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Tag: sjm510

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By sjm510

From my time here, I’ve realized there’s a lot that the Irish and Americans can learn from one another. To begin, the US could most certainly learn from Ireland’s advanced recycling system. I’m still amazed that plastic film, plastic bags, styrofoam, and more can all be recycled together here. My involvement with Green GW inspired me to get involved here with UCD’s Environmental Society, Eco Soc. Eco Soc is only a year old, possibly because there are already such good environmental practices in place and not as much demand for an advocacy group like there was at GW. Green GW is 9 years old in comparison. Eco Soc has some really strong goals in place such as to participate in the Green Campus Programme, which encourages a partnership approach to environmental education, management, and action in third level institutions. While brainstorming ideas of how to bring sustainability to campus, they were very receptive to hearing about what worked with Green GW, such as encouraging students to sell and trade used items, trashion show, online surveys, working with administrators, etc. I look forward to staying involved with this group and hopefully helping them to implement strategies that worked well at GW.

I also recently got involved with UCD’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders. I’ve been involved with EWB at GW for the past year and find the differences between the two chapters interesting. At GW, most of what EWB does is in preparation for our compost latrine project in El Salvador. At UCD, they hope to soon set up a similar project. For now, however, they are focused on hosting workshops and volunteering events as a way to get students interested in sustainable development. I participated in their 3D printing workshop as well as a workshop held by Concern Worldwide. I look forward to imparting some ideas that worked well at GW onto UCD’s chapter and continuing to learn from them as well.

Finally, I also participated in a “soup run” this past week where a group of UCD students got together and walked around the streets of Dublin, offering food and tea to the homeless. I’ve never participated in something like it before, but it was an eye opening experience. Towards the end of the night, most of the homeless we approached let us know that we were the fourth or fifth soup run that had come through just that night. I know similar organizations exist in the United States, but I think it’s yet another show of the friendly nature and kind heartedness of the Irish people to see 20+ students in just our group alone giving up three hours of their night nearly every night to help others.

I’m excited to keep learning from the Irish as well as share some ideas of my own from back home. It’s a really unique opportunity to experience first hand the differences in student organizations at the two schools and I’m lucky to be in a position where I can offer guidance both to UCD organizations based on what has worked well at GW and to once I return home, to GW organizations based on what worked well at UCD.

Published on

By sjm510

One thing that’ll surprise you about Dublin is everyone is talking about “crack”. Where to get the good “crack”, was last night good “crack”, etc. But, don’t worry, the Irish are not talking about cocaine. Rather, they are saying the word craic, which is Gaelic for having a good time or having a laugh.

Fun-loving, happy people may be the best way to describe Dubliners. Everyone is eager to help with directions, recommend the best sights to see, and of course, have some good craic.

Just the very first night, my friends and I went to a restaurant called the Hairy Lemon, which sounds really awful but actually has really good, authentic Irish food. But what stuck with me most about this restaurant was the waiter. He could tell it was our first night in Dublin and gave us lots of recommendations of good places to go, warned my friend whose purse was hanging off the chair about pick-pockets, and explained the unique décor of the restaurant. It was primarily American memorabilia given to him by the many people who had come through the restaurant and not only had great conversations with him, but once home, had kept in touch and sent him keepsakes to add to the wall.

Recently, I travelled with some friends to Cork to kiss the Blarney stone, bestowing anyone who kisses it with eloquent speech for seven years. The bus drive was 3 hours long and no exaggeration, our bus driver sang and chatted with us literally the entire time. Upon learning he and my friend both shared the last name of Cooney, he declared her his cousin and swapped contact information, telling her to keep in touch. All night long after that trip my friends and I sang songs like Molly Malone and Whiskey in the Jar through the streets of Ireland.

It’s refreshing to be exposed to such an open, welcoming environment. In the U.S., we tend to be a little more reserved; you’ll see more people avoiding eye contact on the street and keeping conversation with strangers to a minimum. Not that there aren’t friendly people everywhere, but the Irish sure stand out. Ireland is amazing, but it’s the people you encounter, all constantly in search of some good craic, that make it so much more.

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