Author: angelinapacosa

I have officially gotten through two weeks of class. I wanted to wait to wait until the end of this week to discuss my first impressions because only 3/5 of my classes started up last week. As of now, I’m attending 4 classes, since the 5th doesn’t start until the middle of the semester (something I’m not at all used to). But now that I’ve gotten into some kind of routine, I feel comfortable sharing my thoughts.

I can confidently say that I’ve experienced my first few culture shocks after starting classes last week. University College Cork (UCC) is an extremely large campus, with extremely confusing buildings, and an unbelievably large student body. There are so many students on campus at any given time of the day that it’s sometimes difficult to get to class because it’s so crowded. The classes themselves don’t start until 5 after the hour- which I didn’t realize until after my first day.

Even more surprising, however, is the lack of assignments throughout the course. Outside of class we are only given readings. This lack of assignments means that my final average for each class will be determined solely by one or two exam grades… which sounds pretty daunting before you realize that the pass/fail mark is 40% in Ireland. So, if I finish with a 60, or a 55, or even a 42, I’ll. Pass. The. Course. The benchmark for an A is 70%. It’s so incredibly different to the U.S that I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around it. And it’s made me reflect a lot on the emphasis we place on grades at every level of education back home.

So much of our identities are wrapped up in our GPAs falling .04 points, or the one failed exam out of the dozens of others we’ve already passed. At least, that’s how it usually goes for me. I never considered myself a perfectionist, but stepping away from the ruthless and competitive academic environment that the U.S has established has made me realize that maybe I do agonize too much over the little things. It’s unfortunate that so much of our future is determined by numbers and letters on an academic transcript. While I’m enjoying seeing and experiencing a more positive outlook of higher education right now, I know it is going to be an adjustment when I get back to the U.S.

So far, I am enjoying my classes. I love getting the opportunity to interact with Irish students and international students alike, as it brings a lot of different perspectives to each course. I’m looking forward to getting into a concrete routine as I continue to settle in and adjust to my schedule.

I took my first official trip in Ireland on Sunday, September 8th!

My friends and I were trying to figure out where we could go for a day trip, since classes were starting that Monday. We eventually decided on the Cliffs of Moher- a very “stereotypical,” “touristy destination,” but if you have the chance to go, do not skip it. This is without a doubt a bucket-list place.

The Cliffs are located on the western coast of Ireland in County Clare, approximately two and a half hours from Cork. So it’s a bit of a drive. We ended up booking a bus tour through a local company (they run tours for a lot of popular tourist destinations in Ireland) which included transportation both ways, our tickets and access to the Cliffs, a stop for lunch, and a brief visit to Bunratty Castle.

My friends and I were up bright and early Sunday morning (6 AM, unfortunately), and were on our way to the bus stop by 7 AM, since the “meet-up spot” was about 20 minutes away. We left on our bus around 7:45 AM and got to drive through a part of Cork that I hadn’t seen before. (The city is a lot bigger than I realized, so I’m still getting my bearings). I thought I would sleep for the two and a half hours to the Cliffs, but my eyes were glued out the window. The Irish countryside is so beautiful- everything is so impossibly vibrant and green, even underneath the perennially-cloudy sky. It looks exactly how I pictured it in my mind: rolling green hills, herds of cattle, soft grass.

We eventually picked up more passengers in Limerick, another fairly large city. From there, it was about an hour to the Cliffs. It was such a beautiful day: it was cooler, there was a slight breeze, and the sun came out from behind the clouds from time to time. We were given our tickets once we arrived at the Cliffs (which no one ended up checking), and were given about two hours to explore before we needed to leave for our next stop. (The two hour limit is a way for the site, and the country as a whole, to limit the amount of pollution given off by the buses, so it is in effect for every one).

It was quite a hike to get up to see the actual Cliffs, since the main portion of the attraction is up a very long, very steep, hill. The trek was worth it, though. Looking out over the wall for the first time took my breath away- the view was indescribably beautiful. The day was clear so I could see for miles out across the water, and all of the intricate faces in the rocks of the Cliffs. Even the surrounding landscape was worthy of looking at- there are so many different types of plants and flowers (some of which are only native to Ireland), and animals.

(I believe that this is a Scottish thistle, though it wasn’t in full bloom).

(And the yellow flowers are most likely birds-foot-trefoil. The plant on the right might be yarrow, but it wasn’t in bloom either).

County Clare is a rural area- mostly farmland- so naturally, there was something to see on that front:

And there was a bit of history involved, too. On the site is O’Brien’s Tower, which was built in 1835 and was constructed to offer a higher observation point for tourists. The view from the top is definitely impressive:

Two hours initially felt like more than enough time to see the Cliffs from every possible angle, but towards the end of our tour we hadn’t had enough. The atmosphere was incredible. There were even live musicians- a fiddler and an accordionist- who were playing traditional Irish music to enhance the experience even further.

The Cliffs of Moher are a breathtaking sight, truly an astounding feat of nature, and I’m running out of adjectives to use to describe such an incredible place. Maybe the Cliffs are meant to be indescribable, because their existence is a bit unfathomable. For there to be such a place in the world- such a beautiful and awe-striking wonder… it is truly surreal to think about- even more so to actually see it.

I was definitely reluctant to go, but I left with a few postcards and about fifty more photos on my camera roll. It’s safe to say that I won’t be forgetting this experience any time soon.

After we left the Cliffs, we stopped for lunch in town nearby and then continued on to Bunratty Castle (which was built in the 15th century, and seems to be one of the most well-preserved castles in Ireland). We were only given about an hour to check out the grounds- which wasn’t nearly enough time to get inside and take a tour- so we settled for poking around in the gift shops. We got back to Cork about 6 PM.

It was a long day, but it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. This is a formal suggestion: if you ever happen to be in Ireland, please check out the Cliffs of Moher. I’m so glad that this place was my first official introduction to the country because I think the Cliffs really embody what Ireland is: an impossibly beautiful place that has endured the test of time.