I studied abroad in Moscow. Â And while I loved the experience, sometimes it got a little lonely.
I took a short trip to St. Petersburg which was amazing. Â But I was still feeling kind of lonely.
Then I came across a beautiful thing.
I turned a corner and there was an Irish bar in front of me… full of Americans. Â (How American, am I right?)
I entered and I was flanked by Yankees and Canucks alike.
The Irish Bar, called Shamrock, served hamburgers made with beef from the United States.
It ended up being about $30 for a hamburger, but it felt like home.
It was the first Irish pub I had been to, though, that served pelmeni.
After that, I discovered a website that lets you find an Irish pub pretty much anywhere.
And yes, I travel for the culture and for the food of where I’m going. Â But sometimes you just need a bit of home and familiarity.