Astonishingly mystical and utterly compelling, Northern Ireland is a country of breathtaking natural beauty with an incredible heritage that quickly becomes addictive.

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Remember how your parents used to tell you to keep your elbows off the table during meals? Or that it’s rude to slurp your soup? Well there’s good news guys, these American cultures and customs don’t always translate to other countries! While the local people you meet won’t expect you to be fluent in their culture and customs, it is important to familiarize yourself with them.

Do you know how kissing, snoring and other things sound in other languages? That’s right, even sound effects can be translated!

#CISabroadtip: Do some more research into the Irish customs you’ll experience while abroad.

The most important thing to remember while you’re abroad is that things will be different. But, different doesn’t mean wrong. Be open, be curious, and read more about the culture you will be stepping into. Get excited about LIVING the life you’ve only dreamt and read about until now!

#CISabroadstaff411: In Ireland, people will ask you about having “craic” (said like “crack”), which can be a bit confusing, given the context we have of the word in the United States. Fear not- craic is actually a term for news, gossip, fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation. Some examples of how it could be used are:

“Did you have good craic?” = “Did you have fun/ a good time?”

“What’s the crack?” = “How are you?” or “Do you have any news/ what’s up?”