Kenna's in Ireland!

Greetings from Ireland!!

    For those who may not know, my name is Jess Kenna. I am a senior at Hartwick this year and have been studying abroad at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland since September 2010. While I have been here I have seen many amazing places that most people can only dream of going. I have participated in many tourist type activities but also engaged in many local customs and traditions.

   Being an international student at UCC has opened many doors for me. I have had the opportunity to learn the native language of Ireland (yes they do speak English but they also speak Irish-Gaelic) as well as learn how to Irish step dance (which is actually a lot harder then expected!). Is the food good? YES! But there are only so many times you can eat ham, cabbage, and mashed potatos in one month. I have also experienced my first encounter with "pudding" as they call it. This is no jello pudding, this is actually a blood pudding made from intestine but nobody wants to hear that so they came up with this great cover of just "pudding." Thankfully I was warned and did not eat it!

 While studying at UCC I will also be researching for my senior capstone on the differences in prison densities between the United States and European countries. Taking the time out to travel to other countries has always been a dream of mine and while in Ireland I will be travelling to places such as Prague, Italy, and England.

  I will be returning to the good old United States in December of 2010 where I will have a short Christmas break and head right back up to Hartwick to start J-term and finish out my college lacrosse career in the spring of 2011!