RateMyStudyAbroad Featured Blogger: Lauren Michelle in Ireland

Sometimes I just have these moments where the air feels magical, my steps feel soft and I am struck by the true beauty of something.

I walked through a narrow cobblestone alley and stepped through an archway into a beautiful winter wonderland. Trees blanketed in snow, footprints left by those who came before me. It stole my breath away and for a good few minutes I simply stood there, soaking it all up. The blue sky, frigid air, snow, fragile branches.

It was gorgeous.

Last night my friend Amy and I were in Griffin’s Bakery, browsing and talking about all of the yummy treats they had for sale. Two ladies walked in and we began to strike up a conversation…Amy and I were also holding a discussion on what appeared to be a truffle. I asked the lady who worked at the shop and she told me it was arum & chocolate truffle. I declared that the truffle sounded heavenly, took out my wallet, put it back in my purse and decided I needed to save my money and stick to my budget. One of the ladies said, you want that? I’ll tell you what, somebody was nice and paid for our lunch today, I’m going to go ahead and get you that truffle. You just have to pay it forward. Have you seen that movie? (YES! I love that movie, I said. My mom bought it for me for my birthday once!) Well then, while you’re in Ireland, pay it forward to somebody….And with that they left.

I am now sitting on my bed, enjoying a slice of the giant rum & chocolate truffle (seriously, it’s a HUGE truffle, bigger than a golf ball) with my cappuccino, and thinking about where this Sunday finds them (hopefully out enjoying Galway) and what I can do to pay it forward… and smiling at how these two ladies made my evening and reminded me just how nice people can be. Read More >>

There’s nothing like biking home from class at 8pm on Thanksgiving Day, while it’s snowing, to let me know I am very far from home and my family today…and yet, I had the most lovely Thanksgiving dinner surrounded by new friends ♥

Considering I am in a foreign country (that obviously does not celebrate Thanksgiving today because it is not American or Canada, whose Thanksgiving is a different date) I just had the best dinner ever.

Turkey, chicken, regular stuffing and gravy [but I don’t eat them], Vegetarian stuffing, cranberry jelly, mashed sweet potatoes…Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, Dutch Apple Pie, Cheesecake, Carrot Cake, Homemade Whipped Cream…[huge thanks to the parents who mailed over canned pumpkin!]

Huge thanks to the over 20 people who organized and made dishes for this dinner, it was AMAZING. I couldn’t be home for Thanksgiving this year but sitting at a huge makeshift table with over 20 people, eating a meal that is an American tradition, and talking about our lives back home and everything this day is for us. They aren’t my best friends in the whole world forever and ever and they aren’t my family, but today they were exactly what I needed. Thank you. Read More >>

I’m Going to Miss…

-seeing the tip of the Galway Cathedral out my window…

-the screams of the many seagulls constantly circling the rooftops

-the view of the docks as I walk down the stairs or wait for the elevator in my apartment (they look breathtaking in any weather)

-my bright red-orange balcony (the same color of the crayola crayon that goes by that name)

-FINALLY understanding the Irish signs without reading the English translation

-the awesome conversations my Irish class always had during the 10 minute break where we could speak English

-eating chester cake, hot almond croissants and drinking caramel hot cocoa at the  Cork market

-eating a pretzel and piping-hot donut (€1.70) for breakfast every Saturday morning, while listening to the donut man sing in Irish, talking to the fishmonger about all of the fish on display or talking to the bread lady about the fabulous malt bread she baked this morning…all at the Galway Saturday Market

-talking to my swans as I bike home from school or run by the park

-sitting in pubs listening to live bands and watching drunk people Irish step dance. Read More >>