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This last weekend some friends and I took a day trip to the Mornington Peninsula. We started our morning at 5am in order to make the commute and be on time to board the boat for our dolphin and seal swim. We arrived to catch the sunrise over the ocean, put our wetsuits on, and hop on board as we headed out into the ocean.
Our first stop was at a location where a shelter had been built in the water for the seals. We put our snorkel gear on and jumped in the water! The seals would swim really close to you, and they were quite the show-offs. They would spin around and put on a little show while barking the whole time. The water was fairly shallow in the area so we had to be careful to keep our feet up, as rays would swim under you. It was a little scary at first. You would be focused on the seals and all of a sudden you look down and a huge ray is right underneath you.
After the seals, we boarded the boat and headed toward a little bay where we could snorkel and see cuttle fish and sea dragons. They both use camouflage really well. I was only able to spot one cuttle fish without the help of a guide.
We then boarded the boat and headed back to the dock. Over the course of the trip, we were supposed to be ready to dive in the water if any dolphins were spotted. Unfortunately, no dolphins were spotted in the area all morning, so we were unable to swim with the dolphins. It was still an amazing trip and the crew made it that much better.
Morning sunrise on the pier before departing on tourSea dragonCuttle fishGroup of seals showing-off in the water.Ray while swimming with the seals.
After the dolphin and seal swim, we walked through the town of Sorrento to a beach spot called the “Back Beach”. This area had tons of rock pools and a couple short hiking trails that overlooked the beach. After wandering through the rock pools and trails for a bit, we went to a little café on the beach and had some lunch. The view from the deck was amazing.
View of the Back Beach from hike lookout.Beachside view from lunch
We then went to our final destination for the day – Point Nepean National Park. Point Nepean was formerly an army base as well as a quarantine center. With about 30km of trails, Point Nepean spans toward the tip of the Mornington Peninsula. We took a tour bus out to the end of the peninsula and then hiked our way back. The hike was full of astonishing views, as well as remnants and tunnels from the army base. It was amazing and the weather was absolutely perfect!
I’m coming up on the end of my second week of classes here at Deakin University. It’s been a crazy couple of weeks adjusting to my new schedule and figuring out the flow of classes. I’m taking four classes this trimester, all of which meet once a week for 2-3 hours at a time. Outside of the in-person seminars, every class has online modules that you must work through on your own to learn the content that is discussed in class and on exams. It’s a lot more independent study than I expected, but once I get the hang of it, I think I might enjoy it.
Crossing campus bridge on my way back from classes.
Last weekend we had three days in a row of temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I spent one of these days going to Altona Beach with some friends. The beach had a long pier that you could walk out on, and people were jumping off the far end of it into the water. The water was very cold but felt amazing with the sun beaming down on us. The water was anywhere from ankle to hip deep for about the first 500 feet, which made for perfect spots to just chill and cool off.
Altona Beach
On Wednesday night I went to the final night of the Queen Victoria Market Summer Nights Festival. The Queen Victoria Market is in downtown Melbourne and runs through the day with streets vendors, food trucks, and produce stands. They do festivals over the summer where they reopen at night with live music and plenty of different vendors and food options. I had been to the market during the day before, but this was my first time going to the night festival. This was also one of the first times I’ve been in the city at night, and it was amazing. They put on a new night festival during the winter season, so I can’t wait to go to that one.
Queen Victoria Market Summer Nights Festival
Inside the Queen Victoria Market Summer Nights Festival
As I have progressed through this these past two months of adventures, I feel I have changed in subtle, positive ways. There are things about myself that I have learned to love as I have navigated studying abroad and leaving my home country for the first time. I am a person who does a lot of self reflection. I journal in my notes app, meditate when I have time, and love my weekly check-ins with myself. I wanted to share a few of the changes I’ve noticed in the hopes that it encourages other people to step outside their comfort zone.
I am much more confident in myself and my identity. There is something intrinsically unique about living outside of your home country with a bunch of strangers. Back at Linfield, I was very comfortable in my routine and my friend group, and I didn’t really tend to branch out, since what I knew was comforting.However, those friends and routine are not here in Ireland. When I first arrived here it felt a lot like freshman year. I felt awkward, and so nervous to meet new people and learn how to live with different people, that I was constantly thinking about how other people were perceiving me. It was exhausting! I feel very lucky to have landed in the apartment that I have with some of the most wonderful people I’ve had the pleasure to meet. We are constantly adventuring, chatting, pushing limits, and overall challenging each other to really take in our study abroad experience. Not to say that I don’t miss my friends back home. I DO. I can’t wait to reunite with them this summer and catch them up on all the experiences I’ve had while here! I’m excited to show them how much I have grown into myself and how comfortable I am in simply being myself without the fear of others judging me.
Roommates from left to right: Maddison, Alexiss, Olivia, Abigael
I’ve learned my limits on social interaction. I am an incredibly social person. I love meeting people, going out to the pubs, listening to music, and talking about my day. Sometimes though, I need my space. I have gotten so much more skilled at communicating when I need a moment, or what someone else can do to help me be comfortable. This is a skill that you really do need when you’re studying abroad.
There are endless opportunities to go on weekend trips, parties, and explorations, and the FOMO (fear of missing out) is very strong when you turn something down. When I was leaving the country, I was given the advice to “never say no to an adventure.” I have found this to be true to an extent. There have been times where I just want to lay in bed watching Derry Girls and not talk to anyone, but my roommates are asking if I want to see a landmark like the Cliffs of Moher. Nine times out of ten, I’m going to push myself to go and have the adventure and nine times out of ten, I am so grateful and happy that I went. There are times where I instead stay home, but when it means that I am enjoying time to myself and allowing myself to have space, it’s a healthy habit to practice. Knowing yourself and your limits is part of growing up, and despite what many think, you are still growing in college!
Selfie in Front of Kylemore Abbey Church
The people are so friendly in Ireland! If you travel to Ireland (especially Galway) and only have time for one or two nights exploring the town, talk to people. People will approach you and ask if you’re studying there, or if you’re on holiday (vacation). Some of the most fascinating and meaningful interactions I have had here are random people at the pub!
Cold But Smiling
I feel like I’m always smiling here. I will carry the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met, close to my heart for many years to come.
In short, Carpe Diem! Seize the day, and look for the small adventures around you every day. Until next time! Keep an eye out for an update on St. Patrick’s weekend!
If you are someone who wants to realize your fantasy of running around a medieval castle, Avignon is the place to visit. Avignon is located on the left bank of the river Rhône. It is a gorgeous, ancient town with medieval walls enclosing the town center, and within it, le palais des papes (the Papal Palace or the Palace of Popes). Like many French towns, the center is a maze of narrow streets scattered with little boutiques and cafés, with cobblestone paths and murals on the beautiful yellow clay which the south of France is known for.
Avignon City CenterTown of Avignon from the roof of the Palais des Papes
Avignon is known for the period of Avignon Papacy, from 1309 to 1376, during which there were seven successive popes living in le palais des papes, instead of residing in Rome. While I was there, I was able to take a tour of le palais des papes. It was absolutely incredible! I was stepping back through time, walking the echoing halls, running my hand across the cold carved stones.
Outside the Palais des PapesRoof of the Palais des Papes
My favorite rooms of the palace were not allowed to be photographed, but they were covered from floor to ceiling with religious murals, telling stories about saints and other figures. Another gorgeous room was tiled in earthy yellows, rusty reds, and faded blues. The palace had so many levels and staircases; I was easily turned around and would’ve gotten lost if not for arrows indicating the flow of the tour.
Carved stone in the palaceGolden hour in the Palais des PapesDoors in the Palais des Papes
After visiting the town center of Avignon, we headed to the Pont du Gard, a roman aqueduct built almost 2000 years ago, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The aqueduct crosses the Gardon river and is the tallest preserved Roman aqueduct. I found that its grandeur is something that cannot really be captured on camera. If you are ever in the south of France, I would highly recommend visiting this site, because it is something that can only really be experienced in person. The sheer size and antiquity of the aqueduct was humbling. There are a few trails on either side of the bridge that can give you a better view. I hiked one side up to a viewpoint. The group of about 20 that I was with fell silent and we sat there for probably a half hour in that calmness, taking everything in. It was a beautiful experience.
View of Pont du Gard from the trailView of the aqueduct from the from the second tier
Nice, France is well known for its annual parade at the end of winter. The Nice Carnival was the first international carnival in France and has been a much beloved event for the past 151 years (since 1873)! This year I went with a few friends to experience the opening day of the parade. It was definitely an experience to remember!
My friends and I took a two-hour bus from Aix to Nice the morning before the opening ceremony. We got an idea of Nice as we walked through downtown to the parade which took place right on the waterfront! On our way, we stopped by Burger King because we were all missing American food a little bit. In the Burger King, there was a birthday party taking place! Talking with my host family later that weekend, I came to find out that birthday parties in American fast-food restaurants are frequent occurrences here (and keep in mind these don’t have playgrounds like some do in the US)!
Anyway, we made our way through the crowded streets to the parade. The theme of this year’s carnival was the King of Pop Culture and they definitely stayed true to it! We saw float upon float of Disney princesses, superheroes, and cartoon characters! Kids were dressed up as their favorite characters with jewels and face paint. The actors on the floats were throwing these beautiful yellow flowers called Mimosas into the crowd. Mimosas grow all around Côte d’Azur and have been blooming over the past couple of weeks, adding some vibrant color to the landscape.
Mimosa Flowers
Following the parade, we headed over to Village du Carnaval where they had games, food, and souvenirs. We all bought some carnival masks to match our outfits. Shortly after, we had a confusing encounter with a woman who was asking us to take a picture. We had thought she was asking for us to take a picture of her, but it turned out that she thought we were part of the show and asked for pictures of us under the Carnival banner.
Carnival MasksHarry Potter Trash Can
We had a few hours between the opening parade and the parade of lights in the evening. We walked Nice a little more and saw their Notre Dame, a gorgeous cathedral in the center of town.
Notre Dame of Nice at duskArchitecture of Nice
We happened upon an Italian restaurant where we stopped for dinner. It was absolutely amazing! I could have filled up on their bread and olive oil alone.
SpaghettiRigatoni
After the sun set, we walked the waterfront down to the Carnival once again, this time for the parade of lights. Still with the pop culture theme, this parade had floats of movies, TV shows, music icons, and social media. They all seemed to be social commentaries as well. It was a very bizarre but amazing experience.
Video game floatMatrix themed float with Elon Musk hooked up to machines with the ChatGPT symbol on his chest, holding a red and blue pill.TV show floatWilly Wonka float
One of my classes here in Aix-en-Provence is entitled Women and the Mediterranean: from Myth to Modernity. Since coming to France a few weeks ago, I have noticed this theme of juxtaposing the ancient and the modern: a coffee chain built into a church from the 15th century, Teslas driving on Roman cobblestone streets, and pizza stands sitting below statues of saints constructed during the Bubonic Plague. Aix is a town which displays its history. There are structures from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance which still stand as well as influences form the Roman empire around every corner. Each building is lined with pipes for plumbing and bunches of electrical wires added over the recent centuries. It tells a story of coexisting preservation and evolution in a changing world. In a sense, it reflects the experience of a study abroad student: bringing conceptions of yourself and the world into a completely new environment in which you’re pushed to adapt and develop as a person. So far, I’ve fallen in love with the beauty of this process and in love with Aix for facilitating it.
With that in mind, let me take you on a tour of the town!
The university I’m studying at, the Institute of American Universities (IAU), has no campus, but is instead a few buildings grouped in city center. This makes it easy to stop for a croissant between classes or study at a café, which I’ve definitely taken advantage of.
Studying with my daily cappuccinoCroissant on my way to class
Aix is called the city of fountains, or the town of a thousand fountains. The end of each street hosts its own fountain, and with that is often a square of cafés, boutiques, and community spaces. My favorite of these is Place des Prêcheurs: a huge square where you can see preserved Roman streets in front of the Palais de Justice and Église de la Madeleine.
Église de la Madeleine during sunset.
There are often kids running around and dogs playing fetch in front of this gorgeous church originally built in the late 1200s. That is, when the market stands have been put away. Different squares in Aix have daily markets where people roll their large shopping baskets behind them collecting fruits, veggies, cheeses, meat, bread, and even flowers for the week.
Market stand of nutsProduce Market
The flower market is my favorite. I’ve notice so many couples, young and old, walking the streets of Aix together with flowers. My host mom always keeps multiple bouquets of fresh flowers in the kitchen and on the dinning room table. There are also the most beautiful wildflowers as you walk out of city center towards the countryside.
I’ve been spending a lot of time on the outskirts of Aix where the Marschutz art center is located. My ceramics class is by far my favorite here. The pottery studio is outdoors next to a mini vineyard on a small hill.
View from the pottery studio
If you venture further into the countryside of Aix, you’ll find your way to the base of a mountain: Montagne Sainte Victoire. I hiked Saint Victoire with a friend this past weekend and it was well worth the hours of climbing. Near the top is Sainte Victoire Priory, a monastery built in the 17th century and dating back to a religious refuge site from the 5th century. At the peak of Saint Victoire is the Croix de Provence, a giant cross overlooking the valley. The view was breathtaking and it was such a peaceful experience, surrounded as far as the eye could see by wild rosemary.
Trail head to Sainte Victoire on a damView from the top of Sainte Victoire
I hope you’ve enjoyed your little introduction to Aix-en-Provence!
This past weekend my mom and Aunt came to visit me in gorgeous Galway! We walked just about everywhere since their AIRBNB was located right at the heart of the Latin District. Their birthdays happened to line up with their visit so we did everything we could while they were here.
Right when they arrived my roommates and I took them to the Crane Bar. The Crane Bar is one of the most well-known traditional Irish pubs in Galway with Irish Trad (traditional) music sessions 7 nights a week. It’s been in working order since the early 1800s, and a regular hangout spot for anyone looking for some fantastic music. Over the past few weeks my roommates and I have gone every Wednesday to see the same group of musicians. My mom and Aunt adored the Crane, and both shared a Guinness in the spirit of Ireland.
The Crane Bar in Galway, Ireland.
The next day was my mom’s birthday and she requested that we see the ocean. Where else could I take her but Salthill? Salthill is located on the bay of Galway and is one of the many neighborhoods or districts that make up Galway city as a whole. My mom loved walking along the beach and watching people jump into the freezing water! We all thought they were crazy, they’re braver than me! Maybe I’ll be adventurous and jump in the water soon. We went to Salthill on the most perfect day. It was the warmest day I’ve had in Ireland thus far, and the sun was shining all day without even a hint of rain.
I had the most scrumptious cappuccino with a smattering of cocoa powder while in Salthill, and while I’m not normally much of a coffee person, the Irish chocolate powder was just too good to resist!
Delicious Cappuccino with chocolate dust
Overall, this was one of my favorite weekends in Ireland because I got to see my family. I won’t lie, the homesickness can be a bit brutal. It comes and goes in waves, and it’s helpful to find something consistent to do each day that keeps you grounded. I personally am a huge fan of watching an episode or two of a show and trying to stretch for 10-15 minutes each day. It is sometimes difficult to find food from home, but if you are determined enough, nothing is too much of a challenge here in Ireland.
The 26th marks my first week here in Australia. Monday night I moved into my residence at Deakin University’s Burwood campus, and things have been in full swing since! I spent a day or so getting moved in and situated, figuring out how to get around and use public transport, and adjusting to this new lifestyle. Since moving in, I’ve met some great friends from all over the world and embarked on a few adventures.
I spent a day with some friends heading down to Torquay Beach, home of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach surf competition. After a few hours of travel through trams, buses, and trains, we arrived at the beach where we rented surf boards and wet suits. Then we went out into the water and taught ourselves how to surf! It was so much fun, but also so hard. We spent a couple hours out in the water, and I was able to stand up on the board only twice. Definitely will be going back and doing this again.
Surfing at Torquay
On Saturday we had our international student orientation event hosted by a company called Real Australia. We loaded up two buses full of international students and headed towards the historic Phillip Island. Our first stop along the way was at Maru Koala and Animal Park in Grantville, Victoria. Here we were given a lecture from experts on koalas, dingoes, and snakes (all animals of which were present during the lecture). After, we were given time to walk the park and see all the animals in their enclosures. However, throughout the park there were multiple kangaroos roaming unenclosed. We were allowed to walk up and feed and pet the kangaroos all throughout the park.
Feeding the kangaroosWallabiesTasmanian DevilKoalaDingoFeeding the joey
Our next stop was a hike at Cape Woolamai on Phillip Island. We took a walk down the beach and up along a trail to a lookout point. It was beautiful. Along the way we encountered some various wildlife such as wallabies and an echidna.
Lookout views
We then headed into town for dinner at a local pub. I felt the need to order an Australian classic meal, the chicken parma. The chicken parma is a typical Australian meal that consists of a breaded chicken breast topped with a sliced of ham, tomato sauce, and parmesan. It was really good.
Chicken Parma
Our final stop of the day was on the coast of Philip Island to a reserve known as the Nobbies. The Nobbies is a rock formation off the coast that is home to Philip Island’s little penguins. We walked the pier to the Nobbies as we waited for the little penguin parade to begin at sunset. Every night when the sun sets, thousands of the little penguins come to shore and make the trek across the beach and back to their homes. Philip Island’s little penguin parade allows for people to come each night and watch the penguins return home after feeding, while maintaining a safe environment to protect the penguins. It was a really cool experience and the penguins were so tiny and adorable.
This past weekend I traveled to Budapest, Hungary! I could write a thousand blogs and never quite manage to capture the experience, but one will have to do for now. I traveled with my roomate and it was by far the easiest but longest travel day I have had for a while. There is no airport in Galway so we took a three hour bus to Dublin to then take our flight to Budapest. Even though they reside in the same country a mere three hours apart, Galway and Dublin were incredibly different. Galway is small, it has this very unique and cozy atmosphere that continues everywhere you go whether it be a cathedral, pub, or just strolling through the streets. Dublin is bustling and alive, it is truly a city that lives up to it’s reputation. We were only there for a few hours before our flight, but I was already exhausted by the sheer size of Dublin.
I don’t think we slept more than 4 to 5 hours a night the whole weekend we were in Budapest. We stayed at the Vitae Hostel (I was told this meant the Hostel of Life) and I met such a vivacious assortment of people from all around the world. I had never stayed in a hostel before and it felt akin to summer camp in all the most important ways. We slept on bunk beds and had communal showers and kitchen area. I loved it honestly!
On day one we explored the city and I was absolutely blown away by the architecture and the history that was present everywhere you went. Everyone spoke English, and the best pizza I have ever had in my life was on amost every corner you could turn. Thin, crispy, cheezy, I think about that pizza everyday. Sadly I didn’t get any pictures of it! But I did get plenty of shots of gorgeous architecture.
The second day we were in Budapest was by far my favorite, since we visited the two sides of Budapest. I didn’t know this before we traveled there but Budapest’s name comes from the fact that the city has a Pest district (pronounced ‘pesht’) and a Buda district. On this day we first visited a replica of Draculas’s castle in the Pest district. I was blown away by this castle. It was not only immense, but also so charming. There were multiple stands with mulled wine, and chimney cakes lining the castle and the streets. The air smelled like Christmas time with notes of orange, apple, cinnamon, and fresh baked bread. We the visited the Square of Heros which was dozens of statues of heros both real and mythical. There were Hungarian political heroes as well as Greek and Roman.
After a brief lunch we made our way to the Buda district to see the caste. I can confidently say that I never want to see another stair in my life. We climbed stairs for close to 15 minute before we finally reached the castle. The view of the city took my breath away. You could see the ferris wheel at Dracula’s Castle, the Parliament building, even the other side of the city entirely just from how high we were in comparison.
Overall, Budapest was one of the most unique experiences I have ever had. I’m in awe that I was able to go for under 100 USD, and explore such a culturally rich and beautiful city. I loved it, and I can’t wait to have more adventures on this journey of mine.
Ok, I know it’s actually merry Christmas, but after this trip, to my family, it will forever be merry chicken. There’s a lot to unpack from these last two weeks, both from my suitcase, and in this blog update, so get ready for a lot of randomness and cool photos that i stole from the two photographers of the family to use here. I’ll go in order and dedicate a section to each city we went to, so hopefully it shouldn’t be too hard to follow along.
Our journey starts on December 18th when my family got to England. I met them at the bus station, and within 5 minutes, my mom had already gotten lost trying to navigate us to our hotel in Nottingham. We had a great dinner at a small pub right across the street from our hotel that had a dog. After 3 months with no dog, I finally got some puppy snuggles! We only spent approximately a day and a half in Nottingham, but I took my family around my University campus, to the Christmas market in the city centre, and to an experimental cocktail bar for dinner. Then on the 20th, we got up early to take a coach to London. By this point, everyone was pretty jet lagged and just a little bit snappy, so we tried to keep it as lowkey as possible.
Clara and SparkleThe view from our table at the PeacockThe Alchemist for drinks and dinner on our last night in Nottingham
On to London! We arrived in the afternoon on the 20th, so it was already getting pretty dark. We dropped our stuff off at the hotel and took the tube into a more central spot in the city to walk around some Christmas markets and over a couple bridges. The next day was full of getting attacked by birds at Hyde Park and my mom, yet again, getting lost looking for landmarks. Then my sister and I split off from my parents because we went to two separate shows on the West End! My sister and I, like the true Americans we are, went to Hamilton, which was a truly amazing experience. The next day, my parents split off again to see all the tourist attractions they could while my sister and I took a more relaxed approach and went to Camden for the day to walk around the markets and have dinner. I found my London ring(s) at the Camden market, too. It is a really cool district within London and I’d highly recommend anyone who goes to London to stop over there for a little while. Our last day was basically spent waiting for our train to Paris. We stopped at a pub to have lunch. This is where merry chicken was born, but we were all so delirious that none of us can remember what the comment was for it. So, it will forever remain a mystery!
Views from our walk on night 1 in LondonJourney on the tubeHyde ParkParents cruising through the streets of LondonSome of the places we went for food/drinksHamilton NightCamden MarketLondon rings
Next stop, Paris! We arrived in Paris really late on the 23rd after taking the Eurostar, so we crashed, but the next day was Christmas Eve! Christmas Eve was one of the coolest days of the trip. We walked up a street that had some amazing places to get pastries and cheeses, so we stopped there to pick up some food for Christmas morning, and then went on a Seine river cruise at sunset. Some of the most beautiful pictures from the trip came from my sister and dad on this boat, and that was one of the prettiest sunsets I’ve ever seen.. Before we knew it, we were clinking glasses and saying Merry Chicken the next day! We had a very chill day on Christmas because few places in Paris are open on Christmas, so we opted for a breakfast in our hotel room with the food we picked up the day before, a walk to the Eiffel Tower, and a relaxed dinner. It was definitely a different Christmas than what I’m used to, but one of the best I’ve ever had. The day after Christmas was one of my favorite days of the trip, because my sister and I took a class on creating our own perfumes at a perfumerie in Paris! The atmosphere of the room felt very regal and we had a full immersive lesson on different smells and how to mix and match ones to create a scent we really liked to take home with us. Definitely a great last full day in Paris.
The view of the Eiffel Tower from our sunset cruise on the SeineOur cruise boat reflecting the beautiful sunset.
Christmas Day walk to the arcPerfume making class
Brussels was next on our trip, and this was definitely an experience. We stayed in an area off the center of the city, so we were all definitely a bit more cautious as we were walking around that area, but when we arrived in the city, we were able to visit some really fun areas.
Our first full day was full of chocolate. We attended a Belgian chocolate making class where we made a chocolate bar, some traditional Belgian chocolate circles, and truffles. As a baker, this was like a dream to me, and I had so much fun learning how to work with chocolate in a commercial space. My mom, however, was a little newer to the experience of working with chocolate and may have “killed” a few of her truffles.
Once we were done with that, we walked around one of the Christmas markets in the city center and I found two Brussels rings as well as a beautiful treble clef necklace. We also caught a light display of native art projected on buildings in the city center which was incredibly beautiful, especially as the sun began to set more. Our final day in Brussels, we went to the Atomium and had a bird’s eye view of Brussels along with another display of lights inside the museum. As a blind girl, colored light displays are one of my favorite things ever, because they’re like glowing, moving art that I can experience as much as a sighted person could experience a normal art museum. That was a great way to end our visit to Brussels.
Some of the cool light displays in BrusselsLighted building in the city centreBrussels city centre square decorated for christmasOur chocolate making class, featuring my chocolate bar and Laura’s “killed” trufflesBrussels rings
Our final stop was Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a really cool city and our hotel was right on one of the canals. This hotel was also the most livable space for 4 people of all the places we stayed on our trip. Our first day in Amsterdam, we went to the Van Gogh museum. I know, I know, I just got done saying how I like light shows more than traditional art museums, but this was a great museum, and even though I couldn’t see as much detail as a fully sighted person would, I could still see the paintings and have a member of my family read the description/backstory of the art to me. It was like my own personal audio tour!
My sister, who is a very gifted artist herself, was really in her element at this museum and it was fun to watch her just wandering around taking it all in.
Then, before we knew it, it was New Year’s Eve! My mom and sister went to the Heineken experience while my dad and I explored The 9 Streets, which are a collection of streets that have a lot of local Dutch shops showcasing the culture of Amsterdam. We went into a couple of stores including one vintage store where I got my Amsterdam ring! My mom and sister met back up with us and we went to get some dinner before going back to our hotel to play cards and “enjoy” some fireworks for the rest of the night. Why air quotes you ask? Because they were being lit off right next to our window and scared my mom half to death. And they lasted a full 2 and a half hours until about at least 1:30 in the morning. New Year’s Day felt a little like Christmas in that a decent amount of places were closed and we ended up just wandering a bit and looking at the Amsterdam light festival before going to get some dinner. Our last day was more of the same except this time it was pouring down rain, so by the time we went to collect our suitcases and go to the airport to fly back to London, we were absolutely soaked. But we made it back to London and my parents flew out to go home the next morning.
Painting hung in the Van Gogh museumDigital projection at the Van Gogh museumAmsterdam canalAn art installation at the Amsterdam festival of lightsCookie store in Amsterdam’s 9 StreetsAmsterdam ring
I feel incredibly blessed that I was able to go on this trip and my family was able to come over and spend the holidays with me in so many wonderful places. I was a bit nervous that we would be at each other’s throats or absolutely exhausted at about the halfway point, but we wasted a full 18 days without any major arguments, and had a good amount of downtime and a LOT of laughs. Now, I have about 3 and a half weeks until I go home, which feels both like a really long time and not much time at all. I have a couple essays to write but for the most part I just get to exist in the culture for a little while until I go home.
Yes, this was long, but, it was also a long trip, and I didn’t include half the experiences we had as a family for the sake of your time. For those who made it to the end, though, I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into how my family travels, and to my mom, dad, and sister, who I know are reading this, thank you for making my holidays amazing and I love you.
That’s it for now! I’m finished with my class essays, and now I just have a bit of my own work to do before one of my friends arrives and we spend my last week traveling one last time before I go home. I hope everyone had a very merry chicken and happy new year!
Overall, this was one of my favorite weekends in Ireland because I got to see my family. I won’t lie, the homesickness can be a bit brutal. It comes and goes in waves, and it’s helpful to find something consistent to do each day that keeps you grounded. I personally am a huge fan of watching an episode or two of a show and trying to stretch for 10-15 minutes each day. It is sometimes difficult to find food from home, but if you are determined enough, nothing is too much of a challenge here in Ireland. 
