Week One

So where do I even begin. I left on Wednesday September 9, 2009. The flight over went well until I got to Boston, where they had lost my flight information and then had to wait there for a good hour before they could reissue me another ticket. We reached the Shannon airport at 5:30 am on Thursday Spetember 10th Irish time and waited until 12:30 for everyone to get to the airport and finally get on our bus to The Park Lodge Hotel. Once we got there, we had a little time to unpack before dinner! By this time we were all exhausted from the days of traveling but decided to head into Spiddal and check out the pubs! We went to two pubs and my first drink in Ireland was of course Guinness. A few of us went to another pub and met some Irish guys who informed about some of the lingo we need to know! Since we were tired and had to be up in the morning we headed home around 11:30.



September 11, 2009

The next day we went to a town called Salthill for a bit and got to go in the ocean! Then we headed to Galway to explore. While there we just checked out a few shops and had some lunch at a place called Mr. Waffle and had a club crepe. We stopped by the gas station on our way home for some food to last us over the next couple of days and then had to walk a half hour home with our stuff in our backpacks. That night after our spaghetti dinner we walked to the ocean across the street as a group and had a toast and Megan(a girl on my trip) read us an Irish poem. After that we mostly just hung out at the Lodge and a few us went to the pub in the Hotel.



September 12, 2009

Saturday morning we got on the bus and headed for the Aran Islands! We took a ferry there and from there we had the day to ourselves. A group of us decided to rent bikes and head up to Dun Aengus! We had a little trouble finding it at first and went a couple of miles in the wrong direction, but the island was beautiful and the weather was amazing so we didn't really mind. We also found Gaelic football tournament going on so we watched that for a bit and before they started the game, the had a guy lead the team onto the field playing bagpipes. Once we found the right way, we reached the top which had the most incredible view of cliffs over the Atlantic! Once we reached the Lodge we relaxed, made dinner, and it was some one's 21st birthday, so most of us went into Spiddal for a bit but decided that we just wanted to go back kinda early. There was also a wedding going on at the Lodge that some of the group had gone to earlier, so a few more of us decided to join! The wedding was really fun and the Irish definitely know how to have a wedding!



September 13, 2009

Sunday morning we had the morning off, which was very nice and had to be back on the bus by 1:30 to head to Coole park. We met our Lit Prof there and saw William Yeat's house and also the park where he would write his poetry. It was beautiful, like the rest of Ireland. After that we headed to the grocery store finally, which was very chaotic because it was small and they did not accept cards of any kind, but we made it out of there and headed back to the Lodge to make dinner. We then headed to the pubs in Spiddal for some live music, unfortunately we were too late, so we just decided to have a pint before we headed back. In the mean time the Spiddal Gaelic football team came into the pub called Hughes and had just won Regionals. To celebrate they filled their large trophy with whiskey and cider and insisted that the "Americans" passed it around and took a drink. On our way home from the pub we ran ended up walking next to an older guy with an accordian, and he sat on the bench and played us some Irish tunes! Two of the girls know how to Irish step dance so they danced along with the music. After that we went to the beach in Spiddal and 3 of us decided to jump in the ocean, it was freezing but refreshing! Then we walked home singing Mason Jennings!

September 14, 2009

Today we had class most of the day starting with History at 10 am until 1 pm. The had Irish Catholicism at 2 until 5. It was a very long day of classes, but went well! I really think I'm going to like the Catholicism prof, she is very motherly and seems like she will be helpful and fun! After class me and my cottage mates went for a run and made dinner. A few people came over for some cards tonight but just took it easy!

So far I love Ireland! The weather has been amazing and it has yet to rain! It is in about 65-70 during the day and about 50 at night. Our cottages are very old fashioned and we have to heat them with euros! I have had one warm shower which was tonight! My group seems like we are all going to get along very well!