Here is a link to the blog written by my Resident Director, Paul Pelan, from the first semester in Belfast!

The First Belfast Semester - Paul Pelan

Back at State

It's great being back at Mississippi State with all the people I left behind, back in my major, and back where I've become used to being over the past few years, but there are a whole lot of things I miss about being in Northern Ireland.

First, I miss the accents.  I got really used to hearing all the Irish accents, as well as English accents and all the others.  That was probably the biggest reverse culture shock coming back for me.  Going over there, I expected to have to get used to the different accents, so there wasn't so much culture shock from that.  Coming back though, I was taken aback by being surrounded by American accents.  First in New York at my transfer, all the different American accents were everywhere.  The hardest to get used to was the southern accent.  Of all the accents we have in America, the southern accent's slowness is the opposite of a Northern Irish accent.  Getting back into the swing of listening to the slow drawl took some time, but I've gotten back to that now.  Unfortunately that means I lost whatever bit of Irish slang and accent that came into my accent!  Was only a small change, but being back home, I just melded right back into the southern drawl.  I will probably miss the accents the most of all, I loved the Irish and English accents as well as the diversity of accents.

Second, not living in a lacity is completely different.  Belfast was the only city I've ever lived in, and it's not even a big city.  When living in a city, you can walk just about anywhere, there is always something to do, and it's hard to be bored.  At home, where I've lived all my life, we are a 30 minute drive from the nearest small town, and all the excitement in that town, Ripley, TN, is a Walmart and some fast food...  Also, Starkville, MS, where Mississippi State is located, is also a very small town.  Being a college town, it does have more, but the best you can get is still a movie theatre or a bowling alley.

Similarly, I miss being able to walk everywhere or take public transportation.  Don't get me wrong, I love to drive.  I just miss the convenience of being able to walk every.  Also having public transportation to get everywhere, whether just in the city or all the way across the country, is sorely lacking here in the US.  Back in Belfast, you could hop on a train and be in Dublin in about 2 hours.  Here, I have to drive 3 hours just to get to Memphis.  I love the space we have in America, but that with the lack of adequate public transportation and the large distances from one place to another have been another thing to get readjusted to.

Finally, and probably what I miss most, is the different culture and access to such a different environment.  When in Belfast, there was always something new to experience.  I miss this ease of access to different cultures and surroundings.  Furthermore, I miss the access to Europe.  I tried to use my nearness to so much history and different cultures all over Europe to the best advantage and travel as much as possible.  While studying abroad, I traveled in 8 different countries, greatly broadening my horizons and enriching a desire to travel even more in the future!

I loved every moment of my time in Belfast.  All of the friends I made while there are sorely missed as well as the university, city, and country that I spent so much time in.  I hope you enjoyed following me through this experience and I hope I sparked some desire in you to travel and see the world an all it has to offer!

-Abby

Davis Wade Stadium

Vienna, Austria

Days 18 - 21

Vienna was my favorite of all the places I traveled in Europe.  There were many factors to this.  First, the hostel was amazing, as well as the people that were staying there with me.  Even though we were all only there for a few days, we hung out afternoons and nights.  Also, Lily, the owner, was really great.  Second, the city has that old world feel that I really love.  It had all the old buildings and cobbled stones and everything you get in such an old place.  Also, it had the feel of an old city.  Just like with Paris, you can feel the history in this place, and that really attracts me to a place.  I love imagining all the people that must have walked those streets.  Finally, and probably most importantly, my favorite part was getting the chance to go to the Spanish Riding School as well as have a front seat view of a performance there.  All my life, I've been riding horses and interested in everything to do with them.  I almost became a veterinarian just because of my love for horses until I decided that Aerospace Engineering was a better fit for me. One of my favorite memories of my childhood was watching the Disney movie, Miracle of the White Stallions.  Even this past Fall, before coming to Belfast to study, I took a horseback riding class with a friend and our presentation was on the Lipizzan breed of horses, the horses used at the Spanish Riding School and in that movie.

Vienna's "Giant" Ferris Wheel

Danube River

Danube Tower

That building under construction is going to be awesome.

Trampolines in the river!

St. Stephen's Cathedral

Horse drawn carriages are a popular form of transportation (especially for tourists) in the center of Vienna  because of it's small, old time streets.

St. Stephen's Cathedral

Vienna Opera House

Vienna Opera House

Vienna Opera House

One night I went to see an opera with some other people also staying in the hostel where I was (two Australians, one Canadian, and one German).  We went to see Werther.  We were a little late to see the first act, but we saw the rest (in French).  It was great to see an opera in such an ancient Opera House!  Especially after all the years I've spent at opera houses and theatres in Tennessee watching operas.  A link to the synopsis is here.

Switzerland

Days 16 and 17

Here are some pictures of riding the Glacier Express through the Swiss Alps!  I couldn't just pick a few since the Alps are so wonderful.  Snow covered mountains have always been some of my favorite sceinic areas!

These things on the mountain are for stopping/slowing down avalanches.

Glacier Express

Horseback riding in the Swiss Alps!

St. Moritz: