I’d like to dedicate this post account to my accommodations, Erasmus orientations, and student life here at the Waterford Institute of Technology. I began my journey to Ireland a few weeks early in order to gain an understanding for the culture and mannerisms. I spent my time in the city of Cork as well as Belfast (Northern Ireland) with my family and took part of all the customary tourist activities such as visiting Blarney Stone, Ring of Kerry, and many more. By trying their food, adjusting to the eight hour time change, and seeing the country itself, I quickly began to immerse myself in all of what Ireland has to offer.

After the time spent with my family, I packed my things once again and began my next chapter in Waterford City. My decision to reside in Riverwalk was based upon the recommendations of the Justice Institute, and I could not be happier. The apartment blocks are located between College Street and the Main Campus. Both being a 15 minute walk. The apartment blocks are divided into six separate buildings with four floors and roughly five rooms per floor. My roommates and I are located in the second block on the second floor. The room consists of 2 single occupancy beds and a double occupancy room. The occupants are international students and Irish locals and they are delight to share an accommodation with.

To elaborate further on the location of Riverwalk, I would say it is the most convenient of student apartments in Waterford. With the City Center being approximately 10 minutes away and either campus a 15 minute, nothing is too strenuous or time consuming to walk.

Over the next couple days, I gained my bearings and got a feel for the city by joining a gym, meeting other international students from France, Netherlands, and Spain, as well as becoming familiar with grocery stores, bus routes, and other landmarks.

On January 10^th, all international students from Erasmus and different study abroad programs were required to attend an orientation day. This is where we received a comprehensive tour of both campuses, staff, and even an on-campus bar called “The Dome”, where students typically meet to socialize and have a few drinks. Additionally, we received our WIT cards that allow us to access the library, printers and photocopiers, and other useful features. When concluding the orientation, our group of international students took a picture and were invited to “The Dome Bar” to meet other students from various countries.

I proceeded to meet a lot of my current friends at this gathering and enjoyed all of what WIT offered to us on orientation day. It was a very welcoming and enjoyable experience. Over the past two weeks, I have been attending all the lectures and tutorials that I can in order to select modules that suit me best. I quickly learned that the classroom sizes were just as small as Justice Institute’s and this was a pleasant surprise as it is an environment in which I have come quite accustom to and enjoy. I am looking forward to upcoming months to fully embrace this amazing opportunity.

Liam