London Town :)

Two weekends ago, April 29th, I went to London! Now, yes, it was during this weekend of the Royal Wedding, but the main reason I went was to see my good friends Kaylee and Keith, both go to school with me at Drake. Kaylee is in my sorority and Keith and I have the same life (Psychology majors with a behavior analysis of developmental disabilities minor and a business minor).  They are both amazing people and it was incredible seeing them. I spent Friday night and Saturday day with Keith.  We did the usual sight seeing ( I have already been to London so it was fun to just walk around the city).  He lives right in the city and is surrounded by beautiful, expensive homes.  The park behind his dorm, is where Princess Diana used to go with William and Harry when they were young, pretty crazy I know.  Spending the day with him, talking about our experiences and the things we will need to do to prepare for next fall was so great.  While being in Ireland I have my friends here who I talk with about my exeperience, but being able to talk to someone else abroad, not in the same place as I am, really helped me to understand how life changing studying abroad truly is.  After going to the market, seeing Peter Pan :) and spending the day wondering and walking through 5 different beautiful parks in the sun, I was back on the tube and off to spend the next two nights with Kaylee.  Seeing here was one of the greatest moments, it brought back all of those feelings about home.  We sat and talked for hours about delta gamma, going home and feeling unsure about life, wondering how we will adapt and if we will feel different.  I felt so happy, relieved that she was feeling everything i was feeling.  I met her new friends that have shared this experience with her and I felt her pain for when she had to say goodbye to them. She is truly incredible and so loving, I am so blessed to have her back at Drake with me as my friend and as my sister as we both adapt back to our real lives.  My time in London was perfect, I realized how truly amazing being away for 4 months has been and how it has allowed me and my friends to grow and understanding the world a little bit better. 

What What?? Kennelly Family Comes to Visit :)

WOW! I cannot believe my family was here already a month ago! Time just flies here. Well, the lovely Kennelly family ventured over to the Grand ol' country of Ireland March 25-April 2 to visit their wonderful ginger :). While I was in Barcelona Thursday-Monday, they flew into London, stayed there for two days then flew to Dublin, spent a day there then finally to Limerick Monday! Seeing my family in my new world was so strange. Ireland is a place where I have begun to call my new home,  it is a place that no one else can understand or relate to back at home.  When I first saw them, I was overwhelmed with emotions; exictement, surprised, releaved, happy.. just about everything!  I showed them my apartment and around my campus, where we ate lunch with a few of my friends at the campus pub and where I shared my first 'legal' drink with my family. After leaving campus, I stayed with them at their hotel. The next day we took the Cliffs of Moher tour. Seeing this magnificant sight with my family was honestly the greatest feeling ever.  I was able to share my experiences and emotions while livng In Ireland with them and they were able to connect with me how I felt about the beautifulness that Ireland has to offer.  Throughout the tour, we had a blast just laughing and sharing silly jokes and finally being together as a family.  That night, we took the bus to our B&B in Killarney.  This little town filled with shops and restaurants was soo cute and our room was lovely.  The next day, we did the Ring of Kerry tour which was also breathtaking and beautiful :).  Spending time with my family is always fun, but spending quality time with my family in Ireland, the country that has allowed me to grow as a person, building my character and confidence was something truly special.  I have never felt so close with my family, constantly laughing and making fun of each other, almost peeing our pants everyday, made me realize how much I have grown even more, truly appreciating ever second I had with them, wishing it would never end.  Charlie and I also grew so much closer.  Sitting with him and being able to talk, made me realize that we have  become so much more than brother and sister in this past year, we have become good friends. Friday morning, we took a ride in a buggie throuhg the Killarney National park.  A park that is 25,000 acres,  surrounded by a huge lake and beautiful hill landscapes.  The man driving the buggie was quite the Irish man.  He was older and soo funny, singing and talking to his pony, named Suzie.  He kept saying 'What, What? Oh, Suzie she gets afraid of the puddles on the road, she thinks she will drown' Once we left Killarney, we stayed at another B&B in Blarney, by the Blarney Castle.  Their last night in Ireland made the week completely perfect.  After dinner, we sat in the cozy dinning area and talked about my parents time while being together; how they met, their wedding, the million trips they have been on together.  It really made me realize how incredibly in love they are and how strong their friendship is.  This trip significanlty brought us all closer together as a family, but also, as friends.  When they left saturday morning, I felt lost, lonely, unsure, for the first time in Ireland. I was in a daze, filled with mixed feelings and not sure what to do with myself.  Having them come visit, was such a life changing experience for all of us, something that we will never forget. 

I cannot wait to see them in two weeks!
<3

Hola Espana!

After only two full days back on campus, we were on to our next adventure, Barcelona, Spain! Christina and I took the 8 am bus to Dublin and arrived in Barcelona Thursday (March 24th) evening.  On this Trip, we went with a tour group, 'Weekend Student Adventures', that has just been started by Andy Steves, the famous Rick Steves son.  Andy Steves and his sister, have been all over the world with their father, on various trips since they were young.  After Andy studied abroad in Rome, he decided that he want to start a business that allowed students abroad the chance to travel to exicting places, at a reasonable cost.  He does trips almost every weekend to: London, Paris, Switzerland, Barcelona, Dublin, Rome and Prague.  And because he has traveled so much, he has made great connections with different people all over Europe, allowing him a variety of great actitivies to provide for each tour. This trip was absolutely amazing! Since we were with this group, we met kids studying abroad from all over Europe. On our first night of arrival, we went to this cute topas restaurant and tried so many different kinds, and had the most delcisiou glass of wine I have ever had.  Afterwards,  we walked down by the beach and had a few drinks a bar where Andy knew the managaer. The weekend was filled with wondering the streets of Barcelona, learning about the culture and the history behind this city.  The unique, beautiful churches were absolutely breathtaking and incredible. The architecture was nothing I had ever seen before and it truly brought life to the city and the Spanish culture. Walking down La Ramblas street, filled with people, entertainmen, food and shopping was quite an experience.  The giant Market in the middle of the street was the biggest market I have ever seen.  Food of all kinds from all over.  On Saturday, we walked the beach and people watched for hours, it was quite entertaining.  That night, we went out for a delicious topas dinner and then to a flamenco dance show, which was amazing! The Spanish culture is a fun and exciting one and I am so glad I was able to to put the little Spanish I know to use.  It was an incredible weekend that I shared with amazing people. 

Irish Story :)

So our program Arcadia, has this contest where people can submit stories, poems ect for their newsletter and the winner gets 50 euros to Dunnes (it is this GREAT! store, kinda like target but much better haha) and well I WON .  I wrote this story completely from my heart, describing just how amazing Ireland is and how it is impacted my life in so many ways.  I wanted to share this with all of you and I hope you enjoy it!

-Love, Ginger

‘The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes, but in having new eyes’

-Marcel Proust

Before I came to Ireland, I knew very little about this marvelous country.  I knew that many of my past relatives came from Ireland, most likely during the famine when many people fled to the states.  I was aware that St. Patrick was their patron saint and that the story of the leprechaun was associated with Ireland’s history.  As I anticipated my exciting journey, I wasn’t too sure what to expect, how to feel, what I would see and if these things would, in fact, have a significant impact on my life.  However, after only a month in Ireland, I have already learned so much about this country and also about myself. 

Ireland is a small country, size similar to that of Maine in the United States; a country that is known for its rolling green hills, rainy days, and multiple sheep roaming the fields.  However, Ireland has so much more to offer than those few things that come to mind.  Ireland is a place of warmth, kindness, generosity and acceptance.  When I was lost in Dublin, holding my map in front of me, pointing and looking like a complete tourist, a woman suddenly stopped what she was doing to help me.  For someone to do such a simple, considerate action, made me realize that I wasn't in America anymore.  Now, in Minnesota- where I am from- something like this would happen, the Midwest is full of friendly people.  But being a 'foreigner' in this new country, people knowing right away that we are American and 'do not belong here', does not change their morals, their kind personality, and their generosity in helping others when they need help.  The people here in Ireland are all truly one of a kind.  I have never felt so comfortable or so accepted by everyone that I meet.  This trait that the Irish people have is truly incredible and it continues to unite them as a country and builds that pride and unity that they have been striving for since the 1800's, when they rebelled against the British and fought for 'Home Rule'.  Ireland has proven itself to be a strong, unique, kind country, and many places cannot express all of these wonderful traits. 

While I am studying here at the University of Limerick, I enrolled myself in many different courses to help me become truly understanding of Ireland and of the Irish people.  In my history course, we have been learning about Ireland’s fight for independence from Britain’s Control.  The Irish people wanted to preserve their culture as being their own, to establish their own identity and continue to live as their own separate country, with morals, beliefs and pride. However, they felt that Britain’s powerful intervention was ‘stripping’ them of their identity.  In response to this, the Gaelic League was created to revive the Irish language in the 20th century and it was through traditional Irish song that they began to spread the language.  In our Traditional Irish Music class, there was a relationship between the Irish Language and folk-song; ‘Gottfried Von Herder’s theory of language and thought explained that each culture was unique and that the only way to understand a given culture was through its language as a form of cultural identity’.  Irish music is a significant expression of their identity as a way to relay their traditions and beliefs.   The Irish people fought to not only defend their small country, but to defend their dignity as a nation of hope. 

As I continue to live here in this new country, I have realized that my worldly perspectives are changing every day, allowing me to grow more and more.  I am learning the importance of having an open mind and seeing beyond what is right in front of me. From walking through campus on a daily basis to traveling to various places throughout Ireland, I have come to learn that this country is united in a common way.  They strived to defend their identity and continue to today.  Unlike in the United States, they are not held back by time or schedules or even routine. They approach each day as a new beginning that will lead to new happiness, new discoveries and new experiences; they live open and free.  Since living here, I have come to appreciate so much more in my life, attempting to live each day free of regret and doubt, instead, full of hope and desire.  Living in Ireland continues to inspire me to be a better person, being more accepting and opening my eyes to new perspectives.

I am so grateful that this is where I chose to spend four months of my life, growing as an individual and as an Irish descendant.  Being here makes me feel prideful to have Irish running through my veins and being able to call this place home. Even though this isn’t my true home, I still feel as if this is exactly where I am supposed to be.  

Chocolate, Cheese, and WINE! Hello Switzerland :)

In February, some of my family members moved to Switzerland.  My cousin Todd, his wife Christine and their three childern, Anna, Henry, and Isaac.  During Christmas, we talked about me visiting them while I was in Ireland, but I wasn't sure how and if I could make it possible.  However, as soon as I arrived in Ireland I knew that seeing the Smalley family was an absolute must! I mean, how could I miss out on this amazing once in a lifetime opportunitiy :). So my friend Victoria and I started out on our journey Thursday March 17th at 4 am.  We took the bus to Dublin, Yes, on St Paddy's Day, and got to the city around 8.  We then went to my friend Ellie's apartment in Dublin.  After we got into the city to 'watch' the parade, we realized that Dublin, on St. Paddy's day is ABSOLUTELY insane! People everywhere and unless you were 2 feet tall and squeezed your way to the front of the crowd and right on the cirb, there was no way you would be able to even make out what was going on in the parade.  If you planned on eating lunch, out of the question, unless you wanted to eat a slice of pizza in a small smelly alley while locals came up to you, completely wasted, asking you random questions and having the Gaurds come, telling them to leave. So, that is exactly what we did.. it's an adventure right ;). After our delicious alley pizza, we attempted to walk to the airport, silly silly idea, since it was about a 25 min bus ride.  After 15 mins, we finally found the airport shuttle and finally started our long journey to Switzerland.  Our first flight arrived in Liverpool London around 7 that night.  As soon as walked off the plane and about to board the bus to our hostel, we told the man working were we needed to go and the first thing he says is "Oh no, you're staying there? Just be VERY careful".  Hello Liverpool! haha.  Our hostel had a 'groovey' feel; peace and free lovin'.  It was a new experience :).  We went to bed right away and woke up at 4 for a taxi to the airport.  We flew out of Liverpool and into Geneva Switzerland at 9:50.  We then took a 45 min train ride to Morges, where my family was living at the time (they are now moved into their new GORGEOUS home in Vevey, where the kids go to school).  Christine and Isaac met us at the Train station and for the rest of the weekend, we felt so happy and blessed to be in a home, with a family again.  Christine made us a delicious lunch before all of us went to pick up Anna and Henry from school.  Anna was returning from a skiing field trip (such a lucky girl!).   The kids' school was right on Lake Geneva, surrounded by breath taking, beautiful alps, that were poking out from behind the clouds, their white, snowy tops barely visible.  It was absolutely incredible.  After walking around the city of Vevey and having a delicious Chocolate croissant, Victoria and I met the family back at home and had yet another incredible dinner with the family.  Sharing a glass of wine and family stories with Todd and Chrisitne was amazing, It made me appreciate my time abroad, away from my real life so much more.  On Saturday, it was a rainy day so we drove to their new home and then walked about the city of Launsanne.  Saturday night, we played banana grams for hours haha.  On Sunday, we went to the village and castle of Gruyeres, which sat  inbetween the green fileds and the beautfiul alps.  For lunch, we had amazing cheese fondue and ice cream for dessert, of course.  That evening, we celebrated Anna's tenth birthday, I am so glad I was able to share that with her.  Monday morning, Victoria wondered around Morges, had a cup of coffee and roamed the chocolate and pastry shops (it is IMPOSSIBLE to walk past them).  Afterwards, we went to the chocolate isle in the grocery store spent probably 15 mins trying to decide what to buy.  Yes, the chocolate in Switzerland is the best chocolate I have ever had. Then it was time to head back to 'reality'.  We took the train back to the airport, flight to liverpool, 5 hour layover, half hour flight to Dublin, then two hours waiting for the bus.  We finally made it back to campus at 4 am (I don't think I have ever been awake so many times in one week before the sun, it was quite an accomplishment).  Then, three days later we were on our way to Barcelona Spain!  

Visiting my family in Switzerland was absolutely incredible and truly made my experienc abroad even more life-changing.  Having this opportunity to travel AND being able to spend qualtiy one-on-one time with the people I love, made me realize how inspiring studying abroad is. I am so glad that we decided to visit them because the adventure they are all just beginning is such an incredible experience as a family where they will learn so much about themselves and grow closer as a family.  This opportunity will be life-changing and allow them to appreciate so much more about life and themselves.  I am so excited for them and so happy that they are embracing this amazing opportunity to grow and learn. I cannot wait to plan my next visit to see them :)

<3

I beat teen Pregnancy :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! WOW, I cannot believe my birthday was already three weeks ago!  I was a little nervous about how I would feel with having my 20th birthday not at home.  I wasn't sure who I would hang out with or who would be there to wish a happy birthday.  I should have known that I would have nothing to worry about with the amazing new friends that I have met here.  On Wednesday night, my two friends, Katie and Brittany, made me a delcisious pasta dinner and surprised me with a lovely icecream cake (the ONLY cake they could find in Ireland ha) and a wonderful bottle of wine.  They made me truly feel loved and cared for :).  On Thursday night, my lovely roommate Deirde made my her mom's famous pasta and Shannon helped me bake a homemade cake with homemade frosting.  Honor, and the two Emma'a helped with dinner and for the first time this semester, the 6 of us all ate dinner together.  Later that night, Victoria was an incredible friend and took me out on the town, paying for everything and truly watching out for me ( I am so grateful to have her as my friend).  Now on friday, my actual birthday, I had a Marketing Midterm at 11 am, not fun at all.  However, that night, Sarah and Christina took me out to dinner and Cobblestone Joes, a local pub.  We had an amazing time laughing and sharing stories from home for hours, it was the best way I could spend my birthday in Ireland.  The friends I have made here are absolutely incredible.  Even though I am so far from home and I have only known them for two months, these women have truly impacted my life and will continue to make me feel accepted and loved.  I know that sharing this experience with these amazing women will be something that will connect us for the rest of our lives.


<3

Belfast!

Ahh! Sorry it has taken me so long to blog, these last three weeks have been crazy busy! The last weekend in February, Arcadia, our study abroad program, took us to Belfast (which is in Northern Ireland).  Northern Ireland is very different than the rest of Ireland, since they are technically a part of the UK and disafilliate themselves with the Republic of Ireland.  Being there truly gave all of us a new perspective on a different way of living.  The city itself was similar to a regular city we had seen in Ireland, however, the people weren't like regular Irish people we had met.  Going out to a pub, "Flithy McNasty's",  we knew we weren't in 'Ireland' anymore.  We were not greeted with an Irish welcome and we did not feel as comfortable here.  We had no idea that by going only 6 hours north, that so much would be so different in a single country of only 6 million people. On Saturday, our group was taken to Giant's Causeway, which was one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen.  Causeway was absolutely gorgeous and the weather was incredible! Not a cloud in the sky.  The story behind Giant's Causeway started a long long time ago.  It is said that a Giant lived in Scotland and found out that there was another 'bigger' Giant in Ireland.  To find out for himself how strong this other Giant was, he built a causeway all the way to Ireland.  Well, the Ireland Giant and his wife knew that he was coming to test his strength, so to fool him, the wife made baby clothes and the Giant built a crib.  When the Scotland Giant made his way to Ireland, he saw how big the 'baby' Giant was and ran back to Scotland, destroying his path as he went.  It is a very interesting story to explain how this amazing place came to be.  Northern Ireland was a great experience and it allowed me to understand the struggles that Southern and Northern Ireland have gone through over a period of so many years that has drastically changed the lives of many Irish people. 


-Cheers!

Galway.. Breathtaking

Two weekends ago,  a few friends and I went to Galway City.  It was about hour and half bus ride for 15 euros.  As we arrived in the city, already we knew that even though we were still in Ireland, this place was very different then Limerick and Dublin.  We walked through the city centre with our bags and maps, searching for our hostel.  We walked for about 10 mins before we saw this cute, little place down the hill.  Once we were settled, we went into town for dinner and ate at this cute restaurant in the city square.  Afterwards, we went to King's Head, a local pub.  At ten, a live band started playing.  They played some great oldies and we all had a total blast, of course being the Americans hogging the dance floor.

 The next morning, we hopped on a bus for a day tour around Galway.  The sights we saw were magnificant; everything I imagined Ireland would be.  At one of our stops, we could see off of the coast and the many islands the lay before us, beautiful and magical, absolutely breathtaking.  As we continued to travel higher and higher on a winding road up a hill, the fields of all shades of green spread in front of us, speckled with tiny white dots; grazing sheep, roaming higher up the hills in search of food.  Once we came to another stop, what lay before us was magnificent.  It was called 'Lough NaFooey'- Connemara's hidden valley that exposed a beautiful moutain, lake and valley scenery that could not completely be explained in a captured snap-shot, but the experience was so real and so incredible.  After the bus driver had to drag all of us out of that gorgeous sight, we headed onto Kylemore Abbey; Ireland's most romantic building, both Abbey and Castle, built in the late 19th century.  'The story behind this building started with Mitchell Henry, a doctor, Politcian and Pioneer, and his wife Margaret Henry.  They vistied Connemara while on honeymoon in 1850. Margaret fell in love with Connemara and as a gift for her, Mitchell bought the 15,000 acre estate and created one of Ireland's most iconic castles.  After having nine children and living a wonderful life, Margaret fell ill with the Nile Fever while visiting Egypt and died within 16 days, she was 45.  Mitchell had her body lay to rest in a mausoleum on the Kylemore grounds.  In 1920, the castle was bought by the Nuns of the Order of St. Benedict.'  The history and memories still surround the castle and strengthened its beauty from within.  Galway is a city that holds so many memories and also so much of Ireland's beauty.  Visitng here, has painted an even more beautiful picture of Ireland in my mind that I will never be able to forget.
Once we returned back to our hostel, it was an early night to bed, exhausted by all of the breathtaking moments in Galway city.

Ireland Weather.. Unpredictable but Beautiful

While being in Ireland, somone had told me that the unpredictability of Ireland's weather, describes the Irish as being 'Spontaneous'.  Since I have been here for 5 weeks, I can completely agree with this statement.  If you were to look up the weekly forecast in Ireland on a daily basis you would read this 'Between 4-10 degrees C (about 38-50 degrees F), mostly cloudy, fog in the morning hours and ALWAYS 30-60 % precipitation'. Yes, it rains ALOT here, and the worst thing about it is that you can wake up and it will be gorgeous outside, sun shinning, not a cloud in the sky.  Then, an hour later, when you walk out of class, it will be windy, pouring, and cold... Ireland.. quite unpredictable to say the least. 
However, today, I think I can make an exception.  Today the sky is so blue and so clear, it feels as if Spring is already decided to bloom.  The bright sun touches over everything ever so softly, just leaving behind a bit of warmth as the crinkled leaves swayed smoothly in soothing breeze.  Everyday, I walk over the 'Living Bridge' on my way into the center part of campus.  The Living Bridge is a beautifully build piece of art that twists, winds and moves are you walk over it, stretching above the flowing Shannon river.  Today as I walked across it, the water shimmered, as three graceful white swans swam, while bobbing their heads under the water.  Watching, from my room, as the light penetrates the hills in the distance, brining to life everything that was once covered with darkness, makes me realize that Ireland's beauty is sometimes hidden behind it's unpredicability and that because of this, it is very 'Spontaneous.'

Irish People :)

Oh, how Grande the people of Ireland are :).  They completely live up to their stereotype; welcoming, sarcastic, fun, out going, DRINKERS haha, just about the nicest people I have ever met (and to be able to say that about a whole country is a pretty big deal).  Imagine that you are in New York City (or any big, busy city) and you are very very lost, looking confused trying to read a map and looking for street signs. Now in a big city in the US, on most occasions, people will continue to walk right past you, pretty much pushing you out of their way because their schedules hold them on a tight leash and time is their worst enemy, they might even knock you down and kick you (ok, maybe not that extreme but you get the idea ;) ).  But here, you won't get 'pushed' around in a big city. We were walking around in Dublin during one of our first few days, completely lost/confused/ looking like complete tourists, and of course standing in the way of everyone around us. All of a sudden a girl probably in her thirties, stops what she is doing and comes over to us, asking if we are alright and if we need help getting somewhere.  Even for someone to do such a simple, considerate action, made me realize that I wasn't in America anymore.  Now, in Minnesota something like this would happen, the midwest is just full of friendly people.  But being a 'foreigner' in this new country, people knowing right away that we are American and 'don't belong there', this factor doesn't change their morals, their kind personality, and their generosity in helping others when they need help. 

There was another incident when we were in Limerick City, on our way back to UL, looking for the bus.  As we saw it come up to the stop, we all started running, however, once we made it, the bus driver informed us that this was his last stop and the bus wasn't running for the remainder of the night.  As we were about to get off, he said "I can drive you back to UL, you are our guests and we have to make sure that you are having a grand time here."  Hearing this, I about shit my pants! haha. This man was suppose to be done for the night, he was on his way home to his family or maybe out to the pub with some buddies, but he postponed his evening to drive us back to school. 

The people here in Ireland, are all truly one of a kind.  I have never felt so welcomed or so comfortable or so accepted by everyone that I meet.  This trait that the Irish people have is truly incredible and it unites them as a country and builds that pride and unity that they have been striving for since the 1900's, when they rebelled against the British and fought for 'Home Rule'.  Ireland has proven itself to be a strong, unique, kind country, and many places cannot express those traits.  I am so grateful that this is where I chose to spend 4 months of my life, growing as an individual and feeling prideful to have Irish running through my veins and being able to call this place home.

The Little Town of Emly :)

Passion, Faith, Tradition, Love, Warmth...  This is how I would describe my experience at the Breen's home in Emly, Co. Tipperary.  As our coach bus pulled to a stop, I could hear my heart pounding, anticipating who would be on the other side of the bus doors.  When Katie and I stepped outside, a sweet older women greeted us with a huge smile, her name was Sheila.  We drove through the darkened night, down the winding, twisting road, speeding past frozen trees and stretches of green fields.  Once we came to a stop, we stood in awe in front of a gorgeous, white home, that stood next to a quiet farm.  We were introduced to Sheila's husband, Peter and their daughter, Mairead (who has her own chiropractic clinic).  After a delicious dinner, Katie, Sheila, Mairead and I all sat at the kitchen table for hours, sharing stories, memories and laughs; Sheila was like a book, once you open it, you can't put it down, and everytime you turn a page, your anticipation grows as each new message is pulling at you to read more.  The next morning, Sheila was very eager to bring us to our first Hunt; this hunt took place in Elton (about 10 mins away).  As we waited for the hunt to start, men and women, old and young, all dressed in blazers, white pants, brown boots and black hats, continued to trot back and forth, on their beautifully groomed horses, waiting until the horn blew.  Once all 50 horses were lined up, they released the hounds.  About 30 dogs came rushing out of the trunk, barking and howling.  Then, as the horn was blown, they were off! Down the trail in search of those frightened foxes.  Once we returned to the house, we had a delicious, traditional Irish meal; ham, potatoes, cabbage and of course TEA. After dinner (lunch), we were given a tour of the farm, by their oldest son, Simon, who has a one year old, Julia.  He showed us their 300 cows, used for beef and dairy and also their cows that were expecting; there would be about 140 new calfs this spring.  After our tour, Katie, Buster (the dog) and I ventured out to their fields.  Their land stretched for miles as we walked along the dirt path, through the fields. As we came closer to the end of our path, we noticed that there wasn't an opening in the electric fence.  Katie, being her crazy, but brave self, saw what looked like a handle and pulled it off of the post.  Thank goodness it wasn't electric haha. We crawled under another fence and over another, finallly we were free.  Once we walked into the kitchen, warm scones were waiting for us on the table.  We had a hot cup of tea (probably already our 100th  haha) and ate our homemade, delicious scones.
The evening, Katie and I were invited by Mairead and TJ, their youngest son who is getting his PHD at Limerick, to go out to chinese with Mairead theatre cast and then to the local pub.  The people were so welcoming and so kind, as we sat around the table chatting about life. However, the chinese place must have been saving on their heating bill because the place was FREEZING! haha.  We were all ecstatic when we walked into the pub and there was a crackling fire waiting to heat our frozen hands.  Katie and I sat and chatted with TJ, learning all of the Irish ways.  We learned that the stereotypical America is annoying and fat, oh, and they say oh my god! way too much.. we got a kick outta that ;).

The next morning, we went to their local church, the church of St. Abigail.  It was a lovely sermon, the church filled with people from the town, all knowing each other by name and a little part of their own stories. After church, we headed home for dinner (lunch) and yet another cup of tea, followed by warm, homemade apple tart with cool, vanilla ice cream.  When it was time to go, Katie and I grapped our things and said goodbye to the sweetest women, with the biggest heart.  As we drove down the drive, we glanced behind us, still in awe of this big, gorgeous white home, filled with love, faith and tradition, all of which will continue to bind them together and never fade.

A Whole New World :)

First week at UL.. SUCCESS :) Figuring out my schedule was a mess.. their education system is a little different from ours, but everything worked out.  I'm taking a Traditional Irish Dance and Song class and I will be learning different Irish dances ;).. so excited!  Today we leave for our homestay.  Our Study Abroad program, Arcadia, set up this homestay for us.  We each go to a traditional, Irish family home for the weekend.  The family I am with has 6 kids, the dad is a farmer and the mom stays at home and they love Gaelic sports :). This opportunity will open our eyes to a whole new world, a new side of Ireland and the traditions they have created that are founded in family, love and of course Pubs :).  We will be able to experience the little things that we take for granted, that they cherish and hold dear.  Let's just say that after this weekend, I will have a whole new perspective on life :) 

 So the red hair and last name are really helping me fit in over here ;).  Eeryone I have met here thinks I'm from Ireland (because of my hair and Kennelly) until I talk and they hear my non-Irish accent haha.  But yeah, Kennelly is very very common here (it is spelled Kennally I think) but it's so cool to be sitting in class and have the professor say my name RIGHT for once in my life haha. I told people that I have family from Cork, and of course they have heard of Jordan and Carol because everyone knows everyone in Ireland, I love it. They people here are so nice, so welcoming and so great, it has been so easy to adjust.

The next big adventure, planning our trips!  London, Paris, Berlin, Spain, Italy/Greece, Scottland, Amsterdam.. EVERYWHERE!  More details to come!

-Red <3

Ps. Once you come to Ireland.. you won't ever want to leave... I promise.

"Travel Down the Road Less Traveled and You WILL Discover A Whole New World"

Lecturers, marks, modules... huh?

University of Limerick.. Beautiful! The campus has about 12,000 students and there are abour 500 international stuents added on to that each semester.  The campus is absolutely gorgeous. It is more in the country so the buildings are spread out, behind my apartment I can hear the cows mooing in the morning haha. Everyday we walked across this beautiful modern, twisty bridge over the Shannon river.. amazing walk everyday into the center of campus.  There are five villages on campus, we are in Cappavilla and in which village there are blocks, which are different sections of the villages and then there are about 8 apartments in each block.  Im in Lavender block, apartment 43 (first floor) and im in the first room.  In each apartment you enter the place and there is a hallway with three doors on each side (6 people to each apartment) then at the end of the hallway there is the living room and a kitchen.  In each room, there is a bathroom and shower, double bed, huge desk, and an open/walkin closet... pretty incredible :).  In the centre of campus, next to the campus, there is Stables club, the on campus pub haha. Also, there are about 4 restaurants and about 10 cafes.. almost one in each building.
As for classes, or as they call them, modules,.. oh boy... so crazy. In Ireland, students know what they are studying by the age of like 15.. then they take classes to prepare themselves for these areas.. (they don't come into college undeclared and really can't change their major..) Anyways, each student then pretty much has a pre-planned out schedule of classes that everyone in their major all follows in the same order..staying in their department.  Everyone has 5 modules a semester (15 US credits), no one has an easier load or heavier load, it is all the same. For each module, there are lectures taught by lecturers, not professors, and these lectures are twice a week and are not at the same time or in the same room.. Example, if you have english on Tuesday at 11 in the main building.. your other lecture that week may be on Wed. at 1 in the science building.. it changes every week. Confusing.. ah yeah! There aren't quizes, or tests, there are lectures, little discussion groups once every two weeks then your final is like 100% of your grade.. usually a long essay/paper.  I guess Irish students are lazy and never go to class haha.. so this will be interesting.  This place is so amazing, I almost feel at home :)

Cheers!
Word of the day: Slagging.. just teasing (Irish people are slagging ALL THE TIME!)

The Life of an Irish Man (and women and children haha)

PUBS.. most know them as a place to go and just drink pints of Guinness, however, today I learned that Pubs are an Irish social setting, like coffee shops to Americans.  Families will go here after mass, after sporting events, for dinnner, just about anywhere in Ireland and any time of the day.  Today, we took the Dublin tour bus all around Dublin.  We visited all of the major sights and people watched like no ones business haha.  At each sight, you can get off and walk around and 10 mins later a new bus will pick you up, well, my new friends and I decided that we could find the next sight on our own.. well we were wrong.  We attempted to find it, finally realizing we were going in the complete opposite direction.  However once we found the bus stop our next stop was at the Guinness Storehouse.. 7 floors, each explaining how Guinness is made and the history of it.. on the top floor there was a glassed in bar that looked over Dublin.. and it is here that I had my first Guinness, pretty amazing :).  For dinner, we went to a local bar and had traditional Irish food and listened to live Irish music, they people here are so welcoming and so great, also, they are very sarcastic ;).  After dinnner, we went out on the town.  We went to Gorgaty's (I think that's how it is spelled) and went upstairs where they was another, younger band playing Irish Music.  We all drank and danced like fools (of course everyone knew we were Americans) and it was a blast!
 Pubs are not just places were people go to get drunk and act ridiculous, they strengthen the community and social interaction between people and create a lively, fun, entertaining atmosphere that brings people together in a way that allows them to experience new things and learn more about other's and especially more about themselves.  There will be plently more Pubs to come :)

Cheers!

Irish phrase of the Day.. Where's the Crack? ( Where's the fun?) :)

Dublin-Day 1

There is truly only one word to describe Ireland thus far.. INCREDIBLE! Arriving in Dublin at 6:00 am (midnight at home) was not an easy transition but once we arrived at the Abbey Court Hostel, which is right on the other side of the O'Connell Bridge, everything changed.  Walking down the rugged cobblestone streets of Dublin, live Irish music consuming the air, so many people from all different backgrounds-all with a a different story-but all living in the moment, taking in everyone and everything. Dublin grasping on, taking hold of you... inspiring you to take a chance; a risk,  something you have never done before and NEVER looking back.  As we made our way down the streets, we walked into a lively Irish Pub with live music.  The pub was packed with people all engaged in the music.  After leaving the Pub, we walked down winding roads, through the city, back to our hostel and from our bedroom window, we witnessed the city come to life, as the lights shimmered on the calm river.  After a long day of no sleep, we all went to bed before 8, preparing ourselves for the next few amazing days that lay ahead in Dublin, the city of adventure.