Last Night in London!

Today was spent immersing students into the culture of London. We began with a tour of the Brixton Market. On this tour students learned different ways to preserve fish, got to try a variety of foods, learned how to prepare fruits that are unique to our culture, and saw gigantic snails.

Pictures below are from the Brixton Market:

Next we stopped at the Buckingham palace. This was not originally on the itinerary, but something the students were extremely interested in doing. It was exciting to have this added at the last minute and worth it. We also saw St. James Gate, which is basically around the corner. We also got a chance to watch the soldiers march up and down the gate guarding the palace.

Picture below is of our group in front of the Buckingham Palace:

Our next stop on the list was a castle, the Tower of London. The White Tower, inside of the Tower of London, played a huge role in giving the castle its name. On this trip we saw the beautiful crown jewels, the armor the soldiers war, and prison cells.

Picture below is of the Tower of London:

Our tour guide mentioned that it is possible to experience all of the seasons in a day in London. Today we felt those seasonal differences, but ended our day with sunshine and good times at an adorable pub, The Lamb and Flag. At this dinner we broke off into teams and played a game about sustainable practices we have been observing in our travels. The teams enjoyed learning and bouncing ideas off each other. We have even been planning our reunion gatherings for this summer.

Picture below is of students getting ready to walk into the Lamb and Flag:

Overall, it has been a wonderful trip full of students getting out of their comfort zones, exploring new cities, learning about the impact of hospitality and tourism in different countries, and even comparing sustainable practices of other countries to America. All of the students have gotten something valuable out of this trip and would like to encourage everyone to go abroad!

Tomorrow we will be back in the states. It is bittersweet, but we are excited to be reunited with our loved ones. 

Enjoying London!

Students started their day with a trip on the Tube to reach their first activity at The Goring Hotel. The hotel neighbors the Buckingham Palace and has close ties to the royal family. The hotel’s icon is a sheep because the queen gave a sheep foot chair as a present to the founder of the hotel. The guests love the sheep foot chair and eventually stuffed animal sheeps were put on every guests bed. 

Photos below are from The Goring Hotel (notice the sheep on a guest's bed): 

After our tour of the The Goring Hotel students grabbed lunch in the area. Our next activity of the day was to meet at the London School of Hospitality and Tourism. Students enjoyed a guest lecture by one of the professors at the school, David Froskett. It was interesting to learn about the range of courses offered in hospitality at this university, especially since some students are considering furthering their education after achieving their undergrad. According to the professor, airline and airport management is the most popular concentration for the students attending the university. Overall, it was very informative because we were able to learn about the significance of the role of hospitality and tourism in the UK’s economy.

The night ended with students seeing a hit musical, Jersey Boys, at a theatre in London. The musical was hilarious and enjoyed by our group. The story was about how a group of musicians rose to become a popular band that ended up in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Experiencing culture events like this has been immensely enriching for the students experience in London. 

Final Destination: London, England

It is sad to realize that our trip is coming to a close in London, England. To reach this location we traveled by train from Edinburgh, Scotland. The train ride went by quickly and students spent the time catching up on coursework.

After the train ride we were picked up by our bus driver to be taken to our hotel, the Brooks Hotel. First impressions from the hotel were how similar it was to the hotel we stayed at in Scotland. Like the hotel in Scotland, the Brooks Hotel is small, quaint, and in the perfect location.

Photo below is the outside of the Brooks Hotel:

Students checked in to there rooms and met downstairs in the hotels eating area to listen to a presentation from Jeremy Taylor. Jeremy Taylor is the Chief Executive of Gatwick Diamond Business. This business is known for having a well respected reputation. It operates similar to a regional chamber of commerce in regards to size and business activities. There are over 45,000 active businesses located within the Gatwick Diamond, which is immensely important for the GDP of the UK. Jeremy's presentation was enjoyed by every student in the room. During his presentation, students were introduced to new interviewing skills and learned a new way of thinking. These skills are important to students since this is the time students are looking to start internships and the post-grad employment search.

After Jeremy's presentation, students enjoyed almost a full day of free time to explore London, including riding on the Tube.

Photos taken in London (first photo is of a waiting station at the Tube):

Festivals, Castles, and More in Scotland!

Another eventful day abroad. Today, our group was lucky enough to meet with a representative from the organization Festivals Edinburgh. One way for Edinburgh to attract tourist to the area is through festivals. Of Edinburgh's twelve major festivals, the representative presented on two: Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe Festival. The majority of our group was enlightened to find out that these festivals were more than music, they were opera, dance, theatrical performances, and more. It was interesting to learn that Robin Williams actually performed in one of these festivals, which ended up being his gateway to attaining success.

After the presentation, students left to explore the Edinburgh Castle. On the self-guided tour students saw the Scottish Crown Jewels, the National War Museum, and the building where the prisoners of war were housed. The tour was almost as amazing as the location of the castle. The land the castle is built upon was formed from the eruption of a volcano. Today, the castle serves as a national monument for Scotland.

Photos below are from our self-guided tour at the Edinburgh Castle:

The Glenkinchie Scottish Distillery was the last, but not least on our agenda. Students went on a behind the scenes tour and learnt about the history of the distillery and the process of making whiskey. The distillery is unique because it is home to two of the largest copper pots used to make whiskey in the industry and it is distinguishable by the building's Victorian style architecture. At the end, students had the option to partake in a whiskey tasting at the distillery. 

Golfing at St. Andrews!

What an exciting day! Our trip at St. Andrews began with a visit to the Old Course Hotel. This hotel sets itself apart by maintaing a prestigious title as a five Red Star AA Inspectors Choice Hotel. Essentially, this is the highest rating a hotel can attain. In our first presentation at the hotel we learned about how important it is for guests to feel as if they are home when at the hotel and how to satisfy the most odd or difficult "unrequested requests". The staff recognizes the importance of communication and asking questions to get to know their guests on a personal level. To use this in practice, the staff will take note if a guest has recently graduated and the entire staff will go out of there way to congratulate the recent grad if they come across them.  This is important because it will improve the guests experience and generate positive word of mouth about the hotel, which is important for maintaining a grand title.

Photo below is a group shot after the presentation and tour of the Old Course Hotel:

After the presentation we ate lunch at One Golf Place, which is practically on the doorstep of the famous St. Andrews Old Course.

Later on we had a private behind the scenes tour of the St. Andrews Golf Academy. It was interesting to learn about the custom services the academy provides to improve one's golf game. Students also enjoyed a private guided tour of the Old Course. Even though the course has achieved high status and is known for being the place where golf was invented, it is a private golf course that does not even have a dress code.

Photos below are of the golf course:

The highlight of the trip for the students at St. Andrews was having the opportunity to hit golf balls at the St. Andrews Gold Academy. This is something that the students will remember for the rest of their lives.

Photos below are of students hitting golf balls at St. Andrews:

From Ireland to Scotland!

Today began with an early start and ended with a late night! It was sad to leave the luxurious castle in Donegal, but students are extremely excited for what Edinburgh has to offer.

Today we spent, in total, roughly six hours on a bus and two on a ferry to arrive to Scotland. The traveling went by fast and the majority of the students were able to catch up on some sleep during the bus rides. The ferry ride to Scotland was fantastic. Students were comfortable sailing in the Club Level floor with access to complimentary tea and coffee. To pass the time we played cards and explored the ferry.

Upon arrival in Scotland, it was evident that the city would be different than Ireland. For example, Scotland has more of a mixture of modern architecture as well as old architecture. However, like Ireland, Scotland places a high value on maintaing the condition of the old architecture because it is a part of the country's history.

We arrived at the hotel around 9:15 pm and checked in. Shortly after check-in we left for a group dinner at Ristorante Gennero Pizzeria. Students enjoyed eating delicious Italian food in Scotland. The group also found it quite comical that we selected this restaurant instead of a traditional Scottish cuisine, but it was around 10 pm and we were ready to eat!

Pictured below: Students in the quaint courtyard outside of our hotel.

Goodbye Dublin, Hello Donegal!

Students enjoyed their last morning in Dublin exploring the charm of the city. Whether is was shopping, eating or simply walking and admiring the old Irish architecture, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

After lunch, students embarked on the four hour bus drive to Donegal. The roads to Donegal were winding, but the scenery made the drive pleasurable. We passed roaming cows, mountain peaks and valleys, and beautiful countryside homes.

A long gravel driveway lined by moss covered trees led us to the castle. The Lough Eske Castle is majestic. It is a fairytale wedding venue, which is funny because we drove up to a couple taking their wedding pictures outside. Our evening kicked off with a stately dinner in the Oak Room. It has definitely been the perfect beginning to our stay at the castle. We are very excited to tour the grounds tomorrow.

Pictured below: Part of our group at the entrance of the castle!

The Heart of Dublin

Students got an early start today and met up to have breakfast at the hotel. It was delicious. There were options to have a traditional Irish breakfast (basically a delicious heart attack - ham, sausage, eggs, pancakes), omelets, and cereal. Shortly after breakfast we left for our second tour with Liam.

On today's tour we explored Trinity College Campus, including the Book of Kells and the Old Library.  The Old Library was actually inspiration for the library used in Harry Potter. It was complete with large moving ladders and books from the floor to the ceiling. Liam also walked us through the Georgian Quarter. It was neat to see the architecture of these homes, especially their doors. Apparently, there are over six thousand doors and no two doors are alike in the quarter. In this area, Liam also took us to visit the home of famous Irish poet, Oscar Wilde. We also enjoyed a tour of the Guinness Brewery and Storehouse. It was interesting to see all of the process involved in making this iconic drink. After the tour, students had the option to pour their own Guinness or go up the the Gravity Bar that offers a beautiful panoramic view of the city. For the evening, students had a free night to enjoy Dublin. Luckily, our hotel is located in the heart of the city and minutes away from the exciting nightlife.

Pictures from Trinity College:

Pictured below: One of our very own spinning a famous sculpture on Trinity's Campus that explains the transformation of Ireland.

Old Library at Trinity College (The inspiration used in Harry Potter... see the similarities?)

 After visiting the home of Oscar Wilde, we saw the famous statue of him in a park. Pictured below is that sculpture.

It was an extremely busy day and all of the students appreciated learning more about the history of the city. 

Off to a Great Start in Ireland!

After a long flight we finally settled down in a small, charming hotel in the heart of Dublin, Ireland. We were all captivated by the fascinating landmarks in Dublin. All of the students went on a self-guided tour throughout the city to become more familiar with the surroundings. Later on we had a scheduled walking tour with the witty and knowledgable Liam Greene. He guided us through Dublin's City Hall, the Dublin Castle, the Meeting House Square, Christ Church, various Viking landmarks and numerous other popular places of interest in Dublin. The tour was enlightening and gave us a historical background to introduce us to the beginnings of our new adventure abroad.

We ended the day with a group dinner at The Brazen Head Pub. Students enjoyed traditional irish meals and even stepped out of their comfort zones to try different traditional irish foods, like the Blood Pudding Salad. Turns out, the food was delicious. We are so proud of students for being daring enough to try things they may never have another opportunity to try again. We believe this trip will continue to be a great test of character for our students.

Tomorrow we will visit Trinity College, the Book of Kells, and the Guinness Brewery and Storehouse. Hope everyone gets plenty of rest to tackle on tomorrow's activities!

Overpacking, Over Thinking, and Not Sleeping

   Leaving for Ireland in approximately 2o hours! 

These past few days we have been presenting our pre-departure assignments in class. Every student in our group had a topic on where we will be traveling to in our journey. Seeing everyone's presentations has only increased our excitement for this trip! 

Many tasks have been completed before leaving (exchanging currency, checking with phone companies, packing and overpacking). Hope every weighs their suitcase before we leave! Max 50 pounds. It is recommended that you pack your suitcase, take out half of the stuff you packed, and then re-pack. 

Hoping everyone gets some sleep tonight! :) 

Countdown to departure: 10 DAYS!

Good evening everyone, 

We will be leaving the United States in 10 days!! Our group will be traveling to Ireland, Scotland, and England. On top of a night in a castle (see photo above of the castle we will be staying in), our group has many different opportunities to look forward to while studying abroad. Collectively, we are excited to try new foods, visit historic monuments, network, and learn about another culture.

This is definitely the chance of a lifetime and we cannot wait to depart. Check out our blog for pictures and stories of our experiences in these different countries.