In case I forgot to write about it before, I am currently in Limerick, Ireland to study about history and social sciences in the classroom (L/ST 471 at CSULB). We arrived on the evening of January 1, 2009 (Happy New Year!) after an unexpected, alternate flight path that brought us from LAX to Frankfurt, Germany to finally Dublin, Ireland where we had a 3 hour bus ride to our college in Limerick. We are staying the Courtbrack housing area at Mary Immaculate College, called “Mary I” for short. The trip has been absolutely amazing thus far! Here’s a general recap of what has happened (because a LOT has happened and I don’t feel like taking the time to write everything)
Day 1: Jan 1
Arrived around 10pm at Courtbrack. Some went out, I passed out.
Day 2: Jan 2
We met up with our professor around 11am? Met up with the President of Mary I and his assistant and walked around Limerick. It was fun, but walking with a group of 40 Americans was frustrating. We stopped by a few churches and met up for dinner at Dolans- the pub down the street from Courtbrack. Met some local guys who bought be a generous amount of drinks. I have discovered a love for ALL light Irish beer and cider. Stumbled home with a group of classmates. Crashed.
Day 3: Jan 3
Woke up still feeling painless from the hours before. Such a good night. Had our first class meeting and realized that our college is about a 15 minute walk from Courtbrack… not too bad. Oh yeah, it’s COLD here. But no rain as of yet, which is good because I lost my gloves. Walked to St. John’s Castle which cost 6.25 Euro… still not sure if it was worth it, but it was fun. Walked around Limerick a bit more, then went to a pub called the Strand, didn’t drink though because the bar was PACKED and it was awkward coming in with a group of 40 Americans again. That really started to stress me out and not so much that we are Americans, but there are so damn many of us! Anyways, a boy named Jarred (who’s mom is the one organizing the majority of our trip) and his buddy Colum were our guides from the Strand to our rugby match. Jarred stayed with me, Stephanie and Katie and was nice enough to stand by me during the match to help me know when to cheer. We went to see Munster (our team) play Ulster in a grudge match since Ulster had beaten Munster the match before…. Well we got “hammered” and lost like 27? 34? something like that to about 6. Jarred invited us out to the Trinity Rooms (a club downtown), but we were all waaaaaayyyy to burnt so we went out for pizza and met up with Dr. O’Connor and his wife. Great pizza place! Went home and crashed around midnight because we had to get up early the next day.
Day 4: The next day.
We met up at 9am and left for the Dingle Peninsula. Wow. It was amazing!! I fell asleep a few times on the 2ish hour bus ride to the place. We got out and stopped at a few places on the way up: an old church, another hut of some sort, some bee-hive huts that monks prayed in at some crazy lady’s house, a Cliffside, and a trail we walked up. It was COLD, but so green and nice! We stopped for lunch in this fisherman town and I had a Ribena: blackcurrant flavored (so good!), a banana, and the BEST chocolate bar ever!! It was a lindt wafer chocolate that had chocolate on the outside and like one of those really good rolled up wafer cookies inside with a hazelnut type filling. WOW. I found them here at the store and a tiny bar is like 1.85 Euro, so it is a luxury to get one, but I just may stock up before coming home… finances permitting. I also made friends with some of the girls on the trip and have found a few Catholics to go to church with… oh yeah, I attended mass too ☺ It was so beautiful.
