Why Studying Abroad Will Be The Best Choice You Ever Make

I can wholeheartedly tell you all that in my 23 years of existence, the best decision that I have ever made, was to go abroad. Whenever I reflect on my life, the memory of studying abroad brings me the most light and happiness and just general comfort, enough to the point that whenever I'm given the opportunity to talk about studying abroad, I jump at the chance.

A friend of mine's sister is in Japan currently. She's been studying Japanese for two+ years as a second major, and it's been her goal from the beginning of her freshman year to spend a semester there. Like me, she had every intention of calling another university her own while attending her US based one. But quite often I forget that that is not how everyone falls into studying abroad. And in fact, for some, jumping into a new program at a new university, in a new city in a new country, with new friends and possibly a new language isn't something that everyone jumps at to be a part of. 

I fell in love with the idea of Ireland through a movie. I threw the idea out there to my aunt that "wouldn't it be cool if we went to Ireland for my graduation present?" and it happened. At 18, I fell in love with Dublin and Guinness, with Howth and potato leek soup, with County Kerry and gaelic football, with the Dingle Peninsula and Aran sweaters. I went home singing Galway Girl and the praises of a country I had never thought I could love so much. And as a soon-to-be college freshman at a school that boasted being "the number one school for study abroad in the country", I vowed to go back.

And that is how I ended up at University College Dublin.

I studied general courses at UCD that did not really contribute to my Communication degree. I took an archaeology class about the island of Crete, and another that was a class based on four field trips to counties around Dublin and in the city itself. I took a course called the Sociology of Work, which I quite often did not attend and actually skipped once in order to go lay in St. Stephen's Green for a morning. I learned about the architecture of Europe, which only contributed slightly to my Art History minor. And I also took Irish Language, which helped me to translate "An Coláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath"  and where I learned to write the language beautifully, but conversationally I believe I received a "C+". But academics at an internationally renowned university in the land of scholars and saints were not what made this experience the best choice I would ever make. It was the experience outside of it.

Studying abroad made me better at communicating. I know a lot of people don't consider studying abroad in an English speaking country as "really studying abroad". And to them I say this: "Have you ever tried to understand a drunk, thickly accented Irish lad name Caomhin who is trying to tell you his name by spelling it?" Probably not. And if you have, bravo to you, you understand how much of a language barrier there can be even in an English speaking country. (Also, I was eventually told it was pronounce "Qwee-ven", but I'm still not 100%). On my first day in Ireland I had an extremely difficult time understanding how much the bus driver said it was to ride into city centre, and for months the slang that a friend of mine used while texting me would leave me baffled. I became very good at being clear that I didn't understand and acclimating to the culture I was in through verbal communication. Ah, you're grand - I tried to bring that one home with me.

Studying abroad made me more financially savvy. I was abroad for a total of 16 weeks and had brought limited funds with me from home. While many of my friends blew through euros and called home for more cash to be put into their accounts, I counted every note and planned every week's worth of cash that I could spend in order to afford the things I wanted to do. I budgeted how much I could spend for groceries, how much I could afford to blow on Jaggerbombs on a night out at Copper's, and how much I would be able to spend on one of my trips out of the country. It made me think and learn and I often have to remind myself of that when I look at my bank account now.

Studying abroad made me confident, vulnerable and independent. I already believed myself to be independent, but it wasn't until I was on the bus headed to UCD, alone, that I grasped how independent I must be. I remember thinking to myself that I was actually doing this, I was by myself, I knew no one and that this would either be the most lonely, miserable four months of my life, or the greatest, but there was no turning back. I learned the streets and the bus routes so well that I still navigate them in my head sometimes. I did a lot alone, and that was okay for me. I learned to trust new friends and even strangers, to walk with confidence held by locals in their own city. And I tried to bring that home with me.

Studying abroad is a weird experience, embrace it. Some people travel with a lot of people from home universities. While I was at UCD, 40 students from the University of Notre Dame were studying abroad, more than 10 times that of all of my core group of friends' programs at home. I went abroad with two other girls who I had met once prior to leaving for our trip. These girls became two of my closest friends. And that was within a few days. You learn that you're in this weird kind of situation where friendship is essential to survive and enjoy your experience. You grow close to people quickly, I'd say that my friends from study abroad know as much about me and are as close to me as my best friends at home. You're in this new place, learning and exploring it together, and that's a bond that's something really special. Once you make your first RyanAir trip together or they agree to climb to the top of Arthur's Seat on an extremely windy day for you just because you saw it in "One Day", you'll know that.

Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland

Prime example of the windy day.

Studying abroad made me patient. A major difference between American and Irish living is the concept of time. When my aunt came for Christmas, I set up a time for her to meet one of my closest Irish friends and when he arrived around 7-ish, I told him "I meant American half six, not Irish half six", because as long as it's close, what does it matter? While punctuality is great, I learned that patience isn't just about waiting for other people, it's learning to take time to enjoy life without restrictions. Especially when you miss your train from Paris to London, think you've missed the only bus that will get you to the airport in time to catch your flight, or when your travelling companion decides heels were the best footwear from cobblestone streets.

Almost missing the last possible bus

And finally, studying abroad changes you. I remember coming home and feeling like everyone there would be different. But I saw my friends from home, saw my family, and realized that while I was on this exciting adventure thousands of miles away, they were living their everyday lives. Not to say that their four months had been boring or that nothing had happened with them, but it was different. Studying abroad can really make you into a different person. You've learned to adapt, to be independent, to thrive in a new setting where no one knows you. I felt that my truest self was who I was while in Dublin, I got to be true to myself and not be put into any category by people who had known me for years and years. It's freeing and enlightening on your journey to knowing who you really are as a person.

The main reason why study abroad changed me, however, is that it made me over the moon happy. The happiest I had ever been in my entire life. It was, by far, the best choice I ever made and my only regret from it was not going for longer. 

I want to apologize for a ridiculously long post, but I won't because I love thinking about that time in my life. If you're thinking about studying abroad, do it. What's there to lose?

-J

Painting with Wolverines: Ann Arbor

One day I will write about my own hometown. Today is not that day.

Today I wanted to give a shout out to a city that, as a Spartan alum, I have never appreciated for what it is. Ann Arbor is about an hour away from metro-Detroit, at least where I live. It is home to the University of Michigan and also to my friend, M, which is why I spent last Wednesday night amongst the Wolverines. 

M texted me on Wednesday morning and asked if I wanted to go to Paint and Pour with her that night. It was free, involved wine (we didn't realize that was BYOB until we were already in our smocks, take note for future reference) and all I had to do was drive to Ann Arbor through rush hour traffic after work to get there by 7. Done deal. 

I was quite impressed that I got to my destination prior to 7, although in hind sight we realized that we could've stopped and gotten wine prior to the class as it didn't start until more like 7:20, but I digress... We left with spring versions of a painting called "Swing into Fall". 

Afterwards, we strolled the streets of downtown Ann Arbor, streets I had never been down (sober). My roommate in college and I used to visit our friend from high school a few times a year when he went to U of M, but that never included us visiting places that weren't populated with other drunk or hungover 20 year olds. I had never taken the time to appreciate the city that held my alma mater's rival. But on that breezy spring night, sitting down to the best Belgian waffle I've had outside of Brussels itself, I realized what a great place Ann Arbor can be outside of your collegiate years.

This beauty, The Peanut Butter Cup, was courtesy of The Wafel Shop. A Belgian "tourist" waffle and probably not the best idea for dinner, but I was extremely pleased by my decision. M opted for the savory Luxembourg in the background, which was made up with goat cheese, arugula and a balsamic reduction on a Brussels waffle. Upon a second look at their menu just now, I will definitely be making a return trip. Probably for that Wafel Poutine.

I also need to give a shout-out to my favorite place to eat in Ann Arbor, Zingerman's Delicatessan. Over priced? Maybe. Delicious? Definitely. There are three different Zingerman's establishments: the Roadhouse, the Bakehouse, and the Deli, and all located in Ann Arbor. I've even been to Zingerman's training facility (also in Ann Arbor), which is located in a Wonka factory-like little neighborhood of different buildings making and baking Zingerman's finest. I discovered this expensive company working at my previous job which sold many of their products (Go Blue! Blueberry Pie, try it, love it, try not to eat the whole thing). I've taken trips to Ann Arbor solely to eat at Zingerman's and even agreed to pick up my roommate in Ypsilanti solely because I knew I could stop and eat there.  

I usually opt for the #14 Charlie M's Tuna, full sandwich. Because at only $2 more for a full than a half, it makes financial sense to just get the whole thing, right? And for dessert, I recommend a Peanut Butter Cosmic Cake, their Hummingbird Cake, or as mentioned above, a slice (or a whole pie, whatever, I'm not judging you) of their Go Blue! Blueberry Pie. I mean if you're in the land of Maize and Blue, why wouldn't you?

Seriously though, way to go Ann Arbor, you've won over this Spartan. If only for the food. 

Until next time, 

-J

Year of Me

Here’s the thing. People. Make. Choices. Hundreds a day, who knows how many in a lifetime. Some people are satisfied with their choices, and some people have serious regrets. I have a friend who I greatly admire because she says that she’s never regretted anything that she’s done in her life. I think that’s the sign of a seriously secure person (I also think that when I said admire I meant envy). I wish I could be half as confident with my own choices.

“No one wants to hear about your shitty life.” I heard that on a TV show once. I forgot the show, but I wrote that down on a sticky note and stuck it in a random drawer in my room. For a while now, my friends and family have been hearing a lot about my so-called “shitty life,” host of regrets, and missed opportunities. It’s not fair and it’s created rifts. Unhappiness and loneliness will make you do a lot of things that you told yourself you would never do. I don’t want to be that person.

Officially, the next 365 days are going to be my “Year of Me” (in my mind anyway). All choices that I think will help me lead a fulfilling life, allll the time. I want to find a job that I like, and not just one that I have to endure. I want to help as many people as possible. I want to take the time to laugh, put my arm around someone, and tell them that I care about them. I want the choices that I make to create some sort of kick-ass butterfly effect (also a great movie). I’m not saying I won’t make any choices that I’ll come to regret (I’m not my friend, and I never will be), but I’ll be out there, trying to do things that make me happy.

First things first, clean my room, get some pistachio gelato, and binge watch Graceland season 1, H :)

 

 

First Food Friday Fail

Alright so the first week on the schedule didn't go too well. I apologize. H is on vacation, I just moved into a new place and things are a little scattered right now, but hopefully next week we'll be able to get on track and stay there.

This week there were a few food related things that I could've written about, yet there's no photographic evidence whatsoever because 1. I left my camera at my mom's house 2. I don't have the right cord to sync it up and 3. I'm not really used to carrying it around with me everywhere I go (my bag just doesn't allow it). So in lieu of the food I wanted to write about, that I will try to write about next week, I wanted to do a little about me - food edition.

First of all, I know a plethora of chefs. I worked at an, let's call it "up-scale", grocery store for four years so I've met a fair amount of personal chefs and worked with a few at the store and at events. My uncle graduated from the CIA (that's Culinary Institute of America, not the Central Intelligence Agency) and was an executive chef at the Detroit Athletic Club for over twenty years. I've got a few friends that are aspiring to own restaurants or run their kitchens. And my mother has an odd habit of dating them, for the past three years she's been dating a billionaire's private chef. 

So with that territory comes a lot of critique when it comes to food. There are developed and exotic palates, new flavors and combinations that can be gourmet or just extremely creative. It offers a lot when you want something made for you, or you want a restaurant suggestion. But usually it ends up with me realizing that in my day-to-day life, I don't need anything fancy, although sometimes it's nice. Simple flavor tends to be the way I lean and now you know where I stand. 

And a few answered questions...

The Best Thing You Ever Ate ... Belgian waffles from Vitalguafre in Brussels, the main reason I want to go back to Belgium. In a very close second were the pomme frites from a shop near Grand Place.

Strangest Food You Ever Ate (and enjoyed) ... I have a running thing with one of my friends that whenever I told her about a food I ate while abroad it usually started with "oatmeal... and blood/organs", that said I really like black pudding with eggs over-easy. And I had haggis when I was in Scotland, I think I enjoyed it due to it being smothered in a whisky sauce.

Strangest Food You Ever Ate (and didn't care for)... In Detroit there's this little restaurant called Green Dot Stables and they have a different daily "mystery" meat as a burger option. We went between a wedding and the reception and had the camel, not my favorite burger protein.

Best Way to Eat Fries... With mayo (and occasionally, but not necessarily with ketchup)... it's the 12.5% of me that's Belgian.

Go To Meal in a New Restaurant ... A burger. Especially with sauteed onions and if there's an aoili. Best way to feel a place out.

Least Favorite Food ... Mushrooms. Texture, taste, thinking about it ... I don't do fungus.

Next week, there will be real content.

Until then, 

-J

Tourist In Your Hometown, Part 1: Ellie across the Border

Alright, so first "Tourist in Your Hometown" and I'm cheating a little bit because this isn't based on our hometown at all. In fact, we're not even talking about being in the same country as our hometown. We hail from metro-Detroit, and with just a half hour drive from our houses to the motor city you can be face to face with city of Windsor, Ontario across the river.

Detroit is a great place to live because of a lot of reasons but one of the best is its excellent locale. A short drive south will land you in Ohio and with a journey across the bridge or through the tunnel, you can be in Canada for just $4.50. And when it comes to searching for concert tickets, that gives you a lot of options. 

H & I were just in Windsor last Thursday for the Ellie Goulding concert (see my obsessive post here). This is the point in post where I'm going to need to talk about how utterly amazing she was live. Her whole show was perfection and I couldn't stop smiling the entire time. The level of happiness I was at for that moment rivaled that of whenever I think about Ireland (if you know me, you understand how remarkable that is to be on a similar level). And that hair, H & I have talked about her hair numerous times since she walked off the stage. 

*Please excuse the poor quality of my iPhone pictures and note that we were much closer to the stage than the pictures suggest.*

In addition to hosting venues that are easy for Michiganders to attend, Windsor is just a lovely city that is so different from Detroit, which is astounding based on how close it is. As many people know, Detroit can be a little rough, a little dangerous if you don't keep your wits about you late at night. Its definitely not a place where you see people walking their dogs past midnight, at least not very often, but that's exactly what Windsor was like, suburban feel in an urban city. 

I also want to mention that they graciously accept US Dollars, probably due to the high number of 19 and 20 year old Americans that come to the bars, which is unprecedented back in Detroit where Canadian pennies are things you're always trying to sneak into your change without them noticing. So spend those loonies and toonies while you're on Canadian soil (we spent ours at Burger King, but you could probably get more cultural than that) and try not to get lost following the signs leading you back to the USA.

Windsor is a place that I've underutilized, but definitely somewhere that I'll be going back to, especially since Canadian poutine is so accessible. And you only need a passport card/enhanced license to have your phone send you this message (although sometimes you might get it while still in the US):

Okay just one more picture of Ellie...

Instragram @elliegoulding via http://web.stagram.com/n/elliegoulding

Until then,
-J

Get Your Regular Dose of Slow Runner's Club

So lately, we (as in J & H) have talked a lot about what the purpose of Slow Runner's Club is. Our “blog that’s not about running…ever” lacks direction and consistency. So with that in mind, we’ve set up a schedule that we’re going to try our hardest to stick to.

Every Monday: H’s “Year of Me”- weekly revelations, inspirations, musings, all things related to her road of self-discovery.

Every Wednesday: “Tourist in Your Hometown”, where we’ll invite you into the Motor City to discover with us the treasures that can be overlooked in a place that’s so familiar. We're hoping to open both our own eyes and yours to the magical mitten that we call home. 

One Thursday a Month: Our version of Throwback Thursday. Once a month we’ll get nostalgic for you and recant our travel tales. We’ll tell you what we learned, loved and lost out on during our trips. Expect these to be longggggggg and full of photographic evidence. (We’re also hoping that we’ll have more travels to talk about soon.)

Every Friday: Slow Runner’s Club is passionate about food, so we’re dedicating every Friday to recipes, restaurants, and cuisines we love.

Occasionally we'll be extremely chatty, so there will definitely be posts that are unscheduled so keep an eye out for those. Make sure to check out H's first "Year of Me" post on Monday.

Until then, 

-J & H