short and sweet (i was never any good with goodbyes)

This week is proving to be a series of lasts.  The last vanilla latte for take-away from Tansey’s Deli, the last load of laundry which I find innovative ways to dry around my room and my last day in the office that has welcomed me so wholly I felt as if I were part of the permanent staff.  It is hard to put into words the mix of emotions I am feeling as I move through my last few days in Maynooth.  I have come to love this small town outside of Dublin and I know it is because of the people I have met during my time here. 

There are many ways to describe what “home” is and as I sit reflecting on my time here, I realize Maynooth has become a home.  Home isn’t just a set of coordinates on a map; it’s a place where you feel comfortable enough to be yourself.  I have had many homes: my college apartment, Belmont Rd, 3 Ocean, Los Remedios, and now Humanity House.  I want to thank the International Office for accepting me into their fold and making this such an enjoyable experience.   It says something when I am happy to come into work everyday and leave with a smile on my face. 

When I left Spain three years ago, I came home with a confidence in myself that I seem to have lost recently.  Not the type of confidence that can be portrayed on the exterior, but a self-esteem that reveals itself through every aspect of my being.  I remember who I am and am incredibly happy with it.  It seems that each time I push myself out of my comfort zone, I find that happiness all over again. 

To my family in the International Office in Maynooth, I want to thank you for the absolutely incredible summer I have had.  I'm afraid I'll start to tear up, but just know that I will come back someday soon!

pink apples and midnight manicures (glamping phase two)

Oxford Dictionary defines "glamping" as:

 A form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping: glamping is likely to satisfy any city slicker seeking a little refuge in nature—without foregoing any of life’s luxuries.

Now I'll agree with most of this. We did sleep in beds, have access to a fully functioning kitchen and the ability to take hot showers, BUT we did build our own fire in a stove to keep the yurt warm AND had to use a glorified outhouse.  That's right, no flushing and a bucket of sawdust next to the toilet.  The site was lovely though, a real fairy land with loose stone paths leading to each yurt and twinkle lights strewn across the campground.  The proprietors have four kids of their own with a fifth on the way, so there were tree houses, rope swings and hidden oases creating a whimsical, youthful experience.

If I had to describe Jessie and Martin, I would call them modern hippies.  They have very "go with the flow" attitudes and a wonderfully simple outlook on life, happiness.  While we were chatting we discovered that Jessie was almost 7 months pregnant.  She had on a puffy green vest and none of us noticed at all.  They are awaiting the arrival of their fourth boy, Rocco. Logan Jasmine sure has the run of the house as the only girl.  Huckleberry, Maximus, and Ozzy (who turned eight while we were there) round out the family. Plus a few chickens here and there.

We opted to have our nails done that night, a glamping perk that is offered by Pink Apple Orchards along with massages, eyebrow and eyelash tints.  A woman named Agnes came to the site for our second round of pampering that day.  While Alena and I waited for Agnes, Sue and Jodi went into the local village for a few bits and to find an ATM.  

In the town, drivers simply stopped in the middle of the road to park and headed into the only grocery store in the area. I'm not exaggerating either. Sue showed us when we drove through it the next day. Life definitely has a different pace in the Irish countryside and road rage is nonexistent. Also, there wasn't an ATM for miles, getting cash back was the only option.  While Sue and Jodi were out hunting for an ATM, Agnes arrived with cases of nail polish and beauty supplies, an all in one nail salon.  When Jessie told us that Agnes would be arriving at 7:30, she also mentioned that our nails would take two hours each person, making for a very long evening. Jodi said something along the lines of "surely it can't take that long." Shellac only takes about 30 minutes.  

It turns out it was a miscommunication between Agnes and Jessie, but it became an inside joke between the ladies of the camp. We still managed to be primping well past midnight we frequent interruptions for stories and laughter. Agnes is from Poland and has been living in the West of Ireland for 8 1/2 years.  Alena, who is Slovak herself, noticed a slight Polish twang in her pronunciation of certain words. After being in the country for so long though Agnes sounded like any other Sligo native (At least to Jodi, Sue and myself). When Jodi and Sue returned from the village, I was already on my second coat and we were old friends with Agnes. Sue started making drinks and I was a bit jealous I couldn't partake yet.  


We were going to have a BBQ, but the drizzly rain dampened that plan.  So instead we had frozen pizza(glamping cuisine at it's finest!) and baked potatoes cooked in the coals of the now doused fire. I have never had such a delicious baked potato. I only added salt and paper and it melted in my mouth.  Throughout the night, Martin would stop in with scores from the Brazil vs. Holland game.  We had fans for both sides in the kitchen. Agnes was fabulous and after she left we headed back to our yurt to play cards and chat until almost 3am.


Inside we had a little stove fire which reminded me of my aunt and uncle's in New Hampshire. As a pyro I thoroughly enjoyed stoking the fire and keeping it warm in the yurt. I had the best night's sleep of my entire stay in Ireland in that yurt. I slept soundly and woke up to the sun's rays peeking though the ceiling. We lazily got ready for the day and headed to the kitchen for breakfast where we met the cutest baby girl, Alice and her parents. Her dad is Northern Irish and her mom is Floridian, go figure! She and I bonded over the foreign tea time concept. Every time Alice caught our eyes she would do a little dance in her mom's arms. Adorable.  

As we left the glamping site, I realized I would love to come back if I ever get the opportunity and take advantage of the lake that rests at the bottom of the hill. But it was off to our next pitstop, the Marble Arch Caves just over the border in Northern Ireland. 

On the tour you walk down into the caves, take a boat ride to the other side(as it's only passable by boat), walk through as the guide points out flow rocks, stalagmites, and stalactites, and finally climb 163 steps out. I sneezed once and you could hear it the whole length of the caves! The whole time I thought about Matt, my stepdad: the geology fanatic and our family trip to Mexico.  We went snorkeling in a cenote and the rock formations were strikingly similar to each other.  And wouldn't you know I got my Mexican food fix for lunch at Taco Loco in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. Burritos and Orange Fanta, perfect end to a weekend away.  Oh and girls, the song in Taco Loco was Finally Found You, Enrique Iglesias. I knew it sounded familiar!

I'm heading to Galway tomorrow to meet my brother-in-law's cousin Michelle! Incredibly excited to be back by the ocean again :) We'll see what the weekend has in store! Sending love to all, especially the Canada bound contingency. I bet y'all can't catch a bigger wall-eye than mine last year!

this girl went glamping!

Originally the girls in my office (Alena, Jodi and Sue) and I planned to visit Belfast this past weekend.  Unfortunately this particular weekend wasn't entirely safe to be in the city as the Protestant Orange parades take place on July 12 each year.  So instead we decided to go glamping! And by we, I mean I was so overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the idea of "glamorous camping" that the other girls didn't have the heart to tell me, "No!" We made a road trip out of our weekend and got lost in the Irish countryside following the brown signs that indicate a place worthy of a few extra kilometers of driving time.

Along the West Coast of Ireland we stopped at a coastal village called Strandhill.  Sue had arranged for us to have seaweed baths and steams in a well known spa called Voya. I had never been to a spa, let alone had a seaweed bath, so I was a little weary about what it would be like.  When I thought about slimy, green algae I could only envision using it as an instrument to win a water fight in the ocean. It seemed a bit silly to go sit in a bathtub full of seaweed when you could just as easily walk across the street and have a sit in the cold saltwater.

To my pleasant surprise the baths were not cold but warm and incredibly relaxing.  The seaweed was smooth and soft, anything but slimy as I imagined. Of course with all the seaweed we looked swamp things or in this case an ocean things, not exactly glamorous!  After being caught in a rainstorm on the walk from the parking area, the warmth of the bath was a welcome respite from the chill.  Strandhill reminded me of a smaller, quaint version of my home away from home in New Hampshire.  The slate gray ocean water lapping against a beach dotted with rocks made for exploring, left a calming effect in my soul.  We had a thought to jump in the ocean after our baths, but I made do with putting my toes in.  

Beside Voya was a little cafe and bake shop which was recommended, called Shell's Cafe.  We stopped here for lunch before jumping back into the car for our journey.  What I loved about this place was the decor.  It reminded me of sea glass.  The cool colors and relaxing atmosphere were beachy and wonderful.  They had colanders hanging as light fixtures and mason jars holding wild flowers on every table.  Mismatched chairs and a menu of homemade breads, organic coffee and locally sourced produce make this a must-see for anyone planning a future trip to Ireland.  

On a wim, we decided to head to WB Yeats' grave as we were making our way to the Pink Apples camp site(who couldn't love that name).  While driving Sue and Jodi started reciting "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" a Yeats poem, which was ingrained in them during primary school. 

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

W. B. Yeats, 1865 - 1939

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, 

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made: 

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee;

And live alone in the bee-loud glade. 

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow, 

And evening full of the linnet’s wings. 

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey, 

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

Those two made it as far as the first stanza and couldn't recall the rest. His grave was at a small church in Drumcliffe at the foot of the Benbulben mountain. What was of interest to me was the inside of the church. There was no center aisle. The pews were wooden and connected in the middle leaving no room for a pathway. In all my life, granted it is only a short 24 years, I haven't seen a configuration like this. Another fact worth mentioning was his wife's name, George. After seeing this I had a craving to read a Nancy Drew mystery novel (or twelve) from my childhood.  Visiting Yeats's grave and the live recitation of the Lake Isle of Innisfree led to a detour to visit the actual island Yeats describes in the poem.  

All this time our cell phone service was dreadful, luckily the SAT NAV always knew where we were or we would be up a creek without a paddle.  As we were traveling the winding grass-lined country roads big, brown signs pop up randomly advertising(sort of) an Irish Heritage site of interest.  As we we had no time frame or arrival times at the glamping site, we followed quite a few for fun.  Now these signs would appear at intersections pointing you in the correct direction and then disappear for a considerable amount of time.  So we just trusted that we would eventually find these destination spots.  In doing this we happened upon the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen.  Okay, so it is the only waterfall I have ever seen. 

As we pulled into the carpark, which was surrounded by a sheep farm (don't worry Em I didn't bring you a new pet!)it started to drizzle.  Luckily Sue pulled us from the car or we never would have seen this amazing natural beauty.  The trek took about five minutes but it was worth the damp layer of clothes for the view.  Our last stop before Pink Apples was the Lake Isle of Innisfree. This was the most backroads driving I have experienced so far in Ireland. It honestly felt as if we were intruding on someone's private property as the road was completely deserted and turned out to be a dead end(which we found out the hard way!) As we rounded a corner, the road just stopped. At the edge of the lake. We almost drove onto the dock. Now there was a sign indicating this situation, but it was hidden by the overgrown bushes on the left side of the paved way. See that little yellow/gold sign there? At the point where you could read this sign, the warning was inconsequential.  It would be common sense not to drive into the lake.  After this little detour, we headed straight for the campgrounds. 

We covered so much in just the beginnings of the trip, that I'll give y'all some time to digest it all and maybe do a little googling to see a bit more.  I'll tell you all about Jessie, Martin and Agnes tomorrow.  Happy reading!

as seen on garth brooks' head.

Last weekend I went on my first adventure in Ireland! I planned a trip to Limerick to meet with Joy, another student in my graduate program who is interning at the University of Limerick for the summer.  In total there are six students in my program who decided to take the opportunity to intern abroad this summer, amazing isn't it?  We are spread around the world learning about different higher education systems and structures, cultures and peoples.  I am proud of all we are accomplishing by stepping outside of our comfort zones!

This weekend trip to Limerick was certainly full of interesting times.  I took a bus from Dublin to Limerick for a bargain, just ten euro for an air-conditioned Coach bus.  It operated just as a Megabus would in the States.  You wait at a bus stop in the middle of Dublin (luckily this bus stop was right next to a Starbucks) and pile onto the vehicle when it arrives.  And when I say pile, I mean pile.  As I was waiting for the bus to come I looked around and saw a very large number of people doing the same.  I started to worry that I wouldn't make it onto the bus!  I had tried purchasing a ticket online beforehand, but they wouldn't accept my debit card.  The bright green Dublin Coach bus pulled up to the curb and it was a mad dash to the door. The driver actually had to step off the bus and push people back in order to let riders off.  I was so enthralled by the happenings that I just stood there dumbfounded.  Luckily though there was a surge from the people behind me and I ended up in line anyway.  The bus ride was long and I couldn't get comfortable in my seat, but as it was so inexpensive I didn't mind.

We arrived on the University of Limerick campus at around 9pm and I met Joy, who had been on a trip to the Cliffs of Moher.  We made our way through campus and headed over to the house she is renting for the summer, which is in a quiet neighborhood right outside of the campus grounds.  She explained to me, during the school year the neighborhood is overrun with college students and continuously noisy from parties.  After chatting and catching up, we headed into Limerick because I needed food.  It was getting to a point where I would have eaten my hand.  Unfortunately because it was so late the only open "restaurant" was Subway.  I didn't mind because it would be quick.  Five minutes more and I would be putting a sandwich in my stomach.  The inside of the food chain was a bit dodgy but when I'm hungry, nothing else matters.

To make up for our very American dinner/late night snack, we headed to find a pub for a pint and to watch the World Cup.  I didn't know the area and Joy had only been there for a short amount of time, so we followed the sounds of music.  We found a bar with a band playing outside on a patio.  As we approached the entrance, three girls who looked younger than my little sister were handing over their IDs to the bouncer. Their blatant flirtations with the man at the door didn't succeed and they were turned away for being under 18.  After being accustomed to showing my ID everywhere in the United States, even for R movies, I was ushered in the door with just a glance at my license-wielding hand.  Joy and I ordered a couple ciders and found a table with a cushioned bench that resembled a wingback chair.  It was prime real estate for people watching!   We were in the corner of the inside part of the pub so we had a full view of the interior and to our right there was a shuttered window open to the outdoor patio.

Can you guess what songs they played as we sat and observed the atmosphere? I'll give you a second to think about it.


Friends in Low Places-Garth Brooks
Mustang Sally-The Commitments
Sweet Home Alabama- Lynyrd Skynyrd
Wagon Wheel- Old Crow Medicine Show

I felt like I was back in the Cola at Tin Roof when I heard these songs.  I'd heard about the Garth Brooks fascination before this.  My little sister told me about how his three concerts at Croke Park in Dublin this summer sold out in under two hours.  It's astonishing to me how a certain artist can acquire a fan base in different parts of the world.  As I was walking to work this morning, I even saw imitation Garth Brooks cowboy hats for sale for 5 euro at a shop in town.  When I asked my coworkers, I was then told that the three concerts have been increased to five concerts in five nights due to high demand! Positively astonishing!


After our night of country and rock music, we headed home for some sleep.  In the morning we again ventured into Limerick for the Saturday milk market, which is similar to a farm market. I absolutely loved the milk market. It is housed in a building made of walls of re-purposed wood and a giant white circus tent for a ceiling.  A variety of homemade foods and farm fresh produce were available for purchase as well as knick knacks and random items.  If I needed a used power tool, I'd be in luck.  A weathered, old man had every kind imaginable on folding tables beside his rusty blue van outside.

Joy told me about a French family that sells crepes out of a stall in the main area.  Apparently there is always a long line, so of course I had to have one.  Any good traveler knows that if a bunch of locals are in a queue for a bite, it has to be fantastic.  I tried the delicious heaven that was the Angelique, apples and cinnamon and love, YUM.  We wandered the market for over an hour.  I found a table which sold old records and thought I could stay for hours going through the different genres and artists.  I even found an early birthday present, if I can get it back to the states all in one piece.


As a coffee addict I can't make it past ten in the morning without stopping for an espresso rich beverage.  Luckily there were many coffee stalls and shops to choose from at the milk market.  On our way out I stopped at a little pastry and coffee shop called Harper's Coffee House and ordered my usual vanilla latte.  There was a chill to the morning, so I was happy to have something warm to sip as we walked around the city.

Our next stop was St. Mary's Cathedral.  As there were services going on when we arrived we just stuck to exploring the grounds and cemetery.  A cemetery may not seem interesting to the average person, but I find them hauntingly beautiful, especially if the headstones are hundreds of years old.  Fully matured trees shade the final resting places of citizens of Limerick including Edmond Sexton who was an envoy of King Henry VIII of England.  During the reign of Queen Mary I, his remains were removed from his tomb and hung from the rafters in the church in protest of allegiance to Protestantism.  What is horrifying is the remains weren't discovered for three years!

Across the street we found a gastro pub called The Locke Bar and Oyster House.  I had a delicious chicken sandwich and chips(fries) and a Smithwick's Ale which apparently pronounced smit-icks, who knew?  Evidently this restaurant is pretty famous for its food and atmosphere, because the Clintons visited the establishment during one of their trips to Ireland. There were framed newspaper articles by our table about their experience.  As we sat an enjoyed our meal, a rugby game was displayed on all of the televisions and projection screens.  In that moment I felt pretty Irish.

We made our way to King John's Castle, which I mistakenly refer to as Saint John's Castle constantly.  Even as I write this I make a conscious effort to type the right name.  This was by far one of the most engaging museums I have been to in all my travels.  As you walk through the castle you learn the history of its inhabitants and the city of Limerick.   Each room belonged to a different inhabitant and the museum has used this as a history lesson.  We learned about the constable's quarters and the armory, by seeing how it would have looked way back when.  You can walk to the tops of the towers and look out over the River Shannon.  Luckily I'm short so I didn't hit my head on the ceiling, but be weary if you ever visit.  Also the minuscule steps wind around in such a tight circle that I got dizzy before I reached the top.

From this vantage point it is easy to see the lush farmland and mountains in the distance.  When I looked towards them I pictured the scene in P.S. I Love You where Holly is walking down a quiet Irish road and happens upon Gerry.  I'm a closet romantic and love the idea of a meet cute like that.

My bus back to Dublin was arriving on the UL campus at 5pm, so by the time we returned we had two hours to tour the campus.  And what a campus!  With the amount of green space I felt miles and miles away from the city, when it was really only a 20 minute bus ride.  The university was also alive with activities as the Special Olympics were holding events at the campus.  UL is known for its sports facilities and large number of fields and pitches.  Thirty acres of playing fields is no joke! The campus is even used by the Irish international rugby squad.  Traversing the campus is an amazing bridge known as the "Living Bridge".  It's the largest pedestrian bridge in all of Ireland and at night it lights up with different colors.  I've added the architect's website to the bottom of the page, because it is just an amazing engineering feat to behold (and of course I didn't think to take a picture of it). After a great (and long) walk around campus, we ended at the student centre where a tent was set up with a Zumba class for all participants and their families.  And much too soon it was time for me to catch the bus back to Dublin. This leg of the trip I had two seats for little old me and slept the entire way back.

Just for a little giggle: I was walking to work this morning and a primary school class from the boys school was waiting to cross the street.  As I got closer I heard one of the boys start to chant U-S-A, U-S-A.  All of the boys started to join in when I reached them and were quieted by their teacher.  I had to squeeze by them as I turned the corner towards the college and said, "Excuse me boys, I just need to cut through".  Thirty faces turned to look up at me and I heard one whisper in awe (or fear, I'm not sure which), "She's American."  It seems we have a contingency of Irish boys cheering on the US in the World Cup!

The Living Bridge

insert clever title here.

It seems I have been neglecting this blog lately, but it is simply because I'm in Ireland and I'm exploring! After two weeks I am settling into my new home for the summer, but I don't think I will ever be used to the beauty of the local culture and atmosphere.  It is such a calming experience to live here.  When I'm walking around the centre of town, I am consistently the fastest moving person and that is no easy feat for me.  My sisters can attest to that fact (especially Emily), as they are constantly have to "slow their roll" so I can keep up!  I won't apologize for short legs though, I can't change that.


My lunchtimes consist of outdoor patios next to castle ruins, lunches on the green and coffees on the walk back to the office.  Life here is much simpler.  There is no need to stress or worry on a normal day.  We had a few visitors from UNCW on campus last week and I was able to tour the chapel on campus.  It is locked to the public as there have been incidents of theft in the past and you must be an employee to request access.  I expected a beautiful church, but this was completely unexpected.

My first full weekend in Ireland I was lucky enough to see Niamh, my lovely roommate from graduate school who is herself Irish.  Since she is doing her clinical rotations in and around Dublin, we decided to meet for dinner after work on Friday.  After I mentioned that I would be heading to Dublin for dinner, my colleagues basically pushed me out the door.  Of course I should leave early, it's a Friday afternoon and I'm only in Ireland for a short time!  I don't think I've ever met as many genuinely nice people who are interested in getting to know me and help me experience this adventure in my life.

I'll admit I was a bit nervous for my first bus trip into the city centre, but it was easily navigable.  There are two buses that run from Main Street in Maynooth to the Dublin city centre and from there you can catch a bus, train, tram, plane, horse and buggy, etc. to just about anywhere you could want.  I got off the bus at the D'Olier Street/College Street stop and gave Niamh a ring to see where she and Scott (her boyfriend) were.  I'll be the first to admit that I am not the best at describing locations and it took a few minutes for us to figure out where I was in relation to them!  It turns out I was right next to Trinity College.  I hadn't seen Niamh since I left South Carolina at the beginning of May so it was wonderful to see her again.

We headed to a restaurant called crackBIRD which is located on Dame Street in the Temple Bar area.  Niamh warned me that they only serve chicken dishes, but I didn't quite realize how honest she was being.  The dinner menu consists of different varieties of rubs and seasonings for chicken with side dishes to round out the meal.  However, there are only two sizes...half chicken and full chicken.  Can you imagine how incredibly full I was?  Obviously I ordered the half chicken and a side dish of croquettes (I miss my Spanish tapas), but still ended up asking for a take away container.  After dinner we walked to an establishment called The Bailey for a drink before we all headed home.  Niamh and I had glasses of cider (my first since I had been in Ireland) and Scott had a pint of Guinness.  I have been told by different people that there are a certain number of pulls to enjoy a Guinness.  But that number always seems to change with each person. In this instance, Scott told me that you should drink a Guinness in 3 pulls.  My  future brother-in-law, Adam told me once it was 7.  Either way, if I drank a Guinness that quickly, or any beer for that matter, pigs would be flying above our heads.

On my bus ride home I watched the sun set at 10pm.  It stays light pretty late in this area, not getting completely dark until about 11:30 at night.  I have witnessed some of the most beautiful sunsets with colors splashing across clouds that seem to be rushing towards the sun in an effort to keep it afloat.

Saturday was a day of chores.  I had a marvelous lie in, not getting out of bed until 10am.  I cleaned my room, went for a shop and did a load of laundry.  I did enjoy a walk around town in the rain during which I found the local library and a deli that serves an amazing vanilla latte.

Sunday I had planned with Niamh to go over to her house for the afternoon and have dinner with her family.  I met her mum, dad and her younger brother.  We spent the afternoon watching the final match of the French Open.  I have never laughed so much while watching a tennis match.  Each time her dad would comment about this serve or that backhand, the announcer would match his exclamations a few moments later causing us to burst.  As someone who doesn't regularly watch tennis, I learned a great deal.  I found myself rooting for Djokovic even though I love Spain and consequently Rafael Nadal, because he has never won the French Open.  It was such a lovely Sunday especially the home cooked meal and dessert Niamh's mom prepared.  This dessert was a mix between a lemon meringue pie and lemon pudding, it just melted in my mouth.  Although my apartment is very nice and perfectly suitable, it is nice to have a cozy, warm place to visit every once in awhile.   A sort of home away from home.

Now I am going to do something very American and curb my salt craving with Pringles and a bottle of Coke.  Aunt Katie would be proud.  Do not get me started about how difficult it is to find just plain, salted crisps (potato chips)...

let them eat (chocolate) cake!

Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your hats, take a seat and put down anything that may break if you drop it...on Tuesday I willingly ate a piece of chocolate cake.  Now you're probably in a state of shock, staring blankly at the screen and thinking "wait a minute", but it is the honest truth.

Tuesday was the first day of my internship.  I headed over to the office which, gloriously enough, is a five minute walk from my apartment and met with the staff members who were in the office.  After chatting for a bit about what I would be doing during my two month stay, Zubin, a graduate student worker, took me on an extensive tour of campus and the village of Maynooth. On the route we stopped at a coffee shop and he treated me to a cappuchino and a piece of cake. He had already switched treats once before when I told him I have a nut allergy and I tried to politely decline, but he wouldn't take no for an answer.  I didn't want to tell him I didn't like chocolate on top of that. So being the polite girl I am, I ate the cake. But for the record my taste buds have not changed.  Each swallow was followed by a gulp of my delicious cappuccino to disguise the flavor!

This picture was taken right across the way from the coffee shop where I ate the chocolate cake.  The little sign in the left hand corner is for the shop where we stopped. It is also right next to my apartment complex, but I never took the time to look down and discover the gentle stream that passes by.  It reminds me that I should not only look up at all of the beautiful architecture that connects the old Ireland with the new Ireland, but to also look down at the natural beauty that is all around me.

The Humanity House which houses the International Office comprises one side of St. Joseph's Square. This is what I see as I leave the office every day to walk home, amazing isn't it? It is crazy how often we connect different senses to memories or familiar places and when I walked into the Humanity House memories of my childhood crashed into me as it smells like Butler Montessori School when it was located at Butler Catholic.  I could see myself learning how to make a bed, tie my shoes and balance a plate on my head while walking in a straight line. The similarities end with the smell however.  The International Office stretches down a long corridor that just begs for me to turn cartwheels the entire way.  I mentioned this to one of my colleagues Wendy and she said as long as I tell them ahead of time so they all can watch I should "give it a go".


I am very much enjoying my first few days at my internship.  We have two tea breaks at 11am and 3pm as well as lunch at 1pm.  We gather around in the meeting room and just chat about the day and get to know each other.  All of the members of the office who I have met are delightful.  I have been invited along to lunch with a few of the girls every day I have been here and we are going to plan a weekend trip to Belfast!  As for the workload, I do feel as if I am not contributing very much.  Maybe it is just that I am used to always having multiple projects on my hands as well as student advising hours or it might simply be that it is my first week in the office.  We'll see how next week goes and I will definitely be asking for more projects to keep me busy!  Until then I'll enjoy my gradual introduction into the office environment and substituting coffee for tea at 11am and 3pm :)

In just under a week, I'll be heading back across the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in three years.  Currently I'm sitting on my couch watching Frozen with two of my best friends beside me.  Yes, I am a 24 year-old graduate student and I am not ashamed to admit I still enjoy Disney movies.  I have been taking a break to relax and enjoy time with friends and family after my first year in the HESA program at the University of South Carolina.  Mostly this has meant vegging on the couch binge watching certain crime solving television shows and playoff hockey games, but I've also managed a quick trip to Boston and New Hampshire to visit my older sisters. After a packed weekend of beer release parties, bbqs and drinks on the decks, I'm ready for Ireland and all of the amazing adventures I will have.  

You would think that with my trip quickly approaching I would be packing or making sure I have everything in order, but I am completely disorganized, yet eerily calm.  Perhaps it is because I have already gone through the process of living abroad for a short amount of time or perhaps it is still surreal to me.  This summer in Maynooth, Ireland, I'll be interning at a local university, getting a better understanding of the inner workings of an Irish university.

All of my previous trips to Europe have helped me grow as a person and have shaped my life in many ways.  My first trip to Europe was a class trip to Spain and Morocco as a senior in high school.  I fell in love with a boy, with a country and with who I became after the experience.  My eyes were opened to the world outside of my personal bubble and I became that much better for it.  

A love of travel and learning about new cultures was instilled in me and as a junior in college I returned to Seville, Spain for a full semester.  Living in a foreign country as a college student is a completely liberating time.  I was blessed to be able to visit eight other countries and numerous towns and cities in Southern Spain.  I met amazing people through my program and through my travels, became part of the community of Seville and even began to look like a local by the end of my four months' stay. (A Spanish couple asked me for directions and I was able to help them find their destination.  Now mind you this conversation was completely in Spanish!)  






I'm not sure what to expect out of my Irish summer, but that's the beauty of it...embracing the unexpected and taking a leap of faith every once and a while.  Along the way I'm sure I'll fall into some unexpected, amazing adventures with a few frustrating bouts of homesickness. (Which I'll make sure to tell y'all) Until then..

I love you a million red swedish fish.