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In less than one week’s time, I have had a phenomenal time exploring and learning in beautiful Gaoth Dobhair! Since my arrival last Friday, I have quickly become acquainted with the other international students, the breathtaking landscape, and the always lively Gaeltacht. Since it has been a year since my last official Irish class, I felt a bit rusty getting back into the swing of things in the classroom, but I am steadily becoming more comfortable speaking each day while expanding my vocabulary and understanding of the language.

The most helpful lessons so far have been those around the table eating meals with the other students in my program in our host family’s home! We’re all at different levels and the conversation is usually quite broken while searching for words or phrases we don’t have yet, but it is still super helpful to build the habit of thinking in Irish rather than English. Our program has students taking beginner- and intermediate-level courses with lots of opportunities to socialize and each day, a significantly greater amount of Irish is used in conversation as we all grow in confidence together. I have definitely appreciated the chance to learn from a greater number of students, many of which have taught themselves the majority of what they know through online self-study courses. We have all developed different strengths depending upon our instruction thus far and I have thoroughly enjoyed gaining insight from others who have learned mostly outside of the classroom setting!

In addition to the hours of language instruction and practice both outside and inside my host family’s home, the class has been able to visit some of the most important location in the area, one of which is An Ghleann Neimhe (the Poisoned Glen). With such a name, everyone in the class was quite interested to learn its origin. One of our instructors, a local folklorist from the area, told us that the official culturally-accepted origin story involves a giant from Oiléan Thoraí, Balor. Balor was a one-eyed creature and his eye was apparently filled with poison that spilled into the valley after he lost a battle against his nephew in the glen, giving the spot its present-day name.

However, prior to hearing this version of the story, another member of the community had explained the name in less mythical terms. She told some of the other students and I that the glen was given its name after a group of Irish Republican Army members poisoned the stream that runs through the glen. They did this as a defense against the Black and Tans (a reinforcement group in the Royal Irish Constabulary) trying to come into the area during the Irish War of Independence in the early 20th century. Though I am guessing that her version developed long after Balor’s tale, it gives great insight into Gaoth Dobhair’s history and its unique location in close proximity to Northern Ireland, especially the cities of Derry and Belfast.

There is still a veil over the truth regarding the true origin of the Poisoned Glen since we’ve heard even more versions, but these two perspectives involving Balor and the IRA certainly give a taste of the importance of both folklore and political tension in this region.

The absence of my mother (and the distance between us) has caused me to notice motherhood in many places in my study abroad experience.

Throughout my life, I have been close with my mother, and I have always considered her to be one of my closest friends. I attribute this strong relationship in part to the fact that I am an only child, who was adopted into a very small family. Growing up, both of my parents worked many hours to support our family, but even when they came home from work, exhausted, they always set aside time to spend with me. Thus, family has always been an important part of my identity and life, in general.

Before going to Chile, I had never been away from my parents for longer than two weeks, let alone in a different country. Even during the academic semester at Notre Dame, I visit home at least once every other week (which, to be fair, is only 20 minutes away from campus). I was beyond excited for my trip, but I knew that me being away from home for so long would be difficult for my mother.

The first few days in Santiago were incredible—I was having the time of my life. I was getting to know the other students better, and I enjoyed exploring the city with them. I think that the excitement of being abroad distracted me from my homesickness. It wasn’t until the first night of staying with my host family that I finally realized that I was more than 5,000 miles away from home. My host family was so kind, and did everything they could to make me feel at home, but it still felt odd for me to be staying in a house that wasn’t mine. I felt even more homesick when I would see my host mother and her son together.

In the absence of my mother, I began to notice the presence of motherhood everywhere, including in my schoolwork. The Spanish course I was enrolled in was centered around a woman named Gabriela Mistral. Perhaps the greatest desire of Gabriela Mistral—Chilean poet and educator—was to be a mother. She raised her adoptive son, Yin-Yin (Juan Miguel Pablo Godoy Mendoza), until he took his own life during his teenage years. In 1950, she published a collection of poems known as “Poemas de las madres”, which reflected various themes regarding maternity and motherhood, including the emotions and attitudes (both positive and negative) felt by expectant and current mothers. Mistral published these poems to not only express her complex connection with motherhood, but also to create pieces that would be relatable and perhaps comforting to new or expectant mothers. Above all, Mistral desired to showcase the beauty of motherhood, and the beauty of the relationship developed between a mother and her children.

Mothers are very special people. Without a doubt, my mother misses me, and I miss her. However, she is proud of me for choosing to study abroad. She is proud of my accomplishments. She is always there for me, even in my darkest times. She comforts me after my failures, and encourages me to stand back up and keep moving forward. I am grateful to have her in my life, not only as a mother, but as a friend. I can’t wait to tell her about my experiences abroad.

Un abrazo,

Aidan

Salut!

I’ve been meaning to write this blog post for a while, but I wanted to wait until I had ample time to sample all that I could of French cuisine. Now that I’ve had some time, I’m excited to talk about all that I’ve experienced of food in France!

The main things that I had heard about French eating culture before coming here were essentially “baguette, cheese, escargot, and frog legs.” I went in with an open mind about what I would encounter, and I’m glad I did! Bread and cheese are certainly ubiquitous here; with both my host families, I’ve had bread available every breakfast and dinner, as well as a wealth of cheese options after the main course of dinner. I’ve had so much cheese that I’ve been able to develop a favorite in Camembert cheese. Escargot (snails) and frog legs are not very common, though, from what I’ve seen and heard. The people I talked to generally had strong opinions—either love or hate—for these two dishes, but they often said that they had not had either frequently. I was able to try both, but I had to deliberately seek out places that had them. Most of the restaurants I visited without prior planning didn’t have either.

Another aspect of French eating culture I thought was interesting was the different pacing of the meals. Restaurants here have been a completely different experience for me than they are in the United States. For one, they have almost always been served as a multiple-course meal, with a free appetizer of pretzels, bread, or other snack-like food before the main course. Another difference is the time it takes. In the U.S., I’m used to waiters coming by almost as soon as you’re done eating to clean off the table and give you the check. French restaurants allow you to take your time, though, before giving you the bill, which I truly appreciate! You can take in the ambience and talk more with your friends without the pressure of having to leave soon after eating. I once had a meal where we talked for over an hour after eating before we got the check. People enjoy savoring the small moments and taking their time, which I think is a nice change of pace after all the hustle and bustle. I also have enjoyed the “du jour” system, where many of the food offerings, especially for lunch, change day by day. I’ve gotten to have some truly incredible meals!

There’s one last thing I’d like to address. One of the most common things people told me when I mentioned I was going to France was that people, especially waiters, are rude to you if you don’t speak perfect French. This was not my experience in the slightest. Almost every restaurant I’ve been to has had incredibly nice waters and waitresses, who are patient with me if I don’t understand their question the first time. I’ve had some who have immediately switched to English after hearing my accent because they wanted to practice their English skills, as well. From my experience and from what I’ve heard in talking with these people, they simply appreciate it if you make an effort, even if your French isn’t perfect.

That’s all from me this time! I’ve attached some pictures of my favorite foods I’ve had below.

Stress, anxiety, pressure to succeed. These are commonplace emotions and experiences dealt with by students in the US. However, these are not felt by students in Italy.

In Italy, there is not the same striving to constantly achieve. Instead, they prioritize enjoyment and relaxation by spending time with friends and family, eating and going on walks around the beautiful hills and city. This mentality is exemplified by the buildings here: they are timeless. In Sorrento and Naples, I noticed that there were many fewer cranes than in the UK or the US. This is because there isn’t the same culture of needing things to look perfect or to have the newest model that works the best. Italy’s beauty comes from the buildings not needing to stand out but instead complementing the surroundings and enhancing the natural beauty already present. As a result, Italians are more willing to spend time experiencing things rather than speeding through tasks to achieve as much as possible.

As a student from the US, currently living and studying in Italy, I see the merits of both. It has been incredibly enjoyable spending time going on walks, floating in the sea after class and having long dinners in restaurants. However, part of me misses the exciting, fast-paced life that I live at Notre Dame, where there is always something to do or a problem to solve. Whilst it is nice to not place as much pressure on myself, it is also extremely gratifying to work hard for the things that I care about and challenge myself to see how well I can do something or how much I can achieve.

I think one of the main things that I will take away from this experience is an awareness of these differing mindsets which I can draw upon based on what I need. This means that when I go back to my busy college life, I will remind myself that sometimes it can be beneficial to pause and appreciate where I am, who I am with and what I am doing.

Mission Status: Concluding

Skill: Saying ما سلامة (goodbye)

Status: In Progress/Extremely Difficult

Over the past six weeks,  I have had an extraordinary time in Morocco, which makes saying goodbye very difficult. As a self-proclaimed, wanna-be Moroccan, I am being parted with a nation I have grown to love. My second, hardest, and longest goodbye is to the people I have come to know and love. 

First is the wonderful people from the AALIM institute where I studied and learned so much. From my decision to join the program and my close to 20 preliminary emails to my orientations all the way to the end of my time in Meknes, the people from AALIM have been nothing but welcoming and supportive. Moreover, my استاذتان (two teachers) were so encouraging and motivated in helping my classmates and me learn and succeed in becoming more proficient in the Arabic language. 

My second goodbye was that of my host family. والدي، امي و اختي (my sister, father, and mother) were the sweetest people. From listening to Fairuz every morning at breakfast, having my host sister thread my roommate and I’s eyebrows, drinking lots of tea, and having my picture taken at every critical occasion for memories, my host family treated me as if I belonged and truly made me feel like I did. I became one with the family so much that at one point my host mom made fun of me because I bought a bunch of peaches and two of them were no good. Afterward, she told me she never buys bad ones and is the expert at picking the best peaches, which I have no doubt in my mind that she is. Moreover, my host sister and I got very good at entertaining each other with only a look from across the small dining table, and at least half the time we did not know what we were laughing about. 

This particular goodbye become one of the hardest when my host mom and sister took my roommate and me to the street to find a taxi that would take us to the train station for the last time. As we stood on the corner with all of our luggage, my host mom and sister became to cry which caused my roommate and me to cry. So then, there were two Moroccan women and two American tourists crying on the corner as they try to hail taxis in the middle of a busy intersection and spend over five minutes hugging and exchanging goodbyes and extended thank yous. 

My last and hardest goodbye was with my cohort, fellow students, classmates, travel buddies, and most importantly my newest friends. As my roommate and I prepared to leave our newfound friends from these past six weeks, she commented that although we were partaking in an intensive language program we also were participating in an intensive friendship program. She could not have been more right because over six short weeks I made great friends who I studied, learned, traveled, and grew with. One of the hardest portions of the entire trip was that I knew when I returned back to the States that I would not be separated by entire country from my newest friends, but I would still be multiple states away, which is almost a worse feeling because I know that we are in the same country but still so separated by place. 

Although I am still sad that I will no longer be able to see my friends every day, I am beyond grateful for the memories that we made together. From eating egg and cheese sandwiches to traveling over the entire northern portion of Morocco in one whole weekend to traveling 9 hours on a bus to spending the night in the Sahara to late nights studying and learning Eastern European dances, there are countless experiences that are completely unforgettable and untreatable. So, although this may be goodbye, for now, I have no doubt that the people I met in Morocco will reappear in my life again. 

This year (2022) has marked the 13th year in a row that adequate precipitation has failed to fall on Chilean soil—the country’s worst drought in about 60 years.

Chile is characterized by a Mediterranean climate, marked by a rainy winter season and a dry summer season. Rainfall occurs during few events each year, with the total rainfall varying from year to year. Since rainfall in the country is so variable, irrigation is essential to agricultural practices, and water storage is important to not only provide water to crops during the growing season, but also to provide water for human consumption.

Water conservation is especially important in highly-populated regions, such as the capital city of Santiago, where nearly 6 million people reside. In response to the drought, Chile announced a four-stage system that would utilize the restriction of water pressure and rationing. The first stage emphasizes water conservation and prioritizes the use of groundwater. The second and third stages entail a reduction in water pressure, and the final stage is characterized by actual water rationing. If the final stage were to be reached, the water cuts would only take place in one sector of the city at a time, for a maximum of 24 hours.¹ The sector would then rotate, if rationing was still needed.

When I first arrived in Chile, I was encouraged by my host family to limit water usage. While walking through plazas throughout Santiago, I also noticed that many of the fountains did not have any water in them. It is possible that these fountains were inactive because of the drought, but it is also possible that they were inactive because it was winter.

On our excursion to La Serena, we visited la Universidad Católica del Norte, where we listened to a presentation regarding water conservation and how developing a better understanding of marine life and ecosystems could help slow the effects of the drought. As a complement to the presentation, we were able to tour the facilities used for aquatic research and the study of microorganisms. It was fascinating to learn about the importance of aquatic ecosystems, especially in relation to the current drought.

As the drought continues to impact the availability of water in Chile, it remains obvious that proposed solutions such as a rationing water can only help so much. Ultimately, combating the effects of the drought requires mitigating the effects of climate change, and caring for the health of aquatic ecosystems may prove to be helpful in the conservation of water.

Chao,

Aidan

1. Partsch, Elizabeth. “Climate Chance Victim: Chile Faces Its Worst Drought in History.” Impakter, Apr. 2022, https://impakter.com/chile-12-year-drought-water-rationing/.

Peruvians love food, and they especially love Peruvian food. Many of the conversations I have, be it with my professor, my host mom, other locals, or other international students, revolve around Peru’s unique cuisine. The number of classic Peruvian dishes is remarkable: cuy (guinea pig), lomo saltado (beef, rice, french fries), ceviche (raw fish marinated in citrus juice, most often lemon), arroz con huevo (rice with eggs), ají de gallina (hen with ají sauce), pollo a la brasa (grilled chicken), causa limeña (mixture of potato stuffed with various fillings)—the list goes on. In class each day, my professor asks me what I ate the day before, and she gets excited when I mention that I tried a new Peruvian food for the first time. In short, Peruvians (at least those I have met) are incredible foodies.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of Peru’s traditional dishes are centered around different types of meat. This has made it a bit more challenging to immerse myself in the local cuisine being a vegetarian, but one of the plates that I have been able to enjoy is “arroz con huevo” (rice with eggs). This meal is served in a variety of ways, and it does often have some sort of meat, but it is also commonly served vegetarian-style. The base is exactly what it sounds like—white rice with an egg or two (usually fried)—and then there are different extras added depending on what someone wants. In the vegetarian world, common extras include avocado, tomato, mushroom, onion, and, my personal favorite, a fried plantain. It also is usually served with a side of french fries. For those who do eat meat, it’s possible to order almost any kind you can imagine with your arroz con huevo: beef, chicken, sausage, alpaca, you name it.

Arroz con huevo is an incredibly popular lunch dish in Peru, and large sections of the various markets I have visited here in Cusco are devoted to dozens of different stands that all serve the dish. Its popularity is a result of various factors: it’s cheap, easy to make, and versatile, and the portions tend to be fairly large. Speaking with one of the women in the market that served me my arroz con huevo for lunch one day, she said that for her, an important part of determining a good arroz con huevo is the creativity one has in making it. Given that it is such a common dish, for her it was important to find a way to give the plate her own touch (she did this by serving the eggs as an omelet with various vegetables instead of a fried egg).

Peruvians love their food, and it’s not hard to see why. The many delicious dishes they have here make ordering at any restaurant or market an incredibly difficult decision, even for vegetarians. It’s a joy to eat!

أهلا و سهلا
It’s been nearly a month since I came here, and I’ve found myself taken aback by how incredible of an experience this trip has already been. I’ve seen so many sites, met so many people, learned so much, and truly gathered a new appreication for the culture and the language here in Jordan.

Before classes started, I had around a week to get settled in to Amman, which I took full advantage of. I saw gorgeous skylines and enormous roman ruins, I visited tourist hotspots, like Rainbow Street, and various lesser known areas and restaurants, and I was able to meet and befriend various others in the program. The first week was a blast, and a nice settling in before the load of coursework began.

Interacting with locals is more difficult than I would have imagined. It’s one thing to practice Arabic in the comfort of a classroom, but wielding the language out on the streets is difficult, not to mention the plethora of differences between Modern Standard Arabic, which we study, and the dialectal Arabic. Not only are different words used, but entire letters are pronounced differently!

Four hours of Arabic classes each day plus an approximate four hours of homework on top of that have kept me quite busy, though I do think I have profited well from it thus far. We are going through our textbook at a rate far quicker than I had thought possible, and though I find myself quite challenged, I do think I am able to keep up. The other students in the Qasid program, especially in my class, have been a huge help. Working together when studying languages is very useful since you can pool your shared knowledge in case one person is lacking in a specific skill.

After classes and on the weekends, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to learn about and see more of Jordan as well. I’ve visited a number of different cafes and restaurants, and spent a good amount of time just wandering the city. I went down to a local market and made some local cuisine (which didn’t turn out great, but I’m still working on it!). We even took an excursion out to Ajloun, which hosted a historic castle and a stunning view! Plus, Qasid has hosted a number of cultural exhibitions, such as a musician playing the Oud and an informational session on Eid al Adha, a Muslim holiday.

I am extremely thankful to be here, and can’t wait to continue learning and exploring this country. I look forward to being able to visit Petra and the Dead Sea soon!

روي –