win.

While in youth sports winning is definitely not everything and a lot of parents and coaches forget that, you have to win at least some in order to keep the kids engaged and motivated. It’s been great to see the way the team has improved throughout the year. Sometimes it’s hard to notice the improvement on a week to week basis and it gets frustrating for Barry and myself because we’re training or playing in games 2-3 times per week and we want to know that the time and effort we put in is helping them or if we’re doing something wrong. When we see that our team improved by 40 points over the span of the season against the same team that lets us know that we’re at least doing something right.

For me, seeing the improvement on the court for the kids has been incredible to witness but the most fulfilling part of coaching the team is seeing how the team has bonded. At the beginning of the year, most of the kids didn’t really seem like they liked each other. They didn’t dislike each other either, I think they just didn’t know one another since so many of them were new to the team and the sport. Tonight, I had a Super League game and Barry organized a team get together to watch the game. From the court and bench I saw the kids all sitting and hanging out together having fun and laughing. At the beginning of the year they would have either sat in isolation or with a friend they knew from before the season started, showing how sport has the ability to bring people together.

 

When you meet and come in at the beginning of the year in August everyone gets to know each other and create really good bonds. We all just think “what if we’re all at the same school?” how much fun would that be. Walking pass “base camp” together and thinking it would be fun to never leave each other and actually stay at the same school. Then the week is up and everyone goes off to their seperate Universities, not realizing that we won’t see each other again for a few weeks or a couple months unless we play against each other. So that’s when the little things start to matter, like the snap group chats, or the group me chat. We cherish all the stories we hear through these small apps wishing we were all together again.

It’s amazing how 34 random people can come together in a completely different world and still have fun together. You miss those nights when you walk into a restaruant with 34 scholars and everyone is looking because we walk in with guys that are 6’6 and everyone is trying to make room for us to sit. These are the moments that create ever lasting memories because that one experience brings everyone together and you feel a little piece of home being with other scholars.

Playing games every week allows you to see scholars living across the country. The positive thing about the seperation is everyone has stories to tell and the conversations are filled with laughter, joy, and sometimes a little pain. But it makes it all worth it becuase you see everyone making their own story and fighting different obstacles that will change them forever. This year is a year that we will all look back on when we’re in our 70’s, 80’s, and hopefully 90’s telling everyone this was the most amazing time of our lives. The endless laughter and the challenges we face going into a new culture, seeing the world from a different view is an experience that could never be replaced.

So seeing the girls from DCU made me realize how much this year means. It’s really crazy it’s already February and it’ll be sad when all the time is up. But the growth we are going to make will be so drastic it will seem unreal. The lessons learned from this experience couldn’t be gained anywhere else, this moment I remind myself to smile because these moments will forever be in my heart for the rest of my life. Today wasn’t just a game being played but another day of opportunity in another world that I am lucky to have a chance to be apart of.

One question I get often, whether it be from people I meet here or friends and family at home, is “what is the biggest difference between living in the USA and living in Northern Ireland?” I wouldn’t say it was a big culture shock moving here; some days I forget I’m living across the world. However, there are a few distinct differences from the states, one being the overall speed of life. People in the states seem to always be moving a mile a minute, wanting things done efficiently, constantly talking on cell phones, constantly going places, grabbing fast food, etc. Here there seems to be no rush to get things done, and you might as well have a pint of beer or a cup of tea while you wait. Although it was hard to adjust to at first, I am now really enjoying the slower paced, more relaxed walk of life. Even in a rush, I’m ALWAYS offered a cup of tea wherever I go, which honestly is one of the best things about being here. The people I’ve met in Ireland seem to genuinely care about everyone, and are so welcoming. It’s nice to be able to feel a bit at home in a foreign country, and to know you have good people looking after you. Time to go make a cup of tea (fourth one today… I think I am assimilating nicely to the culture.) Cheers!

 

I’ve been in Ireland for 5 months now and I’ve coached in countless different locations with a variety of different types of kids but none of them were quite like my experience in the secluded beach known as Arranmore island. The journey almost never happened to begin with. It basically never snows in Ireland so when it does happen, people pretty much panic. There was probably less than an inch of snow on the ground, but schools were canceled, events called off and the roads were deserted. Yet, my coach Niall McDermott and my teammate Cullen Donavan decided to make the trek and we slowly rolled through the wild narrow roads of Donegal until we made it to the town. When I think of an island, I think of a sunny vacation spot with palm trees, but it was extremely cold, and we were far from the Bahamas, so I really didn’t know what to expect.

Our assistant coach Paul Carr was kind enough to let us stay the night with him, so we woke up bright and early and enjoyed the typical Irish breakfast which includes sausage, rashers and of course, tea. We all quickly snarfled it down and we were out the door before sunrise. We arrived at a ferry that was small, but large enough so that we could park our car on it. I’m not a morning person and we were freezing our butts off so initially I had no intentions of leaving the car at all. About five minutes into our commute all of that changed. As we floated through a valley the fog started to clear and it looked like we were going through heavens gates…the views were dramatically picturesque. We were surrounded by gaping mountains on both sides, a beautiful skyline angle of the Donegal country side, and a couple of lighthouses that looked like they were straight out of a post card. It was the type of venue that rappers might choose to record a music video, but I would’ve never imagined being surrounded by such a landscape just to travel for a coaching session. As we played Caribbean music and enjoyed the views, all of a sudden, the boat started to rock pretty vigorously. I’m not sure if the tide was getting rough or if people here drive boats just as crazy as they drive, but I’d be lying if I said wasn’t a slightly concerned at one point. Regardless, the views were worth it, and we held on tight until we arrived at the island before anyone got too sea sick.

The island itself was tiny. About 10 square miles of farmland with a handful of buildings and bunches of sheep scattered across it. There was no supermarket not even so much as a roundabout or streetlight. When we arrived at the school, we were greeted by a grand total of about 15 students. All of them had zero basketball experience but they also all had huge smiles on their face and a clear eagerness to learn about basketball. The only court they had was and outdoors and it consisted of one basket that was about 8 feet tall and a rusted rim that was hanging on by a thread. There were no glass backboards, no hardwood floors, not even so much as a 3-point line but it was easily my favorite coaching spot in Ireland. Not a single kid was wearing anything that resembled basketball gear. Majority of them wore things like rain boots that went past their knees, multi colored khakis, oversized coats and hats with bunny ears sticking out. Yet, those kids brought a level of positivity and excitement that even professional teams could learn from. Unlike many veteran players, not a single kid complained at all and every one of them did what we asked with clear enthusiasm. It showed me why I shouldn’t take my basketball experiences for granted, because so many others have much less and are still thrilled at the opportunity to participate.

We gave them the beginners guide to the sport by explaining the rules of the game and showing them remedial skills. We demonstrated to them how to jump stop, how to hold the ball properly, where the lines on a court were and also how to dribble. A lot of their hands were too small to hold the ball correctly and most of them just aimlessly smacked the ball at the ground with two hands when we played dribble tag. Their interest in learning was genuine and while they struggled, they were able to laugh at themselves and continue trying. They were having pure fun and it reminded me of the level of care- free joy that the game of basketball can bring to those who have never experienced it. The fact that there was a sunrise beach front view within a couple steps of the court only added to how unique the coaching experience was. We continued the lessons by doing reaction time exercises and even simple catching games to work on timing and fundamentals. As a coach we were just planting the seed with hopes that the one day those kids will use the game to create the same kind of amazing memories that basketball has brought us. We were laying the foundation and if it inspires at least one kid to pick up a ball and chase a dream that they may have otherwise never considered, then that’s a mission accomplished.

After about 3 hours of coaching we finally finished and the only place that we could find that was open was (of course) a bar. As we rode back on the ferry, I felt extremely grateful to be in my position. At first, I didn’t anticipate the day to be so rewarding but that group of kids was special, and the setting of the court was one unlike any other that I’ve ever seen. The trip reminded me of the importance of keeping an open mind, because you never know how when you might have a chance to impact a life and you might even realize a thing or two about yourself in the process. Arranmore Island was truly a hidden gem and I will always be thankful to have been able reach a group of kids that I would’ve never even imagined meeting.

 

 The college system is a lot different here than in America. For starters, college here is A LOT cheaper. I’m talking 10s of thousands of dollars cheaper. Students in Ireland are able to enjoy the privilege of attending most public colleges for similar prices. Since Ireland is about the size of Nevada, the students use testing to determine which colleges they attend. In addition, the academic structure is slightly different. And like most things, I found out through a funny story. It started with a professor giving out a group assignment to our class. The assignment was straightforward, and my group was pretty confident when handing the assignment back to the professor. After about two weeks the grades were posted online. I was the first one to check the grades and I was shocked that we received a 67. In America, 67 is barely passing. So when I told my group we did horribly they were shocked. Another member of my group checked the grade and said we did pretty well. At this point I was confused about what she thought doing well was. Then she told me a perfect score in Ireland is 70. Their scale runs from 39-70. There are rare occasions where a student gets over a 70. I assumed that because it was a percentage, that the grade was out of 100. This was shocking and relieving at the same time. A 67 on our assignment was actually a good grade. My mom would never believe me. 

The first semester of my masters seemed to fly by. I’ve already met so many new friends and soaked up a bunch of information from my new professors. I’m currently pursing my masters degree in Marketing and Entrepreneurship and it has been challenging and rewarding at the same time. Last semester we enjoyed the privilege of working with German students through DKIT’s Erasmus program. The Erasmus program is an exchange program that sends German students to Ireland for a semester or an entire year. Last semester my course also participated in the MBS’s annual residential. The residential is a week where students from Germany fly over to be paired up with Irish students. Then, in groups of five, the students are tasked with creating a company and competing against other groups to increase their market share. The residential was an experience I will cherish as it was one of the most challenging tasks I’ve been assigned. However, I’ve come to find out challenging  situations and growth go hand in hand as I learned many things from competing against others for the week.  Second semester has just started and I am now getting back into rhythm after enjoying a nice break from a tough first semester. This semester I will have to dedicate a lot of time to finishing up my thesis which is due in August to complete my masters. I am writing my thesis on “Analyzing the individual Athlete as means for Corporate Social Responsibility”. Exciting times lay ahead. I want to cherish every minute of this experience and I look forward to reflecting on this journey in the future. 

They say travel is the only thing you pay for that makes you richer.

I’ll admit, while being in Ireland for a full academic year is a blessing in itself, I’d be lying if I didn’t get envious of my study abroad roommates traveling to foreign countries on a weekly basis while I stayed behind living vicariously through Instagram updates. However, winter recess and a timely off-weekend for the Hula Hoop President’s Cup semi-finals provided the ideal opportunity to take advantage of Ireland’s conveniently accessible air routes to neighboring European nations. RyanAir was an experience in itself (seriously, don’t be surprised if a flight attendant asks you to help push the plane off the runway). In all, I found each trip to provide its own unique feel: partially through each location’s distinct culture, and partially through how I travelled: solo, with SCL family, and lastly, with some of my closest friends from my hometown and alma mater.

Here are some suggestions and highlighted experiences from my travels thus far!

Scotland: Edinburgh, Inverness, and the Scottish Highlands

Whether observing it from aerial, street-level, or underground vantage point, Old Town Edinburgh is a must-see destination. Walk along the cobblestone streets and gothic-styled highrises of the Royal Mile to revert into an era of Reformation. Tour Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace to better perceive the influences of the political regime on Scotland’s historical and modern day development. Make the climb to Arthur’s Seat on the outskirts of town for panoramic views of the city old and new. Delve into the morbid past of the city by exploring the haunted underground Blair Street Vaults and catacombs, reliving the disturbing realities of witch hunting, plague, and body snatching that consumed the city in its earliest years . . . Plus, for my fellow Harry Potter fans, see where JK Rowling drew inspiration for Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and several notable character names, including Tom Riddles.

From Edinburgh, I trekked through the highlands to experience its vast landscape of greenery and mountain ranges. I stopped in Glencoe Valley to take in the views of ‘Bidean nam Bian’ and ‘the Three Sisters’ before heading further up north to survey Loch Ness in search of that mystified beauty, Nessie. Lastly, I channelled my inner braveheart and walked along the battlefield at Culloden in remembrance of the casualties lost during the final efforts of the Jacobites Rising and Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne.

Germany: Munich and Neuschwanstein Castle

I’m a bit of an architecture geek, and even though most of the city’s infrastructure was rebuilt post-World War II, Old Town Munich was beautiful nonetheless. From the Marienplatz to Old Town Hall and the Theatine Church, the buildings had such a commanding presence unlike anything I’ve come across back in the States. Christmas morning Mass in the german language was unique, though not to be outdone by dinner and card games at the infamous Hofbrauhaus beer hall, one of Germany’s seven largest beer venders and location of Hitler’s first address to the National Socialist party in 1920.

We took a two-hour train into the German Alps to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, which is something straight out of a postcard. It’s easy to see why the late King Ludwig’s fairytale castle has since served as inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella’s Castle. Nestled in the mountainside overlooking the small town of Schowenshau, Bavaria, snowfall across the landscape made for the feeling of a winter wonderland, and best of all, a white Christmas.

While exploring this new region was great, it was the being in such great company that I valued the most during my time here. Being in a foreign place away from our families for the first time on Christmas made it difficult no doubt, but sharing this experience with six other amazing people made it beyond worthwhile.

Iceland: Reykjavik, Vik, the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, and the Golden Circle

For as long as I can remember, Iceland has been the top priority on my bucket list of travel destinations. And, as much as I built up expectations preceding the trip, the unique, vastly uninhabited landscape still left me speechless. From the Scogoff, Sjordunless, and Gullfoss waterfalls to the black sand beaches in Vik to climbing glaciers atop an active volcano in Solheimajokull and standing in limbo between the Eurasian-North American tectonic plate boundaries in Pingvellir, the small nation of 350,000 residences was an important reminder of the beauty of nature and the need for its preservation. The country is entirely operated on harnessed energy from geothermal sources, which made our trip to a remote hot springs mid-snow storm a completely common practice amongst the locals. While I was severely disappointed to miss out on seeing the Northern Lights, especially after sitting outside for several hours, it provides me with a perfect excuse to return to the land of fire and ice again in the future.

Last week, the MSc in International Business class took a “field trip” to Belgium for a five-day intensive immersion into “non Irish” culture. The trip focused on the skills required to develop business opportunities in new markets and a thorough understanding of the EU and Irelands place in it.

To give you a better idea to what was included in the trip, below is a list of highlights.

 

Factory Visits:

Mercedes-Benz Maastricht

DHL Aviation Centre

AB InBev: Interactive tour of the world’s largest brewing company’s European headquarters.

Living Tomorrow – Company that specialises in Future Technologies

European Parliament

Business Europe

Embassy of Ireland, Brussels

Microsoft Innovation Centre

Parlamentarium

 

 

Featured Speakers:

Mr Liam McHale, Director, Irish Farmers Association

Mr Shane Lyster, Senior European Affairs Executive, IBEC

Ms Jessie Fernandes, Adviser, Business Europe

Mr Frederik Lange, Economic Adviser, Business Europe

Mr. Mark Lange: Director, EU Institutional Relations, Microsoft

Mrs. Liadh Ni Riada MEP

Mrs. Deirdre Clune MEP

Mr. Thor Tieleman’s, Mercedes-Benz

Mr. Ciarán Conlon , Director of Public Policy, Microsoft.

Helena Nolan, Irish Ambassador to Belgium

 

Throughout these visits, we were responsible for a continuous reflection log, as well as a group presentation regarding the benefits of Ireland’s membership in the European Union. So, as one can imagine, this trip was quite exhausting, but as an American student, living in a foreign country, attending numerous European hubs for businesses and politics, in the wake of Brexit, hearing from Irish representatives… incredible all at the same time. The trip reiterated the the importance of being an active and engaged citizen, regardless of what country your passport reads, and further inspired me to make consistent efforts in seeking to make a positive impact both at home and abroad.

#IntoEU

 

 

 

You two better be writing stuff down, because you know not everyone gets to do this right?

Coach Pat Price