Well, I am officially down to one week before I head back home!! I am anxious about the next few days due to my final exams, but I think I will get through it!
The only new experience I was met with this week was turning in my final papers. Back home, I am used to simply handing my papers to my teacher. However, that is not how it works here! I had to fill out a form verifying it was my work as well as the class information and then put it into a big brown box! I know that this is how they do things here and it is probably no big deal, but part of me worries mine will somehow get lost! And then my lecturer never saw it to know that I turned it in on time! Ahh! Hopefully that doesn't happen and all goes well. I am sure it will, but it was a thought I had when I saw the big box. Luckily it is also pad locked, so no one can mess with it until it is time for them to be graded anyway.
Yours Truly,
Alicia
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Saturday, December 3, 2011
December! Christmas is right around the corner!!
Well, it is finally December! Unfortunately, for another two weeks there is a lot more around the corner than Christmas! And by this I mean I have two papers to finish writing, four exams to study for, and a presentation to create. Going to be a busy week!
Today when I was in the kitchen making some lunch, my Irish roommate Lisa was out making tea and toast. She was also listening to Christmas music. At first, I didn't think anything was strange. But then I realized she was listening to the very same Christmas music I am used to hearing! No wonder it took me some time to notice! It seems odd that halfway around the world people still listen to the same songs. Most shockingly of all was that they are the same songs that talk about TONS and TONS of snow!! I have heard and read that Ireland does not generally see snow, except in the few mountains and high areas that they have here. Apparently, most of Ireland only sees a "white Christmas" every 6 years on average! I have to say I am very surprised. Back home the only places I picture not getting snow are places down south like Florida, Mexico, etc. But Ireland seems like it would be right in line with where I am from, so this was a shocking realization. With a quick google search, I even discovered seeing snow is so rare that a few Irish girls took the time to make a video blog about it the last time it snowed! Perhaps I should appreciate the snow I get, even if it does sometimes get in the way!
14 more days until home, and 22 until Christmas!
Yours truly,
Alicia
Today when I was in the kitchen making some lunch, my Irish roommate Lisa was out making tea and toast. She was also listening to Christmas music. At first, I didn't think anything was strange. But then I realized she was listening to the very same Christmas music I am used to hearing! No wonder it took me some time to notice! It seems odd that halfway around the world people still listen to the same songs. Most shockingly of all was that they are the same songs that talk about TONS and TONS of snow!! I have heard and read that Ireland does not generally see snow, except in the few mountains and high areas that they have here. Apparently, most of Ireland only sees a "white Christmas" every 6 years on average! I have to say I am very surprised. Back home the only places I picture not getting snow are places down south like Florida, Mexico, etc. But Ireland seems like it would be right in line with where I am from, so this was a shocking realization. With a quick google search, I even discovered seeing snow is so rare that a few Irish girls took the time to make a video blog about it the last time it snowed! Perhaps I should appreciate the snow I get, even if it does sometimes get in the way!
14 more days until home, and 22 until Christmas!
Yours truly,
Alicia
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Reflecting
In my last class of the day today, I found myself looking out the window as the day melted into night. Thinking about walking home in the dark reminded me just how much I am still feeling like a foreigner in an unknown world. While I have lived here in Carlow for almost three months now, I still find myself unsure of many things. I know the layout of the town and how to care for myself, but I have not quite gotten comfortable. For example, I get nervous at the checkout counter, wondering if I will be able to understand the person I am speaking to because sometimes I can't and I feel so rude asking "what?" a bunch of times. I know once I leave this place the hard times will fall away and I will be able to see the bigger picture much clearer. I will pull out the positives much more easily. But I still wish I could do that now. However I know I must wait and let it come to me. I can't be impatient. Maybe that is one thing I have learned during my time here: patience. I thought I was good at being patient before I came here, but now I think I have become even more so. I have had to slow down my normally busy life and adjust to the more relaxed feel of Irish life. I wonder what adjusting back will be like...?
Yours Truly,
Alicia
Yours Truly,
Alicia
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Turkey, Mashed potatoes and more!
Well Thursday was Thanksgiving, in the states at least. However due to all of us Americans being here, Sister Mary, Padraigin, and Eric put together a little get together for us. And when I say little, I mean HUGE. Sister Mary must have spent ALL day cooking, because when we got to her house, her counter was absolutely covered in goodies! I don't know how she did it all on her own, but she did a wonderful job. And Eric made green bean casserole for the first time in his life, which turned out amazing! I couldn't have asked for a better Thanksgiving considering how far away from home I currently am.
Patriotism is something I feel like I sort of take for granted. Back home, it is just one of those things you do. You watch the flag so it doesn't touch the ground and you honor what it stands for and who fought for it. However the idea of patriotism is very different here. I am not 100% sure how they see it, but I can tell it is not as deeply rooted as ours. The most obvious thing I noticed from Thursday, because we had a few Irish girls join us, was the way they handled their flag. They simply took hold of it, sat on the ground and sprawled it across themselves. The most interesting thing was that they held it backwards! As in the colors went orange, white, green when they normally are ordered the opposite. I don't even think anyone noticed until I looked at the pictures again. Just some food for thought when I go back home and see our flag everywhere!
Life has been pretty quiet since Thanksgiving. I have finally gotten a start on some of my upcoming assignments. I have 2 papers to write, a few exams to study for and a presentation to put together. So, it seems I will be busy in these last 21 days. Not that I am complaining. I want the days to fall away so I can spend some much needed time back home. Not that I am not appreciating this opportunity, but I still desperately miss home, friends, family and the like.
Yours Truly,
Alicia Welty
Patriotism is something I feel like I sort of take for granted. Back home, it is just one of those things you do. You watch the flag so it doesn't touch the ground and you honor what it stands for and who fought for it. However the idea of patriotism is very different here. I am not 100% sure how they see it, but I can tell it is not as deeply rooted as ours. The most obvious thing I noticed from Thursday, because we had a few Irish girls join us, was the way they handled their flag. They simply took hold of it, sat on the ground and sprawled it across themselves. The most interesting thing was that they held it backwards! As in the colors went orange, white, green when they normally are ordered the opposite. I don't even think anyone noticed until I looked at the pictures again. Just some food for thought when I go back home and see our flag everywhere!
Life has been pretty quiet since Thanksgiving. I have finally gotten a start on some of my upcoming assignments. I have 2 papers to write, a few exams to study for and a presentation to put together. So, it seems I will be busy in these last 21 days. Not that I am complaining. I want the days to fall away so I can spend some much needed time back home. Not that I am not appreciating this opportunity, but I still desperately miss home, friends, family and the like.
Yours Truly,
Alicia Welty
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The number 27
Today I dropped my boyfriend off at the airport. It was time for him to head back home after the mostly awesome month we had while he was here. Now its time to go back to quiet, lonely, nothing to do land here in Carlow. I'm going to try to make the best of it, but I know how I felt the first month I was here. I wanted to enjoy this. I wanted this to be an amazing trip. But, it turned into something completely different with a few really good days mixed in. Hopefully I can manage to make a few more good days in this final stretch.
I almost made a list of 27 random things, but it looked too long so I decided not to. Random fun fact though: Sister Mary gave me some pumpkin a few days ago and I made pumpkin pie. That was kind of fun. It turned out a bit different than when I make it back home, but it wasn't too bad.
Here is the part where I discover I have run out of things to say again.
Yours Truly,
Alicia
P.S - Thanksgiving is next week. We are supposed to be doing things with Sister Mary and at school, so hopefully that will be fun. Maybe I should put up my Thanksgiving decorations...
I almost made a list of 27 random things, but it looked too long so I decided not to. Random fun fact though: Sister Mary gave me some pumpkin a few days ago and I made pumpkin pie. That was kind of fun. It turned out a bit different than when I make it back home, but it wasn't too bad.
Here is the part where I discover I have run out of things to say again.
Yours Truly,
Alicia
P.S - Thanksgiving is next week. We are supposed to be doing things with Sister Mary and at school, so hopefully that will be fun. Maybe I should put up my Thanksgiving decorations...
Thursday, November 17, 2011
30 days to go...
Over the weekend, I had a great time. My room mate, boyfriend and I took a trip down to Cork and visited Fota and Cobh while we were there. Honestly, I think it was by far the best weekend I have had since I left the United States. Cork was such a nice town where I felt much more at home than Carlow. While I can appreciate Carlow, I still feel as if it is not the right town for me. I have met some amazing people, but when I am on my own in the town, it is a different experience. Even before landing in Ireland, I was told by the Irish couple I sat next to on the plane that Carlow was a "college town." While this may be the perfect place for some, I am finding it is not what I wanted when I left the states. There was a reason I attended Carlow University, it was a small, friendly, dry campus school with a community where I could find people similar to me. Living in Carraig Abhainn and being in the center of a "college town" makes me feel on edge the way I know I would have felt going to a bigger school where partying is more the thing to do.
Anyway, I got a little off track. My weekend was fantastic. We visited Fota and Cobh on Saturday and there were many moments that I had wished would never end. In Fota, we went to the wildlife park where many animals can freely roam the park. It was the most amazing experience I have had in a long time. Andrea and I fed a group of ducks and saw many animals that I have never seen in person before. At one point, we even saw a few mother bison protecting their young which was definitely a unique experience. When we left Fota, we visited Cobh, which is the very last place the Titanic stopped before its final journey. I was amazed at how small the town was, and with all of the history within it it felt as though every turn offered something to see. At the top of the town, there is a cathedral. When we paused to sit on the stairs and look down at the town and the area around it, I felt completely at ease.
I think I will write more about this later, as well as revise what I have written. I am having some trouble concentrating on what I want to say about my weekend. Although I am not sure when I will. Due to the stress and homesickness I am still experiencing, I am finding it difficult to accomplish many simple things I do on a normal basis. I feel I am slacking on this blog and struggling to keep myself focused when it comes to school. I am hoping I can pick myself up a little in order to finish this trip strong rather than as the disorganized mess I feel I am at the current time.
Hopefully the pumpkin pie I plan to make tomorrow (thank you Sister Mary for the pumpkin! Could not do it without you!) will help me to feel better. I love pumpkin. :]
Yours truly,
Alicia
Anyway, I got a little off track. My weekend was fantastic. We visited Fota and Cobh on Saturday and there were many moments that I had wished would never end. In Fota, we went to the wildlife park where many animals can freely roam the park. It was the most amazing experience I have had in a long time. Andrea and I fed a group of ducks and saw many animals that I have never seen in person before. At one point, we even saw a few mother bison protecting their young which was definitely a unique experience. When we left Fota, we visited Cobh, which is the very last place the Titanic stopped before its final journey. I was amazed at how small the town was, and with all of the history within it it felt as though every turn offered something to see. At the top of the town, there is a cathedral. When we paused to sit on the stairs and look down at the town and the area around it, I felt completely at ease.
I think I will write more about this later, as well as revise what I have written. I am having some trouble concentrating on what I want to say about my weekend. Although I am not sure when I will. Due to the stress and homesickness I am still experiencing, I am finding it difficult to accomplish many simple things I do on a normal basis. I feel I am slacking on this blog and struggling to keep myself focused when it comes to school. I am hoping I can pick myself up a little in order to finish this trip strong rather than as the disorganized mess I feel I am at the current time.
Hopefully the pumpkin pie I plan to make tomorrow (thank you Sister Mary for the pumpkin! Could not do it without you!) will help me to feel better. I love pumpkin. :]
Yours truly,
Alicia
Saturday, November 5, 2011
The end of the beginning
Well, yesterday was the last Friday excursion. It was definitely a bit bittersweet because while it will be nice to have an extra day off during the week, the excursions have been an awful lot of fun! Especially yesterdays!
First, we went to see the largest dolman left in Europe. Unfortunately due to its size (probably), it has fallen and is not as picturesque as some of the smaller versions. However, it was still very cool. :]
Then, we went to Ireland's Chocolate Garden! Most definitely my favoriteeee part of the trip! Not only did we get to sample free chocolate, we got to MAKE our own molded piece!
After that, we went to Rathwood for lunch. It is basically a mini mall kind of place with a nice restaurant at one end. It had a few interesting things for sale in some of the various shops, but I did not find anything I wanted to buy. Its odd, i have been in Ireland for almost 2 months now and I really haven't found any souvenirs I REALLY want to buy, for myself or for anyone back home.
Finally, we went to visit the Ring of the Rath. These HUGE stone rings are not yet fully excavated, but the two innermost are and we were able to walk through them. No one is quite sure why these rings exist, but they are very interesting nonetheless. Apparently people perform a variety of random, possibly strange activities here as well. In fact, there was a fire pit there and due to Halloween recently, we think there may have been some interesting things going on depending on who was there!
Now that the trips are over, I have more time to explore if I am able to. For example, next weekend my room mate and I are going to visit the towns of Cork and Cobh. Cobh is apparently the last harbor the Titanic was at before it left for America, so I am very interesting in going there and possibly taking a tour of some sort. I'll let you know how it goes!
Also, Andrea and I made a countdown until we will be going home. Maybe it still sounds a bit odd or depressing to some, but it has helped make us to feel a bit better. We are both still homesick and miss a lot of things, so seeing the days go by is helpful in easing our anxiety. We just took some different colored post-its and made a number line from them. We are down to 42 days now, if you were wondering again. :]
Yours Truly,
Alicia
First, we went to see the largest dolman left in Europe. Unfortunately due to its size (probably), it has fallen and is not as picturesque as some of the smaller versions. However, it was still very cool. :]
Then, we went to Ireland's Chocolate Garden! Most definitely my favoriteeee part of the trip! Not only did we get to sample free chocolate, we got to MAKE our own molded piece!
After that, we went to Rathwood for lunch. It is basically a mini mall kind of place with a nice restaurant at one end. It had a few interesting things for sale in some of the various shops, but I did not find anything I wanted to buy. Its odd, i have been in Ireland for almost 2 months now and I really haven't found any souvenirs I REALLY want to buy, for myself or for anyone back home.
Finally, we went to visit the Ring of the Rath. These HUGE stone rings are not yet fully excavated, but the two innermost are and we were able to walk through them. No one is quite sure why these rings exist, but they are very interesting nonetheless. Apparently people perform a variety of random, possibly strange activities here as well. In fact, there was a fire pit there and due to Halloween recently, we think there may have been some interesting things going on depending on who was there!
Now that the trips are over, I have more time to explore if I am able to. For example, next weekend my room mate and I are going to visit the towns of Cork and Cobh. Cobh is apparently the last harbor the Titanic was at before it left for America, so I am very interesting in going there and possibly taking a tour of some sort. I'll let you know how it goes!
Also, Andrea and I made a countdown until we will be going home. Maybe it still sounds a bit odd or depressing to some, but it has helped make us to feel a bit better. We are both still homesick and miss a lot of things, so seeing the days go by is helpful in easing our anxiety. We just took some different colored post-its and made a number line from them. We are down to 42 days now, if you were wondering again. :]
Yours Truly,
Alicia
Sunday, October 30, 2011
...Catching up, AGAIN!
Well it appears I have once again fallen behind in my blogging. Fortunately, this time I have a decent amount of stuff to update this with! So, lets go back in time a little and pretend I remembered to blog every time something awesome happened!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
On this day, I traveled to Dublin with Sister Mary, my room mate and my boyfriend. Sister Mary had been wanting to take us on a trip to Baggot Street, where Catherine McAuley is buried. We were going to bring some of the other Carlow girls, but many of them were away for the weekend already. So the three of us went off together. On this trip, I learned what the Luas is. It is pretty much a bus on subway tracks, but much nicer than the Pittsburgh transportation I am used to. We also sort of mini toured some of the big shopping streets in Dublin and even found a Disney store! Andrea and I were so excited, especially when they had a Lion King display out front!
When we went to the international sisters of mercy house on Baggot Street, I was amazed. We were greeted by a Sister that Sister Mary knew well who offered us loads of home made scones and hot tea, WAY more than we could ever consume! The Sister was a very nice woman who seemed to know a little bit of everything and was very pleasant to be around. Once we finished our treats, we were met by another Sister who took us on a tour of the house. We watched a film about Catherine McAuley and learned a lot more about her life than I had known previously. I can now better understand why she is so praised back at home, and around the world! Then, we walked to where she was buried. Her grave site was beautiful!
While we were in Dublin, Sister Mary also took us to the Chester Beatty Library. It was a very interesting museum, and we took a bit of time looking at some of the religious books here because of the intricate detailing.
The trip with Sister Mary was definitely and experience I am glad I had here in Ireland. Sister Mary is always very helpful and welcoming and made this day a really great experience for us. :]
Friday, October 21, 2011 - Sunday October 23, 2011
I went to Dublin with my boyfriend this weekend! It was really awesome to go the day before with Sister Mary because it helped us to get a layout of the town and we also picked up maps and were able to plan our trip a little.
On Friday, we went to the Dublin Zoo. I was completely blown away by the different animals they have here! They had animals I have never seen in person before, and many of them even had babies! The zoo itself was even incredible! It has a nice layout with a lot of foliage and decoration, so many times it feels as if you are out on a safari rather than in the zoo! It was a nice escape for the day! Here are some pictures from it :
The rest of the weekend, we hung out around Dublin. We visited the Natural History Museum on Saturday and went out to a nice place called Murray's for dinner. Sunday we had lunch and visited the shopping areas in Dublin and then made our way home. We had really good weather the entire weekend until Sunday, but it was ok because we were heading home that day anyway. Turns out we picked a good time as well because with all of the rain, Dublin eventually flooded!!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Field trip day!
We visited Dublin and went to Kilmainham Gaol (Jail), Trinity College and a history museum. In lieu of typing all about it, here are some pictures from the day!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
On this day, I traveled to Dublin with Sister Mary, my room mate and my boyfriend. Sister Mary had been wanting to take us on a trip to Baggot Street, where Catherine McAuley is buried. We were going to bring some of the other Carlow girls, but many of them were away for the weekend already. So the three of us went off together. On this trip, I learned what the Luas is. It is pretty much a bus on subway tracks, but much nicer than the Pittsburgh transportation I am used to. We also sort of mini toured some of the big shopping streets in Dublin and even found a Disney store! Andrea and I were so excited, especially when they had a Lion King display out front!
When we went to the international sisters of mercy house on Baggot Street, I was amazed. We were greeted by a Sister that Sister Mary knew well who offered us loads of home made scones and hot tea, WAY more than we could ever consume! The Sister was a very nice woman who seemed to know a little bit of everything and was very pleasant to be around. Once we finished our treats, we were met by another Sister who took us on a tour of the house. We watched a film about Catherine McAuley and learned a lot more about her life than I had known previously. I can now better understand why she is so praised back at home, and around the world! Then, we walked to where she was buried. Her grave site was beautiful!
While we were in Dublin, Sister Mary also took us to the Chester Beatty Library. It was a very interesting museum, and we took a bit of time looking at some of the religious books here because of the intricate detailing.
The trip with Sister Mary was definitely and experience I am glad I had here in Ireland. Sister Mary is always very helpful and welcoming and made this day a really great experience for us. :]
Friday, October 21, 2011 - Sunday October 23, 2011
I went to Dublin with my boyfriend this weekend! It was really awesome to go the day before with Sister Mary because it helped us to get a layout of the town and we also picked up maps and were able to plan our trip a little.
On Friday, we went to the Dublin Zoo. I was completely blown away by the different animals they have here! They had animals I have never seen in person before, and many of them even had babies! The zoo itself was even incredible! It has a nice layout with a lot of foliage and decoration, so many times it feels as if you are out on a safari rather than in the zoo! It was a nice escape for the day! Here are some pictures from it :
The rest of the weekend, we hung out around Dublin. We visited the Natural History Museum on Saturday and went out to a nice place called Murray's for dinner. Sunday we had lunch and visited the shopping areas in Dublin and then made our way home. We had really good weather the entire weekend until Sunday, but it was ok because we were heading home that day anyway. Turns out we picked a good time as well because with all of the rain, Dublin eventually flooded!!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Field trip day!
We visited Dublin and went to Kilmainham Gaol (Jail), Trinity College and a history museum. In lieu of typing all about it, here are some pictures from the day!
Kilmainham Gaol
Trinity College
Museum
Yours Truly,
Alicia
Monday, October 17, 2011
To catch up...
Well, it has been a little over a week since I last posted here. But, not a whole lot has changed.
The best part of this week so far (even though it has just begun) happened in class today. When I originally blogged about this class, I had mentioned (I think) that my lecturer did not seem very willing to help students. She had said she was not available after classes and such because that is not professional and it is also just not how things are done here in Ireland. This made me nervous because I am used to taking time after classes to ask questions or clarify things with my professors. However, today things began to look up. Now that my lecturer is aware that there are three American students in her class, she was a bit more prepared. She spoke to us before class and told us about a few books that would be helpful to us as well as letting us know she would be more available to us. She even spoke with us after class and gave us her e-mail. This made me feel much more confident about this class because now I feel as though I can ask for help if I need to. I also feel more welcome and as though I fit into class a bit better now.
If anything else good happens this week, I will let you know. However, I don't think much will happen until this weekend because I am going to Dublin! I will be staying there from Friday until Sunday, so I am sure something worth blogging about will happen. :]
Yours Truly,
Alicia
The best part of this week so far (even though it has just begun) happened in class today. When I originally blogged about this class, I had mentioned (I think) that my lecturer did not seem very willing to help students. She had said she was not available after classes and such because that is not professional and it is also just not how things are done here in Ireland. This made me nervous because I am used to taking time after classes to ask questions or clarify things with my professors. However, today things began to look up. Now that my lecturer is aware that there are three American students in her class, she was a bit more prepared. She spoke to us before class and told us about a few books that would be helpful to us as well as letting us know she would be more available to us. She even spoke with us after class and gave us her e-mail. This made me feel much more confident about this class because now I feel as though I can ask for help if I need to. I also feel more welcome and as though I fit into class a bit better now.
If anything else good happens this week, I will let you know. However, I don't think much will happen until this weekend because I am going to Dublin! I will be staying there from Friday until Sunday, so I am sure something worth blogging about will happen. :]
Yours Truly,
Alicia
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Bi-Polar Irish Weather
Well, I wasn't going to post anything today but a series of events made me want to...
Today is my day off from classes. But, I still decided it was a nice looking day out and I should go the library to get some things done. Upon leaving, I decided I should go to the local supermarket, Tesco, and buy some apples and coffee because I have a craving for applesauce and I am almost out of coffee. It was not until after I left the store thinking today was going so well that the Irish Weather decided to get fierce.
First, a light mist. No big deal. It's Ireland, it rains and its cloudy almost all the time. Then, without warning, rain pelts out of the sky like a million freezing cold daggers out for cold blooded revenge. I tried to pull up my hood on my hoodie and get out my umbrella, but then the wind decided it needed in on this plot as well. My umbrella folded backwards and my hood constantly threatened to flip off of my head! So with rage, I fought with my umbrella to close it and carry it home, still being viciously attacked by the wind and rain. About halfway home, the wind decided it had had enough. It was nap time or something. So, I put my umbrella back up. However, motorists sometimes are not as friendly as the weather. Now that I was able to stay a LITTLE dry, a car sped up and ran right into a massive puddle which of course then sprayed me from my shoulders to me feet. I kept my head up and ignored it as to not give them the satisfaction I know that they craved. Not a moment later, the rain stopped. I put my umbrella away and watched as the dark clouds blew away revealing a bright blue sky and sunshine. -.-
On the plus side, my room mate and I are making apple sauce today. I can not WAIT because I love applesauce and you can not buy it in a jar here as far as I have noticed. This is the first time I have made homemade applesauce and I can't wait to try it! It smells and looks delicious! We just put it in the fridge so it could cool down a bit first.
Coffee and Applesauce. The saviors of my intense scuffle with the weather. <3
Yours Truly,
Alicia
Today is my day off from classes. But, I still decided it was a nice looking day out and I should go the library to get some things done. Upon leaving, I decided I should go to the local supermarket, Tesco, and buy some apples and coffee because I have a craving for applesauce and I am almost out of coffee. It was not until after I left the store thinking today was going so well that the Irish Weather decided to get fierce.
First, a light mist. No big deal. It's Ireland, it rains and its cloudy almost all the time. Then, without warning, rain pelts out of the sky like a million freezing cold daggers out for cold blooded revenge. I tried to pull up my hood on my hoodie and get out my umbrella, but then the wind decided it needed in on this plot as well. My umbrella folded backwards and my hood constantly threatened to flip off of my head! So with rage, I fought with my umbrella to close it and carry it home, still being viciously attacked by the wind and rain. About halfway home, the wind decided it had had enough. It was nap time or something. So, I put my umbrella back up. However, motorists sometimes are not as friendly as the weather. Now that I was able to stay a LITTLE dry, a car sped up and ran right into a massive puddle which of course then sprayed me from my shoulders to me feet. I kept my head up and ignored it as to not give them the satisfaction I know that they craved. Not a moment later, the rain stopped. I put my umbrella away and watched as the dark clouds blew away revealing a bright blue sky and sunshine. -.-
On the plus side, my room mate and I are making apple sauce today. I can not WAIT because I love applesauce and you can not buy it in a jar here as far as I have noticed. This is the first time I have made homemade applesauce and I can't wait to try it! It smells and looks delicious! We just put it in the fridge so it could cool down a bit first.
Coffee and Applesauce. The saviors of my intense scuffle with the weather. <3
Yours Truly,
Alicia
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Mid-week Four.
It's Wednesday. "Over the hump day" as some say. I can not wait to be over it. Wednesdays are my long days here in Carlow, Ireland. I have 2 classes that tend to be between an hour and a half to two hours long. Then again, at least I'm busy instead of sitting in my flat most of the day.
I find that I am still not over the homesickness I have had since I arrived here. Much to others dismay, I am already counting down the days until I get on the plane to go back home. It's 73 days in case you were wondering. I am trying to wake up each morning and tell myself today will be the day I get over this, but it has not happened yet. I'll keep doing my best and finding something to look forward too each week. So far, the only thing I look forward to are Friday's for our excursions. They always end up being fun and interesting. I came to Ireland to learn and see the country, and the excursions are allowing me to do that.
On a slightly different note, I am also really hoping my Monday class, Developmental Psychology, gets better. Here in Ireland, it is a second level course, so it makes sense that people should have some idea what they are there for. However, this week someone had to ask what psychology is and what various types of psychologists do. I hope I am going to learn something from this class so I am not behind when I head back home. That would be terrible.
Yours Truly,
Alicia
I find that I am still not over the homesickness I have had since I arrived here. Much to others dismay, I am already counting down the days until I get on the plane to go back home. It's 73 days in case you were wondering. I am trying to wake up each morning and tell myself today will be the day I get over this, but it has not happened yet. I'll keep doing my best and finding something to look forward too each week. So far, the only thing I look forward to are Friday's for our excursions. They always end up being fun and interesting. I came to Ireland to learn and see the country, and the excursions are allowing me to do that.
On a slightly different note, I am also really hoping my Monday class, Developmental Psychology, gets better. Here in Ireland, it is a second level course, so it makes sense that people should have some idea what they are there for. However, this week someone had to ask what psychology is and what various types of psychologists do. I hope I am going to learn something from this class so I am not behind when I head back home. That would be terrible.
Yours Truly,
Alicia
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Another long week down. I am still trying to accomplish my goal of one whole week where life in Ireland feels like an adventure rather than a struggle. Why is it a struggle, you may ask. Well, I have found that I am having trouble adjusting to the culture, a new room mate, being away from people I can trust, etc. Sometimes you simply do not realize all that you have until everything is turned around. I find I am missing home much more than I imagined. While Ireland is great and I know I will slowly find things to enjoy, I find that I would really like to grab a bowl of applesauce and watch a movie on the couch or wander the mall with friends. These things are kind of hard to find in Ireland. The only apple sauce I can find is bramely applesauce which has an odd color and the label reads "goes great with pork!" Due to this, I am a bit intimidated to try it. And as far as movies go, there isn't a channel on tv for them and I didn't bring dvd's. Finally, the only thing I can call a mall here does not really have any stores I am drawn to explore. Maybe I will find more luck in other cities here.
Which leads me to something I am excited for. Today I booked a hotel for myself and my boyfriend for a weekend in Dublin! We will be leaving Carlow Town for Dublin on October 21st and staying until the 23rd. I can not wait to explore one of the biggest cities in Ireland and hopefully find some stores with clothes I would like to wear! There is also a Harley Davidson store there! Can't wait!!
As far as exploring went, our weekly excursion took us to Wexford. While we were there, we walked through the Irish Heritage Trail and learned a lot about Ireland's known history. As it turns out, much of Irish history is a mystery. Before the stone age, the tools, clothing, etc of the people were made of organic materials that have decayed away. However, what we do know of the history here is still very interesting. From the Celts to the Vikings, Ireland has seen its fair share of turmoil and change.
After the history lesson, we traveled to the beach. And not just any beach, but the beach where Saving Private Ryan was filmed. I personally have not seen this film, but I can see why they chose that beach. When you stand between the dunes and the endless ocean, and breathe a fresh breath of air, life somehow gains a new perspective. It unexplainable and magical. It is something that everyone should experience. I found that I was able to let go of a lot of stress and let it fly off into the wind. And when the rain started to get a bit intense, I could feel some of my fears wash away.
Unlike my time at the beach, I am currently finding it difficult to clear my head and get this blog post written. For that reason, I will bid you adeiu for now and write some more soon!
Yours truly,
Alicia
Which leads me to something I am excited for. Today I booked a hotel for myself and my boyfriend for a weekend in Dublin! We will be leaving Carlow Town for Dublin on October 21st and staying until the 23rd. I can not wait to explore one of the biggest cities in Ireland and hopefully find some stores with clothes I would like to wear! There is also a Harley Davidson store there! Can't wait!!
As far as exploring went, our weekly excursion took us to Wexford. While we were there, we walked through the Irish Heritage Trail and learned a lot about Ireland's known history. As it turns out, much of Irish history is a mystery. Before the stone age, the tools, clothing, etc of the people were made of organic materials that have decayed away. However, what we do know of the history here is still very interesting. From the Celts to the Vikings, Ireland has seen its fair share of turmoil and change.
After the history lesson, we traveled to the beach. And not just any beach, but the beach where Saving Private Ryan was filmed. I personally have not seen this film, but I can see why they chose that beach. When you stand between the dunes and the endless ocean, and breathe a fresh breath of air, life somehow gains a new perspective. It unexplainable and magical. It is something that everyone should experience. I found that I was able to let go of a lot of stress and let it fly off into the wind. And when the rain started to get a bit intense, I could feel some of my fears wash away.
Unlike my time at the beach, I am currently finding it difficult to clear my head and get this blog post written. For that reason, I will bid you adeiu for now and write some more soon!
Yours truly,
Alicia
Saturday, September 24, 2011
A long, but mostly enjoyable week
Classes finally started for me this week and I made it to each of them early. This is only something notable due to the fact that Irish people tend to be a little late and not mind the time as well as we do in the states. This is so true that I have heard even the buses tend to arrive "somewhere around" the time they are intended to. The Irish simply do not mind taking detours and enjoying the smaller things in life it seems. Each of my classes had great qualities as well as notable moments.
The first class I attended on Monday was Developmental Psychology. I was nervous when I walked into the room because it was HUGE compared to the small sizes I am used to in Carlow University. There were rows upon rows of chairs, and there still were not enough for the number of students that came pouring through the door! This makes me even more nervous about when classes are in full swing because I feel I may get lost in the room and miss out on important things. I guess its good I like to sit in the front! This class was fairly short because the Irish students are allowed two weeks to decide what classes they want to take and the lecturer did not want to start class until she knew how many students cared.
The second class I had was on Tuesday and it was Counseling and Social Care Skills. Remember when I said I was nervous due to the size of my last class? Well this time that anxiety was doubled, if not more. The room was at the VERY top of a set of square, spiraled stairs and was simply massive. Luckily, there were many more seats than students in the room once class began, although I am told there was a traffic jam and some were going to be late if not missing class entirely. Once the lecturer began speaking, I felt a bit lost. I could understand bits of what he was talking about, but much of it only related to the Irish students. When he took a break, Andrea and I informed him that we were American students here to study for a semester and asked how things related to us. Instead of a real answer, he simply told us to "just do whatever." ?!?!? !!? I am now very worried about this class because I am used to knowing what is going on and not being told to do whatever I want. Hopefully it works itself out in the next few weeks.
On Wednesday I had two classes. The first was my Irish Experience class. I think that this is the class I was looking forward to the most because I think I will gain some valuable insights here. Because it was the first class, we really only went over the basics and got some things sorted out. However, we were told about the Friday excursion which sounded exciting! My second class was Social Psychology. After sitting through class, I think I may really enjoy this class. There are many topics mentioned that I have a small bit of knowledge about and some that I know little or nothing about. I think this will help me put new perspectives on my previous knowledge as well as expand my knowledge in the field of psychology. Also, the lecturer seems to be good at teaching. I was interested the whole time and felt like he knew what he was talking about. After class, the other American students and myself introduced ourselves and he was happy to meet us. This was a MUCH better response than my Tuesday class!!
I was scheduled to have a Thursday class, but it turns out it was moved to the same time as my Social Psychology class and therefore I had to drop it. This differs from the states because our schedules are worked out months in advance and classes don't overlap in that way once a student is scheduled for it. But, I won't let it bother me, that's simply not the Irish way!
Friday was our first excursion! We went to a variety of places that each had a great story to tell. Instead of me rambling on about each, allow me to just name them and put a few photos from each. Pictures are worth a thousand words, right?
Killeshin Church (Cill Uisean)
The next photo is from the top of a hill that overlooks the Barrow Valley.
By the Barrow River.
Saint Laserian's Cathedreal / Old Leighlin Church
Saint Mullin's Monastery.
(will add pictures soon, its being very slow and I need some sleep!!)
Duckett's Grove.
The trip to all of those places was grand, as the Irish would say. I came to Ireland to see things like this, and I feel like that purpose is finally starting to be fulfilled!
However, later in the evening the day began to lose its splendor. Sometimes getting along with room mates and girls who see things differently than you can be hard. On top of that, my phone was not working so I could not use the internet. It was a rough night where I cried and even said I wanted to go home. I hope nights like that begin to disappear.
This morning, my room mate left with some of the other girls and I began the weekend alone. I have this whole apartment to myself. It is very quiet now that it is night time, but I think I needed the space. As I said to my dad, I always seem to feel like the odd one out. I don't like to do the same things some other girls my age like to do, and that makes it hard for me to fit in. I feel like none of the people on this trip relate to me very well and I can not wait until my boyfriend comes to visit me so I have someone else to talk to. Although my dad doesn't seem to think this is a bad thing. He also was kind of a loner and often on his own around my age. He told me to keep my head up and stay true to myself. I am glad someone appreciates who I am.
Today was not all bad though. I got my phone fixed and even visited the farmers market here in Carlow. There were so many awesome goodies, but I decided I should only pick one. So, I bought a loaf of sun dried tomato and herb bread. It smelled delicious and I could not wait to try it! I had grilled cheese and tomato soup from the bread and it was amazing! I love local goodies. :] I also took a walk around town and visited the remains of Carlow Castle. I was hoping it would be larger, but I suppose something tucked away in a town like this would have to be small. All that remains is a small piece of the wall and two pieces of round towers. It was still an interesting sight. While I was there, I saw a pigeon who was too fat to fly! It made me laugh and definitely helped to cheer me up!
Yours truly,
Alicia
The first class I attended on Monday was Developmental Psychology. I was nervous when I walked into the room because it was HUGE compared to the small sizes I am used to in Carlow University. There were rows upon rows of chairs, and there still were not enough for the number of students that came pouring through the door! This makes me even more nervous about when classes are in full swing because I feel I may get lost in the room and miss out on important things. I guess its good I like to sit in the front! This class was fairly short because the Irish students are allowed two weeks to decide what classes they want to take and the lecturer did not want to start class until she knew how many students cared.
The second class I had was on Tuesday and it was Counseling and Social Care Skills. Remember when I said I was nervous due to the size of my last class? Well this time that anxiety was doubled, if not more. The room was at the VERY top of a set of square, spiraled stairs and was simply massive. Luckily, there were many more seats than students in the room once class began, although I am told there was a traffic jam and some were going to be late if not missing class entirely. Once the lecturer began speaking, I felt a bit lost. I could understand bits of what he was talking about, but much of it only related to the Irish students. When he took a break, Andrea and I informed him that we were American students here to study for a semester and asked how things related to us. Instead of a real answer, he simply told us to "just do whatever." ?!?!? !!? I am now very worried about this class because I am used to knowing what is going on and not being told to do whatever I want. Hopefully it works itself out in the next few weeks.
On Wednesday I had two classes. The first was my Irish Experience class. I think that this is the class I was looking forward to the most because I think I will gain some valuable insights here. Because it was the first class, we really only went over the basics and got some things sorted out. However, we were told about the Friday excursion which sounded exciting! My second class was Social Psychology. After sitting through class, I think I may really enjoy this class. There are many topics mentioned that I have a small bit of knowledge about and some that I know little or nothing about. I think this will help me put new perspectives on my previous knowledge as well as expand my knowledge in the field of psychology. Also, the lecturer seems to be good at teaching. I was interested the whole time and felt like he knew what he was talking about. After class, the other American students and myself introduced ourselves and he was happy to meet us. This was a MUCH better response than my Tuesday class!!
I was scheduled to have a Thursday class, but it turns out it was moved to the same time as my Social Psychology class and therefore I had to drop it. This differs from the states because our schedules are worked out months in advance and classes don't overlap in that way once a student is scheduled for it. But, I won't let it bother me, that's simply not the Irish way!
Friday was our first excursion! We went to a variety of places that each had a great story to tell. Instead of me rambling on about each, allow me to just name them and put a few photos from each. Pictures are worth a thousand words, right?
Killeshin Church (Cill Uisean)
(The beautiful archway and some of the intricate details)
(Chrissy helped most of us down)
The next photo is from the top of a hill that overlooks the Barrow Valley.
Saint Laserian's Cathedreal / Old Leighlin Church
 | ||
| (The weird stairlike piece helps to hold the building in place... it walks away!) |
Saint Mullin's Monastery.
(will add pictures soon, its being very slow and I need some sleep!!)
Duckett's Grove.
The trip to all of those places was grand, as the Irish would say. I came to Ireland to see things like this, and I feel like that purpose is finally starting to be fulfilled!
However, later in the evening the day began to lose its splendor. Sometimes getting along with room mates and girls who see things differently than you can be hard. On top of that, my phone was not working so I could not use the internet. It was a rough night where I cried and even said I wanted to go home. I hope nights like that begin to disappear.
This morning, my room mate left with some of the other girls and I began the weekend alone. I have this whole apartment to myself. It is very quiet now that it is night time, but I think I needed the space. As I said to my dad, I always seem to feel like the odd one out. I don't like to do the same things some other girls my age like to do, and that makes it hard for me to fit in. I feel like none of the people on this trip relate to me very well and I can not wait until my boyfriend comes to visit me so I have someone else to talk to. Although my dad doesn't seem to think this is a bad thing. He also was kind of a loner and often on his own around my age. He told me to keep my head up and stay true to myself. I am glad someone appreciates who I am.
Today was not all bad though. I got my phone fixed and even visited the farmers market here in Carlow. There were so many awesome goodies, but I decided I should only pick one. So, I bought a loaf of sun dried tomato and herb bread. It smelled delicious and I could not wait to try it! I had grilled cheese and tomato soup from the bread and it was amazing! I love local goodies. :] I also took a walk around town and visited the remains of Carlow Castle. I was hoping it would be larger, but I suppose something tucked away in a town like this would have to be small. All that remains is a small piece of the wall and two pieces of round towers. It was still an interesting sight. While I was there, I saw a pigeon who was too fat to fly! It made me laugh and definitely helped to cheer me up!
Yours truly,
Alicia
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