This week I’ll be discussing what it’s like to cook for yourself during a GO Long and what food means in a cultural sense to the Irish people.
For most SU students, going abroad is most likely the first time that you will have to cook all meals for yourself. At Susquehanna most students have the luxury of a meal plan, so cooking isn’t something that is necessary when living on your own at school. At NUIG there are no meal plans offered, so even though I live on campus I still cook all my own meals. At first this seemed a little intimidating, only because I’m not the greatest cook, but now that I have the hang of things I actually prefer not having a meal plan. Not having a meal plan saves you a tremendous amount of money. I only spend around 20-25 euros on groceries per week. There are four main grocery stores in the Galway area, Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, and Dunnes. Dunnes is the most expensive, Tesco has average prices, but Aldi and Lidl are definitely the cheapest when it comes to groceries. I recommend making a list of what food items you need before going to the grocery store. This will prevent you from buying unnecessary things and wasting money. It is a good idea to buy enough food to last you a few days. I usually cook twice a week and eat leftovers on the days I don’t cook. This saves me a lot of time and I waste less food. Another recommendation I will make is learning how to cook a few dishes before leaving for your GO Long. If you have no cooking experience it is a good idea to learn the basics while you’re at home and can ask for help so you’re not the person who is stuck eating cereal every day. Cooking for yourself may seem intimidating at first, but in reality it only requires a little bit of planning and time. Do a little research and preparation before leaving home and it will be a breeze once you reach your host country. I also want to talk about how food plays a role in Irish culture. Food is a large part of social life in Ireland, as it is in America. There is often food at social gatherings, club meetings, campus parties, etc. Food is something that brings people together and that everyone has a shared interest in. A difference between America and Ireland is that most bars (or pubs) in Ireland do not serve food, as they do in America. In fact, if a pub in Ireland does serve food it is not considered a “real” Irish pub. The pubs that only serve alcohol almost brag (i.e. hang up many signs) about being an authentic Irish pub because they do not serve food. Potatoes are also a big deal in Ireland. I thought this was a stereotype, like “Oh yeah those Irish love their potatoes. Can’t get enough of them since that Great Potato Famine hahaha…” but it is very real. Almost every meal that I have ordered at a restaurant so far has come with multiple sides of potatoes. I usually get potatoes in mashed and baked form and then they are also incorporated into the main dish somehow. I have yet to figure out why there is so much emphasis on the potato in the Irish culture, perhaps it is because of the famine, but it is something to be aware of when studying abroad here because I was certainly unprepared for it.
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