For the last Scene International this semester, we visit Arts & Sciences sophomore and former Creightonian Head Copy Editor, Kim Sulack, who is studying abroad in Limerick, Ireland. Sulack is studying abroad through Creighton University’s affiliate program with the University of Limerick.

My time here in Limerick, Ireland is almost up. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been here over three months and have less than one to go. It’s even crazier to realize that this is my last week of class. After this all I have is one week of review and then two weeks of exams. But I couldn’t be happier with the experiences I’ve had in these three months – three months that I’m going to go ahead and call the best three months of my life.

First off, I’ve learned that it does not in fact rain here every day. It may rain every other day, but not every day. More times than not it’s a constant mist instead of the type of rain we get in the Midwest anyway. I have learned, however, to carry my umbrella with me at all times, because the one time I leave it in my house it will rain. The sun shines occasionally as well. In fact, it hasn’t rained in almost a week and has been sunny every day since last Friday.

I’ve also learned that the Irish might possibly love one thing more than their alcohol: sport. Unlike the rest of Europe, here sport is not soccer (or football). Instead, sport refers to one of two things: hurling or rugby. In fact, the Irish guys I live with look down on soccer to a certain extent. But after watching their sports, one hurls and the other plays rugby, I can understand. They might collectively be two of the hardest sports to play.

For those who don’t know what hurling is, it’s similar to soccer if it were played with baseball equipment. Players pass a sliotar, or ball, to each other with their hurlies, which are kind of like flat baseball bats. Scoring happens when players send the sliotar either under the crossbar used for field goals in football or through the goal posts, but more points are awarded for the first since it’s harder. This might not sound too difficult, and just hitting a sliotar back and forth really isn’t, but catching the ball on the hurley is. And remember, this all happens at a brisk, sprinting pace.

But the thing that has made this semester as amazing as it has been is the Irish people themselves. I had very hazy expectations of them coming into my study abroad, seeing as the only picture of them I had was one in which they hate everything British. This isn’t actually true, although they do very much like their independence. Instead, I found a fun-loving, wild and entertaining group of people. I live with three Irish guys and two American girls, and there is very rarely a dull moment in our house. I never expected to bond with my housemates as much as I did, and I consider myself very lucky to have come into such a close knit and amusing circle of people.

My biggest fear was that I wasn’t going to make any friends with actual Irish people but instead just stay within my comfort zone with other study abroad students. In the house I was assigned, however, this would have been simply impossible.

Two of my housemates are PE majors, meaning they want to teach PE. As it turns out, many Irish people want to teach PE and they all go to the University of Limerick. They also travel in packs. My house is often the place to find anywhere from three to eight PE majors “slagging,” or teasing, each other for every little thing. Recently they’ve thrown in playing the Wii, and I can now recite the music to Mario Kart upon command.

In January I wondered if I was going to be able to stand a semester without my family and close friends, but now I’m wondering how I’m going to do without the extraordinarily and somewhat unnaturally green grass and sheep that wander around here. I think they should all just move here with me and make my life a lot easier.