1. The Start.

To begin, studying in a country other than the United States has always been an activity on my bucket list. My goal was to not only attempt to travel as much as possible while abroad but also learn at a university unique to the other programs college students typically do. Thus, Ireland was the place for me, and you could say I was pretty excited.

2. Jet lag.

Jet lag was one of the worst parts of traveling. Luckily, I didn't have to fly directly from my hometown of San Diego all the way to Ireland. I was able to break up the flight between two days, stopping in Boston and staying the night at my cousin's apartment (shoutout to Emily, thanks again girl). I finally arrived in my "village" a.k.a the part of campus I would be living on for the duration of the semester. It was 4 a.m... yeah, my body was so confused because California is still eight hours behind. The minute I got to my room, I took a three-hour nap; man did that save me.

3. Watching all my money disappear.

Yes, when they say Europe is expensive, they really aren't kidding. The amount of money drained from my bank account is absolutely ridiculous, and I'm a very meticulous spender. Ask my boyfriend, I attempt to use coupons every time I visit a Kroger. I know, it's one of those times where you suck it up and deal with it, because honestly, when is the next time I'll get to go abroad with all my college debt?

(Shoutout to Miami University for being also ridiculously expensive for out of state students.)

For now, I'm avoiding the pubs in an attempt to save those euros for my trips around the continent.

4. Sight-seeing and traveling.

One of the many highlights of going abroad! I go on trips either around Ireland or Europe almost weekly. The university I'm studying at in Limerick, Ireland has done an amazing job organizing and offering opportunities to travel around the country. So far I've been to Blarney Castle, Cliffs of Moher, Cork, Galway, Connemara, and this weekend I will be going to Belfast. I have also been able to go on some adventures of my own. I just recently returned from a weekend in Brussels (the amount of chocolate and waffles consumed is unimaginable).

5. Discovering Ireland's tea obsession.

If you have read any of my previous Odyssey articles, you would be informed that I, as an elderly-like individual, love tea. Thus, coming to a country that is just as excited about hot water with herbs was an incredible feeling. Tea is always offered at the reception in our village, and hot drinks are cheaper than any other beverage. A cup of warm tea is also nice to come home to since the weather in Ireland is pretty chilly and relatively rainy.

6. Celebrating my 21st birthday.

That's right, happy birthday to me. I had the privilege of turning 21 while abroad. Do you know what that means? Your 21st birthday means absolutely nothing. The first reason is everyone can drink here when they're 18. This also was pretty early on in the semester, so, at the time, I didn't know any of my friends very well. For my big birthday bash, I spent four hours at Immigration, paid over $300 for my student visa card, and went to a clubs and society's meeting held at my university. However, it wasn't all that bad. At the end of the night, some of my housemates and I stopped by the university pub and had a cider.

7. Attempting to stay fit.

Being in Ireland, it has been really difficult grocery shopping. We resort to using an Aldi, which is wonderful but also has a limited selection. Something they don't have a lack of is those damn potatoes. The worst part about them...I love them. In an attempt to counterbalance my potato intake, I do get up early before my classes and work out for about an hour. I also will do a quick workout video from YouTube with some of my housemates following dinner. I can't come back to a San Diego summer with an Irish potatoes body if you know what I mean.

8. Frustrating professors.

See the way that corgi is trying to attack that head of lettuce? That's what I want to do to half of my professors here in Ireland. They're all genuinely nice people, however, there is a complete lack of structure to the majority of my classes. The "modules," a.k.a courses, I'm taking are never provided with any clear instructions in terms of assignments, papers, or lectures.

Many of the PowerPoints in class are just slides of paragraphs upon paragraphs. The only professor I have that seems to lecture similarly to what I'm familiar with is my marketing professor, and considering the fact that knowing his audience is his profession, I would hope so.

9. Planning spring break.

As much as I'm loving Ireland, and I truly do, I cannot wait for spring break. My friends and I have already planned and booked our week in Italy. Whoop whoop! Get ready for sunny beaches, kayaking, and exploring archaeological sites. I'm beyond pumped for that last week of March. The finalization of our itinerary is still yet to be determined, but as of now we have a whole list of WARM adventures coming our way.

10. Gettin' fashionable.

My typical attire includes a t-shirt, leggings, and my Nikes. In the winter or colder weather I throw in a winter coat, a scarf, and a hat. That's all. Now that I'm in Europe, I've found I've had to dress a little bit more "presentable." Many students wear pretty put-together outfits and perfectly applied makeup. I now try and dress it up a bit. I'll throw on a nicer sweater with some jeans and maybe some booties. When I go into town I'll make sure to wear my nicer winter coat.

There you have it, my study abroad life so far with the addition of entertaining corgi GIFs. As the semester progresses I'm sure there will be more to add to the list. I'm looking forward to the countless adventures and memories that will be made during my time in Europe.