Study Abroad - Finishing Up

After over 100 days, my time in Newfoundland is drawing to a close.  At the time I write this, I have little over two weeks to go before I start my 24 hour journey home. It has been a very interesting term in Memorial Universtiy, Newfoundland, with more highs and lows than you’d get in a typical term in UL.

Starting off was incredibly rough. My flight from New York to Newfoundland was cancelled, Continental Airlines lost my bags and I was hauled into interrogation because border patrol was suspicious of me for whatever reason. It was clear from the start that it was going to be an interesting semester.

If I had to pick one thing that absolutely defined my time in St John’s, it has to be the weather. The snow was one of the reasons I came here. I loved snow and after years of going through green Christmases, I thought that this year was going to be different. I can tell you, the novelty wears of very fast when you’re up to your knees in flour-fine snow and listen to snow ploughs going all night. Nevertheless, it’s all part of what makes Newfoundland so special. The scenes of snow-peaked mountains around Pippy Park and Signal Hill, which is one of the few places on land where one can see where the Titanic sunk, defines the St John’s landscape and is truly beautiful.

Of course, I can’t forget the lovely people that I met in St John’s. These people really showed me what it’s like to live in a different culture. They showed my the initiation ritual for people coming to Newfoundland as well as being just as funny and kind as my friends back home. The people will probably be what I miss most about St John’s.

One of the most important things it thought me though is how good I have it back home. I was surprised by how much I missed my friends and family. I am very much looking forward to my first pint of Bulmers in UL with my buddies. UL Abu!

Study Abroad - Finishing Up

Ireland is calling me back

If this year's Smedia Awards is as good
 as last years, attendees will be in for a treat

I may have just over a month to go in Canada, but Ireland is telling me to come home.  She’s been punishing me for leaving since I left her shores on January 2nd. I should have known better than to leave home. For the last few months I’ve been describing myself as a prospective immigrant, but now that I’ve left the homeland, I know that Ireland won’t let me leave longterm.

 The first incident was the fact that my flight the St John’s, Newfoundland was cancelled because of extreme weather conditions, meaning I had to stay in New York overnight.

 Next up, Continental Airlines lost all of my bags, so that I had to buy enough clothes and toiletries to last me a few days. Worst of all, I was technically under arrest, as I was dragged into interrogation, as border police thought that my reason on visiting Canada wasn’t for study. Just over 100 days to go at that stage. What more could happen?

Since then, I’ve been bedbound with the Newfie flu and other viral nasties that have ensured that my social life here is kept to an absolute minimum. Also, have I mentioned the snow? The snow here is bitter and stinging. The worst thing about the Newfoundland snow is that when it’s rained on top of, it turns into this rock hard ice that is incredibly slippery. I’ve almost had a number of concussions walking along it.

Just this week there was a great thaw out. The sun was shining and I was delighted that I was beginning to see the grass again. I jinxed it. The next day, the snow started afresh and the snow ploughs are going full throttle throughout the night once more.

But now, I have a whole new reason to return home. This blog has been nominated for a student media award. I was lucky enough to be a guest at last year’s awards and was delighted with the night. It’s fantastically organised and it’s a great night. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes out of it. I’m also happy to see fellow ULers Finn McDuffie and Colm Fitzgerald nominated for other awards. Best of luck to everyone taking part. It will definitely be a night to celebrate.

Ireland is calling me back

Study Abroad - Interesting Characters

You meet all kinds of people when your abroad. I came across a lovely bunch of folk soon after I arrived in St John’s. They’re just about as quirky as my chums in UL and nearly as fond of drink. I knew I’d fallen in with a pretty decent crowd. It’s not until recently that I found out just how quirky they are.

They’re all member of Memorial University Oxfam, which is a society that helps promote women’s rights and global equality. I bumped into them randomly when exploring all the societies that MUN has to offer. I’ve decided that MUN Anarchists (organised chaos?) probably isn’t my thing nor was the Christian Youth society, but the bunch of people I met in the Oxfam office were warm, inviting, energetic and good fun.

During the week, I found out one of my new buddies, Meaggy, is in face descended from a piracy and royalty. A gand of pirates kidnapped royalty and made them slaves. Of course, one of the pirates fell in love with a slave. He started a mutiny and escaped with the princess slave. They escaped to Newfoundland and got married. I told her she’s like Johnny Depp and Kiera Knightley. I started calling her Johnny Knightley, before I realised it sounds like a 70s porn star name.

Another new buddy, Jeremy, is a quite the Newfoundland hero. He’s a  human rights champion and came to a lot of people’s attention last year, when he refused to shake hands with Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. Jeremy is no fan of most of Harper’s policies. This was a big deal in St John’s, and Jeremy was declared a local hero.

In other news, I’ve been pretty vocal lately about not being able to vote in the general election. I was in a few newspapers and on TV3. At the time I write this, I’m not sure of the result, but I hope when I return to Ireland, it will be a better place than when I left it.

Study Abroad - Interesting Characters

Study Abroad - Irish abroad

After spending some time in a foreign land, people start to develop the native accent. To my horror, it happened to me after my co-op placement in Cork, but it’s not going to happen in Newfoundland. I’m going to come home from here with the strongest, most exaggerated Irish accent imaginable. It really is a joy being a proper Paddy in an Island full of fifth and sixth generation Irish.

My big culchie accent, which is mocked by friends in Dublin and Cork, is cooed at over here. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve been asked to talk more during nights out.  It’s a great talking point. Most of the people go on to say that they’re part Ireland and how they’d love to go back to Ireland, talking as if they’re bona fide Irish. I’m still getting a kick out of it and I don’t think the novelty value will go any time soon.

One night I met a lad who claims he’s a proud Limerick man, despite the fact he never left Newfoundland in his life. He almost cried when I told him that I study in Limerick and demanded I tell him every detail about the Treaty City. He told me that his father moved from Limerick because it was too dangerous, which I didn’t buy for a second. I chatted to him for a total of five minutes before he asked me if I wanted to buy some Grade A drugs. It was around that time that I faked a call and left him. Every proper Irish person I’ve met since has offered me the same. It’s slightly suspicious.

The best thing I’ve encountered so far is, of course, in the pubs around St John’s. In my first month here, I’ve been given four free double whiskeys from friendly bartenders, just because I’m a proper Irish person. This is something that I could get used to.  It’s all part of some of the bizarre initiation ceremonies that take place in Newfoundland.

All I can say is roll on Paddy’s Day!

Study Abroad - Irish abroad

The Newfoundland snow

Here are just a few of the pictures I took of Newfoundland's first snow storm of the winter season. I'm told they're just going to get worse. I'll be there with my camera!










So today was the first big snowstorm in St. John's, Newfoundland. A journey that normally only takes me five minutes took me around 15 and I was absolutely saturated from head to toe. Here are some of the pictures I took on my iPhone.
You think you know snow, Ireland. THIS is snow...

The Newfoundland snow