"Humble living does not diminish. It fills. Going back to a simple self gives wisdom." -Rumi

Entry #1 Janurary 13-14

Days 1 and 2 with no sleep in between.

Ryan took me to the airport on Monday morning and my stomach was so jittery that I couldn't even drink my iced coffee from McDonald's. After all my stressing the night before, my checked bag weighed 49.8 pounds (with a 50 pound limit). Ry sat with me until it was time to go through security. I think I kept it together pretty well but every time I started getting teary he just made me laugh. I'm pretty lucky to have him. I was really nervous about going through security for some reason but it was a piece of cake. The 19 of us took a creepishly small flight to Jersey (seeing the new york skyline during the day and at night was pretty cool). We had a 6 hour layover full of Candy Crush, Sudoku, and bird watching. Everyone was quiet, especially on the plane, the uncertainty, anxiousness, and excitement were hard to shift through. The 2nd flight was around 6 hours and we finally took off around 7:30. This plane was a lot bigger; each seat has it's own screen and movies and shows to pick from. I was planning on sleeping but I was in the middle seat and it just didn't happen. Anyone who knows me pretty well knows that I can sleep just about anywhere and fall asleep really fast- apparently not on a plane. It was kinda cool that we got free food though. Twice. The entirety of 13th was spent anxiously traveling.

The 14th we arrived in Shannon around 6 in the morning, with the time change, and jumped on a big bus to ride to Tully Cross. We stopped for breakfast but I hardly even remember it. The bus driver was a badass. The roads here are really narrow and hilly and served with a heavy dose of curves. Tress with spiral branches, stone fences, and rushing rivers all lined the boarders of the road. I'm still getting used to the whole riding on the other side of the road and the driver on the other side of car thing- good thing I don't have to worry about being behind the wheel.

Our cottages are pretty cozy. Natalie and I are living in the upstairs loft area, complete with an extra bed, sink, and a newly broken end table. It's definitely not a luxury suite but it's better than I expected. We have hot water for showers, limited, but it's there, a microwave, and since we went to the grocery store, we have food. Dr. B showed us how to work our fireplaces, gave us some books to read, and showed us our calendar for the next few weeks, lots to look forward to.

Hasn't been to eventful yet but so far the things worth mentioning are:

1. Took a warm shower.

2. Had my first Irish meal (soup for lunch).

3. Checked out a pub called Angler's and met the owner of the cottages who happens to have the same birthday as I do.

4. Walked to the grocery store and spent my first euro.

5. Got cozy in my new room.

6. Nonformal bus tour on the way from Shannon to Tully Cross

Entry #2 Wednesday, Jan 15th

We went on our first hike today. I knew it was going to be pretty but I never imagined that it would be as pretty as it was. I was in awe the whole walk to the beach. I thought ahead enough to bring a pedometer but as soon as I got outside I put it in my pocket to get my camera out. Needless to say, it didn't work but on the bright side I'm loving the way my pictures are turning out. Our walk wasn't that long to the ocean but I was really warm and tired when we got back but everyone said they were too so that was comforting. The sun started shinning as soon as we started and we saw a few rainbows. While I was walking I was thinking about what Irish people must think when they visit America. Who visits the United States and leaves saying, "Dang, I miss the fast food, the pollution, and rude people." I'm loving Ireland but I'm missing home too. I've been talking to Ryan a few quick times throughout the day but the WiFi at the Study Cottage and at Angler's is really sketchy so it's usually only for a few minutes considering he's at work most of the times we get to talk. Everything that happens and everything I see I just think, "I can't wait to tell this Ryan or show him this picture." I'll get used to him not being around but right now I'm still getting used to the new normal. I'm also missing home right now because I'm craving a Little Ceaser's Hot n Ready.

Note to self: Look up crockpot recipes. I have to start cooking for myself.

My goal for today was to figure out how to power all stuff using adapters and I got all that figured out so check mark for today.

Things I did today:

1.Walked to Beach

2. Played Euchre in the Pub

Entry #3 Jan. 16th

Today we took a 4 kilometer walk to Letterfrack. In this little town is the Connemara West community campus. On site there is a daycare, a woodworking college called GMIT, a conversation shop, a café, and lots of other cool organizations including the radio station that I'll be working at. I knew there was a woodshop type college here but I had assumed that it would be like an Amish type set up but I was shocked to see that the college had all start of the art equipment. When we got there we took a 2 hour tour of everything on site and then got to eat sandwiches and what we decided was squash soup. Then the walk back. I thought I was going to die I was exhausted. I had the option to hitch back but I'm glad I didn't. I really wanted to start living a healthier lifestyle while I'm here and I think choices like that are really going to help. I'm just really glad I don't have any blisters either.

We went over all of out syllabi for our classes this semester and even though it's a ton of reading I think I'll be okay. Today seemed a little overwhelming with the amount of walking, all the information from the tour, and then the syllabi so I'm feeling pretty homesick. I went to the pub to try to hook up to WiFi to talk to Ry but I couldn't get it to connect. L

Things worth sharing:

1. Initiated a conversation with a guy at the college (who's name I can't remember) and found out he has a 3 year old, Isabella.

2. While walking through the daycare I meet a little boy named Finn.

3. Got more exercise today than I have in years probably. I'm exhausted but it feels good to be making progress towards my goal of getting healthy.

Entry #4 Friday, January 16, 2014

Today we got up early to take the shuttle bus for a half hour ride to Cliffton. It was kind of a cool set up because the whole town was one big circle with shops and restaurants on both sides of the street. It reminded me a lot of Mackinaw Island. I was bummed though because, Erin (a girl who used to go to Aquinas and studied abroad here and then moved here) told we HAVE to go to a little bakery called Upside Down and get a bagel with cream cheese and bacon so Natalie and I headed straight there only to find out that it's closed until March. There was construction on the roads so a lot of the shops were closed due to that and some of them had signs that said they would be open in the late afternoon but it was only 10am. I had lunch with Jake, Nate, Sam, Gabby, and Natalie at Guy's Bar. We had breakfast sandwiches that were really good. It was nice to have real food since all I've been eating is ham and cheese sandwiches.

Then the group went to Aldi. My first ever Aldi trip and it was in Ireland, go figure. I got stocked up on all my favorite foods: chips and cheese with salsa, frozen pizza, fruit, steamable veggie bags, cereal, and cookies and cream ice-cream.

We went to the pub tonight, surprise surprise. I felt the most awkward and out of place I've felt since I've been here. It was easy to tell that I was the only one in the bar not drinking. Usually, in situations when someone is like "everyone is looking at me" nobody really is. But sitting in an IRISH PUB with your friends on a Friday night and being the only one without a glass…people notice. So I went up to the bar and massacred my first attempt of ordering something. First, I asked Natalie and Gabby a bunch of on-going questions like, "Do you think they have root beer? I should just keep it simple and ask for a coke. Do I ask for a pint? A pint of what, soda or pop? Is it really called a pint of coke? I don't want a half beer/half coke drink. What do I do?" Then the bartender came over and our conversation went like this:

"May I please have a coke?"

"With what?"

"Um…ice?"

"Alright. Alcohol?"

"Nope."

"Pint or half?"

"Um…[panicking]…a big one."

I felt so incredibly…American, even moreso a non-drinking American. I don't even want to begin to think about what the bartender was thinking. Once she brought me my drink, I ate all the ice cubes out of it because I wanted to try to blend in the best I could but apparently I failed at that too. Natalie and Gabby pointed out that I had a Heineken glass which is a very light beer so my coke isn't going to fool anyone…especially anyone who's Irish. Epic fail continued. But it only cost me 2 euro, which is the same amount I had to pay to unlock a cart at Aldi today.

Today's highlights:

1. While standing in line to check out during my first Aldi's trip, Katie's beer exploded behind me and drenched my back.

2. I exchanged some cash in for euros while we were in town. Note to self: never exchange currency at the airport: they screw you.

3. I had the best hot chocolate ever today at Paddy Coyne's.

4. I made my first real meal for dinner. Steamed broccoli, carrots, and corn with cheese melted on it.

5. I ordered my first drink at the bar, a coke.

Entry #5 January 17, 2014

YAY!! I got to video chat with Ryan this morning. I felt really bad because we agreed to talk at 7am (his time) and he found out that's a lot earlier than he thought. He went out with some friends last night and got back really late but I'm so glad that he's keeping busy. It took us a half hour to figure out a way that would work. We tried skype. Facebook chat. Nope. So then we tried ooVoo and…success. I was so happy and relieved that it would but he kept asking if everything was alright because I looked concerned but honestly, it was just hard to look at him, I really wish he was here on this awesome adventure with me. After I talked to Ryan, I talked to my mom and dad for a little while and caught them up on some details about the trip so far. I'm really glad I got to talk to them. I'm feeling a lot less homesick now.

Gabby, Natalie, and I walked to Rogan's today. Note to self: Nacho chips, mac&cheese, Oreos, and bagels are hard to find in Ireland and are unfortunately, not at Rogan's.

Tonight, I went to movie night in the Borton's cottage. They made us popcorn and cookies. We watched Elizabethtown (which sucked) but the only three students that didn't go were Gabby, Natalie, and Jackie so it was fun for all of us to get together. I decided not to go to the pub and stayed here and compared music with Emily instead and then watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Headliners:

1. Video chatted with Ryan

2. Video chatted with mom and dad

3. Went for a walk to Natalie and Gabby during the sunset.

4. Went to movie night in the Borton's cottage.

Entry #6 Sunday, January 19, 2014

Went to my first Irish mass this morning. My dad would have loved it. Everything was in hyperspeed. There was one song at the beginning and one at the end and everything in between seemed to be in fast forward. No long pauses here or chanting or waiting. The whole mass was under 40 minutes. BUT I loved the homily. The priest talked about the value of something being subjective. He told the story about this guy at a concentration camp during the holocaust who smuggled in some gold but ended up traded it for a small slice of bread because something to eat was more valuable than his gold. It made me think about what I'm valuing while I'm here and that the things that I valued at home might be a little bit different now. It also made me think about how I "valued" this experience studying abroad. It really only has value if I see it as valuable…which so far…I really do but I think it's important to keep that mindset. The other thing he talked about was about an article in the Washington post about a very talented world renowned violist who wanted to test a theory. He played a million dollar violin in the subway during rush hour in New York City for an hour and only made $40. He said, "In a world that doesn't care we don't take the time to stop and stare." It really hit home to me to appreciate God's creation around me while I'm here. I haven't put much thought into it before but I really think this semester could be a very spiritual one. I'm really looking forward to mass next week already.

Tonight was our welcome party at the pub. The women from Connemera West made us a bunch of food and decorated the pub for us. It was super crowded so I didn't stay long. And on top of that all the local guys came down to see us. By that I mean they literally just looked at us, like we were zoo animals.

Reader's Digest Version:

1. Went to Mass. Value and Appreciate.

2. Welcome Dinner. The local guys anticipated Aquinas College girls coming every year.

Gabby and Natalie must have made friends tonight at the party because it's 1:30am and they're all downstairs laughing. I'm debating going downstairs but I've been asleep since 11 and we have class at 9am. Nope. Sleep wins.