Making Time for Traveling When Abroad

Studying abroad is not only a great way to experience a different university and education system, but also a great way to explore surrounding countries. Studying at Trinity, I have the advantage of being only 20 minutes away from Dublin Airport. Dublin Airport is a major transportation hub and is a great launchpad for short weekend trips or longer trips during breaks from school, as you can get to most common European destinations within 1-3 hours. The airport hosts many affordable airlines such as Aer Lingus, British Airways, SAS, TAP Air Portugal, Lufthansa, Air France, and more. However, if you are looking for really cheap flights, Dublin Airport also serves budget airlines, with the most popular ones being Ryanair, Transavia, and Vueling. 

Ryanair has become my best friend when it comes to weekend trips, as flights have been extremely cheap! The planes are the not most luxurious thing (i.e., no charging outlets, etc.) and everything including meals, drinks, selecting a seat, checked bag, and even a carry-on comes with an additional fee. I quickly realized this is to be expected on a budget airline though. However, if you are comfortable with traveling with just a backpack and eating before you get to the airport as I do, you can avoid these costs and even fly to some destinations for only $30! However, based on my experience, I have booked through Ryanair, Aer Lingus, and EasyJet flights for my trips and have paid an average of $50-80 round trip and a maximum of $140 (this obviously depends on where you go and when).

After taking time to settle in Dublin and Trinity for the first couple of weeks, I have done two-weekend trips so far, one to Riga, Latvia, and one to Brussels, Belgium. Both cities exceeded my expectations! I did not have many expectations going in, especially Latvia, as it is a lesser-known European country tucked away in the Baltic region. It was fascinating to see how Latvia is still in many ways trying to find its national identity, only gaining independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991 and joining the European Union not too long ago in 2004. The capital had many Latvian and EU flags side by side, but on the other hand, still had some Soviet-era buildings and monuments on display. With Brussels, even though I was only there for a weekend, it was truly one of my favorite destinations I have ​ever visited. The capital is such a vibrant and multicultural city that reminds me so much of Paris but is a lot more manageable to cover in a weekend trip. I visited the European Parliament in Brussels which was an amazing experience to see and learn more about where the 705-member government body that represents over 500 million people throughout Europe makes such impactful decisions that not only affect the EU, but the world.

I am excited to continue to explore Europe in the coming months and have already mapped out my trips for the rest of the semester. My upcoming weekend trips include Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Greece. Throughout the semester, Trinity also gives students 3 weeks of breaks, including Reading Week (spring break), Revision Week (the week after teaching ends but before exams to catch up on studies or time to travel), and Trinity Week (the week after teaching ends but before exams where Trinity-wide events and activities are held or time to travel ​is available). For these longer breaks, I will be going to the Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Spain, France, and Portugal. Also, exam week at Trinity ends towards the beginning of May, but our student accommodation lease does not end until towards the end of May. What does that ​mean for me? More traveling!! During the last couple of weeks, I will be traveling back to Italy as well as going to the Netherlands. Of course, I cannot forget my home for the semester, Ireland, as the country has historic cities such as Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Kilkenny, as well as many coastal stops that show Ireland’s beauty and nature such as the iconic Cliffs of Moher. So, I plan on visiting these areas as well.

Some advice I have for those who are looking to travel while studying abroad is first and foremost, do it! Studying abroad can sometimes be stressful, so taking weekend trips or even exploring an area in the city you are based is a great mental break and a way to clear your mind for a bit. Obviously, it’s a great way to experience new cultures, languages, and lifestyles as well! While traveling, you can find out a lot about yourself and your interests as well. Most importantly, I’ve learned so far that studying abroad and traveling at the same time really test your budgeting, organizational, and time management skills. It can be easy to get overly excited to travel to ​cities such as Paris, Rome, or Barcelona, but it’s important to keep track of your expenses along the way, so you do not regret it later down the road. With that, I also found it necessary to be diligent with my schoolwork throughout the week, so that I stay on top of my studies and can relax on the weekends when I travel. That’s all I have to say for now, but I am excited to see where these next few months take me!