Wednesday, February 24, 2016

A Trip Back in Time


       



Edinburgh was the experience of lifetime. There's no other way to put it.

I've wanted to go to Scotland since I was a kid. My grandmother grew up there and questions me every Christmas about it, "When are you going to Scotland??"

I never had an answer until I chose to study abroad.

The sight of the city is worth the trip alone. Going to Edinburgh is, literally, like going back 300 years in time. There are many cities like this round Europe, each with their own pizzazz (add that to the "dope words" list), and Edinburgh is no different. The Edinburgh Castle, The Royale Mile, and St. Mary's close are just some of the great, admittedly touristy, options.

The Castle is right out of a fairytale. It's actually like it's own little city once you're inside, that's how big it is. There were some cool exhibits inside, like the War Memorial and War Museum, but most of it was trumped by the views around the edges of the Castle itself. Placed on top of the entire city, you can see miles in almost every direction. The New Town, the Old Town, the ocean...all of it is visible and spectacular. Walking thru the prisons and old towers is an eerie yet refreshingly new feeling. Only 150 years ago this Castle was active with people shuffling around.

When I explore places like this, going off the beaten path is something I always want to do. Why the hell can't I go past the roped off areas? The ones that lead to the bowels of the Castle where there are probably even cooler sights - sights that not many have been able to see, ever. I'd give anything to go check out the "real" Castle, the parts you can't see because of preservation or some shit...give me a break. I don't bite, I promise, I just want to explore more! That being said, there is nothing to complain about, the Castle is still a wonder with what is available. Without a doubt the most beautiful one I've ever been to, and I've been to many in Germany.

for Connor Murray
"Cemetery for Solider Dogs"...badass


















Exploring was great, but going out into the city with friends was just as fun. The Scots are interesting people. The accent is thick, the kilts are distinguished, and the scotch is culture. I actually forget about Scotch Whiskey till we arrived. Personally, Scotch is far to harsh for me to drink. It's smokey, it burns, and it's well...unpleasant. But when in Rome (Edinburgh), do as the Romans (Scots) do...

Honestly, the Scots are more fun anyway. One wouldn't expect such an old, cultured city like this to have such a lively, young and vibrant nightlife. The first night saw the crew trying out some local bars and pubs very reminiscent of the ones I've found in Ireland. My personal favorite pub was called "The Worlds End", which took it's name from some interesting history. Apparently where this pub is located was the town line for the city years ago, and once you crossed it, the chances of coming back were not likely. Thus, "The Worlds End" is a fitting name. There was a local musician playing the night we went and he was KILLING it. Pink Floyd, The Strokes, The Stones, The Beatles, The Smiths (Jerry Collins, how are ya?)...I mean the guy didn't play a bad song and nailed every one. Definitely check this place out if you're ever there.

The second night we decided to check out the college scene there. The Scots...can drink... This is a reoccurring theme over in Europe that is unfortunately not the case in America. It is honestly strange going out into the "college" part of town when it looks like we're in 1850. The music, the vibes, it just doesn't sound like it would fit, but it does. To be straight up and direct, the night was late and fun...we'll leave it at that. (if you can't laugh, stay the f**k home)



On the final day we took a small hike to Calton Hill. This was again a place with a 360 degree view of the whole city. Unreal. After the hike, we went back to the Scottish Market where, personally, I saw one of the most unbelievable generous actions of mankind...

We went into the market to kill some time before our flight back, so we sat down at a long table and chatted. Eventually we noticed this homeless man making strange noises, not really being a bother, but more a nuisance to the market. He wasn't loud, he wasn't cursing, but he was certainly being "sketchy". A few minutes later, the owner of the market went up to him and told him to take a set and settle down. First off, it is outstanding that he didn't kick him out in the first place. I didn't think much of it - I went back to browsing the market. This guy had a really cool stand set up with punk albums from 1977. The collection was around 50 CD's, quite impressive. I finished chatting with the salesmen, who was from England and suggested some fun bars, and went back to the bench to kill some more time. All of a sudden, I noticed the owner go a grab a scone, one being sold to customers, and wander back towards the homeless man. He gave him the scone. Every one had left at this point so I was the only one to see this. I thought, "Wow, that is a real human being". But it wasn't over. The owner went back to his stand. I thought he was going to continue on with work so I stopped paying attention. Three minutes later I saw him walking towards the homeless man, again, this time with a hot cup of coffee. Now, I understand that this might seem like something every one should do, but that's not our reality. In today's society, we do NOT see generosity like this, especially towards the homeless. I could care less about the social experiments we all see online...the feeling that overcomes you when you physically witness an act such as this is overwhelming, to say the least. Obviously I didn't, but it's the kind of feeling that makes you want to cry happiness. And I wanted to so bad. It is hope that humanity still exists in this disgustingly cruel world.

I went up to the owner after. I felt compelled to. This man deserved recognition that I knew no one else would give him. I talked with him for about 10 minutes and I learned a lot about this homeless man. Apparently he comes into the market, which is by the way located in an old unused Church, and sits down to look at the stained glass portraits of Jesus, Saint Mary, etc... That day, he was just a little more out of whack, but it became clear to me that this owner knew this homeless man, but the homeless man did not know him. Mental problems? Likely... Does that mean he should be treated like an animal? No. Not at all. This Scotsman actually changed my life and I'm not just saying that. I was honestly speechless when talking to the owner.

He said to me, "Look up there, boy", pointing at Jesus in stained glass, "do you know who that is?"
I said, "Jesus".
He said, "That's right. And if he were standing here right now, what do you think he would've done?"

Awestruck. I'm not a religious person and believe that religion is the root to many of our world's problems today, but this man proved to me that religion still has the potential to do some real good. By no means will I become a religious person, but this man is an exceptional human being. As crazy as it sounds, with all the sights - the castle, the pubs, and the architecture - this was the highlight of my trip. For others, it might be different, but they did not see what I saw.



All in all, Scotland, you were great. Beauty, awe, friendship, fun, and admiration...you gave it all to me. I cannot wait to go back someday. I can assure you that I will. All I can say is, thank you.

Next up we got Amsterdam, Brussels, and Budapest. Bring it on spring break.




see you again soon






_________________________________________________________________________

(shoutout The Donation Foundation for all the dope benches around the city)

(also, Walker McCandrew has never heard of a shower beer. to say the least, i lost a little respect, but hey, still love you. Evidenced: this wondrous picture...)




stay tuned...

(soundtrack to this blog: The Slim Shady LP by Eminem)

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

The Other B(e)urly






Ah, Berly...

No, not Burlington, Vermont. I'm talking about Berlin, Germany.

Damn, that place is fun!

For my birthday I hopped off the Emerald Isle to go see my buddy Jack who is studying in Berlin. Who would've thought two roommates would study abroad at the same time? Not only that, but actually make an effort to see each other? Perfect timing I suppose..


inside the clash
I landed in Berlin on Friday night after an incredibly turbulent flight (which I was not a fan of, by the way) only to see Jack standing at the train station waiting for me. Bro-mance indeed. We quickly got ready, headed out to the city, and drank some good (and very, very cheap) German beer at a cool bar called "The Clash". I highly recommend checking this place out if you're ever in Berlin, especially if you dig the punk scene. The bar has an atmosphere I've never experienced before - it was loud, lively, smokey, and the walls were filled with posters from famous punk shows and bands. True definition of being "free". That's how the punk scene is and always has been - anarchy.

I met some Berliners who'd been living there for about 10 years. I say Berliners even though they were from Australia and the States because if you have lived in the city for a certain amount of time, you are considered a Berliner. And they certainly were by evidence of knowing all the best places to go.

They spoke both English and German just about perfectly. After traveling to Germany for many years, yearly actually, I've noticed this trend. The Germans ability to speak English is astounding. Not just in Berlin, but small towns and cities. It is a trait I respect because learning another language is no easy task (ask Jack).


hops & barley: the micro brew
They took us to a cool micro-brew bar that instantly reminded me of, yes, Burlington, Vermont. Vermont is home to some of the best microbreweries not just in the country, but the world. Visiting a place like this truly felt like I was at home, so to say. They had a variety of different beers, all brewed in the basement, ranging from very dark beer to a lighter beer. If I recall there were about 7 different types of beers. I tried the Dunkelbier and Pilsner. Dunkelbier simply means a dark German lager and they vary from region to region. In Möchengladbach, the city where my family resides, the dark beer is Alt-bier. Great beer, but it is certainly an acquired taste. This Dunkelbier was much lighter than the Alt's I was used to, but still very good. The Pilsner was unlike any Pilsner I've ever tried. When you think of Pilsners Pilsner Urquell or Becks probably come to mind, both of which are terrible examples of Pilsners. This one was unfiltered and had MUCH more flavor than the mass-produced versions. Overall, it was probably the best beer I had all weekend. Oh, and mind you, we were playing German card games and getting to know one another. It was great craic.


The night was long and I learned that Germans, in Berlin anyway, stay out till 4 or 5 in the morning at the very earliest. It is quite a different culture in that sense. But still, the late night didn't deter us from getting up the next day. I mean, we kind of had too because we were about to go experience a real German soccer game, and not only that, but one that mattered significantly to the standings. As you could imagine, the place was ROWDY...

Hertha Berlin vs. Borussia Dortmund. Hertha isn't a team used to winning. They usually place in the lower half of the Bundesliga, but this year is much different, they are #3 and battling to keep their spot. I cannot put into words the way fans are at soccer games in Europe; it is just something you have to experience yourself (check the video out).

At night we went a laid-back bar, seemingly only for those that "know" about it. Luckily Jack had some great connections so he found out about this place pretty quickly. The bar had a relaxed atmosphere. I sipped my gin and tonic with ease.

The next day, Sunday, I finally got to see some of the more famous (touristy) sites in Berlin, namely the Wall, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Reichstag. These places were simply unbelievable, especially the Wall. Like the Cliffs of Moher, but different in its own way, you could feel an energy around the Wall. The energy was of angst. This city was tormented for almost 40 years of authoritative separation, all symbolized by street art spread throughout the entirety of the Wall. Some people say that it is just a wall, but it represents something far more than that. It embodies the attitudes of Germans who had to deal with such violent oppression. The art is their way of saying, "Fuck you", and deservingly so. I took a slow stroll with Jack down the wall and looked at every piece of art. They all had something to say, but each artist took their own approach to the subject. I could feel their anger.

       

by far my favorite art on the wall. a perfect representation 

The Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag were also quite beautiful, but nothing could top the feeling I got from the Wall. Although, I should point out that the Reichstag has some of the craziest architecture I've ever seen... (and FOUR German flags, just in case you forgot)


All in all, I cannot deny that this was without a doubt the best weekend I've had over here. I got to see my best friend (which I desperately needed), I got to drink some beers, I got to see some history, and maybe most importantly, I got to eat some Jägerschnitzel. Hallelujah, rejoice.

stay tuned...

(soundtrack to this blog: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols by Sex Pistols)

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Diary of a Small-School College Kid

Saint Michael's College (though without the best part, North Campus)

I can handle it, don't worry...

Every day since my arrival has been better than the one before (I think) and only recently have my classes started. Yes, let us all remember that I am STUDYING abroad, not simply just BEING abroad. I've been exposed to a life I never knew before...

Since the 8th grade private school is all I've known. The Rumsey Hall School, The Taft School, Saint Michael's College...all private (non-profit...lol) institutions. While most kids attended public school during their formative years, that was not the case for me.

The University of Limerick is the first taste of public school I've had in years and while it is in no way similar to public high school because of the obvious difference in curriculum and general Irish educational structure, let me say that I did not miss it. By this I do not mean the school isn't fun because it is...however, the way classes are taught is a completely foreign concept to me. This concept isn't foreign to us all though; many of my friends that I study abroad with from America attend large university schools.

"A class with more than 100 kids in it? Are you kidding me? This has to be a joke..."

l...o...f...l
These were my thoughts after my first week of classes. I cannot lie to myself, this is what I knew to expect from UL, and after all it is a school with 15,000+ kids. I knew classes would be different, but I did not know how much I would long for the style in which Saint Michael's College conducts classes. Small, discussion based classes that had no more than 30 kids in a classroom that felt much like high school. This is the liberal arts school I've complained about for making me take classes I never wanted to (and still don't, by the way...science and spanish...kill me, I'm an ENGLISH major).

Let me tell you something...while learning about Renaissance Literature or Irish Contemporary Literature one should not be put into a classroom with more than 30 kids. Its true that UL and many other large universities conduct what is called "tutorials". These are smaller groups of kids, maybe 20-30 people, from the larger class put into a more discussion based classroom. I'll give you an A for effort, but please...

I'll tell you right now what's valuable about being in a small classroom, things that I originally hoped to avoid in college, but now appreciate more than ever:

-professors watch you
-it is hard to talk to other students
-not  surfing social media
-attention is required to succeed, not "requested"

When applying for colleges the only criteria I abided by was a large university. In fact, my top three schools were 20,000+ kids. I got rejected/wait-listed by every one of them. At the time, I resented them and my time at Taft more than anything. I mean, why go a private school if you don't find success with the colleges you wanted to go to? That's all I could think, and for that matter, thought until my second year of college. This has changed.

I ended up at Saint Michael's College by accident. That was not the plan. I can tell you right now, with what I've learned and the friends I've made, it is without the best "accident" to ever happen to me. I miss being in a class where raising your hand for a question is encouraged, not DIScouraged. I miss having a teacher watch me, making sure that I'm not on my phone or surfing FaceBook. Hell, half the time teachers won't let you use your computer for notes because they know...they are not stupid...and they care a great deal.

And I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this type of large university education. It has worked for years and produced some of the brightest people the worlds ever seen. I'm especially not taking away from the professors who have dedicated their lives to teaching this way. This is what they know..and most likely what they love. They themselves certainly don't discourage questions, it is the system that does. It is the system, not the professors that have negative effects on students.

But this is not what I know. This is not what I love about education. I like having my professors keep an eye on me. Why? Because I (and probably YOU, too) learn more that way. Sure, you might zone out for a class or two..or three..or whatever...but the fact remains that when you are in a smaller class, it is more conducive to learning.

I will adjust and since I know how to learn thanks to Rumsey, Taft, and Saint Michael's, I have no worries that I will succeed. It will just take some time to get used to. I can handle it, don't worry...

So note to self, others, and especially Saint Michael's College students:

While I understand it can be annoying to have teachers up your ass, emailing you daily, yelling at you to pay attention, CARING, let me tell you that you are LEARNING. And learning a hell of a lot more than many of the kids who attend large schools because it is simply easier for them to disappear in class...when attention is necessary to succeed.

stay tuned...

(soundtrack to this blog: MTV Unplugged in New York by Nirvana)

(btw its my birthday tomorrow, send me hot sauce and ranch. they don't have that necessary American shit here)