Operation Week 1 -- Complete! June 25-27

It's Saturday morning in Dublin and I just sent my family to the airport to start the long trek back to Kentucky.  It was a lot of fun having them here and I enjoyed the moments we got to hang out -- and hearing all their stories about the adventures they had in Ireland while I was working, too! 

Thursday, 6/25 

Thursday morning started really early because we had an almost 3 hour train ride on the Irish Rail (https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie) to the University of Galway.  While I found Trinity College to not be super welcoming/"college" like, I found U of Galway to be just the opposite. It was a beautiful campus and one where you could move freely and explore like is common on most campuses in the US.  

It just so happened that there was a Social and Structural Determinants of Health conference happening there while we were here -- what are the chances that it would fit SO perfectly with our course objectives?! Here's a link to the conference:  https://universityofgalwayhprc.clr.events/event/140117:30th-annual-health-promotion-conference#762:speakers

  

For many of our students, this day was their first experience with an academic conference -- how many people can say they did that in Ireland?!  I went to a series of "Lightning Talks" where each presenter had 5 minutes to share their research/program/etc.  I love these type of sessions because you get to hear a little bit about a lot of topics.  One presenter shared about her work on smoking cessation in prisons -- and I was transported back to my work in tobacco control earlier in my career.  What was particularly innovative about this program was that they trained incarcerated individuals to serve as facilitators for the program and in doing so, increased buy in from other incarcerated individuals to participate. 

I also enjoyed hearing about the "Desk to 5K" program that public health officials put in place.  It's not unusual to have walking/wellness programs in the US, but as is so often the case, it's the marketing that matters and this program seems poised to pull people in (and in fact, they shared that they are even expanding to a "Desk to 10K" program now!).

Perhaps the highlight of the day was hearing from the Department of Health officials.  Our students had the chance to have an exclusive lunchtime chat and talk candidly with them about healthcare, health policy, and the future of Slaintecare in Ireland.  They also had a chance to hear from UK Alum, Caitlin Deffendall, who is doing an internship in Ireland this summer, and some of her colleagues about their abroad experiences, graduate school, and more! 

After I finished up at the conference, I was able to spend some time with my family before we caught the train back.  We went to the Galway City Museum (https://galwaycitymuseum.ie/) and wandered through the Latin Corner.  As they always say, it's not a trip with Mom if there's not a museum involved.  Ha ha.  

 

 

Friday, 6/26

One of the things that was new to me as I started on Education Abroad adventures was thinking about the contact hours that the students need for a 3-credit hour class, and how they won't all be direct classroom instruction, but rather things like the trip to Airfield Estates (food as a social determinant) and the Galway conference count into the total.  

All that to say, the students had Friday off until a play at the Abbey Theatre in the evening (more about that in a minute), so I spent the last day my family was here hanging out with them.  Many of our students chose to stay the night in Galway and go see the Cliffs of Moher before heading back on Friday (https://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23556301608&gbraid=0AAAAAC_VrLtBs1aF3tOQqr2vkytge0zEM&gclid=CjwKCAjw6f3RBhApEiwAMaCqWa21EWUMHRNO_eK9xGHr0iv7hTxMR3EJdgaUUQWJI3Cs1-jo9nCa6xoCb9gQAvD_BwE).

Hands down one of my favorite things I've seen so far was Malahide Castle & Gardens (https://malahidecastleandgardens.ie/)!   The castle was HUGE, the grounds were beautiful, and there was even a fairy trail!   The inside was lovely, but we all agreed it felt a bit like "My Old Kentucky Home" in Bardstown -- except bigger and much older.  

  

  

After the castle, my husband and son went on the Guinness tour (I'll be doing it later this trip, so didn't really want to do it twice) and my daughter and I decided to do our own culinary tour of Dublin.  We'd heard about the spice bag phenomenon and she wanted to try it before she headed home! Read more about spice bags here:  https://www.eatingeurope.com/blog/dublin-spice-bag/

It was quite tasty and I imagine it won't be my last one while I'm here! 

Friday evening was our theatre outing as part of the Education Abroad experience -- to the National Theatre of Ireland, the Abbey Theatre (https://www.abbeytheatre.ie/)!  Aside from the fact that it was hot (you got it, no air there either!), it was a fun outing.  It was a good reminder to me that while performing arts can transcend cultures -- there are inside jokes and context that are best understood by those who grew up/live in a culture.  The play we saw as called "The Whitehead Boy" and it was entertaining -- especially in the second half -- had me laughing out loud at times. 

   

Saturday, 6/27

It's been a busy week, so my goals for today are pretty lowkey.  Finish the laundry I started yesterday.  Find some stamps. Try out a new coffee shop.  Maybe take a nap.  And, just breathe.

We're headed a trip to the coastal town of Howth tomorrow -- and I'm really looking forward to that one!  My family went earlier in the week and my 13-year daughter said "there aren't enough adjectives to describe it."  

Until then...Happy Saturday!