Export Yourself: IRELAND

The 2010 Dublin, Ireland Summer Program is sadly over!!!

2010-07-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to believe that the program is now officially over. Half of the students checked out on Saturday, and the remainder checked out on Sunday. We have about half of the group returning back to the States, and the other half traveling around Europe for another week of two. Not to mention, there are six guys staying in Dublin for a four week internship. Its crazy to think that Fall classes will be starting again at Mizzou in a month. The students were already talking about having a reunion party when everyone gets back to Columbia!!!!

"May the luck of the Irish
Lead to happiest heights
And the highway you travel
Be lined with green lights."

As the Irish would say, "Sláinte!!! (Which means cheers in Gaelic)

Newgrange

2010-07-18T04:46:00.000-07:00

On Friday the undergraduates enjoyed a free day after presenting their final projects the previous two days. A couple of us decided to take advantage of the full day and went on a bus tour out to Newgrange. Newgrange is a prehistoric tomb and place of worship that dates back all the way to 3000 BC. This is a thousand years before the pyramids and 500 years before Stonehenge. Newgrange is one of three major burial mounds in the Boyne Valley area but is the most famous. After our tour of Stonehenge, we went to the Hill of Tara, which is the ancient inauguration site of the Celtic Kings. This hill sits pretty high up and the view of surrounding Ireland is unbelievable. It was an amazing day and quite cool to get some insight into the lives of the very first inhabitants of Ireland.

Final Dinner at Johnnie Fox's!!!!

2010-07-18T04:45:00.000-07:00

The bus left the dorms at 6:30 pm to head to Johnnie’s on Friday night. We made it to Johnnie’s at 7:30, so it takes about an hour to get there, being the highest pub in Ireland. We pull up and it looks like it’s just a small little country pub situated on a hillside. I was thinking "ooooh this should be interesting". We all go outside and make our way to the back of the pub in this big dining room. I immediately noticed how traditional the pub looked. All of our seating was together which was really nice. We also noticed that there was a stage in the middle of the room. After hanging out and taking pictures for about 20 minutes, the first course came out, the Seafood Chowder. The chowder was probably the best chowder I have ever tasted. It was so delicious. Our main dish came out next, the Catch of the Day. This dish was interesting, definitely something that most of the students have never had before, but surprisingly it was still pretty good. And finally, our desserts came out, a slice of some sort of Irish pie. For the most part, I believe the students enjoyed the food because it was so different.

A traditional Irish band came on around 9:30. It really did feel like we were back in time. With all of the pots hanging from the ceiling and the overall vibe of the pub, this was exactly what I picture when I think of Ireland. The band was great. They played a lot of songs that we were familiar with. Following the Irish band, six Irish dancers came on the stage and gave a mini Riverdance show. I could tell that all of the students were having so much fun clapping along. One of our students, Katie Hogan, was lucky enough to get chosen to go dance with one of the Irish boys. After the dancers finished their show, the Irish band came back out and played a few more songs. The night at Johnnie’s finally ended about midnight, but that was the end of the night for the students. We had the bus driver make a stop downtown to let off the students who still wanted to go out. So a group went back to the dorms since they had early flights in the morning and the majority of the group went to a pub called Flannery’s. There they enjoyed their last night out together as a group. It was sad to see everyone saying their goodbyes and taking their last photos together. It’s hard to believe that the program had reached the end.

Final Presentations & Exams!

2010-07-15T06:49:00.000-07:00

Its hard to believe that we are approaching the very end of the program! These past three and a half weeks have really flown by! After retuning from the last weekend of travel, the students have been soooo busy preparing their company presentations and studying for their final exams! The undergraduate teams presented their presentations on Tuesday and Wednesday and the MBAs will be presenting theirs on Thursday and Friday. A few of the teams were lucky enough to finish up early and enjoy the rest of the week being off. For others, they have spent quite a few late nights this week to make sure their report and presentations are ready to go! So far the presentations have been great. It is obvious that the students really did put in a 100% effort in completing their assignments. These reports will definitely be something they can put in their portfolios as proof of their experience working for a company abroad.

Check back in a few days to read about our final dinner on Friday night!!

Weekend travels and Oxegen Festival!

2010-07-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a three day weekend and for many the last chance to travel outside of Dublin. The students stayed a little closer to home this past weekend and explored Edinborough, London, the running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, and all throughout Ireland. Those who travelled throughout Ireland visited various places from the Blarney Stone near Cork to the Cliffs of Moher outside of Galway. Some were lucky enough to attend Oxegen music festival. The six stages offered music of all types and featured famous artists such as: Jay-Z, Muse, and Eminem.

No matter where the students went, they all came back safe and sound with plenty of stories to tell.

Salamanca Social Dinner

2010-07-12T14:30:00.001-07:00

This past week the students got to enjoy their third social dinner. This one was a bit more formal as guys dressed up their button downs and ties and girls in their summer dresses. We all went to a mexican, tapas restaurant called Salamanca. The food was absolutely delicious and there was plenty of it as the waiters brought out dish after dish of tapas. We feasted on a wide variety of food from chicken to salad to seafood dishes as well as banana filled crepes and chocolate cake for desert. Everyone seemed to have a great time and I know they enjoyed the good food, which is quite a nice change from microwavable pizza.

Many took advantage of the restaurants' close location to the Temple Bar area and enjoyed a fun evening out after the dinner.

Wrapping Up Week Three!

2010-07-08T03:33:00.001-07:00

Wow! Its hard to believe that the students are wrapping up their third week of the program. The students have been really busy collecting the last bit of research for their company projects. Most of the students have been traveling to their company to gather the information onsite. I'm actually impressed with how hard everyone has been working this week. With only one more week left of classes, the students are trying their hardest to make sure they get everything together for their final presentations next week! With these company projects being so in depth and hands on, the students will be able to use this experience on their resume underneath their summer study abroad. All of the students realize that their hard work will definitely pay off in the long run!

Even though the students have been so busy during the day focusing on their classwork and projects, they have still been able to enjoy the sights around Dublin!

Check back after the weekend to find out where all of the students traveled over their three days off from classes!

Four Day Weekend!

2010-07-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

After working so hard this week on the company projects, the students could not wait for their four day weekend. Most students booked their favorite place to go this weekend. We had groups of students going absolutely all over Europe from London, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Munich, Paris, Prague, and all over Ireland. The students got to see some of the most awe-inspiring sites in the world from Big Ben in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, concentration camps in Germany, the beaches of Barcelona, as well as the gorgeous countryside in Ireland. Those in Germany even got to experience the Germans win yet another World Cup match. They all had an incredible time and way too much fun. No worries though, they all made it back safely on Monday to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Social Dinner #2

2010-07-07T08:23:00.000-07:00

This past Tuesday the students got to enjoy true Irish dinner at a pub called the Bleeding Horse. It is arguably the "oldest pub in Dublin." The students indulged in classic Irish food such as Fish and Chips (fries), Beef and Guinness Casserole, and Shepherds Pie all while enjoying the World Cup "football" matches.

This was the second of our four social dinners with a welcome and closing dinner and two in between. The students and the professors look forward to every one not only for the free meal but for the great food.

Busy Busy Busy Week Two!!!

2010-07-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

With only being the second week on the program, the students have been keeping busy with their classes and company projects! The unique opportunity with the Ireland program, is that the students have been given a company project to work on with other MU students. These projects are very hands on and interesting. The students have been working directly with their companies in order to do the research needed for their final project.

Most of these projects relate to international marketing and other topics that have been discussed in their Irish class with Professor O'Leary. With only two full weeks to gather all of the information, the students have been putting in extra hours at their companies in order to make sure they get everything done.

Despite all of their hard work during week two, they all still managed to make time for some fun in Dublin!!

First Weekend Travel!

2010-07-07T06:46:00.000-07:00

The students are lucky enough to have two three day weekends and one four day weekend built into their schedule over the four weeks of the program. For the first weekend, we had a group of students that rented cars and took a road trip through Ireland, making their way down to Cork in southern Ireland to kiss the Blarney Stone and then over to Galway for the remaining two days. In Galway, the students were able to take a trip out to see the famous Cliffs of Moher. And on the last day, a few of the gang members took a ferry our to the Aran islands and rented bikes for the day. They all came back with some awesome/interesting stories!

A group of our MBA students flew down to Rome for the weekend. There, they spent three days touring the historical city visiting all of the magnificent sights!

Luckily, all of the students made it back safely Monday night to get ready for their second week of classes!

Wicklow Mountains Day Trip

2010-06-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

All of the students and professors when on a day trip to the Wicklow Mountains last Thursday. Students walked around for hours! There was a big lake in the foothills of the mountains with many walking and hiking paths. Some students ventured up a hiking path and got an amazing view the lake, mountains and foothills while other students walked around the lake. There was an old church from hundreds of years ago that was hidden in the foothills. Famous movie scenes were also shot in the mountains.

After the mountains the group went to a market with a lot of souvenir and delicious food and then headed to the east coast to see the beach. It was a little cold out and the water was freezing but the beach was nice, not too many rocks like most of the beaches in Europe. Students walked along the coast and stopped to get ice cream before getting on the bus and heading back.

Keep reading our blog for updates on the weekend!

2010-06-22T03:20:00.000-07:00

The first day of classes was Monday. The MU class is in the morning and there are two different classes offered; one for undergraduate students and one for graduate students. The students have a break in the afternoon and then are all in the same lecture taught by an Irish professor in the afternoon. Yesterday’s Irish class was on the history of the European Union and how Ireland has and continues to play a role within the EU. The class was extremely interesting and a perfect topic to kick off the study abroad classes with!

The students have the afternoons after their classes free. A large group of students and the undergraduate professor ventured to the city center and went on a tour of the Jack Jameson Whiskey factory. The factory is no longer in use but they have recreated the original manufacturing process of how the whiskey was made by the first John Jameson.

After the tour students were able to taste a sample of Ireland's best whiskey in the bar and visit the gift store for unique gifts only found at this location!

Day Trip to Howth

2010-06-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, students had a free day to explore Dublin before classes started for the week. Several smaller groups of students took various day trips to destinations near the city. One particular group ventured to the quaint little fishing village of Howth, which was about 30 minute train ride from the city center.

Students spent the afternoon exploring the streets and shore area. They enjoyed the sunny weather, grabbing lunch a small outdoor market area and eating it in the public park. They were also entertained by the seals that swam nearby, waiting to be fed by tourists and climbed along the rocky shore. One smaller group even made it to the top of a cliff and was able to catch a gorgeous scenic view of Ireland!

To see more pictures from Howth, visit our photo website: http://exportyourself.shutterfly.com/

Campus tour and dinner!

2010-06-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

On Saturday the students went on a tour of the Griffith College. The campus is small but very nice and the class rooms are next door to the dorms! There are not many Irish students on campus this summer but there are a lot of international students staying in the dorms. The dorms are contemporary apartment style with a kitchen, small living room and two rooms that a total of 4 people share. The campus is a 25 minute walk to the city center, but there are a lot of historic churches and restaurants on the way and there is a cheap store right next to the campus to buy food.

Later that night, Griffith College hosted a delicious 4 course meal for all of the Mizzou students at the campus restaurant. The cheesecake was amazing! The dinner was a lot fun and all of the students were able to mingle, catch up on their summer and flight over here and watch the world cup soccer game that was on.

Arriving in Dublin!

2010-06-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

All of the students arrived to Dublin this past Thursday and Friday. Everyone has checked into their apartments on campus and is settling in! Dublin is a beautiful city and students have gotten a chance to explore the campus and downtown Dublin. The weather has been nice, a little cooler than back home in Missouri. Continue to check our blog for updates on what students will be doing. We have a program dinner tonight and Sunday is a free day to explore Ireland before classes begin on Monday.

Final Social Party in Derry

2009-07-04T04:38:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, July 2^nd, we had our final social party for the 2009 Ireland Program. The event was hosted at a very well known restaurant in Derry called “Da Vinci’s. We were lucky enough to have our own private room for the night.

[Jake, Tyler, Kat, Caitlin, and Travis]

[Shannon, Mo, Kevin, and Drew]

[Andy, Leanne, Laura, Matthew, Emily, Aaron, and Matt]

Dinner began at 8:00 pm. The meal was a classic buffet style with three courses to choose from: Cottage Pie, Lamb Moussaka, and Lasagna. Some of the students decided to try all three. There was also an endless amount of salads, potatoes, and breads to choose from. Tea, coffee, and a selection of desserts were served after the meal. Everything was delicious! Most said that this was the most filling meal they had the entire trip.

[Jessie, Amy, Jessica, Shannon, and Caitlin]

After everyone finished up with their desserts, tea, and coffee, an Irish band began performing. The band definitely made this night a success. They played for us up until midnight. The students danced away to the traditional Irish music. The professors joined in as well!

[Professors John and Joel showing off their moves!]

The band finished off their night with one last song, “Back Home in Derry”. All the students and professors joined in a circle and sung this song together one last time. “Oooooh, I wish I was back home in Derry!”

[Kevin, Tyler, Jake, Travis, and Andy posing for a pic!]

The 2009 Ireland summer program has sadly reached the end!

Final Week in Derry

2009-07-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

Everyone returned from weekend travel for one final week in Derry. The students had their Mizzou professors in the morning on Tuesday (June 30). The MBA group presented their final presentations to Joel and the undergraduates finished up their final papers for John.

[Drew, Cory, Pat, Mo & Shannon exploring the Aran Islands the first weekend]

Later that morning the entire group walked into town to visit Singularity. There a couple marketing executives presented the group Singularity’s (a highly computer technology based company) business model and marketing strategies.

The Irish weather has finally settled in and it has managed to rain for a bit each of the last few days. The leprechauns of Ireland had to make sure the group got the full experience this summer and we didn’t have gorgeous weather the whole month. At least we have escaped the Missouri heat for a little while.

Wednesday, July 1 the groups finished up their final classes with the MU professors and had a presentation on investing in Northern Ireland that afternoon. That evening the students finished up their presentations and papers for the Ireland class.

Thursday morning the groups all organized a power point presentation and presented to Rory, the Ireland program director, and the rest of the Mizzou students. Following the presentations they turned in their research papers and were officially finished studying for the summer!

Thursday afternoon everyone did some souvenir shopping and exploring around town. Everyone has been gearing up for a big night tonight. This evening is our final social event at Da Vinci’s. There will be a classic buffet style Irish dinner served followed by live local Irish band playing a few songs, just for the Mizzou group.

[Overlook of the Foyle River & Derry City from the "Waterside" lookout point]

Hard to believe the final party is already here! But as they say in Ireland, the entire month has been nothing but “Happy Days!”

Final Weekend Travel

2009-07-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend the groups split up one last time for their weekend travels. The majority of the students travelled to London while a couple different small groups went to Edinburgh, Paris, and Northern Scotland.

[Shannon, Jessie, Shane, Mo, Pat, & John headed out for the evening in London]

[London group in a empty guard booth in Pall Mall in London]

The London and Paris group managed to do a lot of sight seeing and crammed a lot into their few day excursions. They had many good travel stories and interesting stories to share on their returns.

[Amy, Jessica, Caitlin, & Kat in front of the Gold Gates of Versailles outside of Paris]

The Edinburgh group saw sights including St. Andrews golf course and Loc Ness. Unfortunately, there were no spottings of “Nessy,” the famous, so-called monster. They also managed to see a few large castles and enjoy the sights that Edinburgh had to offer.

The MBA students went down to Cork and Kerry in southern Ireland to see sights including the Blarney Castle and the Ring of Kerry. Luckily, one of the MBA students is originally from Cork, so he managed to give the group a “wee-bit” of advice on what to do.

[The MBA group: Aaron, Matt K, Emily, Matt F, Leanne, & Rudy in Cork and Kerry]

[The MBA group and their cycles on the Aran Islands]

The group that went to Northern Scotland decided to go off the beaten path and hike around Isle of Sky for three days. They bought 10 pound sleeping bags and “midge masks” (equivalent to mosquitoes back home, but worse) to keep the bugs away throughout their travels. By day the group explored and hiked the gorgeous hills of the island and by night they unrolled their sleeping bags and fired up a campfire “cowboy” style. They managed to come back with a few bug bites and reek of campfire smoke.

[Andy, Tyler, Kevin, Jake, & Travis hiking the hills of Isle of Sky in Northern Scotland]

Regardless of all the weekend destinations, the entire group returned safely for the last week of classes. Only a few company visits, papers, and presentations left before the final party and departure back to the States. The group is slowly getting a sense that the program is unfortunately coming to an end.

Donegal County Day Trip

2009-07-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

This Thursday the students got up for one last day trip of sight seeing in Ireland. Today (June 25) the bus departed the student village again around 10 AM. We took an hour bus ride out the Donegal County to our first stop, Glenveagh National Park.

Glenveagh is a well-kept national park with tons of trails for exploring with amazing views and lookouts. The students made about a mile trek to a small castle that overlooked a huge lake with several flower gardens throughout the courtyard. Unfortunately, we only had a couple hours to explore here at Glenveagh before we had to board the bus to continue our day trip of Donegal County.

[Castle on Glenveagh National Park in Donegal County]

Our next stop was Dunlewey, which we were excited about, but turned out being only a small store to do a bit of souvenir shopping.

After looking around the souvenir shop, we boarded the bus again and continued on to Leo’s Tavern. Leo’s is one of Donegal’s most famous pubs. Leo himself is an extremely popular musician, father of the popular Clannad and Enya. Luckily, Leo performed a personal performance for the Mizzou group, which included several Irish songs and stories of his own.

A few of the students managed to get involved in a few of the performances and we had a great Irish mid-afternoon meal prepared while we were entertained. Leo gave the group a true feeling of Ireland's history, traditions, and music.

[The entire group of students with Leo in front of his tavern]

That evening the group headed back to Derry for a last night before leaving on the 3rd and final weekend trip.

The Mayor & Pramerica!

2009-06-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday June 23^rd, all of the students had the opportunity to meet with the Mayor of Derry. The students had the chance to ask questions about the Derry City Council and his goals he would like to implement during his term. The Mayor also shared a brief history of the government system in Derry, which the students found to be quite interesting.

The Mayor even gave suggestions on places to eat and pubs to visit. He mentioned that Peadar O’Donnell’s is his favorite pub where he likes to go to listen to live music, just like the students!

After our meeting, the Mayor presented a special plaque to our program, to say thanks for choosing Derry as our host city. We will definitely show off our plaque to the University as soon as we return!

[Student Manager, Andy Butler, receiving the plaque from the Mayor]

On Wednesday June 24^th, the students had their third company visit to Pramerica. Pramerica Financial is a brand name used by Prudential Financial Inc. of the U.S. Their main goal is to help their clients both grow and protect their wealth.

The students quickly learned that Pramerica was an international company that has clients from all over the world. The company visit also gave them an idea of how competitive it is to receive a high salary job coming out of college in Ireland. This visit gave the students a better understanding of how business is conducted in Ireland and also at the International level.

We have a big weekend coming up! Check back in a few days to hear about our day trip to Donegal and to find out where all the students traveled to on their third weekend!

Derry City Soccer Match

2009-06-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

On Friday June 19^th, the students were lucky enough to finish early with class around 12:30 in the afternoon. Some of the students ventured out into the city, while others came back to the dormitories to get in a short nap before the soccer match that night.

[Derry City Soccer Field]

Kick off was at 7:45 pm. As we made our way closer to the stadium, we knew it was going to be an exciting atmosphere. Crowds of people with their red and white Derry scarves and jerseys were hurrying through the entrance gates. As we finally made our way into the stadium, we were amazed at how many locals were there to cheer on their city soccer team.

During the first half of the match, Derry scored the first and only goal against the Bray Wanderers. In the second half, Derry scored another goal. Thankfully, Bray was unable to make a come back, giving Derry the 2-0 win!

[Kat McCarter, Amy Williams, Jessica Kuebler, Patrick Hooper, Jessie Scroggins, & Shane Neel enjoying their time at the soccer match!]

Afterwards, the students and locals hurried to the pubs to celebrate. It was definitely an exciting night, an experience the students will never forget.

On Saturday and Sunday of the second weekend, most of the Undergrads hung out in Derry, while a small group flew over to Scotland for the two days. All of the MBAs made their way down the west coast of Ireland to Galway. Students that stayed in Derry used the weekend to relax, catch up on reading, and to souvenir shop.

With the three-day weekend, students did not have class on Monday. The group that stayed behind in Derry decided to take a day trip to Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. There, they got to take a walking tour back in time to the days of Titanic. They got to see the grounds of the shipyard where the Titanic was built. Following the walking tour, the students split off into groups to walk around the city. After a long day of exploring Belfast, the students caught a 9:30 bus back to Derry so they could get ready for classes on Tuesday.

[City Hall in Belfast]

We are now officially half way through our four-week program in Ireland! Check back in a few days to hear about our meeting with the Mayor and our company visit to Pramerica!

Week 2 - Bushmills

2009-06-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

Classes resumed on Wednesday (June 17) after an extended weekend of traveling. However, that morning the group loaded onto a bus, yet again, to head to Bushmill’s Whiskey Distillery for a guided tour of the processing facilities. Following the tour, which somehow makes whiskey seem appealing, 1 voucher can be used for a sample of the different kinds of whiskey that are distilled there in Bushmills. By the looks on most faces, it wasn’t as tasty as it was made out to be.

This week we experienced more “traditional” Irish weather with scattered showers most of the 3 days. No worries, it would take a flood to dampen the spirits of our group here in Ireland.

Thursday (June 18) was a free day for the students to travel to Belfast or explore Derry on their own. The majority of the students used the leisure day to catch up on laundry, homework, and sleep!

Friday the group had early morning Mizzou classes with Joel and John followed by a lecture by Denise Crossan, the counterpart in Ireland that started the program three years ago.

This evening the group is planning on attending a local “Derry City” soccer match to get an idea for how the European culture embraces the sport, as it begins to show more interest in the States.

First Weekend Travel: Dublin/Galway & Elsewhere!

2009-06-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

Fourteen out of the sixteen students traveled down to the Republic of Ireland, making their way to Dublin and Galway. The two other students journeyed to Edinburgh, Scotland to test their golf game on a few of the world’s finest courses. Professor John Bennett also enjoyed a trip to Edinburgh while the rest of Professor Joel Poor’s family arrived into Derry City over the weekend. The two student managers rented a car and drove down to the Republic of Ireland to Kilkenny (an hour south of Dublin), Kilkee (small town on the west coast), then up to Galway to meet up with the rest of the students. Driving on the left side of the road is definitely as hard as it seems. The entire graduate group spent the extended weekend exploring London and its major attractions.

[Cliffs of Moher]

With the long weekend, the students were able to spend two nights in both Dublin and Galway. They were able to take a tour bus throughout Dublin, allowing them to be dropped off at all the main sights of the city. They also had the opportunity to take a tour of the Guinness Factory, home to Ireland’s signature beer! After their two nights in Dublin, the group took a bus over to the west coast of Ireland to Galway. The student managers were already there to greet them. On Monday, half of the students visited the Cliffs of Moher and the other half took a ferry out to the Aran Islands to bike for a day. The cliffs are an amazing overlook of the Atlantic Ocean from cliffs that have been carved out over the years. The Aran Islands are a step back in time just off the west coast. The views ranged from a rough landscape to a picture perfect unpopulated beach. Galway, a popular college town in Ireland, offered a good food, a great nightlife, and lots to take in within the two-day visit. The weather couldn’t have been better for these four days!

[Cory Chew, Drew Kelley, and Patrick Hooper at a beach on the Aran Islands]

After a long weekend of traveling, the students returned to the Student Village in Derry around 5 pm on Tuesday the 16th. They spent the entire night recuperating from the weekend and getting ready for their second week of classes. Everyone had awesome weekends but was definitely happy to arrive back “home” to the Student Village to unpack.

[Group pic in Galway!]

This week the students are hit with a short week of class as they prepare for another weekend trip only 3 days away.

Week 1 - Tour of Northern Ireland Coast

2009-06-12T05:57:00.000-07:00

[Mo, Amy, Caitlin, Jessie, Pat & Cory at the first stop of Northern Ireland coast tour]

We have been in Derry for a week now and have had awesome weather. Wednesday (June 10) the group toured the coast of Northern Ireland. Our bus driver, Willy, was great about pulling the bus off at several different scenic lookouts throughout the day. We started out from the Duncreggan Student Village at 10:00 and went up the Foyle River toward our first stop, a lookout point where the Foyle River meets the Atlantic Ocean. We then continued to the ruins of a castle where students explored the coast and a small cave directly below the ruins.

Mid-day we made our way to Giant’s Causeway where we all explored the unique rock formations and learned about the naming of the Giant’s Causeway, which is after an Irishman who built the causeway to reach Scotland and battle a giant. The students spent a couple hours here exploring the rocks and walking the high lookout points.

Later that afternoon the group rode a few miles up the coast to the Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge. The bridge is an old rope bridge that connects to an island used for fishing purposes several years ago. Now the bridge is a famous Northern Ireland attraction not recommended for those who are afraid of heights. No worries, all students crossed safely. Even a couple received certificates for their significant accomplishment.

[Travis crossing the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge]

We had intentions of touring Bushmill’s distillery that evening but did not make it to the distillery in time. Fortunately, the bus driver was able to find the “best fish and chips” restaurant in Northern Ireland and we were all treated to a traditional, yet greasy, Ireland box of greatness. Luckily, the Bushmill’s tour has been rescheduled for next week.

[The girls checking out the scenic view over to the coast of Scotland from the Ireland coast]

Classes continued on Thursday (June 11) followed by a company visit to Seagate that afternoon. Seagate (based in the United States) is an international company that processes wafers and highly technical computer software. Today, Friday (June 12) students have had a morning lecture and packed their bags for an extended weekend of traveling. Most of the students are headed to Dublin and Galway, while others are flying to London or Scotland. Be sure to check back next week as there are usually great travel stories that students bring back after weekend travel!

Week 1 is now complete and I’m sure all the students have only good things to say about the city of Derry and their experiences thus far.

First Weekend in Derry

2009-06-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

We have just finished our first weekend in Derry! Despite our busy weekend schedule with tours, museum visits, and day trips, the students were still able to experience the diverse nightlife Derry has to offer. From live Irish music in a local pub to Karaoke night in a vintage bar, there is something to do for everyone! The students have even found time to cook in the kitchens at the dorms to help save some spending money. I can’t believe how quickly the students became acquainted to the historical city. I can already sense that Derry will become their foreign home away from home!

[ Student, Travis Militzer, singing along to a Karaoke song!]

The beautiful scenery and warming locals makes it hard not to fall in love with the city! A few of the students have already mentioned that they never want to leave! But don’t worry, the Student Managers will make sure that everyone returns to the States safely! The weather has also been miraculous these past few days. I have yet to feel a drop of rain, which is unusual for Ireland! The temperature has been in the high 50s each day since we’ve arrived. But I’m sure a few rainy days are on their way!

On Sunday (June 7^th), we took a day trip to the Ulster American Folk Park in Northern Ireland, which tells the story of emigration from Ulster to North America in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. The Old World and New World layout illustrates the various aspects of emigrant life on both sides of the Atlantic. The students were able to capture a better image of the troubles their ancestors experienced in search of a better life.

[Small group picture at the Ulster American Folk Park]

Yesterday morning (June 8^th), the students attended the Campus Orientation at the University of Ulster: Magee. They were treated to a traditional Irish breakfast at the campus cafeteria. Afterwards, they attended a brief history lesson of the University from the Irish program director, Rory McLaughlin. Following the session, the students were given a tour of campus.

Today (June 9^th), the students were up bright and early for their first day of class! Their American class, taught by Professor John Bennett, began at 9 am. Their Irish class, taught by Rory McLaughlin, followed at 11 am. A few of the students returned to the dorms after class for a short nap, others made their way out into the city!

Tonight, we will be having our first social party event at Flamin’ Jack’s at 7 pm. I’m sure the students are excited to mingle and eat some free food!

Cheerio for now!

Derry Student Arrival

2009-06-07T12:25:00.001-07:00

All of the students have arrived and are getting situated in Derry. The majority of the students arrived Thursday morning (June 4) into Belfast International Airport and we made our way to Derry later that morning. Students were moved into their rooms in the Duncreggan Student Village of the University of Ulster – Magee and took a power nap before headed into the city for some exploring. Most all of the students found the very popular “Ice Warf” for a bite to eat for dinner. Later that evening the group made it to “Peader O’Donnell’s,” a famous pub in Derry known for its life Irish music.

Friday morning the group met up with Rory McLaughlin, the Irish program director. Rory tends to be “everyone’s favorite” little Irish man by the end of the month has he coordinates and plans the majority of the events that the students participate. He led the group to the tourist information center where we met up with Martin McCrossan. Martin is famous throughout Derry and known for his detailed walking tours of the trademark walls of Derry City. After a tour of the walls and famous murals of the “Bogside” area of Derry, the students stopped at “The Diamond” for a traditional Northern Ireland breakfast, the Ulster Fry. Friday afternoon the students were free to explore the city on their own. For more information on the tour please visit: www.irishtourguides.com.

[Students at an viewing point overlooking the city of Derry]

Saturday morning the students rolled out of bed for a bus tour of both sides of the city of Derry. The Foyle River splits the city and is known for having a “Protestant side” and a “Catholic side.” Both sides have several different painted murals depicting their views and memorials to the recent troubles that have faced the city. The bus tour ended at the Derry Tower Museum where we had a guided tour of the award-winning museum. Following the tour, the students once again had the afternoon free to explore the city at their own pace.

Students have quickly found that Derry is a very welcoming city with lots to do and see. The people are very friendly and tend to be known for striking up conversations with the American travelers. They tend to be very interested in where we are from and why we have decided to travel to Derry of all places. So far, the weather has been unusually sunny but a bit chilly. We have had no more than a few drops of rain since arriving that is very unusual for this time of year. Hopefully the luck of the Irish will continue to bring sunny weather for the remainder of our stay in Derry!

[Students in front of the "Free Derry" mural in the Bogside]

"Take me back home to Derry"

2009-05-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the University of Missouri Trulaske College of Business Study Abroad blog for the Derry, Ireland Summer 2009 Program! We have an incredible action packed 1 month program planned. Get excited, but be sure let me remind you that it will be the best and quickest 4 weeks of your summer!

On June 3 we will have 17 undergraduates, 8 MBA students, 2 student managers, and 2 MU professors departing for a 1 month stay in Derry. Derry is a true Irish city that has a great mix of culture and history. Derry, which is technically located in Northern Ireland, has had a interesting recent history due to the conflicts known as "the Troubles." However, the first thing you will notice about Derry is that it is a very welcoming city takes very kindly to Americans.

Throughout the month, we have several excursions, day trips, cultural events, and free weekend travel to fit in (well, and a bit of studying also). A few of the highlights include various tours of the city, trips to Bushmills, Giant's Causeway, Donegal County, Belfast, and several social events to entertain your time in Derry. No worries, we will have more details coming soon!

See you in Derry... CHEERS!