HOME (Day #35)

So Long (Day #34)

Today was our last day in Ireland, I'm super happy and a little sad. We have had a great time here, met some cool people, experienced many new things and seen a ton of awesome things. However, I am ready to be home. No matter where you are and how much fun you are having, home is home. We spent our last day just relaxing and packing. We met a professor from Saginaw for lunch today, him and his girlfriend arrived today and are staying 10 days. But the rest of the day was pretty chill. Derek went out and bought us both a gift. The family was so nice, we couldn't have asked for a better one. If all goes as planned we will be home in about 24 hours. I can't wait to see Lauren and my family. This is the longest me and Lauren have ever been apart, even longer than when she lived in South Carolina. I wouldn't say this experience changed my life, but it definitely made me appreciate a lot of things that I took for granted. See you soon!!!

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Schools Out (Day #33)

Today was our last day of school. It wasn't the best day weather wise, rain and a little chilly, but it was good because it was the last day of class. In film we watched film reviews, then on our break we printed off our papers. AHA bought everyone pizza for lunch, and even though we only got 2 pieces it was good. In mythology we just talked and had a quiz, a pretty laid back class. Then we came home and chilled until dinner. For dinner we had mashed potatoes, chicken pot pie, and veggies. Then we got around and met the whole group and teachers in Dun Laoghaire at a pub. It was really fun, it was nice to see everyone before we leave. Tomorrow is our last day here, which is good and bad. I really enjoyed my time here and it went by super fast, but I am ready to come home. I really miss my family and especially Lauren because I haven't seen her in 10 weeks. Can't wait. See you soon!!!

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh 

Hump Day (Day #32)

Wednesdays are always good days because they are the hump days, but also because we go on excursions. Our first stop today was to Kilmainham Jail. It is a really old jail that was restored and is now a huge part of Irish history. The jail was originally used for criminals from Dublin, but shut down following the famine. It then reopened and acted solely as a political jail. It is most famous for the executions of 14 Irish men following Easter Rising. it also is the most filmed location in Ireland. After our tour we went back into Dublin and ate our lunch at Trinity College on the grass. It was a beautiful day here, we have been so fortunate this whole trip with great weather. We had a little time before we met the group so we finished off our souvenir shopping. Then we went to the Jameson Whiskey distillery. It was cool, except they now make the whiskey in Cork in southern Ireland so all the equipment was a small scale replica of what it would look like. At the end of the tour we got to chose a straight shot of jameson, or a couple choices of mixed drinks. I took the strait shot, I've been told it puts hair on your chest. Then we came home in time for dinner, pizza and fries, a good ol' American dinner. Since dinner we have been working on our papers and now we are pretty much done. Tomorrow is our last day of class which is super exciting. That only means one other thing, we are almost done here. Peace Beotches. 

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh 

Ahhh (Day #31)

It was another really nice day here today, the sun was shining and it was about 70 degrees. We woke up and had breakfast and went to class. In film we watched a movie called "The Commitments" about a band in inner city Dublin and the struggle to become something. For break we went to the library and chilled and had lunch. In mythology we talked about a story and watched a movie. The majority was really boring, but some of the parts about giants were interesting. After class we came home and continued to work on our papers. Almost half way done, I'm hoping by tonight I am done so I can edit and all that good stuff tomorrow. We are relaxing out in the back yard right now, I felt like getting some fresh air and being outside. Tomorrow is our last excursion, kind of bittersweet. We are seeing some new things though so it will be interesting. We will be home in 4 days, can't wait.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh 

Papers (Day #30)

Today was a typical Monday. Monday's are always slow, getting back into the swing of school from a long weekend. We woke up this morning and had some waffles for breakfast and went to school. We watched a really good movie in film today called "Once." On our break we went to the library, printed off our papers for tomorrow after some struggles with the library network, and then ate lunch. In mythology we had a little discussion on our stories and watched a movie on the burning of Bridget Cleary. After that we came home and started yet another paper, this one for Thursday. For dinner we had pasta with bacon, sausage, cheese and sauce. After dinner I started researching form my paper and now I just woke up from a nap. I plan on relaxing the rest of the night, maybe watching a movie and trying to get some of the paper done too so I can enjoy my last couple days here. 5 more days, see you soon!

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Cold (Day #29)

Today has been a pretty long and boring day. We slept in until about 10:30, had some waffles for breakfast, and then went to Dun Laoghaire. We walked down the coast and found a little festival going on, it was kind of like Art in the Park. There was a bunch of different food vendors from all over the world there. Then we ate lunch and walked back down to the bus stop. Before we came home we got some break, lunch meat, cookies and pop for our lunches this week. We got back pretty early so we watched Thor to kill some time. For dinner we had turkey, potatoes, veggies and a stuffing pie. For desert we had pudding/whipped cream/jello stuff, it was really good. Now we are trying to get our papers done for tomorrow. I am pretty much done so I am just laying in bed until I want to make some hot chocolate. I am getting a cold, but hopefully it goes away soon. Me and Jess both decided today that we are both ready to come home. Luckily we only have Monday-Friday left and we will be home Saturday night. I can't wait. See everyone soon!

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh 

Very Excite (Days 27 & 28)

Friday July 22nd

Wow, can you say long day? We got up at 6:30 and had some breakfast before going into Dublin for our tour. The day started off on the wrong foot because our coach to Cork had a dead battery. We waited half an hour then switched buses. The bus ride was 4 hours to Cork. When we got there our tour guide was waiting for us. He had already dropped the group off at The Blarney Castle, so it was just us two. We went to the Castle and had about an hour and 20 minutes to kiss The Blarney Stone and walk the grounds. It was a really beautiful castle and grounds and I wish we had about 2 more hours to walk around the grounds and relax because there were walks that you could take, but they would have taken too much time. We left there and drove 40 more minutes to a little port town famous for its gourmet food. Me and Jess had already eaten our sandwiches on the bus so we just grabbed a coke and sat down in the park and talked. After about an hour we left again and went back into Cork. The air coach did not leave back for Dublin until 7:00 so we had about an hour to walk Cork. We went shopping of course, and I gave in and bought something that I have wanted since the first couple days here. Then we took the 4 hour bus ride back to Dublin and from Dublin the public bus back home. We got here around 11:45. I figure we were on the bus for around 10 hours yesterday and off the bus for maybe 5, long day. Derek was waiting up for us still when we got home, it was really nice. He said that Eavan had been worrying about us getting home safe since 8:00, I think he is starting to like us a lot. Derek put in a pizza for both of us then went to bed. We ate and passed out almost immediately. 

Saturday July 23rd

Today was a wonderful day. We slept in until about 10, ate some breakfast and then went out for a hike. We went to Kilarney Hill and hiked for a couple of hours. When we got to the top to eat our lunch we sat down to look at the water and we got to watch some dolphins for a while, it was really cool. After we were done hiking we walked down the backside of the hill and got to the beach. We walked along the beach for a bit, we even got daring and put our feet in the water, which was ice cold. When we got off the beach we sat down to eat some chips and then we laid out in the sun for about half an hour. We got on the train and headed back home after that. On our way home we heard a little girl and her grandpa talking about babies and she said, "if there were not babies there would be no people. Without people there would be no cities. With no cities there would be no world. With no world there wouldn't be God. And without God there would be no Santa." It was hilarious. When we got home we sat in my room and I took a little nap. We had breakfast for dinner. Now we are going to relax and watch some movies, maybe try to get our papers done. A week from now we will almost be home. I am super glad that we came, but I think I am all Ireland-ed out. See everyone in a week.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

RAIN (Day #26)

Today the crappy weather continued again, it was really chilly and rained hard all day. Me and Jess ate some breakfast and went to film class. The library was closed today so we came back home for our break. We had lunch here and then I curled up in my bed and took a nap until my second class. After class we came home and attempted to continue writing our papers, however were unsuccessful thanks to facebook and the internet. Today was our first dinner cooked by the grandma, and it too was good. Chicken curry over white rice. After dinner me and Jess started watching Transformers 3, but we have to get up early in the morning so we decided to postpone the second half to another night. Tomorrow will be a long day on our trip to The Blarney Castle, but it should be fun. Hopefully the weather is nice so we can enjoy our last weekend here. I'm counting down the days until I see everyone again!

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Bon Voyage (Day #25)

The weather changed a little bit today, it was a little warmer and the sun was actually out. Me and Jess woke up and had pancakes for breakfast. We met in Dun Laoghaire at 9:00 to hop on a coach bus for our group trip today. We went to an area called Boyne Valley. We first stopped at Trim Castle. It is the biggest Norman castle in all of Ireland. It is mostly still in tact and it was really cool compared to some other castles we have seen. Then we ate lunch and headed to our next location. Our second stop was to a place called Knowth. It was a series of old burial mounds. From the top of the biggest mound we could see the more famous,  Newgrange, but that tour is booked out for over 2 years already. We headed back home after that and when we got home dinner was ready. We had potatoes, chicken with broccoli and sauce in it, and veggies. After dinner we had an ice cream cone and talked to Derek and Angela about the similarities and differences about here and at home. I'm glad that we got to talk for a while because Angela is leaving in the morning. Me and Jess bought them a thank you card for everything they have done and she was really thankful for that. She told us how happy she was that they got us this summer, and that we were so awesome and she wouldn't have wanted anyone else. She also told us if we are ever back in Ireland, even if it is years from now, to stop by, we are always welcome. I'm glad that we got placed here too, they are awesome and they have made our experience better by making us super comfortable in their house and country. Now it is time to relax, today was a long day. Tomorrow we have another day of class and on Friday a trip to Southern Ireland so we need some good sleep. 

 

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Stuck in Colder Weather (Day #24)

The cold weather continued here today. At least it wasn't raining so that is a plus.We got up and had some waffles for breakfast and went to school. In our film class we took some notes and watched a bunch of film clips. On break we studied for our quiz and ate lunch. In mythology we took some notes, took a quiz, and discussed some stories. After school me and Jess went into Dun Laoghaire and did some shopping. I bought a tee shirt for 3 euro. Then we stopped at the grocery store and got some chips and cookies to go along with our lunch tomorrow. We got back in time for dinner (Chicken curry over white rice). It was really good and I got the recipe from Angela so I can make it at home. Now we are just surfing the web, kind of bored. We have a trip tomorrow so the day should be a little more exciting. Enjoy the heat back home!

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Ballin' (Day #23)

Today was another windy and chilly day here. We woke up and had waffles for breakfast and went to school. In film we watch a movie, it was about a hit man that was trying to get over shooting a child. It was pretty graphic. On break I worked on my paper and had my sandwich and chips for lunch. In mythology class we took notes and discussed some stories. After school we came home and relaxed. Jess fell asleep in my room and I played an iPod game until dinner. For dinner we had pasta with chili on top. After dinner we went to Aoife's basketball game vs the spanish. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Aoife and Angela are leaving on Thursday to go to Boston to play in a basketball tournament and visit the states for two weeks. I think that they will get beat pretty badly in the US, but it will be a good experience. Watching the game made me miss playing but I will be back soon enough. Now we are back in our rooms and chillin for the night. The weather is supposed to get better near the end of the week so that is good for our last weekend here. Goodnight Neverland!


Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Malahide (Day #22)

It was a chilly and rainy day here in Ireland today. We slept in until about 10:00 and had some breakfast and got on the train to go to Malahide. We kind of just picked a stop about an hour away on the train yesterday and said, let's go here, so we did. It was a really pretty little town. It was right on the coast and it actually had some sandy beaches. It would have been really nice except is was only about 55 degrees and rainy. We walked the beach and had a rock skipping contest, I lost. Then we ate lunch while watched two couples play tennis. We were pretty cold so we came back home for the day. After we got home I took a little nap and did some reading. I had the urge to shave my beard so I did that as well and I already miss it, I look like a child, but it will return soon. For dinner we had beef, two kinds of potatoes, turnips, beans, and carrots. We relaxed for a bit then watched the women's World Cup with the family. It was a really good game, the US had chances to win and actually should have won, but the Japanese came back and won in a shoot out 3-1. USA is still #1 in my heart. I usually think soccer is rather boring, but I have to say that was a very exciting game to watch. Now it is time to relax before bed. The week days usually go by super fast and I'm just thinking that before I know it will be next Sunday. Hope everything is going good back at home.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Time Flies (Days #20 & 21)

Friday July 15th
We got to sleep in on Friday which was definitely needed. We got up and had some toast for breakfast and went into Dublin to the Natural History Museum. It wasn't all that I expected it to be, it did have some cool things and cool taxidermy animals, but not that great. After leaving there me and Jess went on a walk through Dublin to see some of the parts that we hadn't seen yet. it started to rain so we grabbed a sub and chips for lunch and hopped on the bus to come home. When we got back we stopped at Super Valu and picked up some lunch meat, cheese, peanut butter & jelly, and bread for our lunched this week. We got home around 3:00 so we both took naps until around dinner time. For dinner we had pizza and a salad. After dinner we went into Dun Laoghaire to walk around. We walked along the coast and the water was calm and beautiful. We even got to see a sea lion in the water. We got some ice cream and walked through a park before we walk the coast back. After we got home we relaxed and started some homework for next week.

Saturday July 16th
Today we got up at 6:30 because we had to get into Dublin by 8:00 for our tour. We went on a tour to Grendalough and Killkenny. At the first stop we saw a little abbey and graveyard and then we walked back into the woods about a mile and saw two famous Irish lakes. Our next stop was to a huge rock that was a burial chamber. It was the biggest rock in Ireland, it is estimated that it weighs over 150 tons. Another cool thing about it was the area had not been excavated to tell if the chamber was used for a king, night, saint and so on. Our last stop was to the city of Killkenney. Me and Jess ate our sandwiches and chips and went into the shopping centers for a bit. I got a couple new pairs of shorts for 3 euro each. After that we walked a nature trail back into the woods and when we got back it was time to leave. We just got home about an hour ago. For dinner we had breakfast (sausage links, patties, eggs, potatoes and fried onions) Now we are relaxing for the night because we are both tired. I am getting a bit sad, but at the same time really excited. We have less than 2 weeks and we will be back home. I will miss it here but I will definitely be happy to be home.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Play (Day #19)

Today felt like a busy day, but looking back it wasn't really that busy. We woke up and had toast for breakfast and went to class. I did my film review today and it was pretty easy. I am pretty comfortable talking in front of groups so it went well. We went to the library for our break and for lunch we had some chips and a sandwich. In mythology class we had a quiz, which I did much better on than last time, and then we watched a movie (I might have fallen asleep though) After class we came home and relaxed before dinner. We had twisty noodles with sausage and bacon with a spaghetti sauce on top. The second we were done with dinner we had to run to catch the bus into Dublin for a play at the Abbey Theater. The play was called Translations. It was a little hard to follow the story line, so I though it was a little boring, but that's just me. Afterwards me and Jess went to a pub and got a drink and listened to some live music, then headed home. Now we are just chillin in our rooms. Tomorrow we can sleep in and then we are going to the Natural History Museum so it should be a fun day. Stay classy L Wood.


Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

A Stroll In The Park (Day #18)

Today was a lovely day in Ireland. We woke up and had some pancakes and waffles for breakfast and hopped on the bus into Dublin for our excursions. We first visited Glasnevin Cemetery, the biggest cemetery in Ireland. There are over 1.5 million people buried in the cemetery, and over 800,000 more had been buried there during the famine with no headstones for identification. We saw some extravagant headstones and memorials of famous historical figures while we were there. We also got to go underground and see some tombs and private vaults for people who have the big bucks. The saddest part of the tour was when we visited the Garden of Angels. It was where over 9,000 babies had been buried.

After the cemetery me and Jess went back into Dublin and had a sub and chips for lunch. We still had about and hour and a half after lunch so we went into Trinity College on the lawn and we both fell asleep in the sun. Then the group went to Dublin Castle. The majority of it had been destroyed in a fire when the gun powder tower blew up. It was rebuilt to be more of like a Palace. It is currently used for banquets and important ceremonies like the inauguration of the Irish President. The dining hall has hosted many political figures from around the world in the past year.

We got home and relaxed for about an hour before dinner. For dinner we had white rice with sweet and sour chicken on top, it was Yummy. After dinner Angela and Derek took me and Jess to the Killarney Hill. We walked the nature trail for about an hour. It was really pretty and we saw some gorgeous views of Dublin and the sea. Then we drove along the coast and saw the "Beverly Hills" of Ireland. We got to see some of the members of U2's houses. It was a really pretty area. Now we are relaxing and studying for our quiz tomorrow. It was a long day today and we are both pretty tired. Tomorrow is another full day of activities so we need our rest. Cheers!

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Papers...Ahhh (Day #17)

As predicted, today was another slow and uninteresting day. We woke up and ate some toast for breakfast and went to class. In film we watched some clips of movies and took some notes on them. In between classes we worked on our papers and ate lunch. In mythology class I'm pretty sure we talked about King Arthur, but I'm not 100% sure. I feel like everyone in that class speaks another language and I don't understand much. After class we walked down to a Super Valu to get some Coke. We found a good 2 liter deal, 2 for 3 euro. We also found a party pack of the chips we eat for lunch. We usually pay .80 euro cent for a bag and a whole pack of 15 was only 3 euro from the store. For those mathematically challenged, that means we cut down on our lunch costs.

For dinner we had chicken, vegies, and potatoes. It was a good dinner, but it made me sleepy. Considering I have a paper to write that isn't the best thing, but I am staying awake so far. As soon as we get our nightly hot chocolate and cookies I will wake right up again. :) Tomorrow we have our 3rd Wednesday excursion. It should be a fun day filled with some cool historical sights. I will tell everyone all about it tomorrow night. Goodnight.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Numero Tres (Day #16)

Today was the start of our third week here in Ireland. It is crazy to think that by tomorrow night we are half way done here. I am starting to miss home a little bit more each and every day. I feel like I am sort of on vacation here. I really like it, but home is always home and I'm sure everyone can relate to that one way or another. Today we woke up and had pancakes for breakfast and headed off to class. In film we watched a newer Irish movie called Breakfast in Pluto. It was a very weird movie about a cross dresser. We relaxed in the library on our break and for lunch had a sandwich and chips. In our mythology class we took notes the whole time. It was pretty boring and I let Jess do the note taking on her computer while I doodled. After class we came home and watched my movie for film class, my movie review is due Thursday. Today was Cain's 15th birthday and he wanted pizza for dinner so we ate Dominoes. It was good to have pizza, reminded me of home. After dinner we had birthday cake and me and Jess just browsed around on Facebook until now, which is bed time. Tomorrow will probably be another boring day. Breakfast, class, lunch, class, home, dinner, and bed. But having a routine is also a good thing, it makes time go by a bit faster. Well that is all for now, I will be back tomorrow.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Long Weekend (Day #15)

This morning me and Jess got up and went to the Leprechaun Museum in Dublin. We were expecting a little bit more than what it actually was, but oh well. After that we ate some BK for lunch and did a little bit of shopping. We also did some walking around Dublin to see some of the statues and cool buildings that we haven't seen yet. After shopping we came home and had dinner, which once again was very yummy. Beef, 2 types of potatoes, vegetables, and rolls. For the rest of the night we just relaxed and I started one of my papers that is due on Thursday. This weekend was a long weekend and I am pretty tired. Hopefully tonight I will get a good nights sleep and reboot for this upcoming week. Hope everything is going great back home.

 Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Premiere (Day #14)

Me and Jess finally got to sleep in this morning, and it was awesome. We got up around 9:00, had breakfast and headed to the Dublin Zoo. The zoo was a lot of fun, we saw some cool animals and it was a nice day to be out in the sun. My favorite animal was the tiger, but of coarse it was sleeping all day. We got to watch the feeding of the elephants and sea lions and that was probably the coolest part of the day at the zoo. The trainers threw apples to the elephants and they even got into the water to get some of them. After the zoo we walked around in Phoenix Park for about an hour. It was really pretty.

On our way back from the zoo we got into down town Dublin and saw a big crowd of people in front of a movie theatre. We saw the big Harry Potter banner and the theatre screen said, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Ireland Premiere. We decided to hop off the bus and take a look. We are so lucky we decided to stop because we got to see 4 of the Harry Potter stars. Luna Lovegood, Bill Weasley, Fred Weasley and George Weasley. Me and Jess got super close, it was so awesome. It was seriously amazing. Even though I have seen many beautiful sights and amazing places here so far, this was definitely my favorite experience.

Now we are back at home, we ate dinner (eggs, sausage, toast,beans and bacon) and are relaxing the rest of the night. We have another long day planned for tomorrow. The Leprechaun Museum and some shopping in Dublin and a sail boat race and festival in the evening in Dun Laoghaire. Thanks for tuning in!

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Ninja Fall (Day #13)

What a long day it was today. We woke up at 5:30 so we could catch the first bus into Dublin at 6:00 because our tour left at 6:45. Our tour guide was awesome. He kept saying, "Make sure you take a sleep this morning, it is going to be a long day. Because it's rude to go to sleep before guests, I'll wait until you take a sleep to take my sleep. Just wake me up when we get there." Me and Jess definitely listened to his suggestion and we both passed out. We stopped about an hour into the tour for a bathroom break and a coffee or hot chocolate. Then we drove another 2 hours and stopped at a beach in a little town to see the Atlantic Ocean. After that we drove a bit farther to a castle for a quick bathroom break and a stretch of the legs.

We finally arrived at the Cliffs of Moher around 12:30. They were spectacular. We lucked out because it seemed like every time we stopped to see something it stopped raining and the sun came out. Our guide told us to stay in the designated areas because the winds blow so strong there that people have been blown off the cliffs and fallen 800 ft to the ocean. We decided we wanted to live some more, so we agreed to stay in the safe areas. The cliffs were beautiful, it is almost impossible to put into words what they were like. It was also cool because many famous films had been shot there, my favorite being HP6. We had 1 hour to walk around and do what we wanted before we had to be back on the bus.

We left the cliffs and went into a small town for lunch. Jess had a piece of pizza and I had a cheese, tomato, and country relish sub. It sounds weird, but it was really good. On the way home we drove along the shoreline and stopped off once to see some very cool rock formations right on the ocean. The last stop of the day was an old Abbey. It was a cool thing to see, we even found an old gravestone with the last name Farrell on it. We got back on the bus and headed back into Dublin. We got back to Dublin around 8:00. By the time we got a bus from Dublin back into Dun Laoghaire it was 9:00. I pushed the stop button on the bus so we could get off at our stop. We started walking down the stairs and the crazy ass bus driver slammed on his breaks instead of slowly stopping. Jess was down in her athletic stance holding on but I started running down the stairs and almost fell on my face. Not cool! Jess thought I did it on purpose and when I told her it wasn't on purpose she couldn't stop laughing and she called it a ninja fall because I jumped the last 2 stairs to prevent disaster. It was funny, but not funny. Angela had made us some pizza for dinner when we got home, thank goodness, me and Jess were starving. So now we are heading to bed, we have another long day tomorrow, we are going to the zoo. It should be another exciting day. I will tell you all about it tomorrow!

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Double Dessert (Day #12)

Today we woke up and had some waffles and orange juice for breakfast. We left the house a little early for class because Jess had to print out a paper for film. In film, seven students presented their film reviews, so we watched a bunch of movie clips. Jess was the last one to go today and she did really well. For lunch we mixed things up a bit, we split a beef burrito and a bag of chips. It was very good. In English class we had a quiz and I think it's safe to say I did super on it. Super bad, that is. Anyways, after that me and Jess had to lead a discussion on the stories we read and ask some questions about them. It went pretty well as far as I could tell.

We came home after school and watched an Irish movie that was suggested by our host family called "The Wind that Shakes the Barley" with Cillian Murphy from "Inception". It was a really good, but sad movie. It was about the battle in Ireland to remove British rule on the country. Derek gave me a nice cold Irish cider to drink during it and then Angela brought me and Jess ice cream and strawberries about half way though. After that I skyped with Laur and my mom and Angela brought us hot chocolate and cookies, so we got double dessert tonight. YES! We are so spoiled here. We are getting to bed early tonight though because we have to wake up at 5:30 to catch a bus into Dublin for our tour to the west to see The Cliffs of Moher. It should be an awesome day and I will tell everyone about it tomorrow night. But for now, goodnight.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Croke Park (Day #11)

Today went by rather fast. This morning we got up and ate some toast for breakfast before hopping on the 46a (bus) into Dublin. We met our group at Trinity College and headed to the Leinster House, the parliament building here in Ireland. We got to sit in on a debate and see the prime minister for a couple minutes and then we had a tour of the building. Afterwards we had about 2 hours of free time for shopping and lunch. Me and Jess decided to go to McDonald's for lunch. It was nothing like the McDonald's we have at home, but at least we know now. We did a little souvenir shopping and then met for our next tour.

We took a short bus ride and arrived at the GAA Museum/Croke Park. Croke Park is the stadium where Galeic Football and Hurling are played. The cool thing about both sports is that all of the players are amateurs. Each player has a job outside of the sport. Games are played on Sundays so that no player has to miss work during the week. Croke Park is the largest amateur sport stadium in the world and the 3rd largest stadium in all of Europe. The tour was pretty cool, it was nothing spectacular because I am used to seeing and going to big stadiums back at home. After the tour we were free to wonder around the Museum, but me and Jess went through quickly and left. On our way home it started raining and for the first time we actually needed our rain coats and did get pretty wet.

For dinner we had stew. Meat, potatoes and carrots with seasoned broth poured over it. Now we are trying to finish our reading and questions for tomorrow because we have to lead a group discussion in English class. Tomorrow is our last day of school for the week. We have a full weekend ahead of us too, so hopefully there will be lots of exciting things to read about the next few days. Talk to everyone tomorrow.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Rounders (Day #10)

Today was a little more exciting than yesterday thank goodness. We woke up and had some breakfast and headed to school for the day. We watched a bunch of short film clips in film class and talked about the 1990's Irish films. For lunch we split a chicken sandwich and some salt and vinegar chips. Then we went to English class and talked about a bunch of stories that I had no idea about, fun stuff. After class Jess wanted to walk down to this shop that she saw called Farrell's so we did that. The only bad thing was that it was a Realtor company and not a shop, good eyes Jess. We came back home and relaxed until dinner. For dinner we had fish, beans and fries. Our whole group then met at a park about a 10 minute walk away to play rounders, or as we call it baseball. Only they play with a tennis ball and a flat bat. On the way there we decided to take a picture by our college sign to show everyone where we are taking classes.

Rounders was fun for about 1 minute until me and Jess realized just how nonathletic the people in our group are. It was simply amazing, I can't even explain. But we decided to sneak aside and just play catch and kick the soccer ball around. It was nice to go outside in the nice weather and  relax. Angela, out host mom, says we are so lucky because the weather has been beautiful since we have gotten here. I think she thinks we are good luck. But now we are relaxing for the night, we have our second Wednesday excursion tomorrow so we are both excited. We are going to the GAA Museum. It's not exactly a museum but I won't spoil it for tomorrows post. Hope everyone is enjoying Michigan, we will be back before you know it.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Here Comes the Rain (Day #9)

Today was a calm day. I am bummed out I was not home for the festivities of the 4th of July, but I guess being in Ireland is a good alternative. Me and Jess woke up and had some waffles for breakfast and went off to class. In our film class we watched a movie and in our English class we discussed the mythology stories we have been reading. After class we went into Dublin and booked a tour for Saturday, the 16th of July. We got back just in time for dinner, white rice with homemade chili on top. It was very good. Me and Jess have quite a lot of homework this week, so tonight is designated to start that, relax, and talk to friends and family. It looks like rain is coming this way tonight, and might possibly stay all week. We might finally experience some regular Irish weather.

Since nothing today was to exciting to read about, I have decided to make a list of things I am, and am not missing back in the U.S.A. and things I do, and do not like here in Ireland.

Missing                                                            Not Missing

• Pizza                                                        Fast pace of life
• My hot tub and pool                                 Fast food
• A warm/sunny summer                           
• Friends & Family
• Lauren <3
• My large bed
• Playing basketball
• Country life
• My cell phone
• Swamp People
• ESPN
• Call of Duty

Like                                                                 Do Not Like

• EVERYONE is friendly                            Buses
• Food                                                       Everything is expensive
• Weather                                                  I'm going to school
• Tons of things to do

I am sure there are more things I will think of as we go. I will add to them to the list as our time here goes on. However, for now, that is it.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh

Weekend in Paradise (Days #6,7 & 8)

Friday July 1st
On Friday we got up early in the morning and started our weekend trip to Donegal and Glen Colmcille. The bus ride was beginning to get long and annoying just around the time we reached our first stop in Northern Ireland. We stopped at the Enniskillen Castle in Donegal. Angela packed us a gigantic lunch and everyone was jealous of it. The castle was a little smaller than what I expected a castle to be, but it was a start. We had a history lesson and tour of the castle. After that we continued our trip to the northern tip of Ireland. We stopped once more to get snacks, also to get money because the town we were traveling to was a remote town and our 38 person group almost outnumbered the whole town. We went through the mountains and I finally felt like I was truly in Ireland. We arrived at our destination after a day of traveling, and it was gorgeous. Me and Jess got to stay above a pub, so that was very cool. The rest of the night we relaxed and got ready for a full day on Saturday.

Saturday July 2nd
Saturday we had a traditional Irish breakfast for the first time. sausage, eggs, toast, bacon and tea. Our AHA adviser Dave made sure there wasn't anything too extreme at our first breakfast. After breakfast we chose either music lessons of Galeic games lessons. Me and Jess chose the games and it turned out to be a good choice. The Galeic football coach of the country came out and taught us a bit about the game. We did some drills and played a little 30 minute game. The game nothing like anything I have ever played. The goal counted as 3 points and if you kicked it though the uprights is was 1. You could only take 4 steps and you had to kick it up to yourself or pass it, but you could only hit it to pass, not throw it. It was cool. Because there was so many people from Michigan we played Michigan vs the rest of the country. of coarse we won, something like 10 to 4.

After the games we ate lunch and wen on a hike through the mountains. It was absolutely gorgeous. I decided to venture off kind of on my own and explore and I'm so glad I did. I found some awesome views of the town and some cliffs, I even found a couple of waterfalls. At times I just sat up on a rock and enjoyed the beautiful views for 5 or 10 minutes in peace and quiet. I think that it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Me and 3 other people decided to take the rustic and more dangerous way down the mountain rather than the path. When we got to the bottom the others continued on the road and I cut through a wide river so i didn't have to walk way around. I figured I was in Ireland and I would never get the chance again, so what the hay! It was super cold but it was fun. We ate lunch at a local museum while listening to live traditional Irish music. Even though me and Jess were exhausted we decided to walk down to a beach for the sunset, and I was so glad. It was one of the prettiest sunsets I have ever seen. After that i had had enough and did some reading of Harry Potter before bed. :)

Sunday July 3rd
Sunday was definitely a day to recuperate. We started back to Dublin at 10:30 from Glen Colmcille. The bus ride seemed like it was forever long, but we finally got back. We had a big dinner which was for sure needed. Two different kinds of potatoes, green beans, and meat, I believe lamb. Now it is time to relax and put up all my pictures and talk to my lady finally. Today marks the one week mark and I cannot believe it. Before we know it we will be back in America. Hope everyone is having a great summer back home.

Go dtí Am Ar Aghaidh