Aran Islands

Last weekend we went to the Aran Islands.  It was about a 45 minute ferry ride to the island.  It was really cold, windy, and rainy for the two days we were there.  Before I finally left to the island I told some other locals here in Galway, and Spiddal where I was going and all they said was have fun with the weather.  Should definitely take notes from them.  I was bummed out that I could not ride on the bikes because of the awful weather.  As I got off of the ferry, I walked to a grocery store and waited 30 minutes for the bus to come pick me up.  After that I went to the frigid hostel to leave my belongings.  All of us hiked 6-7 miles and I saw the worm hole, and cliffs galore.  I am very scared of heights, so for those who stood very close to the cliff terrified me because of the crashing never ending ocean below.  It was a beautiful view, but terrifying at the same time.  The first part of our tour was a bus ride and we saw the whole island.  The whole entire island is nine miles long and 3 miles wide.  Everything about it was wonderful.  However, I felt really secluded because many buildings were closed and I did not bring a lot of warm clothes.  This is the off season of the year so not too much to do.  After our hike, we went to the hostel expecting it to be warm and it was freezing.  The owner made all of us food and it was delicious!  Later that night all of us went down the block to meet some of the locals.  They are very nice and welcoming to new people.  Even the bus drivers are friendly.  So now if I ever make it back here I know to come during the summer and be prepared for the extreme.

Daily Life

It has been about 3 weeks since I have arrived in Ireland and each day gets better and better. Monday through Wednesday I have class from 10am to about 2pm.  It is a long haul, but the breaks keep me going.  I usually don’t get up until about 9:20 and then I slowly make my way out of bed.  Definitely not a morning person, but each day is getting better.  It rains literally every day, or hails.  When it is sunny outside, I cherish it because it rarely happens.  The weather is beautiful either way though.  The cold bothered me at first but now it is fine.  After class, I usually go to Spiddal with my friends.  The 2 mile walk is a breeze, the scenery will never get old, and it is definitely on point.  The ocean is beautiful, I cannot get enough of it.  If it was warmer I would go swimming.  Also, I am in love with all of the rocks, stone, and houses that Ireland has to offer.  It is nothing that I have seen before.  Walking to Spiddal is a great way to clear my head and it makes me super happy, especially on beautiful days we rarely have. Ha. Uh, Tigh Giblin is an amazing restaurant and they have the best queso dip.  Might be better than Qdoba if that is possible.  As were in Spiddal we go to Texaco to grab a few groceries.  I do cook, and my cooking skills are definitely improving.  The other night I made my cottage, baked chicken, sautéed peppers, and rice. It wasn’t too fancy but it was mighty delicious.  Also, in Galway is where my cottage mates do our real grocery shopping at.  Dunnes is an excellent store with excellent prices.  Galway has a harbor and when I first saw it I was amazed.  I have never seen anything like it before.  It makes me want to go deep sea fishing just to get more of an experience of being in Ireland.  It is truly amazing how much Ireland feels like home minus cornfields and familiar faces.    

Ah, Locals. (:

The locals here in Ireland are absolute sweet hearts.  When we all travel to Spiddal or Galway and go into the pubs or a small café the people are so nice.  They are interested in where we are from in the United States, and ask us what brings us here (school).  If they think we are interesting, I would say they are very interesting in general, especially their accents.  The locals make you feel safe in all ways possible, and they are not shy to come up and talk to you either.  Although, their driving scares me a bit.  I guess I would fit in just right for those of you who know how “safe” I drive.  Last weekend all of us went to Galway, and a group of us went to the King’s Head.  It was awesome, they always have live bands so it is really cool.  Everyone has a great time and they dance. On 9 February it was Pancake Tuesday, and it is quite the big deal here.  It is the day before Ash Wednesday... Ireland is very religious.  Any who, six of us walked to Spiddal while it was raining pretty well, keep in mind that Spiddal is two miles away from where we are staying all for AMAZING pancakes at Tigh Giblin.  Literally the best pancakes I have ever ate.  So the walk was well worth it.  Usually I do not eat them at all in the United States, but I am so glad I did.  I ordered mine with apples, and when my plate came out with three small pancakes, melted dark chocolate, diced green apples, and maple syrup, my heart was so very happy.  Our waiter was the nicest guy and did everything he could to accommodate us.  One thing I love about this country is that the taxes are within the prices. (;

Week 1 of an Adventure

On January 30th, 2016 I boarded a plane to Newark, New Jersey and after the four hour layover my group and I was off to Ireland. My thoughts on the plane were normal I would say although I was not scared at all, maybe just a tad nervous.  I was excited more than anything. I have never been to such a beautiful country until now. I was amazed of how cold, windy, and rainy it is here.  Reading about it and experiencing it are two different things.  If I can handle this weather and having to walk miles in this sort of weather  there is no excuse for me to complain about Nebraska weather.   We finally arrived at the Park Lodge Hotel and that's where we saw where we would be staying in an adorable cottage. Jet lag is a real thing, this week has been rough considering I have been going to sleep around 7am and having class at 10am.  Six hours does not seem like a big difference but it truly is.  On Sunday, my roomies and I took a walk to the Atlantic Ocean.  It is beautiful there and very salty. On Monday we had our first class.  Jean Marie teaches us Irish!  So far I have learned multiple Irish words.   Later that day we walked two miles in eighty mile per hour wind to get to a tiny town called Spiddal.  Took a tour of the place and finally found a coffee shop.  I was amazed by how cheap it is and how delicious it is.  WAY better than American coffee.  Classes are going well for it being the first week. Ireland makes me not want to go back to America.