Budget Hacks On Where To Get Your Your Student Accommodation Essentials

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Moving day is always one of the days you will always look forward to when you study abroad so here are some tips where to get your student accommodation essentials at a lesser price or even for free. Unlike other student accommodations, my apartment (if you call a 9m² room with the bed coming down from the ceiling when you press the button that)  wasn’t provided with any housewares. I didn’t expect coming to a different country to be welcomed by an empty room because it was never mentioned and it was not in my in my plan nor budget to buy all the essentials. I enjoyed shopping for my apartment and filling it with homely things to give it that extra “me”. Knowing myself, I like expensive stuff but I was still able to do it on a budget. So during tough times like this, I had to be practical and resourceful. Trust me, this is settling-in made easier for you AND you won’t even start counting the price of each item once you follow these.

2 Euro Store

It doesn’t even have to be in euros. Dollar, pound or whatever currency they use in your country, they all have stores like this.This was where I got most of essentials. Plates, glasses and other utensils you name it and it only costs €2 for each item. Some even are in sets. I spent about €12 in this store and I’ve already bought enough kitchenware to feed a family. You really can’t go wrong here. If you’re practical there’s no point spending money on a €5 glass for yourself if you’re only staying there for a year. Invest that money instead on glasses to serve your mates for a little soiree or for a game of beer pong. 😉

Homestore Sales

You know you’re getting you’re money’s worth if the item is on sale! Cheaper value for good quality. Sales are always on but it’s the big sales you’ve got to watch out for. You might have to be patient if sales aren’t around but you can always compare prices and see which fits your budget. When I was doing my shopping the sales weren’t even on but the sales assistant heard me complain about the prices and informed me to come back the next day because there was a weekend sale! The next day I came back and got my pillows, bed linen, blankets and kitchenware. So advice you to ask around if there are any sales soon. After spending €40 (€50 max) I was able to make my empty student apartment into a warm and cozy abode and I slept peacefully without adding the total of how much I spent on my card.
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Neighbours and Friends Moving Out

Seize this opportunity to make friends, it comes in handy when they move out. Their trash can be your treasure. My neighbour was moving out of his apartment because his year abroad had ended. He had a lot of stuff that he didn’t need anymore so he handed my friend two full bags of kitchenware and bedroom essentials. Happy days right? He got pots, pans, pillows, even a scented candle and some canned goods. Two other friends were also going back to Ireland and they gave me their toaster; my mornings since I got it became better.  As a student, I’m not really picky. If the items have been used because you can always wash it and besides who doesn’t like free stuff, right?
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Sharing is Caring

One of the best things I’ve done to save on spending was chipping-in money to buy appliances. You can do this with people who just moved in too. My friends and I put money together to buy an iron. Why? because there was no point buying an iron individually since we won’t be using it that much (Well I used it more than the guys but helping hands are always handy). The same as with the girls who bought the toaster, they also put in money for it.  If you are buying essentials online you can also ask a friend if they would like to buy something too just so you can split the cost for delivery. The people you meet abroad will become your new family so I don’t see the problem with sharing some things with them.
Take note that this your chance to familiarize yourself with the best go-to shops in your area. After reading all that, you wont even label it as shopping on a budget but more of shopping smart. Being a student abroad can teach you to be resourceful and practical, with that comes appreciating the little things. Hope you enjoy moving day find these hacks helpful for your settling-in!

This post first appeared in Rakbo. Go check it out!


Toulouse Diaries: Musée des Augustins

As part of my boyfriend visiting me, it was obligatory that I show him around the pink city of Toulouse. Show him my favourite shops, little ally ways with nice restaurants and other corners of the city I discovered roaming around. One site however, I have never been to was Musée de Augustins. I always passed by this museum in downtown Esquirol but I never bothered to go in on my own because I’d prefer museum dates than going alone. They are more fun (ie. trying to imitate the sculptures positions). I took this opportunity to go in there with my boyfriend and see the artifacts and painting from the 13th to 20th century.

The museum is located beside the street Rue d’Alsace Lorraine where all the main shops are. You can’t miss it. It’s near the Line A metro and there are bus stops outside. Almost in all sites I’ve been around France they often offer student deals so be sure to bring your student card if you are! For the entrance fee we paid nothing because we showed them our student cards but we had to pay €5 extra if we wanted to go see the “Fenêtre sur Cours“ Exhibition but we didn’t go for that option. For other prices, click here.

Upon entering we saw a cloister and chairs around it where people sat and took a bit of sun.

You can also see some gargoyles chilling around under shade. 

Gothic Sculpture Hall

Church

If you feel like need some fresh air for all the dust (jk the museum isn’t dusty) then you can come out here for a breather and some snacks. There’s a vending machine at the side. 

Romanesque Sculpture Gallery

This gallery featured sculptures, each having their own unique detailed design. The bright colours surrounding the gallery surprisingly blended in and it also made it look modern.

For this next part of the museum, I’m not quite sure what it’s called but it exhibits 19th century sculptures. The bf claims that it reminds him of Hogwarts and though I disagree, the interior design is very beautiful.

Painting Galleries

There are two rooms in this gallery. The red and white hall. Both showcase 19th and 20th century paintings from French painters such Toulouse-Lautrec and Manet.

“Paint me like one of your french girls, Jack” Follow me instagtam @jerlidawn 

Don’t think we were posing (but if you do, who did it better?) because this seat is actually in my opinion the best way to see all the paintings. For more information about what each room in the museum exhibits click here. 

This has been a very interesting museum date and I hope this photo diary was helpful. I totally recommend to visit this place if you are in Toulouse and if you are already, I hope you enjoy your visit. See you around St. Pierre for the sunset. 😉

A Bientôt, Dawn

Other helpful links:

Musée des Augustins website: http://www.augustins.org/fr/

Page on Toulouse Tourisme

Bordeaux Diaries: Wine and Dine

This is diary entry number 2 of my Bordeaux trip and this entry documents how I spent my Valentine’s day with my boyfriend. Bordeaux was like a daze the more I try to reminisce it, something about it was very charming and I can’t come up with a word to describe it. (Maybe it’s just me experiencing post Valentines blues) I know I always keep talking about medieval towns and fairy tale places on my blogs but Bordeaux just swooped right in there and made my Valentines like some princess movie.

This princess however just came back from Barcelona after partying at the ball, shoe-less, because the heels she was wearing were too high and she just wasn’t bothered after the shots started kicking in. After a 5 hour carriage trip, she finally arrived back in her bedroom chamber, unaware her prince was waiting for her. The princess was shocked to see him there but her eyes didn’t lie and he really was there. He who had traveled land and sea just to see her so he could spend her birth-week with her…

I think that’s enough cringing because I’m just exaggerating at this stage. Safe to say that writing romance novels is not for me.

Before you continue on reading, I found out I wasn’t able to charge my go pro nor my camera; which were all drained from my previous trip so most pictures were taken from my phone or my boyfriend’s. I apologise for the awkward sizes for most pictures then.

Excuse the bags under the eyes. I didn’t have much sleep the night before nor the nights when I was in Barcelona.

La Cité du Vin

Cité du Vin was my favourite place visited above all in the city. We got on the line B tram to get there.We paid €16 because it is the deal they have for students but the normal price for adults is €20 (for other prices link down below). I didn’t know what to expect from this museum. Honestly, I thought they would just be showcasing old bottles of wines but it was nothing like that. It was very high-tech. They gave us earphones and some kind of phone-thingy and we hover it around the screens and desks and our virtual guide would start talking. It was really fascinating learning about the history of wine and the different kinds of wine. I really am upset I didn’t take enough more pictures of our tour because there was a lot of holograms, animation effects and fun features but I got caught up in the enjoyment.

Everyone who was viewing the museum had these earphones and tour guide remotes. 
As I’ve said  my first Bordeaux  diary entry, we weren’t able to take an obligatory mirror pic at the Miroit d’eau so why not at the La Cité du Vin?
After the tour, we went up to the top floor for some wine tasting. At the top we were greeted with a beautiful sight featuring the Garonne River and the bridge Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmans.

At the bar we were served by baristas that asked us what type of wine we like. I told her I like white wine or rosé and that i prefer smooth, fruity tastes. She suggested two kinds and I really liked the way she described how each wine tasted in detail. Why? Because when I tasted the wine, every detail she mentioned about its aroma, texture, flavour and after taste was on point. I had sweet white wine; grapes mixed with tropical mangoes. Sipping great wine and marveling at the river sunset was the cherry on top to this Valentine’s day trip.

I was more than halfway to finishing my glass till I realised this moment was one for the pictures and must be shared in instagram

We did a lot of walking around the streets of Bordeaux when the sun was setting. The sky turned to pink and thinking about how we were there to celebrate love on the day of love was just so romantic. I guess the reason why I don’t have a lot of pictures to share of the main sites was because we were caught up living in the moment of the seeing the sites themselves. As well as the streets and crannies that went along our way to get there.

I just adored this flower shop. Follow them in instagram @amour_fe_fleurs_bordeaux For more info visit their website at amourdefleurs-bordeaux.fr

For other places I went to see in Bordeaux city centre link here

Valentines day is one of the busiest nights for restaurants so because of that pretty much most restaurants needed a reservation and my boyfriend didn’t have one. (I wasn’t upset of course because I was already grateful enough he came to visit me and bring me to Bordeaux) We tried to go earlier for dinner in hope people who had reservations haven’t arrived yet. We found a well known restaurant through TripAdvisor and made our way down there. We were nearly there till we stumbled upon this restaurant called L’alysson Brasserie and ate there instead because we were just hungry and the menu looked good. Also, the staff were friendly and spoke English. The food was really nice and affordable. Dessert was all really good. All that walking around really did make us hungry. The spontaneity of finding and eating in this restaurant really did add to that feel a spontaneous Valentines day.

The dessert looked so good that my boyfriend tasted it first before grabbing a pic of the apple pie topped with ice cream. As for mine, the picture part didn’t even happen. I ate that Toblerone mousse straight away.

Over all, Valentines day was just perfect. I’ve only celebrated Valentines day once before this and it was last year with him. It was our first date and it mostly was just us walking around Dublin, looking for a place to eat because everything was booked. We ended up eating in a Korean restaurant and going to an arcade. He tried win me a teddy from the claw machine but when I asked if I could try, I ended up winning the teddy myself. Despite that, his efforts were cute and he really did upgrade this year. I had a lot of fun in Bordeaux and it certainly will be an unforgettable trip for me.

I know February is the month when most people give up on their new year resolutions and diets, and accept the fact that their hot summer bodies will have to be postponed for yet another year but  this month seem to always be a good month for me. I still hope you all had a wonderful and romantic February, a mouthwatering Pancake Tuesday and a great kick off to March! 

 A bientôt, Dawn

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Helpful Links:

La Cité du Vin: homepage / prices
Bordeaux Tourist Office: homepage

Gif Source: Giphy


Bordeaux Diaries: City Sites on a Winter Day

Its March already? Where did the time go?! February was a busy month for me and its also my favourite. February is my month because it’s my birth month and for my birth week I had the best surprise ever. My boyfriend flew from Ireland to Toulouse to visit me for my birth week. Part of that was bring me to Bordeaux for Valentines day.The travelling and what we did for Valentines didn’t fit in one post because it was too all over the place, (because it was last minute for me) I decided  to make a Bordeaux diary series. For this diary entry I’ll be showing places we went to and how to get around this beautiful city. 

When we got off the bus (return ticket from Toulouse was €18) the sun was shinning and the skies were blue. It was just a perfect day to be to be travelling. We only had one problem and that was finding our way to the city. As millennials, we went to Google for our problem and got directions how to get there. We took a tram (€4.60 for day pass ticket) which dropped us at the main square.We had a lot of ground to cover so like any other tourist, our first stop was at the Tourist Information Office (link found at the end). We had no idea where or what to do in Bordeaux except taste wine; so it was logical to go here first. Neither of us were prepared where to go for Bordeaux because it was last minute for me and my boyfriend wasn’t able to do enough research but we had a map, some ideas where to go and we were off.

Place de la Bourse 

I was so in love with this place mainly because there weren’t a lot of tourist (now that I think of it.. it was just really just us and locals). In most pictures I’ve seen from Bordeaux, this place would always be one of the top places featured. Across from it is the Miroit d’eau which gives a beautiful reflection of Place de la Bourse. Unfortunately, we were informed that it has been turned off during the winter because the water that causes the reflection, freezes and it turned off for safety reasons. 


The water that flows in the fountain was also turned off but didn’t stop me from taking a picture. 

 Porte Calihau


Our first thought upon seeing the blue roofs of the landmark was that it reminded us of Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland. We also went up the landmark to see whats inside and we had to pay a fee. If I had to pay €5 I wouldn’t had gone up but YAY for student price because €3.50. There wasn’t much inside except some old battle weapons and masonry equipment from the medieval ages. At the top of the Porte, the was a window that showed you the Garonne river and rooftops of Bordeaux.


There are also cafés around the area for some tea or coffee, which is perfect for a spring sunny day. 

 Monument aux Girandins

“Babe do you want to know a fun fact about this fountain?” my boyfriend said out of nowhere. I nod my head knowing it wasn’t really going to be a “fun fact” but I knew he was going to say it anyway. His tone was excited when he said “This fountain is the 4th biggest in Europe. The Trevi fountain in Rome is the biggest” Surprisingly, I found it kind of funny because while some of our couple friends went to Rome and to see the Trevi fountain we were in Bordeaux seeing the 4th biggest in Europe. It also made me want to go to Rome even more as a couple because #goals. ( I lowkey felt jel too because I haven’t been there and my boyfriend has)

Like the other fountain in Place de la Bourse, the fountain here is also turned off during winter season.


Cathédrale St-André




The Cathedral can be found beside the Hotel de Ville which I THINK is a popular hotel. (I really don’t know much about it just that it appeared on the map so it must be important. LOL)

They had these little metal tables that gives you a bird’s eye view of the some of the landmarks. 

We went around their shopping centre “Promenade Ste-Catherine” as well. Loads of sales… but I was fresh broke from shopping in Barcelona sales so it was pretty much just window shopping but they have nice shops in Bordeaux.

We didn’t go far from the city centre because we only had a day. One of the other place we went to was La Cité du Vin which I’ll talk about in my next diary entry. I really liked Bordeaux. It gave me a break from the usual pink building of Toulouse. Everything was walking distance so it was impossible to get lost. I definitely would like to go back here during the summer time!

A bientôt, Dawn

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Helpful Links:

Bordeaux Tourism: Homepage



DIY Valentines Tokens

I’ve been feeling a bit unproductive lately but what better way to cure that than to do a DIY project for Valentines day right? It also doesn’t necessarily have to be for Valentines, it can also be for an anniversary, birthday or some just random reason you got inspired to be generous and sweet. For this DIY, I made 2 small things that you can add to your present which will only cost you your imaginations and probably money less than €2. They’re so simple and easy to do the only hard part is resisting not to eat the chocolate but other than that you’ll be fine! So lets get crafting on the chocolate card and treat your partner scratch card Valentines tokens.

Chocolate Card


Things you will need are: 

  • Chocolate bar
  • Coloured cardboard paper
  • Coloured pens
  • Pencil & Pen
  • Glue 
I got most of my art stuff from HEMA and they have the cutest stuff for stationery and art work

Tools you will need:

  • Scissors 
  • Tape
  • Ruler 



How to make it:


1. Take the chocolate from it’s box without removing the tin foil around it. Place it on the cardboard paper and measure how long you want the length of the paper to be. This will also be your card and what you will use to wrap around your chocolate bar.

2. Cut it out and wrap it around the chocolate bar to see you you need to shorten the width of the card and cut it off. Wrap it around and fold the cardboard paper’s sides so it tightens around the edges and won’t be loose.
3. Taking another cardboard paper, cut out a small rectangle that you want to fit inside your cardboard wrapper frame. 
As I’ve said in the previous step, be sure to fold where the edges are so that it will be easier to secure later when it’s finished.
4. Use your imagination and draw some cringe worthy puns and characters to design. If you’re imagination is running slow look up some pictures on pinterest or google for inspiration. 
5. Stick your love dovey master piece on the cardboard and your’re near to finishing. 
6. Flip your chocolate card and write your “secret” message. It can be short or long if you like. You have the entire page to write how you see your future with them, if you want. 
I just kept mine short as an example 

7.  Now all that is left is to secure this card around chocolate bar. Tape the first side so the card won’t fall off. Take the other side and glue it to the back. 

8. After putting the glue and attaching the sides, place a paperweight or anything heavy (in my case my makeup brushes holder) on top while the glue dries. This way, the side with the glue wont slide off or slip away while it dries.  
Here is the final look!
I also made another one because I enjoyed making it and and I wrote my heart-felt letter in the second one too! 
The white stuff on the second one is dry glue. Yes guys, this is a sticky enough DIY

Scratch Card

You’ll need the same things you used for the previous DIY but you will also 2 extra things:

Nail varnish and candle wax

How to make it: 

The steps for this a pretty much straight forward enough and you wont be needing any extra cardboard paper. I just used the leftovers to make it because we’re already cutting enough trees and it would be just a waste to throw them straight after. 
1. Take a small cardboard paper and another smaller one (perfect enough to fit it the frame of the first) in different colour and glue them together. 
2. Take your pencil and draw 3 shapes (I just chose hearts to keep the Valentines theme going) and write little “treats” you would like to give your man/woman. “Win an argument” “Movie night” Take your candle wax and colour in the inside of the shape. 
3. Then take your nail varnish and paint it over the wax to cover the writing and allow it to dry. If you can still see the writing, after it dries add another layer of wax and paint to cover it up.
4. Now just take your couloured pens and write and draw your designs. You can say “Scratch for a Prize” “Scratch Me” “Scratch one” “Always a Winner” 
Now all you have to do is just let it dry and voila. Tu as fini!
I made more scratch cards to be more generous on my man. You can also add some spicy treats if you know what i mean.. 😉
I enjoyed making this Valentines themed DIY presents. It’s perfect for your crush, the boyfie, the hubby or who ever you plan to give it. Happy Valentines day to all the lovers out there! 


A bientôt, Dawn

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Nîmes: A Roman City in the South of France

I think it’s safe to say that it is in everyone’s travel list to visit Rome. The Colosseum, the ruins, the temples for roman gods and all things roman! Well, I didn’t get to visit Rome… not yet anyway but while I was doing research for Languedoc Rousillon, a french region in the south known for their wines, for my French class and I stumbled upon this Roman city called Nîmes (it’s pronounced with a silent S) Seeing that it will be the closest I could get to Rome for now, I booked my ticket and went to explore this small city of Nîmes.

The train ride was 4 hours long and it was quite comfortable. Too comfortable that I fell asleep and missed my stop and ended up having to buy another ticket back to Nimes. I was so annoyed at the start but I didn’t let it get to me because I had a full day ahead of me! I went to three main sites and for the entire thing I only had to pay €11! (link at the end) All the sites were near each other so there’s no need for a car or bike. Just be sure you’re wearing your walking shoes because you’ll be doing a lot of walking through out the day.


Arènes de Nîmes

This is an unmissable monument. It was the first place I went to and it was where I bought the tickets. They also provided those recorded phone tours so you can listen to interesting facts about the ampitheatre as you go around. Given my petite height, I found it hard getting to the top seats of the arena because the steps were big. Also I got confused how to get up there. There were a lot of stairs and I honestly didn’t know whether or not it would lead me up or down. Kind of like the grand staircase in Harry Potter but they were immobile. When I got to the top I could just imagine the atmosphere when the seats were flooded with viewers, shouting and cheering on their champions who were fighting to their deaths.

Maison Carrée

If you want to know how this Roman city emerged in the south of France then you should visit here. The entire day I was wondering how this city was here and the little movie they showed inside answered it all. If you’re also hungry, there are a lot of good restaurants surrounding Maison Carrée. Expensive or on a budget they’re all there. 

La Jardin de la Fontaine

Out of all the places I visited during the day, this was my favourite. There were a lot of people but the trees and plants that covoured the area were just simply beautiful. I first thought it was an old roman bath house but it was too pretty to be a bath house. The water was filled with giant koi fishes and swans. The sun was out and scene just made it the perfect day to be walking around the park. You can also find the Temple of Diana here.

To get to Tour de Magne, you’ll have to go up these stairs and a few ramps and more stairs…

Tour de Magne

Again my petite legs struggled to walk up… up Tour de Magne. The narrow spiral staircase was quite the obstacle since there was only one way to get up the tower and it was also the only way down. When I got at the top, I didn’t even bother to marvel at the view but find a seat and sit down with the oldies (Damn I need to get fit!). 
I know it doesn’t look that tall here but if you did the walk I did to get here you too would be catching your breath.

Tour de Magne overlooks the city of Nîmes

Here are a few more pics of that spontaneous trip 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to visit the roman aqueduct, Pont du gard, because it was too far but it definitely is a must-go-to when you are in Nîmes, especially during the summer. Despite most of my trips being based in France this trip to Nîmes really made me feel I wasn’t, which is why it’s so far my favourite voyage. 

A bientôt, Dawn


Helpful Links:
Tour Tickets can be bought online or at any of the sites mentioned above except at the Jardin de la Fontaine,
Information about Nimes: http://ot-nimes.fr/en

Why I Decided To Study Abroad For A Year

Hey bloggers, unlike the rest of the world I haven’t done a lot of changing this new years but over the course of my stay abroad via Erasmus, I’ve had a lot of changing and it was mostly my decision to whether or not stay in Toulouse for the year or just do a semester. It was lot of “What should I do?” and “Should I stay?” questions but in the end it came down to what I really wanted for myself.

I initially only was supposed to do Erasmus for one semester for the following reasons:

  • I am in a relationship and the thought of long distance relationship really worried me since not a lot of them work out.
  • Mula. Money was a problem for me because I only had enough saved for a semester (Well that’s what I planned but it didn’t even last) Also, I was declined a grant so I had to rely on my savings and Erasmus grant to pay for expenses here.
There wasn’t a lot stopping me after that except my uncertainty but I got over it and went for the trip. I was lucky enough to have people from my class to go with me so we can have some good craic (Irish for fun) because most people who usually go are alone. With my two friends, we left Ireland on September and lived together during our first few days in Toulouse. It was the same banter we always had. In class and outside of college. Having them around made it easy.
One of the first places I visited in Toulouse was the Couvent des Jacobins

My Realisation

Over the course of the last 5 months, a lot of things has happened and I’ve met friends and gone on several travel trips. The feeling that accompanied those experiences and encounters were overwhelming that it made me question why am I only staying for a semester? Whats so good in Ireland that I have to go back so soon when I haven’t exploited the treasures and perks of studying abroad enough. Well to name a few… my family, boyfriend and best friends. I was homesick and of course it was normal. Other than them and a few shops and products that can’t be found here in Toulouse or in France I was fine. I could manage, it wasn’t all that bad. Another thing that made it easy for me was that I went back to Ireland on Halloween break. I was able to meet up and catch up with everyone.

Got these two copies so that they would help me get more organised

My Support 

As for me and my boyfriend we took this opportunity to travel and it honestly has made our relationship grow and mature. LDR is a lot of effort but its the effort you put in that makes it work. It’s just up to the person whether they are willing to put the effort in something they want to work out. My boyfriend is also my support system. He told me to go for it if it benefits my education. One thing that helped me feel secure about this whole LDR was that we always communicate but at the same time give each other our space. We kinda mastered that balance so it further pushed me to continue on with another semester. 

Telling my mum that I wanted to stay for another semester was hard because that would mean she would have to help me more with my expenses and I didn’t want to burden her with that. When I told her, she didn’t even mention anything about more expenses but she said that if its for my education and a better future then she was all thumbs up. I know I’ve only mentioned about friends and trip and parties for the duration of my stay but what I learnt in the college here will certainly help look good on my CV (resume as Americans call it) If i was to use a metaphor, it would be the glitter on the highlighter make-up that makes it shimmer.


My Decision

I was constantly asking people for advice whether or not I should stay for another semester. I know adding 3 doesn’t seem all that bad but a few month ago it was for me. My main concern was money and my relationship. The person that persuaded me to make up my mind was one of the the Spanish girls in Erasmus. She, like me was also in a LDR and she said wasn’t in the most favourable stances financially but she’s making it work and staying in Toulouse for two semesters till March. I asked her what made her decide to do this. Her answer was pretty much simple and direct yet it stuck to me.

“If you have the opportunity of extending your Erasmus, you don’t have to doubt because its only once in your life”

After that my hands were down. I was staying here in Toulouse till March. But that wasn’t the end of it. For the Christmas holidays, I went back to Ireland and while catching up with my mates and they discussed the work placements they’re going to do in the next few months. They talked about the companies they’ll be working for and the benefits of doing the work placement and I was just there thinking to myself…  I’m graduating soon…  and I’ve no experience…  and I don’t know if I’ll have as good chances as them being hired  since most companies require a certain amount of experience now a days. That got me decide to extend my stay in Toulouse again. The reason why my second semester ends on March is because from April and onward, everyone will be doing their internships. I didn’t opt for it at the start because finishing March would allow me to have an early summer and look for a job just so I could earn some money. Then I thought that working as a waitress versus doing work placement for a company and be able to apply the things I’ve learnt in college while at the same time make connections and start an early career path for myself… it’s pretty obvious which is more beneficial.

I used to love it when I was able to spoil myself and my loved ones with the money that I earned from my job. It gave me new found independence of providing for myself but as much as I want to be able to do that again I have come to terms that right now I should just work on my education and mold my career path because once I graduate and actually find a job I still will be able to do that but this time with more flexibility. The main reason why I went on Erasmus was so I could be in mainland Europe and travel meet different people, learn a different cultures and of course.. party but I didn’t expect that the reason why I would extend my stay is because I’m better off being in abroad for career path purposes. Don’t mistaken that all I think about now is getting my head down in the books and plan my future ahead (well… kinda) because I certainly am not fed up yet with the night outs that turn in to mornings at Mcdonalds, cheap wine soirées, travel on Tuesday trips and my broke girl binge shopping regrets. It been an amazing start to the year so far and I can’t wait what else is in store for me for the next few months of Erasmus. Until next time…

A bientôt, Dawn

Paris: My 3 Day Affair with Her


Two summers ago, I fell for one of the least people I expected and it hit me like a whirlwind. Like all summer flings, it ended when the autumn leaves started to descend. I just had my heart shattered by a guy who led me on … so what better way to get over that than be in Paris. As Queen B (a.k.a. Blair Warldorf from Gossip Girl) said:

GIF taken from Emily Marcus in TheOdysseyOnline

ALSO, my mum had planned to go to Paris to meet up with her friends from Dubai. This was her second time going to the country and I thought she should at least bring me because the course I’m doing in college is international business and the core language I’m learning is French. The trip lasted for 3 days and in those 3 days I visited:

  • Musée de Louvre
  • Notre Dame de Paris
  • La Tour Eiffel 
  • Les Champs Elysées
  • L’arc de Triomphe
Paris is such a beautiful city so be prepared for me to praise this beaut! I was overwhelmed when I first got off the grounds because as over rated as the city is in the tv shows and films; it is still a city rich in culture and history. How can someone not be in love with her?

Notre Dame de Paris

On the first day, we just spent the afternoon walking the streets of Paris. One of the first monuments I saw was the Notre Dame de Paris. First glimpse I saw of this iconic cathedral I rushed immediately
and lost my mum and her mates who were behind me. I didn’t care if I lost them, in my mind I just kept thinking about the Disney film adaptation of Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame (I am a Disney kid at heart so don’t be surprised if there are more Disney references here.) and the gargoyles that would be guarding and protecting them from evil spirits. The design of this cathedral had unbelievable detail. One thing that kept amazing over and over as I went around their numerous streets was their architecture. If Paris could flirt, she would use her architectural designs to charm you.

I didn’t do much sight seeing after the cathedral because I met up with my ex’s friend , Sarah (She’s half Filipino and French) at some kind of ping-pong bar. I know what you’re thinking… and no we didn’t play beer pong; it was just ordinary ping pong and people just bought their cocktails and beers. Can I just also say that french guys are so good looking ; Sarah’s mates were just gorgeous. They were all half of another race and not just French so i thought fair play to their parents for making such good looking babies. If I do sound like exaggerating their looks maybe because I distinctly remember trying not recall the guy who dumped me and just tried to look at all the guys. It wasn’t that hard since they were all visually pleasing.

Musée de Louvre

On the second day we went to Europe’s biggest museum, the Louvre. The queue to get in was literally no joke so I suggest to buy your tickets ahead and come early as you will nearly spend hours in this amazing museum. The tickets we got cost around €17 (link at the end) and it was well worth the wait and price. What’s not to “Louvre” right? *winks*

The Louvre exhibits one of the most famous artifacts in the world and that is non other than the diva herself, the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo Da Vinci. She was contained in a bullet proof glass and people weren’t allowed to go near her. A velvet rope separated her from us and out of all the exhibits she was the only one to have guards by her side. She was flooded by a lot of spectators who took selfies 3 feet away from her. For the rest of the tour I was just playing around with the artifacts.

There were a lot of Chinese tourist around. Never seen that much Asians since I went back home. LOL

Champs Elysées & L’arc de Triomphe

On the last day of the trip, we took a bus tour that brought around the gorgeous city. Somehow the old architecture managed to blend in with the present. Which is why I think Paris will forever be a timeless city of class. One of the stops we went to was of course the high-end street of Champs Elysées. While my mum took her time in the Louis Vuitton shop, I took my time at the Disney store. If you walk straight up to the end of this street you will find the L’arc de Triomphe. This monument plays an important part in France’s history as written on its walls are battles of the first French republic and Napoleon’s Empire. To add to that, it is good spot for a photo shoot so that’s what I did. 

Great place to do your wedding prenups

La Tour Eiffel

I think no one has ever went to Paris without going to the Eiffel Tower. It is the trademark of this city and it will forever be the symbol of Paris’ skyline. It is actually bigger when up close and despite my huge brick phone it was difficult to fit the tower in to the entire frame. This was architecture at it’s finest and this jewel is the reason why “Eiffel” in-love with Paris (See what I did there? *winks* I promise I wont do anymore puns for this post) All jokes aside this trip was really what I needed and ironically, I got over love in the city of love. (Slyly posting pics of me in instagram enjoying the city as if I’m not crying inside works guys. Trust me.) I would’ve loved to had been able to go up the tower but the line was too long. Like all rebounds, it didn’t last and my Paris affair ended when I flew back to Ireland but I will never forget her.

First selfie with the tower! I was that excited.

As I’ve said, I went to Paris two summers ago but the reason why I decided to make a post about it because it has always been a dream of mine to go to Paris and study in France. Looking back where I am now and how my life has been since my trip, I have gone far and I am forever grateful for that experience. It opened opportunities and motivated me to pursue Erasmus. I am not so good when it comes to explaining feelings or thoughts but this quote pretty much sums it up…

GIF taken from weheartit.com

 And when 2016 hit that dream became real. Since being a part of Erasmus, I have learned a lot about France and cultural differences. It has pushed me to be more independent and certainly taught me how to live and travel on a budget (On a very tight budget I might add). If you’re curious what happened to that guy, well we got back together in 2016 and we’ve pretty much been happy travelling and making the long distance work. (As for Paris… well I still think of her… her twinkling charm, her enticing beauty… One day, I hope to come back to her with my guy this time and we’ll have a threesome 😉 )

Paris was the dream but that was not the finish line as it was only the start. I am sure the finish line isn’t the end of the year or the end of Erasmus but wherever or whenever that is I still hope 2017 will be full of the same productive chances.
Happy New Year! Here’s to more adventures and wandering!


Follow me in instagram @discoverdawn


A bientôt, Dawn

PS: Photo credits to my momma for the pictures of me

Helpful Links:

Co. Clare: Colossal Cliffs & Cold Castle

If you are following me in instagram you would’ve seen me bombard my story with my trip to Co. Clare where I visited one of the most renowned sights in Ireland which the Cliffs of Moher and the Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. It really was a long day of picture taking because everything was just astonishing and I felt like a child again (Not because my mum paid for my ticket…psshhh..) Speaking of tickets we booked our tickets online so it would be cheaper than buying them at reception. There were no student prices for booking online but for both the sites I mentioned above, we only paid €12.60 per adult which is such a good deal! (If you want to book online I’ll leave a link at the end for the website) Getting there, we drove for 2 hours on the motorway from Portlaoise (located in the midlands of Ireland) so I suggest this is the prefect opportunity to get your friend who just got their driver’s license to drive you and the squad to the west of Ireland!

Cliffs of Moher 

The first time I went to the cliffs was when I was in 5th year and I went with the girls in my school. When I went with my year, I didn’t get the chance to really explore and take pictures for remembrance but we did go on a boat ride and got to see the cliffs from the sea’s view. It was colossal and we saw dolphins! This current experience was different to that. This time we were at the top of the cliffs. It was jaw-dropping. I started to fangirl a bit because the cliffs of Moher were featured in the 6th Harry Potter film: The Half-Blood Prince. This was where Dumbledore nearly died after trying to drink some poison to get a Horcrux and then he whipped out his wand forming some fire whip to kill the skull army. (I’m getting carried away now..)
It was really hard to take photos because the wind kept blowing and the foot path was narrow

Moving back to the topic, since we were up on a cliff we doubled our thick clothing because the wind and water from the sea that crashed on the rocks were cool. I advise hoods and gloves if you’re going during winter but during the summer it’s not as cold. 

There is also a little tower located on the right side of the cliffs and it’s only €2 to go up it. As for us, we didn’t bother going up because it was freezing and we didn’t want the wind to slap our faces harder. 

O’Brien’s Tower

As for lunch we I ate at the restaurant built inside the hill, just above the reception area. We had Hawaiian Pizza (Yes I love pineapple on my pizza) and all meat pizza. It was such a lovely restaurant, it over looked the grassy hills. 

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park

Having had gone to the Blarney Castle, I was already expecting Bunratty Castle to be just like it. I was wrong though. I really enjoyed Bunratty village. There were village elves walking around and christmas lights to go with the christmas holiday vibes.

There were a lot of christmas characters roaming around too. Obviously Santy Clause was there, busy hearing the children’s christmas wishes; Mrs, Clause was in her kitchen making her traditional custard. Rudolf and Ebenezer Scrooge, who was wearing pajamas; were chilling outside the local pub where we went to get some mince pie and mulled wine.

We visited the surrounding houses and other village quarters including the:

  • Village Church
  • Masonry House
  • Bunratty House (Just outside because it was locked inside)
  • Local pubs
  • Village doctor’s house.
Honestly don’t know why I bent my knee like that but look at the stables in the background. We had fun playing around with the equipment! 

On the right side from the souvenir shop was Bunratty castle and it was chilling yet stunning to see it while seeping through the leafless.

The inside of the castle was quite grand. The dinning hall gave off that Harry Potter feel but of course it was smaller compared to the film. Upstairs was where they had their parties and balls. There was also a long table where the lord and lady of the castle would sit down and hear the problems of the people. 

Furry coat + lord’s chair = me pretending to be one of the Stark children of Winterfell in Game of  Thrones
(Yes, I love this show!)
It was the winter solstice and we finished our journey at around 4pm so it was just right on time before the night fell.The drive back was smooth but rough for the my sister and aunt because they had to put up with my singing at the back ( I had my earphones on and my music on full blast). In my opinion, the west of Ireland bestows some of the most beautiful scenery and it’s a must go to when you’re ever visiting the country. I hope you enjoyed reading this. Till the next castle voyage…

A bientôt, Dawn

For more information here are some helpful links..


Cliffs of Moher: www.cliffsofmoher.ie/


Christmas Getaway at Co. Cork

Cork is such a strange name to call a city because every time I say it, I think of the cork for wine (I like wine so maybe that’s why I thought of it) but the city isn’t actually known for wine nor corks. The name is derived from the Irish word “corach” which means marsh in Gaelic. City is found in the marshy lands, south-west of Ireland. I spent the recent weekend in this boggy city with my family (My auntie and sister and my sister’s husband came from the Philippines to spend the holidays with us) to visit more family.

Despite the frequent mention of mucky marshes in Cork’s history, the city is nothing like that now in the 21st century. My family and I took a 2hr train ride from Portlaoise to get there. It was such a hectic morning when we were all getting ready. The temperatures dropped the night before so it was a very frosty morning. We ran out of hot water and we were all rushing to the train station. As there was seven of us, we couldn’t all fit in the car. We had to ask a friend to drop us because a taxi would take longer. My older sister, her husband and I were dropped first because I had to collect the tickets we booked online. When my mum’s friend left to to go back and get her and my auntie, we realised that we had 10 mins left before the train was about to leave. Panicking that my mom and aunt might not be able to make it on time before the train left, I left their tickers behind the extinguisher at the waiting room so they can show it to the receptionist at the station and take the next train ( I called my mum to inform her where I left it.) Two minutes left before the train leaves, we were looking for our seats and through the window of the train I saw my mum followed by her sister running towards the door of the train. The doors were already shut but luckily there was an old man that let them in. I rushed towards them and asked if they had their tickets. As they catch their breathes, they both said no. So they boarded the train without the tickets and they ran the risk of paying €100 each if the conductor came looking for the tickets. (Luckily, he wasn’t checking that morning) When we arrived at Cork station,I explained to the people at the ticket booth what had happened and they just looked at me very confused and said leaving and hiding the tickets behind the extinguisher was stupid (When I think about it, yes it was but I had to do something quick in my defense). The staff at Cork station called the staff in Portlaoise about the tickets and kept it till my younger sister came in the evening train to Cork. No one had to pay any fine. So that’s story time over.

On our first day we didn’t really go anywhere. Instead we stayed at my second cousin’s house and bonded with our niece and nephew. It was on the second day we went sight seeing. There were a lot of places to visit in Cork and its surrounding area but because we were short on time we were only able to visit Charles Fort at Kinsale and the Blarney Castle.

Charles Fort

Charles Fort is a star fort located just about 30 minutes drive from Cork city, in the small town of Kinsale. The fee we paid to enter the grounds were I think €4 for adults. It’s a very popular tourist destination during the summer but because we went during winter the place wasn’t flooded with tourists. The place was once a military center built by the British on top of Kinsale harbour to resist attacks from invaders like the vikings. They also trained soldiers during world war one here. Since they burnt the place to the ground (I forgot the reason why, apologies!) it has been abandoned and has since changed it’s purpose to a tourist spot. It was quite gloomy when we went there (I really won’t recommend going winter!) To add to the gloominess, it kind of looked haunting and like a concentration camp because the buildings were in ruins. One thing that did catch my eye was the view of the Atlantic. It was quite obvious why they decided to build their camp here on top of the hill. One could easily fight off attacks because they “have the high ground” (Yeah, I just quoted Star Wars coz I’m a dork like that) 

Look at that. You can just see if a Viking ship was about to attack and by the time they reach the port they’ll be like “Nah bruh, we’ve to turn back. The Irish are on to us”
Gives you an eerie feeling right?


We spent about 30-40 mins around the ground because it was cold and the wind was hitting our faces. Also if you do come here to visit, don’t wear boots or heels or in my case heeled boots (I wanted to be photo ready) because the terrain was uneven and I tripped and fell. What made it worse I was wearing ripped jeans, so when I fell the rocks cut my knee. I was thankful that no one saw me fall because it was embarrassing but my older sister saw me unfortunately and started shouting “Oh she fell! MUM! LOOK!”. Talk about embarrassing right?  I just helped myself up and walked it off. 


Here you have the view of Kinsale town from the hill. During summer, the docks would be filled with tourist and there are a lot of pubs to visit.


Blarney Castle

The next place we visited was the acclaimed Blarney Castle which was 10 mins drive from Cork city. Having had visited castles and palaces in France ( ie. Versailles and Carcassonne) I had mixed feelings towards this Castle. Like I said, we didn’t pick the most sunny of days to visit so it was hard to appreciate it (Maybe during the summer or autumn it would’ve been better). The grounds were very pretty I must say. There was a small stream of water flowing beside the castle. The bare naked and leafless trees and chilly air gave a perfect mix for a winter walk. At the back of my head I was expecting it to be like the medieval towns I’ve seen in France or something like the castle in Killkenny but it wasn’t. It was a tall block and one side of it was covoured with a big white billboard because they were constructing something at that side. I honestly couldn’t compare this castle to the others I’ve been to. The only thing I could say about it was it reminded me of  House Frey’s castle from Game of Thrones, plain and cold.

Me and my younger sister, Dianne paid €11 because we were students (€13 for adults) but I still felt it wasn’t worth that much for a small castle. (I didn’t even have to pay anything in Carcassonne and it’s size was of a town). The dinning hall was tiny and the staircase was very narrow and steep. I couldn’t grasp the size of the rooms because they were no more than 10m². Again, I recommend to wear trainers or runners because climbing up the spiral staircase was very hard and long. We had to hold on to a rope that was dropped from the top, in the middle of the spiral just to help us from not falling. If you’re claustrophobic, it wouldn’t be the best place for you. When we reached the top of the castle we were very high up. The ramparts as well were tight so trying to walk ahead someone who was taking pictures wasn’t possible.

The only highlight I had with this castle was having the opportunity to kiss the Blarney stone. Legend has it that if you were to kiss it, you were granted with the gift of eloquence and persuasiveness. All I had to do was kiss the stone and.. poof.. great gaelic gods grant me the skill! Wrong. They left out the part that I had to dangle upside down the rampart walls and kiss the pavement from there. It was adrenaline rushing. I had to lean back upside down as far as I could to kiss the stone (For saftey. there were railing below the part I laid upside down and there was a man holding me for support). It didn’t occur to me to ask someone to take a picture of me doing it but there were staff that takes pictures for us and we collect it downstairs. Going down the stairs was easy as this time there were railings and not a rope. When me and my sister  tried collecting our pictures we were told to that we had to pay an extra €10 to print them and €18 if we wanted both. This really put me off because to me, it looked like I just paid €11 to kiss a stone and €10 for the picture. Its such rip off! I Just thought it wasn’t worth the money especially with the architecture of the castle. Still had fun dangling at the side of a castle though!

A perfect camouflage.


Food Time!

Of course, what is a holiday without a lot of eating right? After a long afternoon of walking and tripping on my muck filled suede boots, the family had dinner at an Italian restaurant called  La Dolce Vita. We hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast so everyone was starving and I didn’t hold back on my meal. Everyone ordered pizzas and pastas but me. Being away from home not being able to eat some Irish potatoes really gets to you so I had wedges and chicken fillet with bacon wrapped around.The white sauce was really good, I kinda regret not asking for more.

The following day was our last day in Cork so we just the day in the city centre, shopping and eating. (More on the eating part) We found Cork’s Christmas markets and we pretty much had our appetisers there.

My older sister has a weak spot for jellies and despite my efforts of telling her not to get them I ended up eating the bag with her…

Mini Doughnuts! How could you not say yes to them? Especially when they’re only €4

For lunch we went to Nando’s, which was right beside the Christmas markets. Ever heard of the phrase “Cheeky Nando’s”? Well it’s a term we use in Ireland when we’re off to eat some grilled peri-peri chicken at Nando’s (Don’t really know the definition but thats how I understand it anyway). The whole point why we went to the city was actually so we could bring my aunt and the others to Nando’s (A restaurant founded in Portugal) because it’s quite popular here in Ireland. (I think of it as the Portuguese version of  the Filipino restaurant Mang Inasal)

I didn’t eat a salad because I was on a diet but because this salad is sexy with some balsamic vinegar dressing! 

Tadah! The world-renowned Nandos’s chicken with accompanied some spicy fried rice. You really have to try it guys!

I think our walking around cancels out the food we ate during this weekend in Cork. Despite my bad luck, I had a great time admiring the countryside scenery and spending some quality time with the family. After all, Christmas is about the two F’s. Family and a taste of domestic food! Something I needed and been looking for since I moved to France for my 3rd year of college. Hope you’re enjoying the holidays with your family because nothing is more important than them!

Happy Holidays!

A bientôt, Dawn 
Follow me in Instagram @discoverdawn

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