Just Your Typical Thirsty Tuesday

HELLO ALL! I just got back from the pub, and it's only 6:30 pm here. And I'm a little bit tipsy. Hence, I figured I would blog about my day :)

This morning, while we were waiting for some of our classmates to get out of their cottages so we could all walk to class, Bailey and Katie started dancing -- the salsa!! :)

This is the building that we have our classes in. It's got a plaque on it, which you probably can't see unless the picture is bigger, that says 'Health Centre'. It used to be the old covenant, and is located right next to the local 'college' (high and middle school) and a massive Catholic church. It's right on the edge of town, so it's a neat 10 minute morning walk for all of us.

This is about half of the local library (I was too close when I took the picture). It also houses a cultural center for the local pirate legend, whose name I will horribly mangle right now if I try to spell it, and who is our inspiration for our St. Patrick's Day float in March! It's a cute little place :)

That's right, I have a County Mayo library card. BEST THING EVER. And it was only $1.30 (1 euro)!!!! I sat in the library today for 2 hours, reading a really good book called 'Sympathy for the Devil' (a detective mystery). I got about halfway through, and I didn't let myself rent it because it was too good, and I wouldn't do any homework if I rented it :P

From the library, I went right to Joe Mac's with Amber and Katie Murphy to work on some homework -- and ordered a Fat Frog. This is both halves of the first one that I paid for with Katie's help. It was 13 euro (EXPENSIVE) so we split the cost and the two pints that it turned into. It's a wonderful mixed drink that I was recommended to try, made by mixing Bacardi Orange, Smirnoff Lemon, and something blue called WKD that they only sell here in Ireland. And it is DELICIOUS. And then, while talking to one of the bartenders named Lawrence O'Toole (a very sweet elderly gentleman who talked to us for at least an hour while we attempted homework), he ordered us an entire new one. So I essentially had both pints. And now I'm tipsy. Yeah Ireland!!!!

 Well, I'm about to go eat some dinner, and hopefully get less tipsy so I can focus on my homework -- but it's 6:30 and I'm buzzed :D love and miss you all,

-S

A Day In The Life

GUESS WHAT?!?!? We started school today, and also, I'M DONE BEING JET LAGGED!!!!! I was so awake today, I think I irritated people. I was power-walking everywhere. I also got a lot done today! Ready?

Today, after class, Bailey, Colleen, and I power-walked to the beach to do our daily Art class sketches. While walking, we came across this really fluffy cat. I crouched down and held my hand out, and it came right over to let me pet it. I cooed over it and then we started walking away -- until the cat followed us. It was actually leading the way for a while, but turned back after a few minutes. It was still an excellent adventure.

My first pot of tea in Ireland <3 Bailey and I adventured to the Red Rose Cafe and did homework/wrote for an hour or two. It was very nice, and we talked to the owner for a little bit :)

My first glass of Guinness and black currant. The watch is propped up against it because it was 3:30 when I ordered it. Joe Mac is a cool guy (it was his pub McNamera's that we were hanging out at). Bailey, Katie, and I parked ourselves in the corner of the pub by the TV and finished up some homework and watched an old football game. We stayed for 2 hours there, and it was HEAVENLY.

This is my creation from Art class today!!! It's a preschool-level project in Ireland, but it's called a St. Brigid's cross, and it's made out of reeds we picked yesterday on our field trip. Yes, I'm still in college. St. Brigid's Day is Wednesday, and it's the first day of spring here. YUS. And this was really fun to make.

 Second day of school tomorrow! Hugs and love,

-S

An Exploration Via Bus of County Mayo

A grave at Kilgeever Abbey (with a holy fountain in the base)

The brightly-colored pub (called the Budowin) where we had our welcome dinner on Friday night -- it's small on the inside but we had lots of fun :)

The pub down the street that we briefly went to tonight -- but it's a school night so we left early

A bridge made by workers during the famine, but they had to convert to Evangelical Protestants in order to do so. Lots of angst, but a cool bridge that never floods.

I have been obsessing over getting pictures of the different colored sheep -- each dye pattern denotes a different owner. I like the blue ones the best, but none were close to the bus today

The most gorgeous beach I have seen in my life. The water reflected the sky and made it awesome and I got my feet wet in the surf :)

A big ole burial thinger on the side of the road -- pretty cool

The Devil's Mother mountain/hill range -- such cool mist and clouds today!

Going through the Famine Valley and seeing this marker for all the suffering that happened -- so cool.

Stopping at a different bridge near a waterfall system -- Colleen, Calla, Katie M, Ryan, Kyle, Eric, and Taylor!

A tiny town we stopped at (can't recall the name) to get coffee and stretch our legs. Very quaint :)

The best apple I have eaten in my life!!!!!! The crisps were very good as well :) Figured I should include some food.

Just got back from having a cider at Joe Mac's (picture to come in a later post) and am feeling pretty sleepy -- class starts tomorrow morning, so goodnight to you all! Love and hugs,

-S

Settling In -- The Sights

My room, before moving in :) I think I have the 'master' bedroom of the house, since everyone else has twin beds (though Colleen has 2 pushed together) and I have my own sink!!

A very blurry night picture of trees with a TON of crows in them. I was kind of unnerved, and mad that I couldn't get a non-blurry shot, but I think this one turned out pretty cool...

Clew Bay on a foggy rainy Irish afternoon <3

THE ROOMIES, at our living room/kitchen table

My bedroom now!

My closet and sink!!

I realize now that I haven't taken many good pictures of Louisburgh or Westport or our cottage, so I'll take that tomorrow, when we go on our big bus tour/large-group shopping adventure!! Love you all, have a good night (or afternoon, if that's where you are) <3 

-S

Settling In -- Food and Drink

My first Irish breakfast at Mother Hubbard's :) It was reeeeeeeally good!!

Hot cocoa in the fine china that we have in our cottage :)

My first drink in an Irish pub -- SPARKLING WINE COOLER. Yeah I was badass and so tired I was about to fall over. What of it? I also got to meet a bunch of locals and the cottage managers there, which was so fun!!

 So those picture are from the trip so far -- the breakfast was somewhere on the road between Shannon and Louisburgh, and the drink was from the pub last night. The rest of these pictures are from a Tesco (think K-mart) that I went to with my professors (just me, along for the ride) in Castlebar.

This is what Doritos look like. It made me giggle :)

This is what Fanta looks like -- and it doesn't taste anything like Fanta in the states. The original flavor is pretty much like sparkling orange juice, but I didn't try Icy Lemon or Exotic, as pictured in this picture... Yay Tesco!!

I'm curious that people would think this would taste good. Maybe someday I'll try it, but it just looked so weird...

The 'limited edition' quality of this rum, in case you can't see it in this picture, is the fact that they put coconut flakes in the rum!! FANCY.

MIXED DRINKS IN A CAN. SUCH GENIUS!!

... I'm so intrigued.

I was hoping to find a reference to 'druids' before long -- I found it in a brand of hard cider. Win for Ireland.

Since I have a headache from being up early, I'll be posting again tonight (it's 7 pm here), but of the scenery and the cottage itself, instead of just all the alcohol I've encountered!

-S

Arrival

I feel very welcomed!! After a long flight, it was good to get here. Also, everything here is in Gaelic with English subtitles. Katie and I have vowed to try to learn some Gaelic -- I'll let you know how that goes after our welcome pub night tonight.

Bailey and Kyle, stoked to have leg room on the bus -- we drove from Shannon to Louisburgh early this morning, after a very bumpy and cramped flight through the night from Newark

The first full, across-the-sky rainbow that our veteran bus driver, Owen, has seen in over 5 years. He pulled the bus over so we could dive out into the rain and snap photos. Totally worth it :)

Croagh Patrick -- the holy mountain that lets us know we're almost home!! Also, as you can see, it did get really sunny and nice today :)

Bailey and I exploring Louisburgh, and finally realizing that WE'RE IN IRELAND

There's no word for how awful the Internet is here, so posts may be fewer and further in between than I hoped -- stay tuned!

-S

Travel Day -- Newark

I am highly resentful of this airport, even though it's big and awesome, because it made me pay for my Internet access. MAD SAM.

So the journey has officially begun!! I got like 2 solid hours of sleep, because I was way too excited to sleep and the pillows were REALLY uncomfortable. So at 4:30 I got up and got moving. We got to the Minneapolis airport at 6:15ish, and got my luggage checked (even though I had to dig a bunch of stuff out because I was 6 pounds over the limit) and said goodbye to my mom before going through security. I am not ashamed to admit it, I was crying like a small child, because I am going to miss her and my dad terribly... So I went through security trying not to cry, gave up after getting through, and then wandered over to the gate.

I was definitely all alone and freaking out, until Amber and this clown showed up.

7 am AND WEARING SUNGLASSES

 So we waited, and all our friends eventually found us, as did our professor. There are 13 students including me, and we are a group of 15 with the prof and his son. 

My view for 2 hours and change, on our SUPER TINY PLANE

Last view of MN, taken over Colleen -- our lovely wing seats.

Me and Colleen -- oh, and Taylor, photo-bombing like a pro

.

 Now we're in New Jersey. For like 6 and a half hours.

Hazy first view of NJ

They have one of these here. I am so entertained, and yet not able to partake yet. TORTURE. And it's right next to our gate, too.

My 'entertainment'. Or something.

 I think I'm going to stop abusing my paid-for Internet now -- I'll post when we get settled in at the cottages in Louisburgh. EXCITED MUCH?!!?!??!?! I am :)

-S

T-minus 1 Day -- Twin Cities

The first leg of the journey begins!! My mom and I drove down to Minneapolis today, to prepare for the early flight tomorrow morning. 

Leaving home!

Last view of the Lift Bridge

 Because we had a lot of time to kill, we decided to visit THE MALL OF AMERICA. And it was pretty epic. 

Second-best thing we saw -- LEGOLAND

Coolest part of Legoland -- ZE DEATH STAR *insert Imperial March*

Life-sized Hello Kitty. DAY MADE. BEST THING EVAR.

Yep. Successful first visit.

 Getting to the airport at 6:15 am tomorrow. Plane from Minneapolis leaves at 9:15, and we arrive at Newark at 12:30 or so. At least, we hope.

Until then!!!!!

-S