The Irish Sea, which connects to the North Atlantic Ocean from the north and south, separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. The water is cold – about 43 degrees in April – but along the coast of Belfast, the impact of the sea entices surfers from all over the world. Surprisingly, the crashing waves attracted a Siena Saint who had never before stood on a surfboard.
Emily Schafer '24 wasn't sure how she wanted to get involved on campus this semester in Belfast or what she wanted to do, but she attended the club fair with an open mind. As it turns out, a very open mind.
"I didn't imagine a surf club would be something in Northern Ireland. I never really had surfed before, but being a part of this club has been a lot of fun."
Northern Ireland doesn't conjure images of warm, sun-drenched beaches, but the Belfast Lough – the sea inlet that opens into the North Channel and connects Belfast to the Irish Sea – offers some pretty tubular surfing. Emily put on a wetsuit, grabbed a board, and went for it. At first, she stumbled off the board and plunged into the frigid water with each rolling wave. But with lessons and stubborn persistence, she's a certified surfer.
Emily's also gotten the most out of her experience on dry land. She's toured Northern Ireland's Giant’s Causeway – an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns that resulted from an ancient volcanic eruption. And on most weekends, when she's not surfing, she's exploring other countries. Emily's visited Scotland, Switzerland, Ireland, and the UK. During her spring break, she went on a three-week backpacking adventure through Europe with stops in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France.
“It was a great experience, very tiring though. Living out of a bag for three weeks is difficult, but it was very fun, and I had a great time.”
Emily didn't choose Northern Ireland for its waters or proximity. The chemistry major with an astrophysics minor wanted to check off an astrophysics class while abroad, and the Northern Ireland program was the lone destination to offer the course. Every other wonderful adventure has been a once-in-a-lifetime bonus.
“I definitely recommend studying abroad. I think that Belfast is a great place to do it also. It's not the typical study abroad experience but it’s a great experience and a great place to be.”
Emily's embracing her final few weeks abroad and looks forward to her senior year at Siena. But with no viable surfing opportunities in the Capital Region, she's already considering her next adventure.
