Kerry Way - Hike with OPC (the Outdoor Pursuits Club)

As mentioned in one of my previous posts, I have joined a club on campus called the Outdoor Pursuits Club. The club hosts 5 main activities, including "hill walking", rock climbing, caving, orienteering, and mountaineering. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays are for open climbing at the bouldering gym, Wednesdays are caving days, and every weekend there is some type of trip. The pictures below are from one of the best hiking destinations in Ireland, Kerry Way. The morning started out rainy as we hiked through the grasslands, but cleared up as we made it across rivers, through a haunted swamp, up the mountains through the "windy gap", and down a valley to our ending location at a local pub.  I hope you enjoy! 

** I have to note that we took so many beautiful pictures on this trip. I had a very hard time deciding which pictures to post, but tried cutting it down as much as possible! 

Our fearless leaders of the day. They worked hard to accommodate 40 more people after the trip signup date since so many people are interested in the club and wanted to go on this trip. I am so glad I got to be one of them!

First large lookout over a "loch" or lake formed by a glacier!

The haunted gathering place:
After hiking in open land for much of the hike, we ventured into the forest to this beautiful, hidden valley in the woods. To the right of the path in the picture below, is a cliff that leads down into a large swamp area. This place was used during the time when it was illegal to perform Catholic religious services. When a service was being held, lookouts would be stationed at the top of the cliffs, but one day, the lookouts fell asleep. Protestant soldiers arrived and beheaded the priest during his sermon in front of all of the Catholic people. This same event happened once more before the location was abandoned for any future religious gatherings.

Back to hiking after our story break - still another 3-4 hours till we reach the windy gap!

The sun came out!

The pictures from here on out are from views as we started making our way up the mountains. The views from the top were absolutely stunning. It was a steep, windy climb after a long hike through the grasslands, but a trek that was definitely one to remember.

Camilla and I at a short stopping point before we reached the top. 

Finally at the "Windy Gap" - we had been told about this all morning long, but did not know what all the talk was about until we finally reached the top. The Windy Gap is a gap between two of the mountain peaks on the hike. I almost fell off a few rocks while climbing up- it was crazy! We stopped here for quite a long time to take pictures of the landscapes from both sides of the mountains. One direction was views of the mountains and grasslands from which we had come. The other side was, well, just take a look below. An incredible view into the city and beaches in Kerry. 

  

 All of us at the Windy Gap. Such a great day getting to meet new people from all over the world. It was definitely an experience we will all share and talk about for years to come.

FOOD!

It has now been 4 weeks since I first arrived in Ireland. Much has happened in the way of food- trying new things, parties with friends, talks about food turning into competitions, and a whole lot of new vocabulary (both new english and spanish/french/italian words!) More on language in another post- but food vocabulary and cooking vocabulary, specifically, is difficult to translate. There are many things that we do not have words for in english and vice versa. It is also fun to hear the names for certain items of food in each language. Often many words are similar in 3 languages and then completely different in the 4th. I love teaching new slang words as well - the newest and most applicable to our eating habits here... "chocoholics!"

Dinner party culture

My French roommate Julie, American roommate Macey, and I have had many conversations about the culture related to eating in various countries. Macey and I have noticed that all of the Europeans love to get together, many times for lunch and for dinner both, to cook and eat and have a good time together. These are not typical "lets order some pizza" or go get sandwich deals- we cook full meals for 5-10 people on a regular basis, sometimes twice a day for lunch and dinner. Julie told us that this is very common at college in Europe. To spend lots of time cooking and lots of time together eating. Macey explained how many times, our fast paced culture leads us to eat-on-the-go. I am not sure I am speaking for all Americans when I say this, but when we are at school, meals are not usually taking the time to make lasagna, quiche, omelets, chicken carbonara, homemade vinaigrettes, crepes, etc. When eating with friends, we often go out to eat, or order pizza or chinese food. It has been lots of fun getting together to eat- more recently, though, I have found myself trying to limit eating lunch together as they can easily turn into 2-3 hour ordeals! 

Potatoes

I think something needs to be said about the use of potatoes in all European cooking. In Ireland, virtually everything is served with "chips" - or french fries as we like to call them. Pizza comes with chips in the boxes with dipping sauce, sandwiches, everywhere you go people are constantly asking "would you like chips with that?" Interestingly enough, the first time I ordered a sandwich from the library cafe, the server asked if I would like chips with my meal. I said no, however, when she came to my table to bring me my food, there were potato chips on the side. I had not paid for them and thought something was strange. The second time I went to the cafe, again they asked me if I wanted chips. I said no, and again they brought potato chips. I soon figured out that "chips" are french fries, and that if you do not want french fries, the automatic alternative is potato chips. So some kind of potato comes with every meal. And it is not just the Irish. 

Spanish, French, and Italian use of potatoes: 

Even though potatoes are often thought to be synonymous with Irish culture, they are used quite commonly in other forms of European cooking. The most interesting use is probably that of potatoes in omelets. I have had Spanish and Italian omelets with egg, cheese, and potatoes- sometimes peppers, onion, and meat are added depending on the cooks of the day. We usually take turns making dishes from our own countries- and of course, this has led to disputes and eventually a competition arose for the best cooks!

Competition is on! French vs Italian vs Spanish cooking:

This is a quiche made by French friends- I have posted the prettiest one here, but know that it was one of three quiches we tasted for lunch last Sunday. Thankfully there were 10 of us to share all three omelets. So much food, but it was so delicious! This one contains ham, garlic, cheese, and a few more ingredients I cannot remember. 

Applesauce! 

As predicted, grocery stores in Ireland are different than in America. Aldi and a similar shop called Lidl are very common shopping destinations for University students as they are very cheap. I have dearly missed my grocery stores back home. But what we cannot find at grocery stores, we make up for by cooking ourselves! One thing we have not found is applesauce! So Julie and I made some tonight. It turned out quite good! However Julie says the apples she uses to make this in France are different than in Ireland. We may have to alter the cooking time for our next applesauce project (I told her about raspberry applesauce). 

Introduction of the word "chocoholics" 

Along with all of the healthy quiches, applesauces, and potatoes, there comes dessert. And I have to say that our friends, who come from all over the world, have found a common language with dessert- in the form of chocolate. Below is a picture of me at a sort of farmers market that takes place every day in the square of the students union. There are booths set up with vegetables, fruits, fish, and of course pastries and chocolate. One day, we were deciding what to eat for dinner- after some discussion, we came to an agreement that we should just eat chocolate- all the time, for lunch and dinner. Of course this was a joke, but a new word was added to everyone's vocabulary for the day: we are all chocoholics! 

 Fudge from the farmers market on campus!

Classes

So after trying out classes for a week, I finally figured out my schedule! The University of Limerick allows students to literally try out as many classes as they want before registering- registration is due at the end of week 2. So last week, I tried out 3 Sociology classes, 2 Political Science Classes, 4 Science classes, and my Energy class. It was definitely a long week, but one that was very beneficial. I am very happy with my schedule, so here it is:

PH4131 - Physics - Mechanics, Heat, Electricity, and Magnetism. This class was recommended to me late in the week. It is the physics class required for first-year Energy students.  Originally, I was a little worried about taking a science class in the EU. One of the major differences I have noticed when conversing with European students is the miscommunication of temperature, distance, and cooking- in short, they use the metric system! Now that I have sat through the first few days of class, however, I am very happy to be taking physics abroad. The main reason: the metric system is so much easier to use than the system in America.

ER4001 - Energy and the Environment - This class is very similar to a class that I took at UWSP with Professor Michael Reisner. The first few days of class, our professor reviewed different views on climate change and world energy challenges. This is definitely going to be one of the most interesting classes I take this semester since 1) it is taught by an Irish professor with different political views on energy topics, 2) because the source data is completely different from what I know from the US (Energy Information Administration, NREL, McKinsey & Co., etc.), and 3) because this class is putting a whole new spin on the topic. It is very quantitative based, especially focusing on thermodynamics, and the students are much more versed in chemistry, physics, and engineering than I am. Many of my previous classes have been based on policy options and the interaction of economic, political, and societal factors. I'm excited to get my hands dirty with the science behind the issues and see what I can find out.

SO4047 - Sociology of the Welfare State - In order to finish up my Social Science major, I needed to take one more Sociology course. I chose this course because of the small class size, the professor, and because I find the topic extremely interesting and relevant to my future career. The class is all about the history, current structure, and views of the welfare state. We are covering differing political ideologies, political structures, and the impact that both of these have on the state of welfare and people in countries that provide public services. I am interested in pursuing a career in public policy, and while my main passions lie in energy and environmental policy, the course falls within the same realm of social policy making. I hope to gain not only a greater understanding of the impacts of aid on political power, social equality, and citizenship, but also an understanding of whether this is a topic I want to pursue further in my career.

PA4021 - Ideas and Concepts in Public Administration - I chose to take a course on Public Administration to get a better understanding of the field of Public Policy and see if it is something I really wish to pursue. I have not gotten a chance to dive into this class much yet, but am interested to see how it goes. The professor who teaches this class has done research in environmental science, and I have heard that she uses many class examples related to the topic. Hopefully she will be a good resource for me as I continue my exploration of the field!

PH4181 - Physics - Introduction to Energy - Last week, I tried out classes that I wanted to take for my graduation requirements back home, and then decided to sit-in on a few more that I thought looked fun and relevant to my studies: these were upper-level courses in Environmental Management, Energy Resource Assessment, and Energy Efficient Buildings. At the end of the day, I ended up deciding to audit PH4181 - Introduction to Energy. This may be one of my favorite classes this semester (not because I don't have to worry about grades) because of the relevance of this course to all of my previous internships. Last summer, when I was working on energy efficiency project in Wisconsin, we used a set of spreadsheets to calculate energy and cost savings by reducing wattage of lighting fixtures, and installing other energy efficient products and practices. My first homework assignment in PH4181 was doing exactly that, but without all of the spreadsheet aids. This course is different than any other energy course I have taken so far because it is focused solely on the physics and math behind renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. I have learned more of this material in my internships than in classes at UWSP and am excited to have a class that is so applicable to the work I have done outside of school. 



**One thing that I think is interesting to note is that everyone at UL (non-American students and professors) are extremely confused by my schedule. The concepts of multiple majors, minors, and general degree requirements are not something that is well understood outside of the United States. It seems that in the rest of the world, a student in the Economics "course" (or major) takes primarily economics courses. There are some courses that have a greater interdisciplinary focus, but the concept of studying more than one subject at a time, or taking additional classes outside of one's primary subject is very foreign.

I Love the University of Limerick! The study abroad and exchange students were asked to take part in a new art experiment. My friends Camilla, Kellen, and I got lucky and are located in the front row of the "L"! See if you can see us- Im wearing a green rain jacket and white scarf, Camilla in a pink skirt, and Kellen is just behind us. 

I do have to say my time here has been wonderful so far and I really do Love UL! This past week was "Freshers Week" which is basically a week dedicated to new UL students. There was a recruitment fair for all of the clubs and societies (I joined the Outdoor Pursuits club and International Society), planned events at Stables and the Sports bar every night of the week, and plenty of trips planned for the weekend. More pictures are to come from my first Outdoor Pursuits trip to Kerry Way!

Day Walk - City of Limerick

On Saturday, I decided to take the day to wander around the City of Limerick. We are advised to not walk around the city center alone at night, but during the day, it is quite safe. There are people everywhere walking dogs, playing in parks, and shopping in the main shopping district. Every weekend in the city center, a variety of markets are held - the Milk Market is the most famous, which takes place every Saturday. You can buy fresh, in-season produce, breads, juices, chocolate, and much more! Some of my friends went to the market this weekend and said it was awesome. I plan to go next weekend! (http://www.milkmarketlimerick.ie/)

This past weekend, I decided to spend my time walking along the waterfront of the Shannon River, snapping photos of all of the historic sights and landscapes. Here are some pictures! 

*I have been pleasantly surprised by the weather. While it tends to be cold in the morning and late at night, days are normally in the 50s and 60s (Fahrenheit) and the sun has come out quite a bit! 

The Shannon River

Bridge heading into the city center

Bridge to the City Center - shopping area

One of the many little parks along the river

King John's Castle

Wedding!

Windy streets of Limerick

Cannons at the entrance to King John's Castle

Decided to adventure out of the tourist areas on the way back