A Long Awaited Mystery: The Writers Retreat

If you look up anything about the Dublin Writers Program, you’ll start hearing about the Writers Retreat. You’ll learn that the location is kept secret until you arrive, that it changes from year to year to keep the mystery alive. If you’re curious, keep reading and you’ll find out where I ended up. 🙂 Before …

The Art of Being Alone: A Solo Date to Malahide Beach

They say studying abroad changes you, makes you more independent, teaches you about yourself, and broadens your perspective on the world. All of these things are true, yes, but they are also abstract. Nothing prepares you for what you will see, what you will do, what you will take away.  If I’m being honest, I …

A Weekend in County Cork

Cork, County Cork, Ireland It’s about a three-hour drive to Cork from Dublin. Piled into the bus, we rode past brilliant green fields, dotted occasionally with sheep and cows. Rain slipped down the windows for much of the drive but the sun emerged as we entered Cork City. Like Dublin, a river runs through the …

The Cool News Is, You’re On Your Own Now

The days are long, but the time is short. That’s how I would summarize my first two weeks here in Dublin. Right now, it’s the beginning of the third week of my program and I have a heightened awareness of how little time I really have to explore. To put it into perspective, there are …

Day Trip: Howth, Co. Dublin

During their taxi rides in, several members of our writers group had been told of a quaint fishing village nearby, that had the best cliffside views one could hope for. After a bit of research, we discovered that this village was called Howth- from Old Norse Hofuth, meaning a promontory- and was only a half …

Reflections from a hobbit (at heart)

If I took a quiz on which fictional fantasy character I would be, based on personality, I am at least 80% sure I would end up as Bilbo Baggins. Specifically, pre-dwarven company Bilbo Baggins; the Bilbo Baggins who sits in his aesthetically-pleasing hobbit hole, drinking tea, and by firelight reading in a plush armchair. Maybe …

On The Rocky Road to Dublin

January 8th (first day of orientation), I woke up not exactly remembering where I was. Squinting out my window into a powerful gray sky, and listening to the harsh calls of seagulls reminded me: oh yeah, I’m in Dublin. There are far more seagulls in Dublin than I expected, as I didn’t even think there would …

Irish Adventures & Deep Thoughts

I know, I know. It’s been a while.  But I have to be honest I have not have time!  I barely have time to sleep let alone take a few minutes to write about these beautiful experiences I’ve been having. Ireland has been making me fall in love more and more with it as each …

Failing and Singing

I am bound to fail and I am going to make mistakes, but that is absolutely okay.  This is something I’ve had to constantly remember during my first week of classes that began this past Monday.  Part of creating something or being artistic or just being a person even is failing.  We have to make …

We are all fools

First day of school is finally finished.  I can’t believe everything I have learned in the matter of 24 hours.  After meeting all the Irish students some of my classes will be integrated with I couldn’t be happier.  I felt an overwhelming amount of welcome and warmth from everyone.  Our first day we went straight …