Molly Burke is a junior, class of 2015, Mechanical Engineering major finishing up her semester abroad in Dublin, Ireland. Molly was kind enough to share some details about her experience on the Emerald Isle with HCND.
What is your go to study spot?
Fixx Coffee House on Dawson Street.
Favorite place you’ve travelled outside of your particular study abroad city?
Honfleur, France, an incredibly cute French port town.
What are your three essential travel accessories (e.g. clothes, items)?
- My tote bag, fits everything I need for the weekend.
- Scarves, mostly to keep warm and use as a pillow on planes.
- My camera. My philosophy is you can never have too many pictures.
Where are you looking forward to traveling this semester?
I have one trip left after I take all my finals: a week in Budapest and Berlin!
What is your favorite or most interesting class?
I love my Intro to Ireland class that is taught through the Notre Dame program. Learning about the Irish history and culture while living in Ireland has had a huge effect on my study abroad experience, and helps me to feel like I’m not just a tourist in Ireland.
Do you have an internship/volunteer position? If so, what is it?
I volunteer once a week at Fighting Words, a creative writing center on the north side of Dublin. Primary school kids come in and write stories as a group, and then I work with them individually to help them finish the story. It’s a great time, the Irish kids are hilarious and love Americans.
Best food you’ve had – and from where?
Irish Stew in Dublin at the Brazen Head, the first pub in Dublin! And I’ve had a lot of Irish stew…
What do you miss most about Notre Dame?
I miss campus itself. The school I study at in Dublin is very modern, with lots of glass and concrete buildings. Also there’s no Golden Dome here, and also no “American Football.”
How do you stay in touch with friends and family in the states?
I email my family most days, but also Skype and lots of postcards. iMessaging and GroupMe when I have wifi are beautiful things as well.
What’s your perfect day in Dublin?
Wake up early, run into the city with friends to get fresh (and warm!) scones from a new café. Come back and go to class, then go back into the city to Fixx to do some studying. Come home and make dinner with my roommates, then go out to a club or a pub with some other Notre Dame people.
What do you anticipate you will miss the most about study abroad when you have to return home?
I’ll miss living in a city and constantly being surrounded by things to do and see (no offense, South Bend). I’ll also miss the convenience of traveling to new places around Europe. That and Irish butter.
Do you blog? Could you share the URL for your blog?
http://mollyburkeireland.wordpress.com/
Thanks, Molly!
Photo provided by Molly Burke.