I'm Ba-ack...:)

Guys! I've missed ya! I hope you all are still going to check up on me, everyone keeps lettin me know that i've let them down for not keeping up on this:) But I'm officially signed in and ready to go in my cute little apartment where I'll be for the next 5 weeks. It's great, I'm gonna take some pictures and show you all where I'm staying, not to mention post the incredible pictures I've taken thus far. My pictures amaze me, I'm not one to take good pictures but I don't know what's happened, being in another country makes me like this professional photographer or something, even the other students were tellin me. Oh and just to let you know, I do have an extra bed in my room, so if anyone wants to come visit me....That would be Brilliant...that's a word they always say here.





Now I'm gonna back track to fill ya in on my amazing Dublin experience. Last Thursday, being that I was so excited to meet everyone, fortunately I did get up early enough to make the really delicious breakfast at my hotel. Again, it was really cool just being there by myself, I mean I kinda felt like a dork at some points:) but all in all, it was awesome. My cab driver picked me up at my hotel and took me to the hotel where I was going to meet the program director and some of the other kids. Again, my cab driver was bad ass. This time it was an older Irish man who wasn't as flamboyant as the first gal...haha. He kept lookin at me in the rear view mirror and I was like what the heck is he staring at, then he says "I got it, I know who you are!" At first I was like, what the heck is he gonna say, it was just a weird way of putting it, then he continued with "you look like Mariah Carey!" haha, I said some people back home have told me that, and I'll take it as a compliment and started laughin, then he responded with "Oh no! I think she's a beautiful one." It was sweet, made me smile:) Then he asked me what classes I was takin and I told him Lit and Gaelic, once I said Gaelic, he practically cut me off and in the cutest Irish accent said "God Bless you soul child!" Again, didn't cease to make me smile.





Okay, I'm gonna try and run through this quickly and with not as much words as I would normally use to describe these amazing places I have visited in the amazing city that each and everyone of you NEED to visit, here it goes...





THURSDAY - Checked out the incredible Christ Church Cathedral, simply blew my mind away, it was stunning. Had lunch and got to talking to some people in the group, it was quite enjoyable. Then with more people arriving we continued to the Newman House, which was a very big and grandeur famously known house in the heart of Dublin. Afterwards a group of us went to the Hairy Lemon Cafe, kinda weird name I know, and hung out for the first time and got to know each other and little better. Some of the group continued checkin out some other pubs, but a few of us girls were so exhausted, we figured we'd catch up on some sleep...



FRIDAY - Woke up early again, started out at Trinity College and saw the incredible exhibit of the Book of Kells, amazing. Once we were done there we started a 1916 Walking Tour on the campus, which took us 3 hours. It was so neat and our tour guide was great! I'm got some footage of his crazy Irish accent, so i'll have to show you all later. Exhausted we continued onto the National Museum and mom if you're wondering where the heck all my money is going is because they keep takin us to these expensive museum cafes to have kinda weird and not so good lunches..haha. The museum was real neat though. After this museum a few of us girls, walked over to the National Gallery and looked at some amazing pieces of art. We then continued back to the hotel in utter exhaustion! Some of us took a little power nap, including myself and all met up later at the same Harry Lemon Cafe for some pub grub. After we met with the program director and proceeded to take a nice stroll through the heart of Dublin to the world renowned Abbey Theatre. Suprisingly we saw an American play, The Crucible. I've actually seen a production of that play already but nothing compared to what I saw this night. The performance was simply stunning, I've never been a crazy live theater fan, but the acting I witnessed was probably the best acting I'm ever gonna see, it actually put me to tears. The play itself is pretty intense but holy crap, didn't even think a play could move me as much as this. After it was over some people went out, but at this point I was still feelin the jet lag so I decided to get some sleep.



SATURDAY - Another early morning, followed by a not so good bus ride to the Powerscourt House and Gardens. Haha, reminded me of driven up to Sac Town and gettin car sick...:) This place was incredible. The pictures I took left me speechless, and the gardens, oh my the gardens, just beautiful! Once we were done here, we ate some more expensive food and travelled to Glenalough. The drive to Glendalough was gorgeous, it was the first time I was able to see the countryside of Ireland, which was breathtaking. Glenalough is the old Monastary that St. Kevin help start. The ruins of the churches, towers and graveyards were like nothing I've ever seen. It was awesome. We then travelled through more of the Irish countryside even stopping where Braveheart was filmed, and that was so cool!! Dad, I have some video footage that I think you'll enjoy:) We got back into town and again caught up on some naps. We all decided to check out the Temple Bar district for an official night out on the town. You'd be surprised at how many foreigners are in Dublin. Us girls were being hit on by some way too drunk Norway kids and I guess we were so stand-offish, I heard one say "to hell with you damn yanks" in a drunken stamper, haha, it was funny. Nonetheless, the guinness was great and the first night out as a group was a safe and fun trip:)



SUNDAY - Surprise surprise, another unfortunate early morning:) We got on another stinkin bus that I had to sit in the front on to help with the car sickness....hahahahha. We drove for an hour or so and stopped at the Strokehouse, another wealthy Landlord home, during the time of the famine and had a chance to also see the small, but very interesting Famine Museum. This place was unlike the past museums we'd seen because in the tour of the house, we were actually able to touch and examine all the old and historic pieces that dated back as early as the late 1700s. It was neat. We had one more expensive meal and headed on to Galway. The countryside, again, was stunning. We arrived in Galway at about 5pm and were settled and ready to take our first walk into town by 7pm. I had the best fish 'n chips i've ever had at this cool place called McDonoughs, and this time around there was salt and vinegar on my "chips" Aunt Linda! The dorms here are a bit nicer then the ones we stayed in Dublin, which is good cause this will be my home for the next 4 and a half weeks.



Yesterday we had our orientation and checked out the campus at NUI, which is beautiful, and had a day to ourselves.



Today was the first day of official classes. I have Gaelic class Tuesday through Thursday from 12 - 130, and Tuesday and Thursday from 2-430 is my Irish Litertature class. So now you all know my schedule in case you wanna visit me:) The Gaelic class was really cool and I think it's gonna be a bit more tough then I imagined. I was participating in the Lit class like crazy today, which is a good start and I can't wait for that class to really get goin:) I think tonight we may be goin out for one of the students birthdays which will be fun.



....we just got the interenet connected yesterday so sorry it's taken so long to get this thing going. Hopefully now, I'll be able to get back to the daily blogs.

Everyone here is great and I've made some amazing friends that I can't wait to tell you all about.

Don't worry Jenn. I already know all your sizes:) and thank you for the nice e-mail. I'll be sure to the Banger and mashed potatoes for Unlce Jer, Aunt Leanne:)

I can't tell you had thrilled I was to hear how much you enjoyed this blog Dad, thanks:) I hope you all are enjoying it and continue to keep reading it. I love you guys and miss you dearly!

Dia duid! - - - pronounced Dee-ah Grite, with a rolling of the "r" like in french, weird huh? means be with God which is a form of a hello in Gaelic...there'll be more of Gaelic to come...:)