Submitted by Kristen Pruett on the 2018 spring semester DIS program in Copenhagen, Denmark…
Travel week one complete! With DIS there are two travel weeks, one where you travel with your class, and the other you have free. This past week I had to myself and I spent it in Dublin and Paris! For me, this was the first time I had really planned a trip all on my own, no adults, no help, just me and my friend. It was quite an experience, with a surprise turn of events, but all in all, it was an amazing week!
My friend and I started in Dublin late Saturday night. In our four days there, we saw plenty and ate an abundant amount of delicious Irish food, like bangers and mash or beef and Guinness pie! We had a tour at the Little Museum of Dublin, where the guide brought us through the history of Dublin throughout the 1900’s. We visited the Dublin Castle which had some beautiful architecture and decor and we learned about some of the royal history of Ireland. At night, we went to the Temple Bar district in town, most famous for The Temple Bar. As touristy as it is, we just had to stop by. We enjoyed some live music and friendly company. We toured Kilmainham Gaol which had a somber history from the time of the famine and rebellions. Probably, my favorite day in Ireland was going to the Cliffs of Moher! After being in the city of Copenhagen for so long and then traveling to places like Dublin and Paris, it was so nice to get out of the city life and into nature with ample green space! The Cliffs were more breathtaking than I could’ve imagined and nothing that a single picture can capture.
Our last day in Ireland brought about an unexpected change. My friend was so sick she wound up not being able to travel to Paris. So I went alone! I didn’t really have much time to think about it, I just did it! I was so sad to leave her, especially with how sick she was, but she needed time to rest and go to the doctor. Off I went to Paris, the first time traveling completely by myself. I learned a lot though from doing so. It was a new level of independence. I had to figure out transportation in a huge city by myself and make decisions on my own. While I obviously missed my travel buddy, I wound up enjoying having the freedom to do exactly what I wanted to do. I climbed the Arc de Triomphe, saw the Eiffel Tower at night, went on the boat tour of the Seine River, walked the Champs Elysee, visited some museums, including the Louvre, visited Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur and ate my way through Montmartre with crepes, baguettes, and macaroons! It was a lovely time!
I traveled back to Cope on Sunday morning and went back to my regular schedule of classes on Monday! It was a wonderful break that I will never forget! Below is a picture from the Cliffs of Moher and one of the Eiffel Tower lit up after dark!
