On Tuesday afternoon, after we visited Allied Irish Bank and toured the Little Museum of Dublin some classmates and I went to Lemon Jelly for late lunch. We were discussing our first assignment that was due that night and I realized that I could use that time alone to walk around a bit and find a quiet spot to write my assignment. And that I did.

I started my journey out of the hostel and over the bridge. I stopped into a few clothing and record stores but did not manage to buy anything. I stopped to pet a dog whose owner was living in Dublin but lived in the states up until 4 years ago. He was born and raised in Chicago and moved to Dublin after college for work. We chatted for a couple minutes, then I said goodbye to his dog. A greyhound sort of looking dog. I don’t know, I am horrible with dog breeds!

I then found a quiet sport on the river where a man was working in a refreshment stand. I bought a coke (my only one on the trip) and sat down to write my assignment. It took me maybe 45 minutes to write, and as I was finishing my last sip of my coke, a small child and their smaller sibling ran up to me. They were very hyper and charismatic yet did not say much. Not long after their father came up to me and apologized for his children’s antics. I assured him, there was absolutely no worry, and I found them quite amusing. He noticed my accent and asked where I was from. I told him “The Boston Area” because he was not too familiar with Rhode Island LOL. I told him about the class trip we were on and how much fun I was having and he seemed endeared that I was enjoying his home country. We parted ways, and I headed back to the hostel in preparation for dinner which was at a comedy show!

In all, I felt the miniscule time I spent alone out in Dublin was nice and refreshing. I didn’t mention that I also made a phone call to my grandmother who was very excited for me to go on this trip. So, that was a nice getaway to be able to do that.

I thought spending time alone would give me some breakthrough, that wandering the city streets of Dublin solo would spark a feeling I had never had before.  

But things in Dublin aren’t so different.  

I’ve always appreciated an errand. I followed my mom to CVS and the grocery store too many times as a child for shopping not to be engraved in my habits. When I walk down the aisles sometimes, I think about my mom, crossing things off her list one by one. 

We really aren’t so different.  

Theres something rewarding crossing things off. 

It reduces the impact of the bill when you feel you’ve been productive.  

And it’s hard to not reward yourself with an impulse buy or two after such a strenuous task. 

In Dublin I quickly ran out of socks and was graced with the need to run an errand.  

A sense of purpose pulled me out of bed and into a caffe for a cup of tea.  

As I perused the morning streets, I realized the buzz at the beginning of the day is universal. 

The line of people waiting to get on the bus was just like the one at home. Silent morning workers waiting to start their day.  

It’s not so different.

In the dollar store my eyes lit up for all the same things as when I’m at home.  

Brightly colored bags of chips with interesting flavors, 

Cheap beauty products that I don’t need, 

Stationary that will sit at the bottom of my purse until I clean it out, 

This dollar store was not so different, 

Not any different than what I was used to. 

Sure, prices may be lower, and items may be fresh to my eyes, but it was familiar.  

How could I be out of place when all of my favorite things are still in theirs? 

Running errands wasn’t any different because I was in a different place. 

Sure, the walk might have felt new, and the passersby are strangers.  

But in no time at all I know things wouldn’t feel different at all.  

Before I realized it, I would know the walk and the people I passed.

I often find that I cling to what I know, habits, people, interests.  

Testing the waters, rocking the boat has never been my cup of tea.  

While I won’t seek out disruption of routine, I know that when things are different, is when things happen.  

When you’re uncomfortable and tested is when you learn. 

But after a week of testing myself the dollar store felt nice.  

Something far from different was what I needed to remind myself that things don’t always have to be different to feel fresh.  

I don’t have to feel stuck by routine or intimidated by new, 

Whether things are different, or not different at all, I know I will take it as it comes. 

And when worst comes to worst, I can always find home in running errands.  

-Ila van Schaik

For my “Dublin on Your Own” assignment, I did what I know how to do best: shop and eat. To combine my two favorite pastimes, I went to a store called Marks & Spencer—M&S, as the locals call it—to find the most exciting and interesting snacks.

During one of our first days of the trip, I went to a mall downtown that had a Marks & Spencer, but it turned out to be just a clothing store. So, when I saw another M&S down the street from our hostel that was advertised as ‘M&S Food’, my curiosity got the best of me. And boy, am I glad it did!

As a snack enthusiast, this place was like heaven. Comparable to Trader Joe’s, the store was stocked with things like produce, snacks, prepackaged and frozen meals, and even a ginormous wine selection!  

It was me and my basket against the world. I filled it up with all the fun snacks I was interested in trying. And yes, Professor Ryan, I did try Ribena. And yes, it was amazing.

Approximately €42 later, my bank account and I decided that it was time to check out. I brought my snacks to a cute little table by the bridge and dug right in. If you guys learn anything from reading this, it should be that sushi from M&S is highly disappointing (who could’ve seen that one coming!?) and their gummy candy is top tier. My favorite candy was called Squidgy Snouts by the brand Percy Pigs. The texture was unmatched. They were soft, pillowy, and the perfect mix of sweet and sour. Because they use potato starch and tapioca instead of gelatin, all the gummies I purchased were also vegan! Not only that, but the ingredients were much cleaner than those of American candy, which I greatly appreciated #healthyqueen.

My solo snack time by the River Liffey allowed some time for self-reflection, which I always love. I felt incredibly grateful to be where I was and to have the opportunity to go the Europe for the very first time!

Oh, and don’t worry, everyone! I made sure to go back to M&S before I left to grab more of my favorite things to share with my family when I got home!

Prior to leaving for Dublin, I was having a hard time figuring out what my “Dublin on my own” adventure would be. That was until the day before the trip, where I found out our hostel was only a 15 minute walk away from a sprawling park in South Dublin, St. Stephen’s Green Park. I am a huge fan of parks and green spaces in large cities. I frequently go to Fairmount Park in Philly when I can, and when I make trips to New York I always make a point to visit Central Park and admire the public parks in the middle of a concrete jungle.

While visiting the the Little Museum of Dublin, I noticed that St. Stephen’s was directly across the street. I went back to the hostel got into a quick change of clothes, put my headphones on, and made my way back to the park. Needless to say, the experience did not disappoint. In the 1000 plus year old city, it was really cool to see an open green space with kids running around, people relaxing on the various benches, and others just getting some fresh air.

What I really admired were the two ponds placed throughout the middle of the park and getting to see ducks swim across.

The park also featured a number of monuments, such as the Constance Markievicz bust, honoring a woman who was an Irish Revolutionary and the first ever woman elected to the UK Parliament. I also stopped to see The Three Fates Fountain, Fulliser’s Arch, and the WB Yeats Memorial. Overall, I loved the experience of walking through St. Stephen’s Green Park and don’t regret picking it as my Dublin on my own adventure. I make it a point to stop by public parks in the cities I go to and loved that I had the opportunity to do it while in Dublin.

choosing my own path was to slip away every now and then (not without telling someone, of course). My favorite of these solo journeys was my trip to Bray, although it technically was not solo. I navigated the transit system alone. During my not-so-long, nor treacherous journey, I spoke to a lovely woman who told me about her twenty-year-old daughter who wants to study abroad in Chicago. It’s a rather odd experience to hear someone yearn for the place that I was so excited to get away from for a week. Once I got to Bray, I grabbed a quick coffee and awaited a newfound friend: Joe! Joe, who lives close to Bray, showed me around the area, and explained that it’s Hozier’s hometown! After hours of wandering and eating what is considered Chinese food in Ireland, Joe and I parted ways and I reunited with the rest of the group.

This short “solo” trip made me feel a sense of belonging in Ireland. There’s something freeing about having to interact with those who are local to a place that you consider foreign. I felt a very sudden rush of wanting to be everywhere in Ireland all at once, surrounded by locals. Essentially, I learned that I have to make my way back.

I had a few excursions on my own during my time in Dublin. The time I saw a mural and followed it all the way in an alley which led me to two women who I watched walk away and duck under a small hole in the wall. I decided to investigate, and after walking through, it turned out to be the local football stadium which introduced me to meet someone who mentioned a match was happening that night.  Or the time I went to see the Book of Kells, traversed Trinity College, which, I found a bit underwhelming. The moment on my own that I chose to write about was a time that I did not intend to be on my own. I remember I needed to eat lunch and I diverted from the group in Howth to find something that could accommodate my Celiac Disease (gluten free food). 

I remember sitting down at the bar and ordering my food. For some reason I noticed all the male bartenders had hair similar to mine. Brown curly hair, and mine was even curlier than it usually is being by the sea. My next thought was something my mom told me a year ago. She said your dad is not your biological dad. She mentioned a man with a last name that was vehemently irish starting with a “Mc” at the front but I forget what followed. I remember breaking down, crying. 

It was something that I had pushed down for a long time. I am not even sure it is true. But in that moment it was crushing. The idea of thinking an absolute my whole life can turn out to be a falsehood was jarring. It goes even deeper when my father was a single parent for most of my life. Biological or not that is my father, and I never paid what my mother said any mind; until this trip.

I left the Pub and scaled the elevation towards the summit. No idea of where anyone was but somehow stumbling upon them almost immediately as I made it up. I was greeted with smiles, generosity, and companionship. Then I looked over at the beautiful fields, sea stretching far past the eye, and cliffs embroidered with greenery and jagged rocks. I guess, in that moment, I felt ok. Whether this is true, or this is not, ultimately I am here, and my experiences are real with or without a label to define them. 

I didn’t expect to be vulnerable in a public discussion but I felt it would be a disservice to myself for not talking about an experience that was fueled by emotion, made me question my existence, and ultimately drew me closer to understanding my own identity. This was hard to write about but Im glad I did.

Since I was a little girl, I had always been ingrained in Irish culture. When I was younger, my dad owned an Irish bar called Finnegan’s Wake, and it was my home away from home since I could remember. I share so many fond memories in that place with my family. From watching live Irish music performances on St. Patrick’s Day or playing tag with my brother throughout the place, I loved every second of being there. It also gave me a chance to connect with my Irish heritage. The bar closed when I was fourteen, and when it shut down, it left a pit in my ability to celebrate my culture with my family. 

Then my sister showed me the movie Sing Street. The film followed an Irish boy named Conor, living in Dublin during the 1980s recession in Ireland. He was forced to move to an all-boys Christian brothers school because of his family’s financial status. I, too, was about to go to an all-girls Catholic school, so I found myself relating to Conor in his struggles of moving schools. Out of his pain, he developed a profound love for music from his brother, and he decided to start a band. From my first watch, I loved this movie and all the songs that it included. I had never watched a movie that felt so down-to-earth and true to its message.

During our visit to the Botanical Garden, me and Kelly had to wander off on our own adventure. As I walked around and explored the environment, I felt like I was walking down memory lane and revisiting my younger self. Not many people know this about me but as a kid I grew up loving maps. And it all started from a school field trip to the Longwood Garden, which is similar to the Botanical Garden. What made my Longwood Garden experience such a strong core memory was that we had to use a physical map and a compass to guide us around the garden to complete a scavenger hunt. It was a unique experience, although my group may not have completed the scavenger hunt in first place, I knew I gained something new that I would forever treasure. My trip to Longwood Garden had inspired a new habit of mine, which is to become aware of what direction I was facing (cardinal direction) and how easily I can navigate around different places.  

 During our trip to Dublin, I do admit that it’s the first time where I didn’t know where I was facing. It kept bothering me for the first few days, eventually I forgot about it up until my visit to the Botanical Garden. I haven’t revisited the Longwood Garden after that school field trip, therefore being present at the Botanical Garden felt so unreal to me. Reliving my experience made me realize just how much I love my navigation skills and how easily I can remember my way around cities and maps. 

  And as a bonus experience, I did a mini scavenger hunt at the Botanical Garden. Kelly texted me to meet up again and a little fun fact about Kelly is that she can easily get lost with her sense of direction, which apparently, I had forgotten. I had shared my location so that she could find her way to me, but after a few minutes I noticed that she was taking a long time to arrive. I checked her location, and she seemed to have gotten farther away. We then came up with a conclusion that I should be the one to find her. And this experience made me feel like I was my 11 year old self again trying to complete this scavenger hunt.  

For the “Dublin on Your Own” assignment, I decided to visit Dublin Castle. Dublin Castle was one of the main attractions I wanted to visit. I thought that doing it after Thinkhouse on Friday was the perfect opportunity to go.

Dublin in general has amazing history and architecture, which is why I decided to walk there rather than take public transportation. I have never really been in a city where I could walk to nearly all of my destinations and enjoy it. I feel like every street I walked on has its own character and every turn didn’t leave me disappointed. It made me wish there were more places like it in America.

Walking through the grounds of the castle I felt like I had been transported through time. I began to imagine the history that had occurred in the courtyard area and the people who have stood where I stood. Dublin Castle has witnessed some of the most important moments in Irish history. But what struck me most was how well preserved everything was outside and inside. Obviously there have been repairs throughout its lifetime, but it didn’t feel like that at all, the authenticity is still there.

As someone who enjoys history, especially through architecture Dublin Castle was a dream. It’s the perfect place for those who enjoy intricate moldings, pastels and lots and lots of details. In the U.S., so much of our architecture is uniform and modern, so being surrounded by these original details felt refreshing and inspiring. What I loved most was how this castle blended the feeling of walking through a living museum with the city of Dublin right outside its gates.

Taking the time to pause and admire all of the details really made the experience amazing. I definitely recommend if you go, to go alone or with a small group so you can go at your own pace. At first when booking the solo tour, I was a little nervous that I would stand out by being alone, but I can’t recommend going alone enough. Doing a tour allowed me to take in the atmosphere with no distractions and I got to truly connect with the space.

The details such as the intricate stonework, great staircases or the unique chandeliers that hang in each room, all offered something that is worth noticing. I never walked into a room and thought, “this is boring.”

If you are planning to go back to Dublin in the future, I can’t recommend Dublin Castle enough. It was so amazing, and I think anyone would appreciate it as much as I did. Whether you are a history enthusiast, a lover of architecture styles or are just curious, it is a place that will leave you with a deeper connection to Dublin. For me, walking back out of the castle and back into the city was a reminder of how beautifully Dublin blends its past and present together, which is what made this visit so unforgettable.