For most of my life, I saw the world through the pages of books. Now, when I put down a book, I can go out and explore the very places I’ve been reading about. Taking English classes and reading Irish literature here has allowed me to understand Dublin and its history, and to see how history lingers in the city today. In many ways, I still feel like an outsider in Ireland. My American accent sticks out, I dress much less fashionably than my European classmates, and unlike most Irish people, I’m neither Catholic nor Protestant. But through my coursework and my daily life here, I understand Dublin better each day, and I feel more and more like a local. I still have many more weeks in Dublin, and I can’t wait to keep reading, learning and exploring!
