Talking to Londoners
This past weekend, I was in London and I had an enjoyable time sightseeing. I was also blessed to be able to attend the Wels mission there for worship. On top of that, while I was there, I had many conversations with a number of people, both strangers and friends.
Conversation 1:
To preface this conversation, I was talking to a few kids that I know who live in London. It is really neat to compare our school to theirs. For the most part, it is similar to ours in the lower grades; however, the older they get, the more different the school gets from how we know it. However, even from early on, schools have some subjects like manners, ethics, and even general religion. Most American schools don’t have classes like these, and public schools are usually completely secular. Then, as they approach their equivalent of freshman year of high school, they typically choose a broad focus, such as STEM or humanities, etc. That year and the next are challenging, but as they become what we would call juniors in high school, things start to slow down, and they can take fewer classes that are even more focused. Then, after that year and the next, it is time to go to university at the same age that we do here in the US. I really enjoyed hearing about and almost envied the system of being able to have so much focus on your interests in high school.
Conversation 2:
To preface this conversation, I was speaking with someone who has lived in the US and England. I was talking with them about some differences in government. Specifically, the topic of the head of state intrigued me. The head of state in America is usually a politician who is elected for a few years; however, in England, the head of state is the king, who is in that role for a lifetime. Many people in England like the king, and he explained the mass support because the king is someone whom the people look up to, and he sets a good example for them, while not making political decisions. He then said that, conversely, the President of the United States is not always loved because he is not as long in office and often has to make controversial political decisions.
Conversation 3
To preface this conversation, I was speaking very briefly to someone about my age, maybe a little older. They were telling me how expensive England is, especially after Brexit, and I was telling them how Berlin was middle of the road. I found it tricky because the Pound is already stronger than the Euro, but a meal in London was numerically more Pounds than it would be Euros in Berlin. So it was interesting to hear how someone living there felt about the economy.
I really enjoyed my weekend in London. It was nice to have talked to so many people about their feelings about England and London, and for me to be able to compare things there to my home in the States, but also to Berlin.
Blog #6 Handshakes and Hugs from South Africa
November 11, 2025
Hello everyone! This is the 3rd to last blog! My, how time flies. This is a slightly different kind of blog, as the assigned topic for this one was an interview. The assignment was to interview someone from a different culture and take note of the multitude of differences, similarities, and unique things about the other person’s culture. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Akira! We met at one of the meetings of the Christian Union Society (think of it as a club) and hit it off while chatting afterwards. Akira is currently studying early childhood education (just like me!) at Mary Immaculate College on the other side of Limerick. Even though she does not attend the University of Limerick, she still comes to campus for the Christian Union meetings every week.
What are five random facts about you?
- Akira is originally from South Africa. However, you would never know it, as she moved to Ireland three years ago. Many think she is from Ireland because of her accent. There are many accents and variations throughout Ireland, so she is often mistaken for being native to Ireland.
- She can fluently speak three languages. Growing up in South Africa, she spoke Afrikaans. She has since learned Gaelic and English. Akira is also currently learning a little bit of Romanian and hopes to learn Spanish as well.
- Akira loves to read. Her favorite book series is the Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan.
- She has five siblings that she loves to hang out with, three full siblings and two step-siblings.
- Akira did gymnastics growing up for 2-3 years.
What do you enjoy doing? Hobbies? Work? Personal time?
As shared earlier, Akira loves books. Specifically romance books. One of her favorites is “Better Than the Movies” by Lynn Painter. She loves singing and dancing around the house with a dramatic flair. Akira also has some theater experience. She currently works at an Italian-style pizza place owned by a couple from Romania. They are teaching her a little bit of Romanian, and she is helping their child learn Gaelic. Akira loves trying and experiencing many different kinds of foods… more on this later. She is also currently learning how to knit in her spare time.
What is something you wish other people knew about you?
Akira says sometimes she is quiet. Most of the time, she is just tired or thinking, even though most people think she might be mad when she doesn’t respond right away.
What was your childhood like? Where did you grow up? Who was in your home?
Akira was born in Durban, South Africa (see map). She lived with both parents until she was six years old, when they divorced. Her dad remarried, and she lived with her Dad, stepmom, and her two step-siblings. One of her favorite memories is going camping with her Dad, step-mom, and step-siblings, either in the mountains or by the beach. She recalled that they would often invite people to their campsite for a braai. Braais are the South African name for a barbecue. Think hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta salads, fruit salads, and chips. Akria later m
oved in with her mom. Soon after, she met her best friend, and they have remained good friends to this day, 10 years later.
What traditions or holidays are most important to you or your family? What’s your favorite holiday/time of the year?
Akira’s favorite holiday is Christmas. In South Africa, Christmas is in summer. No, it’s not in June or July. Which is what I originally thought after she told me. Christmas is still celebrated on December 25, but December is not a summer month. Ponder that for a moment. Akira and her family love going to the beach around Christmas, enjoying good food, and celebrating all together as a family, exchanging gifts, or playing games. Because her family loves having a braai, this might be the food they prepare for Christmas. Traditional Christmas food in South Africa may also include lamb, chicken, broccoli salad, pasta salad, potato salad, fruit salad, and various other types of salads.
What is a big holiday in your culture that not many others would know about?
Heritage Day is a significant celebration in South Africa. Akira compared it to the 4th of July. Because South Africa is such a multicultural country, it celebrates the diverse heritages of its people on Heritage Day. Everyone dresses up in their traditional cultural attire and prepares a cultural dish to bring in and share, either at work or in school. In some schools, activities may even be prepared for students to participate in.
How do people in your culture usually greet each other?
Akira says in Durban, where she grew up, people greet each other by saying “Howzit” (pronounced How’s it?), as in How is it going? Just like in America, responses are not too common, as most people have passed each other before an answer can be given. Or, most simply, extend their hand for a handshake to greet the other. But in church, Akira says that everyone hugs each other. I think we could say it’s the same in the States!
How do people in your culture view time or punctuality?
This is a somewhat broad answer. In America, I think we could agree that for most people, being on time is arriving just before, on, or just after the agreed-upon time. But yes, everyone has their own perceptions and practices. Akira told me that in South Africa, “on time” could literally mean arriving right at the agreed-upon time (e.g., 4 pm), or it could be anything up to an hour after. She said most would probably arrive at 20 past or 30 past the agreed-upon time (4:20 pm or 4:30 pm).
If you could travel to any place in the world, where would you go and why?
After some thoughtful reflection, Akira decided on Spain. For three reasons: 1) To visit a good friend, 2) to try churros and dip them in chocolate, and 3) to learn Spanish.
What’s something your culture does really well that you wish others could experience? What is your favorite thing about your home culture?
Food. Yup. We talked way too long about food. And we were hungry after. Akira said, “Our food is the best food, but I guess everyone could say that.” 🙂 She continued on and told me that there are 12 official languages in South Africa, and that the people are extremely kind, with everyone enjoying chatting and visiting with each other.
The main similarities I noticed between our cultures are the significant role food plays in holidays and family gatherings, as well as a strong love for spending time with family, especially around the holidays. The main differences (and I think these are also the unique points) I observed were the seasons and holidays associated with them, as well as Heritage Day. Christmas is a winter holiday, yet it still falls in December. I can’t wrap my brain around that still. I love the idea of Heritage Day. I think sometimes we get too wrapped up in how we are similar and should be like everyone else that we lose sight of the unique things that make us, individually and as a people, who we are. We don’t take enough time to really notice why or how others are different from us in positive ways. I learned a great deal about Akira and South Africa. I really enjoyed my time visiting with her and getting to know her and her home culture better.
Life Lessons with Gert and Beate
For anybody who is thinking about traveling or studying abroad, just know that everywhere you go…you may stick out like a sore thumb. Just this past week, I traveled to London for the weekend and found that apparently, you walk up the stairs on the left side, but ride the escalator on the right. One simple mistake, and everyone else assumed I was an American.
So what is it about Americans that make us really stand out? I asked my host parents, Beate and Gert, what they think about the similarities and differences between America and Germany.
Beate traveled through the East Coast of America when she was young, much like I’m doing in Europe now. She loved America because the people were so warm and inviting. She felt like she could make friends with people quickly and learned how to water ski and rode in helicopters. To her, America really is a land of freedom.
For Gert, he loves to focus on industry and politics. He admires the drive that most Americans tend to have when it comes to earning what you have. Germany, he said, is currently facing political challenges related to immigration and the financial responsibility of this is being placed on citizens to support incoming families. He’s not too fond of it. He believes that an honest day’s work is the best way to have good food on the table and a family to go home to.
We also talked openly about stereotypes. I asked them if people really think of Americans as rich and loud. They laughed and admitted, yes. How we act in public, how openly we share opinions, and even the volume of our conversations make us stand out. But they also told me that people genuinely enjoy meeting Americans in social settings like pubs or dinners, where that energy becomes an asset.
Then we discussed German stereotypes. Germans are often seen as harsh or unfriendly, and my hosts couldn’t understand why. As someone who has graciously had three months of living here, I can tell you that they seem mean, but it’s not their intention. What I have found is that if you are doing something ‘wrong,’ a German will have no problem telling you that you are doing it wrong. Very bluntly. They are not being rude, it’s just their communication style. Once you understand this, it feels less intimidating and more commonplace.
Gert loves the movies and shows that come out of America. He thinks that Americans, like the Germans, have a lot of good companies and ideas. It is something to be proud of. America may excel at commercializing products, he says, but Germans have contributed more to the modern world than many people realize. He would like you to know that Germany has brought to you the first phone, first forms of human flight, the pacemaker, some good cars, and more.
Overall, I’ve learned that people are people and all people are different from one another. The culture that our neighbors have compared to us varies greatly. Yes, Germans drink a good amount of beer, their meals are hearty, and their accent is not inviting, but if you step into their world of peaceful S-bahn rides and waiting for the Ampelmann to turn green before you cross the street, you’ll realize all the beauty that they have in their way of life here. It is so structured. Everything is built for a reason and is designed for efficiency. They use less electricity because they are trying to make the world a better place. They care about their neighbors and have barbecues and life is merry when you look for the small moments.
What makes this experience especially meaningful is the history my host parents carry. Gert lived in East Berlin before the wall came down, and Beate lived in the West. What is history to me was their teenage and young adult years. They’ve seen governments transform and ideas shift in real time.
As we look toward our own uncertain future, I’m reminded first to look toward Christ. While worshiping with a small congregation in London last weekend, the sermon focus was that Jesus’ promises are stronger than our problems. I’ll also leave you with what Gert shard with me last week. “Every day, the sun rises and the sun sets. A new day begins. You don’t know what the government will decide or what life will become, but the sun will set. Whether the day was good or bad, a new one will come.”
Every day is a blessing. We just have to wait and see what God has in store.
Blog 6 – Pervading Perseverance
Greetings friends!
Life is dynamic, ever-changing, shifting with the tide and often flitting between boisterous beauty and fickle frustration. It doesn’t feel like that long ago when I first arrived in Ireland, ready to take on the new things that were bound to be coming. But I am here. I have been here for a decent amount of time, and the things that I am learning and experiencing are arduous, but more fruitful and profound than I ever could have imagined. It all starts with a pinch of uncomfortability, a spoonful of optimism, a cup of prayers, and a conversation. Thank you for being here, in this moment, today, reading my blog. I pray that you can find a time for reflection as you consider how a particular moment has perhaps shaped you!
When endless amounts of things are going on, it can be easy to get distracted, stressed, anxious, and focus only on what lies in front of us. But there is loads more to life – not just our earthly life, but our eternal life. The world demands us to have overwhelming workloads, but things don’t have to be complicated. They are actually quite simple when we remember that Jesus completed the ultimate work for us – we must simply believe in Him! Look to the Lord with a grateful heart for the things you are the most thankful for! I urge you to find some gratitudes in your own life!
Three things I am grateful for:
- Letters (many of my friends and family compiled letters for me to open up while being abroad, and they always put a smile on my face and joy in my heart!)
- Forgiveness (not every day is a perfect day, but we have a perfect Savior who died on the cross and rose again for our sins, granting us forgiveness and everlasting life – thank you, Jesus!)
- Pilates (I have a yoga mat that I use to stretch and strengthen my body through pilates workouts, and I always feel relaxed and accomplished when moving my body in this way)
Conversations. Do you enjoy conversations with others? Or does it overwhelm you to have to think about speaking with another person, especially about an uncomfortable topic? Are you an introvert or an extrovert, primarily? What about talking with someone from a different culture? Does that change your answer to any of these questions? Think about it.
The prompt for my blog today pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone and talk with someone from another culture! Now I know what you may be thinking, “Uh, Katie! You live in a different country! You speak to people from other cultures daily!” If you are thinking that, you would be correct. Yes, I do speak with people from different cultures every day. But I decided to push myself a bit with the person with whom I spoke.
I am currently taking a class entitled “Aesthetic and Expressive Activities” (AEA), a physical education module focusing on how to teach gymnastics and dance to middle school-aged children. I love this class because of the content I get to learn, but I dread this class because of how uncomfortable I feel around my peers. None of them seem to enjoy gymnastics and dance very much, especially not to the level that I enjoy it. This causes a chasm of space to sit between myself and all of my peers. However, all of these people are wonderful Irish athletes who are smart and driven to teach children how to move their bodies. Ding, ding, ding! A commonality. I have a passion for movement…and so do they. I decided to have a conversation (more like an interview) with one of my AEA peers, Igor.
Igor is a charming man with a very unique background, which enables him to have a beautiful perspective on life. He and his family are Polish, but he grew up in English-speaking Ireland. His culture is mixed, and he would say that he has a “very different culture” from his home life, being primarily Irish. His story is fascinating, real, raw, and insightful. I pray you find joy in hearing about my takeaways from this conversation.
My takeaways:
- Small Towns vs. Big Towns
- Growing Up
- Education Systems
- Family Life
- My Own Epiphanies
Igor grew up on a farm in a very, very tiny place in County Leitrim, Ireland. The population in his village is only about 400 people! Think about that…the village that Igor grew up in has fewer people than the number of people that attend MLC! Crazy! He continued to explain that to get to a store, or anywhere for that matter, his family would have to drive forty minutes to an hour away, to a completely different county. I found this to be similar, yet different from the way towns are in America. Although New Ulm has always felt quite small to me, we have stores in town that are not more than a five-to ten-minute drive! But when I am living at home in Sparks, Nevada, there are certainly places close to home and other places farther away. For example, my doctors are on the other side of town – forty minutes from where I live! While Igor and I have different perspectives, we both have a forty-minute drive to a place we regularly visit. He drives that distance to get to another county for a store, and I drive that distance across one city to go to the doctor!
Growing up, Igor worked on the farm, played outside, did sports, and became fascinated with working with cars and mechanics. Like all children, he found ways to have fun, even if he had to be really creative to find things to do. But isn’t that refreshing? Our lives have shifted so much since the release of new technologies. It is at our fingertips, even at young ages. But how wonderful that Igor had the opportunity to experience a childhood that could promote experiential learning, motor development, curiosity, and imagination!
A very large part of Irish culture revolves around their Gaelic games (especially hurling and Gaelic football). Igor said, “growing up in Ireland, if you don’t participate in a certain sport, you can be seen as an outcast…to fit in, you nearly have to participate in some sort of sport growing up.” In America, I feel that there is lots of encouragement for children to participate in extracurricular activities in general – sports, dance, music, theater, etc. In Ireland, it is either sport or Irish dancing/traditional Irish music. Both countries value children gaining life experience through an outlet, but I perceive Ireland to be a country that has a very focused outlet to match with their cultural ideals of pride for their individual counties.
When it comes to education in Ireland, there are a lot of differences! One school that Igor went to broke the record for having the largest number of students in one year with 72 students! When he said this, I laughed because I thought about my middle school years when we had over 2,000 students in our school for only two years of schooling (seventh and eighth grade)!
Additionally, at the end of secondary (high) school in Ireland, all students must take a “Leaving Certification Exam” or “Leaving Cert.” The score that students receive on this exam determines much about their future. Each university/college, as well as each program at each institution, requires a particular number of points on the Leaving Cert. So, an individual can not even be considered for a particular degree program without a high enough score. In Igor’s case, he did not originally do well on his Leaving Cert, and he ended up pursuing an alternate route of education for a year. At this time, he grew as a person, and through a teaching experience with his former PE teacher, he decided that he wanted to become a physical education teacher himself! By completing this coursework and doing well, he was able to apply to the University of Limerick without his Leaving Cert score and has been successful in his program! His determination, perseverance, and resilience were really inspiring to listen to. According to Igor, many people think that the Leaving Cert is the “end all, be all,” but he says, “No! When there is a will, there is a way!” How empowering!
Through conversations with many different people, I have found that family life in Ireland is quite similar to America. For Igor, he is the youngest of six siblings. His siblings live all over Europe (Poland, Germany, England, and Ireland), and they very rarely have the opportunity to see one another. Similarly, depending on the situation and family, some families live spread apart across the United States and don’t often get to see one another either! Igor also had many pets (cats, dogs, etc.) growing up, a common experience among many American families. There are large families and small families in both countries, but when we really get down to the nitty-gritty, family is family, no matter the country or culture.
Something that I thought was refreshingly strange when talking to Igor was his complete surprise when I asked him to give me five fun facts about himself. He was so caught off guard that I would ask him to think about things about himself and share – I mean he really struggled for a little while. But it got me thinking, why was this such a hard question for him to answer? If someone asked me that question, I could easily come up with five things in less than five minutes. What is so different about him and me that would make a question of that sort challenging? I really don’t have a particular answer for you, but my thought is that perhaps it is a difference in cultural communication. In Ireland, they are incredibly indirect communicators and love telling elaborate stories. In America, we are much more direct in our communication, and we often ask questions like this during “icebreaker” conversations. We also really enjoy talking about ourselves, whereas I find less of that to be true in Ireland. Anyway, that was just a little silly goofy thought I had!
To finish my conversation with Igor, I asked him what his favorite thing about his home culture is. Of course, he considers his home culture to be Ireland, not Poland, but his answer was striking. He said that his favorite part about Irish culture is “how rough it is.” Wow. What are your thoughts on that answer? I can definitely tell you that I was not expecting him to say that, and I was wildly intrigued to know what he was going to say next! He explained that in sports, you are always “clashing with players” and “getting dirty all the time.” This kind of activity and way of being brought up “toughens you up.” At a young age, Igor would work on the farm, milk cattle, then go and do construction work, come home and finish with the cows at the end of a fourteen-hour workday. This physical labor was “rough” and “hands-on in a good way” as it “toughens you up as a person,” he said.
Igor’s tenacity, persistence, and determination have been flooding through his veins for his entire life. From the cultural differences between his family from Poland and where he grew up in Ireland to his village being far away from anything, his overcoming educational adversity to be at the University of Limerick, to his inspiring mindset on “roughness,”, he is a tremendous example for us all. We are only limited by our mindset…
Highlights of the past few weeks include:
- Galways’ Macnas Parade (we took a quick day trip to Galway to see their famous Halloween Macnas parade, filled with incredible art, costumes, and choreography)
- Accomplishing Big Assignments (I have been productive in completing many of my big assignments, which feels wonderful! Thank you, Lord, for giving me strength!)
- Conversations (I have had so many meaningful conversations with a variety of individuals – it fills my cup with joy to listen to others and share Christ’s love with them!)
- Pam’s Irish Dance Classes (Pam is one of my professors, and she needed an extra person in two of her Irish dance classes this past week, so I got the opportunity to Irish dance for four hours straight)
- Gilmore Girls (it is always a wonderful way to end the day or have a brain break when Nessa, Laura, and I watch an episode of “Gilmore Girls”)
Low-lights of the past few weeks include:
- Frustration
- Brain Fog
- Silly Buses
Learned Insights from the Low-lights:
- Frustration is a real and universal experience. It comes with the territory of being in communication with others and maintaining relationships. But it is such a blessing, if you really think about it. When one experiences frustration, it is a way of reflecting, emoting, and recognizing that a problem needs to be solved! It can be a tool for us to guide our next steps, and if one is frustrated with other people, it is a blessing that there are people in one’s life to be frustrated with!
- Brain fog. Another one of those universal experiences when our brains are on overload, are fried, and really can’t think very well. I have been experiencing quite a bit of this as I am doing my best to complete a lot of large projects. But again, this is a healthy tool that our bodies and brains give us to tell us that we need a break! We need to take a nap, drink water, eat, or move our bodies to refresh our brains once more!
- This past week, Laura and I went to shop for our groceries when we ran into a myriad of silly goofy bus issues. One bus driver wouldn’t let us on the bus, then we got on a bus going the wrong direction, then the driver took his break, then we got stuck in traffic, then he didn’t let us off at the stop we wanted, and then coming from the store, we missed the bus. There was every opportunity to be frustrated and upset with this situation, but Laura and I just completely accepted the wacky morning and laughed at everything! It made these unfortunate events so much more fun and a memory that I will forever hold in my heart! The next time something is happening that seems awful in the moment, I challenge you to embrace it with a smile, a laugh, and a good attitude. Nothing you do will change the current situation, but how you frame the situation with your mind can make all the difference!
Scripture that has helped me to persevere:
- 2 Timothy 4:7 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
- 1 John 2:6 – “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”
- Psalm 56:3 – “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
These past few weeks have been crazy, busy, and full of many moments spent with God as I look to Him for strength. I pray that you continue to keep your eyes and your hearts set on the One who made you, cares for you, and who can guide you through adversity with grace. Continue to keep your heart filled with the love found in Christ’s death and resurrection, for He is our true source of perseverance!
May you ever be blessed,
Katie Gilkey
Grand VS Great; Ireland VS USA
The prompt for this blog, have a conversation with someone from another culture and blog about what you learned, has got me thinking. Yeah, ok, Mathilde, that’s the point of a prompt… Obviously, I mean 
specifically about all the conversations that I’ve had, the scenes that I’ve observed, and all of the things that I’ve learned about different cultures during my time abroad so far. I’ve been mulling over this prompt for about a week, although some could call it procrastinating, and having it in the back of my mind has made me appreciate experiences that I have begun to take for granted. Two months ago, these differences were blinding, pushing me out of my comfort zone academically and socially. Needless to say, I did actually have a conversation with my Irish friend, geesh, I think we’ll just call her Mary, so I don’t out her, so the rest of this blog will include info from both overall observations about Irish culture and that conversation with my friend.
If you’ve been following along with my journey so far, you’re already familiar with some of these cultural differences, as they’ve been an overarching theme this semester. For that reason, I will try to not rehash things. Y’all already know that the Irish have an indirect communication style- classes start later than the appointed time, assignments are relaxed even though they are worth a large percentage of your grade, emails often get left for weeks before you receive a response-that has been a struggle for me to get used to. On top of that, it is often difficult for me to read situations. Most lecturers interact with their students during the class, yet they fail to really explain what is expected for their assignments. Classrooms are very relaxed, even to the point that often students just talk when their lecturers are teaching until the lecturer has to stop the lecture to ask them to stop. Another thing that I’ve noticed about Irish culture in general is how often and casually they swear. This week, during two different situations, class and student life run bingo, those leading the room casually threw out swear words. I honestly find it very entertaining and almost a relief. Although I find it unprofessional based on my previous life experiences and culture, I think their casual speech reflects their lighthearted culture, an aspect of Ireland that I didn’t necessarily expect but that I really enjoy.
Don’t mind me as I not-so-smoothly switch topics… just like I not-so-smoothly inserted a picture of me and my roommates back in September… One thing that has interested me a lot this semester is the Irish
culture and its connection to the Catholic church. In my research before arriving in Ireland, I learned about their history, especially the age-long dispute between Catholics and Protestants. The Republic of Ireland is considered a Catholic nation, but when I asked Mary if she was Catholic, she said yes, but said that she only attends mass twice a year- Easter and Christmas- and doesn’t really believe what they teach. I’ve found that this is true for a majority of the Irish people I’ve met. Catholicism is a part of their heritage and culture more than it is something to which they actually subscribe. Mary said that the only member of her family who actually goes regularly is her gran. Because the religion is seen as a part of their history, many of my education lecturers talk about how the education system is too influenced by religion, seeing as the majority of primary schools are run by the church, and that we need to update the curriculum to escape the past. I am honestly not too shocked by this realization, as I feel that America is fairly similar. Many are not at all religious, and many who report as being part of a certain group also don’t attend church often, except on the “important days”.
I’m not sure if I’ve already talked about this or if it is just fairly obvious, but I am continually surprised by the emphasis that Irish culture puts on enjoying life. In the States, people may feel like they’re working so that they can enjoy life, but people here enjoy life and also work. During orientation, the person speaking to us told us that studying is important, but don’t forget to take advantage of our time to make friends and have fun. Because we have so few assignments, we actually do have time to socialize and enjoy life, while I feel like back home, we are told to prioritize academics, and people’s schedules are so full that they don’t really have a choice. Here, it is perfectly acceptable to go out on a weeknight and not just on the weekends. There’s even a bar on campus where they hold events, you can get cheap food and drinks, and there’s plenty of space to hang out inside and outside the building. All around the country, there are student discounts or student nights, even though going to college here is very inexpensive, especially as compared to the US. Many students don’t work, and, if they do, they work on weekends when they go home, which would unfortunately not cut it for me financially at home. Without your parents’ help or other grants, it is very difficult to get through college without loans in the United States, a fact that shocks all the Irish students that I’ve talked to. Please enjoy the beautiful flowers, one of the things that I enjoy during my free time walks : )
Geesh, this blog is kinda feeling like a school report right now. All observations, nothing too exciting, so I figured I would dedicate the rest of the blog to life updates from yours truly. Per usual, self-motivation is difficult, and I fear that I am a raging procrastinator, as I stated earlier. Healthy habits are like an old car. Some old cars may take a little bit of effort to start, but will continue to run after the initial push, while others are hard to start and are difficult to keep running. I’ve been doing better about my 
subconscious praying because it is genuinely the only thing that will calm my body down so that I can sleep at night. After this semester of sleep troubles, my pillow at home goes into the same boat as my car- something that I will never underappreciate again. Anywho, I’ve started to focus more on physical activity as the days start to get dark by 5:30. I find that, like most people, my mood goes down with the sun, and my body calls it quits as soon as the sun does. As an attempt to combat this and also take advantage of some of my ample free time, I purchased a cheap yet effective watercolor set from the seasonal aisle at Aldi, and I have started a new hobby. I find painting very relaxing, even during the brief period of time when I was finger painting due to my lack of brushes, and I’m even finding myself admiring some of my own work. While I’ve always had difficulties acknowledging my talents and being proud of myself, I think that this newfound hobby is good for my brain and is helping me to value myself and my abilities. Any other news…? Huh, well, can we just talk about how easy it is to put cleaning on the back burner when you are the only one using a space? As much as I really appreciate clean floors, I have vacuumed my room once this semester, and that’s only because my flatmate had one that she had borrowed from the office and offered to me. I have also mopped my bathroom once this semester… are you sensing a theme? Doing the bare minimum to get by and not be disgusting. Yeah, it may sound gross, but believe me, it’s really just fine… I think. Ok, stop judging me.
Now that I’ve gotten all of that off my chest, I think that it’s time to pull a Houdini while I contemplate whether or not it was a good idea to air my own dirty laundry like that…
Peace and love!
Mathilde