Things to Miss

-Really good sanwiches.
The people of Northern Ireland sure do know how to make a good sandwich. The first day that I got here, I went into a cafe called The Sandwich Shop which had so many different choices that I was completely overwhelmed by them and ended up ordering a muffin instead. Although you can't find Eggs Benedict to save your life, the sanwich options are endless.

-Accents.
Boy oh boy. They are fantastic. I think that I am going to have accent withdrawal when I get home. And I may never hear the word 'wee' used again. Or if I do, it will most likely mean something different (you know.)

-Walking.
I could count the times that I've ridden in a car in Ireland on two hands. Almost never. There's no need to drive anywhere in Derry unless it is raining like crazy (it probably is), and you don't have an umbrella. Ooh, and another thing about walking in Derry is that you are likely to see at least one person you know every time you go into the city. True story. I mean, it's a fairly big city (well, the second biggest in Northern Ireland. Which means that it's not big at all.) You wouldn't expect to run into people that often. But you do. It's friendly and great.

-Being an international student.
For one thing, it gives you instant friends or at least friendly acquaintances. There is a certain of bond among people who are all away from home, especially when most of us can't understand what is being said by the Irish people at least half of the time (I'm telling you, the Derry accent is crazy. But in a good way.) Plus, being international makes you more interesting to other people. I like being more interesting.

-Cohn's Sandwich Shop.
I've never eaten a sanwich here, but I have gotten multiple cups of coffee. Ireland can't boast about the quality of its coffee, but for some reason, Cohn's filter coffee is delicious. I get a cup everyday. The shop is in the library, and it has huge windows that look out over the campus and the River Foyle. I generally sit at the window counter three or four times a week and drink my good drip coffee and eat some chocolate (I am trying to try as many different types of UK chocolate as I can before I go home. Because it is so much better here. Way, way better) and look at the window, watching everyone who comes into the library. It's one of the best people watching spots. And sometimes, there is a table full of people behind me speaking Irish to each other. And it's fabulous.