Well we've been back home for 4 days now. Back to school, back to work, back to reality. It's like I'm in a different world. The trip overall was amazing though. It really taught me a lot about myself and who I want to be. It was also an eye opener. There is so much more out there than Castlewood, VA and I want to explore every bit that I can.
Thanks to everyone that has kept up with our trip!
Cheers!
-Shaina
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Now that the pictures are on Facebook..
It's nostalgia time!
As I adjust to the time change (I love getting up at 5:30am feeling like I've slept in!) and get back into a normal, deadline-filled, monastery ruin-free schedule, the trip to Ireland becomes more and more precious.
Everything that we saw, learned, heard, tasted - everyone that we met (including each other) - these things are all permanently with me, and make me smile when I think about what a wonderful time I had.
If I had to pick my favorite thing about the trip (and thank goodness I don't!), I would say that I enjoyed Dublin the most. It was HUGE, but not slum-y or dirty as I had kind of expected to find such a big city. Maybe it was just the area that we stayed, but it was clean, the people were friendly, and on those last two days, we had finally started to become familiar with the streets and find our way around. And oh my goodness the SHOPPING. I would be broke in two days if I lived there, but I would be a happy broke that knows her way around!
Ennis, Killarney, Galway - those are also all my favorites. The whole Ireland trip is at the top of my list! I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to go, and I can't wait to go back!
As I adjust to the time change (I love getting up at 5:30am feeling like I've slept in!) and get back into a normal, deadline-filled, monastery ruin-free schedule, the trip to Ireland becomes more and more precious.
Everything that we saw, learned, heard, tasted - everyone that we met (including each other) - these things are all permanently with me, and make me smile when I think about what a wonderful time I had.
If I had to pick my favorite thing about the trip (and thank goodness I don't!), I would say that I enjoyed Dublin the most. It was HUGE, but not slum-y or dirty as I had kind of expected to find such a big city. Maybe it was just the area that we stayed, but it was clean, the people were friendly, and on those last two days, we had finally started to become familiar with the streets and find our way around. And oh my goodness the SHOPPING. I would be broke in two days if I lived there, but I would be a happy broke that knows her way around!
Ennis, Killarney, Galway - those are also all my favorites. The whole Ireland trip is at the top of my list! I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to go, and I can't wait to go back!
Friday, October 14, 2011
2 bestes last nights in Dublin...oh Dublin, I will come back to ewe!
On the way to Dublin, we stopped at the Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey Distillery! I was so amazed how this whiskey is being processed!!!! The lady tour guide said that this whiskey is being distilled 3 times to have a very high alcohol concentration. Prof. Williams and Becca tried the pure Kilbeggan after it was distilled 3 times and they said that it tasted like moonshine. lol. I have tasted moonshine, I agree that it was VERY strong. After the distillery, we were all back in Dublin and this was when we also had to say farewell to our awesome bus driver, Con. :(
That same night I and the girls headed to the greatest awesome Temple Bar and enjoyed ourselves there, we celebrated Rachel's SECONDARY apps from School of Medicine UVA!!!! I know she'll be a GREAT doctor in the future! Congrats, Rach!!! Tonight I also enjoyed myself, even though I was sick, I still wanted to celebrate our awesome girl's bday, Shaina Hall who turned 22 tonight. I wish I could stay longer, but I had to leave to better myself for tomorrow's trip back to big old Wise....:(
Lennie Gail and I interviewed Irish girls tonight, and they were so cute. Hopefully, you guys can watch it as soon as Lennie and I posted it.
Overall, I have had A LOT OF GOOD EXPERIENCES out of this short study abroad trip and I did not regret any of it. I am actually applying to go to a summer study abroad in Spain this summer! I am so looking forward into that. The girls and I got along well and I will miss them so much! I will miss Dublin for sure and planning on coming back here ASAP! I love Europe and always do!!!!
I will miss ewe, Dublin
MH
That same night I and the girls headed to the greatest awesome Temple Bar and enjoyed ourselves there, we celebrated Rachel's SECONDARY apps from School of Medicine UVA!!!! I know she'll be a GREAT doctor in the future! Congrats, Rach!!! Tonight I also enjoyed myself, even though I was sick, I still wanted to celebrate our awesome girl's bday, Shaina Hall who turned 22 tonight. I wish I could stay longer, but I had to leave to better myself for tomorrow's trip back to big old Wise....:(
Lennie Gail and I interviewed Irish girls tonight, and they were so cute. Hopefully, you guys can watch it as soon as Lennie and I posted it.
Overall, I have had A LOT OF GOOD EXPERIENCES out of this short study abroad trip and I did not regret any of it. I am actually applying to go to a summer study abroad in Spain this summer! I am so looking forward into that. The girls and I got along well and I will miss them so much! I will miss Dublin for sure and planning on coming back here ASAP! I love Europe and always do!!!!
I will miss ewe, Dublin
MH
Cliffs of Moher, Dun Aonghasa,etc...
After Killarney, the crew headed to Ennis. The girls and I spent a very quite night in this little town. We went to a bar called Y.O.L.O aka You Only Live Once. It was a nice night in my opinion, not too crazy. haha. Our hotel was very nice and full of luxury.
We went to the Cliffs of Moher the next day, however we went on a bad day because we couldn't see anything, but FOG! The weather was just bad. We spent 2 nights in Galway, the girls and I didn't do anything much really, but we all went to the Aran Islands and went to see the edge of Dun Aonghasa, it was amazingly beautiful!!!!! The Aran Islands really amazed me. The people there were very kind and welcomed us. At dinner, Rachel got an email from UVA that her application to Med School was being processed, she was so happy and because of this we all were happy for her as well! Everybody was getting sick when we were in Galway and I think it was because of me...I am sorry you guys... :(
The girls and I were very excited to be back to Dublin, the awesomest city in Ireland! :)
MH
We went to the Cliffs of Moher the next day, however we went on a bad day because we couldn't see anything, but FOG! The weather was just bad. We spent 2 nights in Galway, the girls and I didn't do anything much really, but we all went to the Aran Islands and went to see the edge of Dun Aonghasa, it was amazingly beautiful!!!!! The Aran Islands really amazed me. The people there were very kind and welcomed us. At dinner, Rachel got an email from UVA that her application to Med School was being processed, she was so happy and because of this we all were happy for her as well! Everybody was getting sick when we were in Galway and I think it was because of me...I am sorry you guys... :(
The girls and I were very excited to be back to Dublin, the awesomest city in Ireland! :)
MH
I heart Ireland!
This will be my last entry in our Ireland blog and the thought makes me very sad. Our last two days in Ireland have been good ones. Yesterday we left the city of Galway and headed back to our first love, Dublin. We stopped on our way at Clonmacnoise which is an ancient monastic site. What was most interesting to me was just how gorgeous the still standing buildings were. There were several structures, all made of stone, that have stood there for hundreds of years. What we found most interesting was the archway of amaryst nonsense. I'm not entirely sure of it's significance but the title alone amused us. After that we headed to the John Locke Distillery. We were given a tour of what is claimed as the oldest distillery in the world, dating back to 1757!! We were shown all the ins and outs of how whiskey is distilled and at the end we were given a taste. I barely touched it to my lips and...YUCK! I felt like I had poured a bottle of rubbing alcohol in my mouth! Everyone kept saying, "It's an acquired taste" but I just can't fathom why anyone would want to acquire a taste for that. No thanks! It was amazing to go through a building that was as old as that one though. It was very cool to see the old machinery and watch whiskey being made.
Once in Dublin the girls and I hit the city for some quick shopping before the shops closed. We found out at the beginning of our trip that after 7 there are very few stores still open. We found that odd.
This morning we went to Kilmainhum Gaol (Jail). We were given a tour of this jail that dates back to the 1700s. The experience was a hair raising one. No, ghosts didn't jump out from the cells at us. It was just a crazy thought to think that I was standing where several people had spent their final days. We were told the conditions were poor ones, and they sometimes shoved 6-8 people in an 8X6 jail cell. The eeriest part (even more eerie than the gallows that our guide showed us) was when we were taken out into the courtyard. The lady explained to us that we were standing in the very spot that 16 people had been executed by a firing squad made up of very young teenage boys. It was just an incredible thing to believe. I stood on the very ground that those people had breathed their last breath. *shiver, shiver*
We spent the day today shopping in Dublin. I really like this city. It reminds me of New York City. The streets are lined with shops and crowded with people rushing in and out. We all marveled at how fashionable everyone seems to be here. You can hardly find a guy without spiked hair and skinny jeans. I was able to buy lots of souvenirs for a pretty good price today. I'm left with only four euros to my name which is just enough to buy myself something to eat tonight.
It's hard to believe this is our last night here. It's been a blast exploring all that Ireland has to offer. I like the diversity of all the places we've been. We've seen so much that Ireland has to offer in only 9 days. We've been able to see island, city, and country life. This trip has been an experience of a lifetime and I will always remember the fun I've had here.
Goodbye Ireland! I hope to see you again.
Once in Dublin the girls and I hit the city for some quick shopping before the shops closed. We found out at the beginning of our trip that after 7 there are very few stores still open. We found that odd.
This morning we went to Kilmainhum Gaol (Jail). We were given a tour of this jail that dates back to the 1700s. The experience was a hair raising one. No, ghosts didn't jump out from the cells at us. It was just a crazy thought to think that I was standing where several people had spent their final days. We were told the conditions were poor ones, and they sometimes shoved 6-8 people in an 8X6 jail cell. The eeriest part (even more eerie than the gallows that our guide showed us) was when we were taken out into the courtyard. The lady explained to us that we were standing in the very spot that 16 people had been executed by a firing squad made up of very young teenage boys. It was just an incredible thing to believe. I stood on the very ground that those people had breathed their last breath. *shiver, shiver*
We spent the day today shopping in Dublin. I really like this city. It reminds me of New York City. The streets are lined with shops and crowded with people rushing in and out. We all marveled at how fashionable everyone seems to be here. You can hardly find a guy without spiked hair and skinny jeans. I was able to buy lots of souvenirs for a pretty good price today. I'm left with only four euros to my name which is just enough to buy myself something to eat tonight.
It's hard to believe this is our last night here. It's been a blast exploring all that Ireland has to offer. I like the diversity of all the places we've been. We've seen so much that Ireland has to offer in only 9 days. We've been able to see island, city, and country life. This trip has been an experience of a lifetime and I will always remember the fun I've had here.
Goodbye Ireland! I hope to see you again.
-LG
My favorite things about Ireland:
*The accents
*The castles (or cashels ;))
***Dun Aengus Fort
*The food (especially fish n chips and sticky toffee pudding)
*The sheep
*Irish wit
*The music
*The way the trees align to make little boxes to hold sheep on all the rolling hills
*How GREEN everything is
and the list goes on and on...
*The accents
*The castles (or cashels ;))
***Dun Aengus Fort
*The food (especially fish n chips and sticky toffee pudding)
*The sheep
*Irish wit
*The music
*The way the trees align to make little boxes to hold sheep on all the rolling hills
*How GREEN everything is
and the list goes on and on...
last night in Dublin. . . . .
It's been our last day in Ireland. We woke up early, jumped on the hop-on, hop-off bus and went around Dublin. We stopped and toured Kilmainham Gaol. Which is an old jail set in Dublin that housed people that were trying to gain Ireland independence. It was so interesting to learn about Easter Rising and about all of the executions that went on and how much people during that time frowned upon it. It was so fascinating.
After that the 6 of us girls went shopping, got lunch, and just came back, packed a little and rested up so we will be ready to go out tonight. My birthday is also tomorrow. It is very odd to not be with my family and friends, but from this trip I have gained 5 new, wonderful friends that I can't wait to celebrate with! So watch out Dublin because....it's my birthday!!
-Shaina
After that the 6 of us girls went shopping, got lunch, and just came back, packed a little and rested up so we will be ready to go out tonight. My birthday is also tomorrow. It is very odd to not be with my family and friends, but from this trip I have gained 5 new, wonderful friends that I can't wait to celebrate with! So watch out Dublin because....it's my birthday!!
-Shaina
Our last days in Dublin
Before I come back with fifth and final mushy reflection entry, I want to post about our last two days in Dublin while they're still fresh on my jet-lagged memory.
After visiting Locke's distillery on Thursday, we arrived in Dublin sometime in the afternoon and almost immediately went to experience the best of the best of European culture: shopping! For a few hours we wandered around Grafton St., completely awestruck, everyone saying "Oh my god look at this!" at least fourteen times each. I think I was a little too overwhelmed by the the collection of stores that I'd never heard of the size of my hometown, and we decided to call it a day after a couple hours on this expedition. We decided to go get dinner at Spar, hit up the ATM machine and conquer the stores with a better plan and resources the next day.
We started Friday (our last full day in Ireland oh my gosh) on the hop on-hop off bus with a destination of Kilmainham Gaol. I was completely floored by the tour; the history was interesting enough in itself, but to be standing where leaders of the Easter Uprising were executed, to walk in a cell where revolutionary thoughts had been thought, friendships made, and, more recently, movies filmed - I just couldn't believe we got to experience it!
Our last days in Ireland were definitely some of the best! Now, I'm home and sleepy at 4:46pm. I'll be back after a nap (and the five hour energy I found in my suitcase!) to write one more post about the trip. Much sentiment will be involved - don't miss it!
After visiting Locke's distillery on Thursday, we arrived in Dublin sometime in the afternoon and almost immediately went to experience the best of the best of European culture: shopping! For a few hours we wandered around Grafton St., completely awestruck, everyone saying "Oh my god look at this!" at least fourteen times each. I think I was a little too overwhelmed by the the collection of stores that I'd never heard of the size of my hometown, and we decided to call it a day after a couple hours on this expedition. We decided to go get dinner at Spar, hit up the ATM machine and conquer the stores with a better plan and resources the next day.
We started Friday (our last full day in Ireland oh my gosh) on the hop on-hop off bus with a destination of Kilmainham Gaol. I was completely floored by the tour; the history was interesting enough in itself, but to be standing where leaders of the Easter Uprising were executed, to walk in a cell where revolutionary thoughts had been thought, friendships made, and, more recently, movies filmed - I just couldn't believe we got to experience it!
Our last days in Ireland were definitely some of the best! Now, I'm home and sleepy at 4:46pm. I'll be back after a nap (and the five hour energy I found in my suitcase!) to write one more post about the trip. Much sentiment will be involved - don't miss it!
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