When people talk about going abroad, culture shock is a topic that often comes up. Two days after arriving in Ireland, I should have been deep in culture shock, but instead I experienced something stranger: uncanny familiarity. We were hiking the Spinc, which roughly translates to “pointed hill,” and is a very famous hike. The trail goes up and along a massive ridgeline, giving you a full display of the glacial valley below. On the way up to the top, I passed through a section of forest undergoing restoration—the native trees had been completely wiped out years ago by logging ventures, and a new species of tree had been brought in to combat soil erosion. As I walked through, a feeling of uncanny familiarity crept in. I had seen these trees before—recently, in fact. Sitka spruce trees had been introduced because their native climate is shockingly similar to Ireland, and their native habitat is none other than the northwestern United States. I had seen these trees just weeks before in Olympic National Park!
My feelings for trees aside, the Spinc is best known for the ruins of a monastic village at the end of the trail—Glendalough, meaning “valley of two lakes.” The story of the remote village is that St. Kevin, a monk, went to the valley to live alone, praying and fasting. I guess he was too great of a guy to not make friends, because his attempt at a solitary life was foiled by the people who followed him there. Glendalough was founded in the sixth century! I’m still in awe of how old and well-preserved the site is. There’s a 100-foot-tall round tower completely intact. This study abroad opportunity has been like no other classroom I’ve ever experienced—my faculty-led trip is focused entirely on hand-on learning and field work. I was instructed specifically not to bring a laptop or computer.
One final note: I have never truly known wind before Ireland. I have no idea how heavy the gusts were at the Spinc, but I was nearly blown off my feet for more than an hour straight.