Monday, July 1, 2013

We have made it to the end of the earth. Or so it seems. Our travels took us from New York to Dublin, then Dublin to Glasgow, where we stayed overnight at the University of Glasgow so we could make our connections the following (Saturday) morning. Bright and early Saturday, we took the train from Glasgow to Oban, a ferry from Oban to Mull, a bus across the island of Mull, and finally the ferry to Iona. Saturday's travels alone took over six hours, but now we are here. The weather started cloudy and damp but today is glorious sunshine, perfect for puffin watching, which is this afternoon's activity. I hope it stays like this through tomorrow, when me make our pilgrimage around the island...


Thursday, June 27, 2013

Isle of Iona Study Abroad--Travel Day

Welcome to the Isle of Iona study abroad blog! I'm Dr. Christina Carlson from the English department, and I am absolutely delighted to be taking three of our best and brightest students--Charlotte Ference, Michelle Muzzio and Kaylynn Murchison--to a tiny island off the northwest coast of Scotland to walk in the footsteps of St. Columba, founder of the first Iona (a small monastic community on the island) and inspiration to the Christian Brothers who founded our college almost 1500 years later. We will be staying at the Iona Community, which is located in the renovated monastic buildings, and it is my hope that through this experience, the students will come to understand and appreciate the connection between the medieval monastery and modern college, as both are, at their core, communities of faith and learning.

Today is our travel day--I will be meeting the students in a few hours at JFK and our adventure will begin. I hope you will follow us on our pilgrimage across the sea and back in time...