When I first applied to the Haller Global Fellowship in Ireland, I had an idea of what it would be like, but what I had in mind was pleasantly surpassed in academic and personal growth, specifically over the last week in Ireland. When I decided to apply to this program and after meeting the director,…

Today we went to Downings for a kayaking trip. It was my first time doing it, and it was great fun from start to finish. But while I was out on the water, trying not to fall in, even though I did 6 times. I started thinking about something the prompt brought up, how one…

Today, we visited two long-standing local businesses in the Northern Donegal region. We first took a tour of the Tyrconnell Tribune, a regional newspaper that’s gospel in this area. It’s a tradition to grab a copy and give it a read. We met with the chief editor, who walked us through the various challenges that…

Over the weekend, we traveled to several places across Donegal, and weather quickly became a major factor. Storm Floris made landfall, bringing strong winds and rain that delayed and postponed some of our plans. It gave us a taste of true Irish weather, intense and unpredictable. Today especially, the weather made its presence known. When…

Today was an action-packed day of travel around County Donegal. We visited three main locations, starting with a local farm and then moving on to the famed Gteic co-working space. Each stop told its own story, but together they revealed a lot about the character and values of the Carrigart community. Our first stop, and…

Today was an action-packed travel day. We left Belfast after two days there, and what a city! I really enjoyed it. We completed a trek across Northern Ireland ending in the Republic, in a town called Milford, not to be confused with the Milford Proving Grounds in Michigan for General Motors. But some of our…

After a 6-hour and 45-minute flight, we finally landed in Dublin, Ireland. The flight went by quickly and was surprisingly smooth. Upon arrival, we were greeted by Connor and Eamon from St. Peter’s Youth Center in Belfast. While we waited for everyone to arrive, we took a few photos and began soaking in the Irish…

Pittsburgh, PA, is a town and a region that has shaped me and my beliefs. From a young age, I recall attending a Pittsburgh Pirates game and driving down I-279 to PNC Park in our 2014 Chevy Cruze. I was in the backseat, peering at the US Steel tower dominating the skyline and asking if…

Today was a scorcher, with temperatures over 90 degrees, but we made it through. We began the day with a visit to the Oaklander Hotel, where we met Theresa Murdoch, the Director of Human Resources. She walked us through the process of managing a hotel and shared insights into its operations, such as pricing and…