There were still a few things I planned to do in those last few weeks. One day, a group of us signed up to go horseback riding. It was well worth the money, bus ride and wait; and I was happy I saved it to be one of the last experiences I had. I was surprised that we got to trot and go a little faster than many trail rides in the states. I had been on trails before, but this one was more beautiful and passed lakes, pastures, cows. My horse’s name was Chuck, and I joked when he stopped to watch the cows. I was surprised at how well he listened when I gave him a little kick, and I felt that I was able to control him pretty well considering my amateur experience with horses. Some of us were not so lucky, and a couple girls got stuck with more stubborn horses. As a whole, we all enjoyed the experience and made us feel “in tune” with our farming side. We had passed so many horse farms and attended the horse races, so it seemed like the perfect idea to finally take part ourselves and get to go riding. Another difference was the style of riding. While most trails back home are done with a western saddle, these were the more equestrian English saddles. My horse’s brown hair and shaggy black mane was so pretty and each horse seemed to have its own personality. I really enjoyed the day and of course was reminded the next day by my sore muscles! You would never believe what  a workout it was, especially when trotting up and down the hills.

Another fun experience we were offered was a boat ride around the bay. We walked past the bay almost everyday, watching the tide raise and tower the fishing boats that were anchored there, but we never got to ride in the bay and look at Dungarvan from a different angle. This was a great experience to see Dungarvan in a new way. I am not one to enjoy small boats,  but luckily the bay was calm until we got farther out, and by that time I was enjoying myself so much and taking pictures that I didn’t get bothered by the waves that were splashing up on us. In fact, a few friends got splashed more than expected and we all laughed. Out on the bay, we say the mountains, the lighthouse, the Abby, brushes and sides of the land we had never seen before. I really enjoyed it farther out where some cliffs and rocks sprouted out of the water. I had never noticed this part of the area. It was a slightly overcast and windy day, unlike most of the days we had, but I enjoyed getting to ride on one of the boats and it was so nice of a local to take us out and arrange it.

Although it was fun to try out the last few experiences, I most enjoyed my time with friends. I felt that the last two weeks were the most special and meaningful for everyone. It naturally took us the first few weeks of our trip to become accustom to life in Ireland, the group of people and traveling so often while still trying to go to class and do assignments on time. However, I feel that by the time we got back from Paris, we had all formed our own group of friends. For a few weeks we balances seeing friends, and traveling. Personally, I always looked forward to seeing the workers at the Park Hotel  who had become our friends. Slowly as the weeks went on, what felt divided in our groups of both Merceyhurst students and the locals seemed to mesh together. The last two weeks made me feel like we were all connected. We each had found our place in our new home,  but we each needed each other in one way or another. I was so happy to be laughing and celebrating our time together. We enjoyed each other so much in the last two weeks with nights out at the pubs and nights in the mews. A few nights stand out specifically. We had heard from the locals about “Pub Golf”. It was a basic concept. explained simply, 18  pubs and a certain “par”, or number of gulps at each pub. This was a big event, and while myself and two others had Ma birthdays, it was a fun way not only to celebrate our 21st birthdays, but each other in general! This idea also got us into pubs that we had never entered in our ten weeks of living there. In fact, I wish we had done this earlier because we found traditional music, dancing and great times at some of the pubs we passed every day. We genuinely all had a good time singing and dancing together. Even Damien and his wife came along and shared in the fun. Other memorable nights include a final night at Creation, the main dance club. Most of the Mercyhurst group went, and many of our friends from the hotel. It was a celebration of the friendship that had been created. The night included the macarena, singing to lion king and talks that only the best of friends would have. I truly felt that these were some of the most genuine people I ever met. After only knowing  each other for a short time, many of us agree it feels like we have been friends for much longer. I believe that when you travel to a far away place it creates an environment where anything is possible. There are no pre-existing stereotypes, and no rules to play by. With this, we each could be ourselves and enjoy life to the fullest, sharing it together.

Everyday in Dungarvan was something new. Although it is a small city, the experiences we shared were always new and exciting. I woke up everyday while there looking forward to the day. I didn’t always have something planned, but I always new something fun would happen. I  woke up knowing I would be happy everyday while there.

The final reception was a sad day. We planted a tree in the park commemorating our time there. It was symbolism that something had been planted here, and it wasn’t just a tree. It was much more than that. It was a memory. A family. A home. The reception after the tree planting  ceremony was beautiful. Mercyhurst wanted to give back to everyone that made it possible, however it is almost impossible to be as hospitable as the people of Dungarvan have been. Everyone was a little teary that night at certain points. We listed to Heidi Hosey thank and call up each of the people that made this possible for us, and I felt so grateful for each person in Dungarvan that helped me get there. I watched as each of my classmates went up to the podium to receive the generous placks made for us by the city. Each face was unique, and each student has a story that is dear to them about Dungarvan. Even our professors daughter sang and made us tear up. Sitting there you could feel how special this experience was. After the reception we traveled the party into the bar where we had some final laughs. It was happy, but sad at the same time, knowing all of this was coming to an end.

The morning we had to leave was filled with mixed emotions. There were so many realizations I had about myself, life, and how to treat others. I realized how many options there are in life, and how big the world really is. I realized that sometimes time  does not make a difference in what others mean to you, but by the quality of a person they are and the relationship you build in the time you do share. I knew I was leaving Ireland so refreshed, and was excited to see my family and friends. However, it was a nervousness feeling because it meant leaving the family and friends we had created in Dungarvan. Before getting on the bus we took a few last final pictures and said our goodbyes to Mr. Tom Keith, and the other Dungarvan people that had been the core of this program. It was hard to look at each person and tell myself that this was goodbye. I kept thinking; “This can’t be. It must just be another group excursive, and then in a week we will be back in Dunarvan”. But, I knew this was the last bus ride together. I said some goodbyes to some special friends I had made, telling myself that I would see them again. I sat on the bus looking out the window at the faces I had come to look forward to seeing, and as we pulled away and the faces blurred, so did my eyes with the tears I was holding back.

Dungarvan will always be in my heart as a special place. It was the best experience I have ever had, and I hope that I will be back again. I am still looking at pictures over and over again, making sure that don’t forget what the mountains looked like as it got dark out, or the water sounded like running under the bridge, or the amazing amount of potatoes with our meals in the Park! I plan on holding onto every memory and would like to thank the city of Dungarvan and Mercyhurst College for providing such an enriching experience of a lifetime!

Friday proved to be very productive. I was impressed with all of the things we got to see in one day, and realized unlike Paris, you do not really need more than one weekend in London to see the main attractions. We started out early and rested, ready to walk the city. Our first stop was to see the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. To find it, we simply had to follow the mass amounts of people walking to gather at the iron gates in front of the Palace. Once we got there, it was a scramble to inch ourselves up to the gate. We successfully got a front row view at the guards and enjoyed the ritual, the music and “English” feeling that filled the air. One or two words that I would use to describe the feeling was regal or proud. I felt that they were a very proud country. The music surprised me, but I enjoyed the whole ceremony and the views were beautiful in the sun. The flag flew in the wind, and the red tulips and yellow daffodils created a flowery smell all over the center  circle. It was the perfect spring day. The guards themselves amazed me at their precision.

We finally moved along the road and took in all of the sights. London was easy going and it felt good to be able to take it at our own pace and just see the sights instead of being rushed with the group to see certain things. It was a nice change of place,  and London was the perfect place for it because after traveling all day, we had basically seen the major sights of London by foot. I enjoyed smelling the beautiful yellow and red tulips as we walked down the main street past the Palace. When we got to the square, I took in the right colors of the red double-deck buses and the red telephone booths, which of course we took pictures in! I couldn’t believe that we were ale to see so many of the sights such as Parliament, Big Ben, The London Eye, Westminster Abbey, The London Tower and the Tower Bridge, The Millennium Bridge.  My favorite was Parliament and Big Ben. They seemed the most iconic and well known. The weather was nice for a London day, and we were lucky the rain held off. Along our walk to see each of these well known attractions we must have passed thousands of taxi’s, break-dancing street performers, beautiful gardens and several ice cream trucks with some of the best foot-long hot dogs. We all enjoyed our time so much and I felt like I was in a movie because able to see so many grand sights in one day’s time. Although we didn’t go inside every attraction, I was able to feel the history and royalty exemplified by England. By the end of the day however, I was beat and Cai and I were adventurous enough to find our way home on the us routes.Unfortunately, this got us a little bit lost and out of the way, but once again this was part of the “traveling on own” experience. After asking for some direction, we soon found ourselves back at the hotel. This time, we got a bigger room at the Wellington where our other friends were staying.

Saturday morning we woke up to a yummy continental breakfast and planned out the day. We decided to split up a it and take on the other parts of London like the shopping, and lovely Hyde Park. It was a sunny morning and perfect day to wander the streets, barely looking at a map. Cai and I found ourselves in the Chelsea district, and dreamed while walking into stores like Tiffany Jewelery and others. I couldn’t help stare at the fancy cars and little dogs being totted around by their sophisticated owners. We clearly were in a nice part of town. I loved the scenery, the simple houses with ivy climbing up the walls, or the fountains in the square’s garden. It seemed very clean cut and proper, yet so beautiful and neat. One of my favorite shops reminded me of Abercrombie in the U.S. , but instead it was from an Australian company. It was really cool inside with old frames and pictures everywhere, upbeat music and the cutest clothes. I knew that if I lived in London, this would be my favorite area to shop. A little further down we came to a more residential area. We enjoyed seeing the different houses and apartments, and noticed how close together and small they were, but how elegant they looked. After a morning of relaxing and leisurely walking, we decided to go the more touristy route to the Historical museum. There I was impressed by the window work and architecture almost more than I was impressed with the dinosaur exhibit we walked through. The dinosaurs moved and shrieked. We got our fill of museum for the day and decided to keep enjoying the other part of London; the park.
Hyde Park was my favorite part of London that day. It was still sunny, although you could see the dark black clouds rolling in. Here we sat in some sun chairs before realizing we were supposed to pay to sit in them so we quickly got up and moved on to watch the roller bladders, kids, paddle boaters, horses and other events going on in the park. We walked to Princess Diana’s Memorial Fountain and cooled off our feet in the ice cold water. Playfully, we acted like little kids too and did a few cartwheels and hand stands before heading onward to the Kensington Gardens. These gardens were full or color and I loved seeing the contrast. There were even black tulips!
Next, we hopped on a quick bus to Soho and saw more or the shopping in London. It began to pour so we stopped for some quick gelato and watched the rain before running away and dodging into the huge Nike store. We looked around many different stores including “Harold’s”. a huge up scale department store filled with designer name brands everywhere you looked. We took it all in and pretended like we were able to buy something even though we knew we looked like tourists. However, it was fun no matter what, and got us out of the typical London rain. After a relaxing, but long day it was time to catch a bus back to the “cave”. It had been such a great weekend in London.
I was so happy we got to see the main attractions, and take in many of the sides of London. By Sunday morning, I was ready to return “home” to Dungarvan. The elegant, royal city of London was so much fun, but I needed a nice dinner at the Park Hotel. It was good to see the faces of everyone there when we returned and I could tell that I had missed them more than I expected.

From this point on, our travels were over. London was our final travel destination which meant that the rest of the trip would be our last memories in Dungarvan before we had to leave. I was happy we got to take the trip to London, but also happy knowing that upon our return, we still had two more weeks in our “home” in Ireland.

The last group trip we would be taking together as to the western county of Ireland. This area is said to be one of the most beautiful places in Ireland. After one weekend, I can assure everyone that it is the truth!  On the way there, we stopped at the Rock of Cashel. The ruins of the cathedral were amazing, and stood as a part of history. We stayed in a little town called Lisdoonvarna. The funny little town is known for its “matchmaking” festival in September and claims to be the biggest singles event in Europe! It seemed pretty cheesy, but we all got a good laugh out of it. We were warned before arriving that it was basically a town the size of a street, and in fact it was, but we traveled to the other sights during the day, so it didn’t make much difference. It was our first experience at a hostel instead of a hotel, however it wasn’t much different, other than the idea of little heat, simple decorations, no television or radio, and self serve breakfast in the morning. Luckily, I was paired with all of my roommates anyway, so we didn’t quite get the hostel feel. We opened our windows of our room to see a herd of cows grazing about 15 feet away. Yes, it was clear we would be seeing many stone walls, and many cows. The first afternoon we basically had to wait for the adventures to start the following day, so my roommates and i occupied our time by teaching each other how to french braid our hair! It is funny how when forced into a little town, you resort back to childhood games that keep your attention. That night the group of us went into town for a bit to hear the live traditional Irish music at The Roadside Tavern. It was a nice little pub with decorations of pictures, and an old school feel to it. I liked it a lot there.

The next day we gathered on the bus to tour the Burren. Basically is is land that is made up of limestone. It was amazing to drive into the rocky terrain after passing so many green fields with sheep and cows. Apparently the grass is good for the animals and plant life because the water stays on the top and doesn’t seep through as quickly as it does with shale or other grounds. At the cliffs of the Burren, we all took a long five minute stop, which turned into about a half hour since we were all so fascinated with the cliffs, animals and tiny flowers that popped out of the rocks. Our tour guide, Brian, told us that scientists say it is one of the places on Earth, most similar tot he grounds of the moon. The little blue flowers were surrounded by colorful striped snails and popped sporadically out of the ground. We drove along the coast, seeing the ocean and green grass mixed with the flat limestone rock,  until we hit our lunch spot , a nice  little cafe located on the bay. It was Dr. Reed’s 50th birthday, so we surprised him by arranging a cake at the cafe, and cards and singing! He was completely surprised, and we kept up with the surprises, candles. cake and singing at every stop we made. In the bus, I was amazed at the way we took on the hills. In fact, we turned it into our own little Irish roller coaster (with our arms up) as we sped down the hills onto the next sight. We learned about st. Brigid’s well and about the landowners of the past. We also got to hear stories such as the lady named Maura with Red flaming hair. We saw the site of her castle remains and Brian told us the story. It is funny to hear the stories and decipher between Irish legend, and reality.  One real historic place that was impressive to see was the Portal Tomb. This tomb has been there since B.C. although parts of it looked cracked and worn away, most of it still was in tact. I was so impressed that it was still standing.

We moved on until we came to our final destination- The Cliffs of Mohor. This was the most impressive sights. Although it was pretty foggy that day, you could still get the feeling of the sheer size of the cliffs, and the drop under you into the Ocean if we were to trip. I was shocked after wakjing along the path, to see that everyone went past the parked walking area. In the United States, there is no way they would allow people to go bast the paved, fenced in area. However, in Ireland, there were no guards or fences to hold ou bac from exploring further. It made me feel a little scared to look at the small amount of land between us and the seagulls flying over the ocean beneath us. Instead of walking to the edge, I scooted and crawled to look over the edge and snap a picture. Army crawling to peek over the edge, we all laughed at the sight of us. Some more daring visitors pretended to hang over the edge, lay down backward over the edge, and other antics. I was perfectly happy crawling to peer over. Luckily the wind was blowing away from the direction of the edge, but after a while the wind picked up and it as time to head back. It was an adrenaline rush to be there, and a memory I will always remember.

The next day was a trip to the Aran Islands. These little islands off the coast of Ireland are more secluded and known for their beautiful views, natural feel, and lush grass, stone walls and beauty. There are barely any cars, and the islands are the closest thing you can find to older Ireland. The homes are smaller; some with thatch roofing. There were three options for traveling across the small island- bike, horse buggy, and bus. Our little group of friends opted for the bike rental, however, we didn’t anticipate the sometimes steep hills, or work it took to travel to the different tourist sights. We were determined to get to the highest cliffs on the island because we were told it was the best view. Sure enough, it was. After a long, hard bike ride up hill, we were amazed. The winds blew hard up on the edge. We only had so much time on the Island before we had to take the ferry back to the mainland. Since we decided to take the bikes, we hopped back on to assure we would get back in time. Along the way we enjoyed the sights of the little cottages, and many pastures of horses, ponies, cows and even alpacas. We took a different way back along the coast and got a nice surprise when we spotted a wild seal playing in the water. When we walked closer, instead of swimming away, he seemed to enjoy watching us as he swam. Cai named him Sammy, and Liz called him Salvador. We stayed as long as we could watching him and the birds, until we almost ran out of time to get back. Suddenly, the bike ride started to seem a bit longer than it took on the way there. We started to think that we would be back in time, when again we were stopped, but this time by a confused cow in the road. Somehow he got out of his gate, and as his friends moo’d at him to get back in, he trotted along with us a bit confused. We waited until he moved over a little, and peddled as fast as we could to get past him before he started looking agitated and grunting. Luckily no one was hurt in the passing of the lost cow, however our legs were very tired by the end of the trip. Finally back in town I stopped to buy a few presents for family back home at the well known sweater shop. The day had been simple, but filled with so much beauty of Ireland that we didn’t want to leave. It was a very unique place and could easily be enjoyed by anyone willing to enjoy the sights of a different way of life.

Landing in Paris felt unreal. I had looked forward to this moment since I was a kid taking French classes. I never thought I would be under the Eiffel Tower. After arriving at the airport we were transported to our hotel and got to unpack our things. Hotel rooms in Paris are much smaller than American hotel rooms, but as our professor told us, we were lucky, because our rooms were larger than most. The first thing to do when in Paris is take a metro. These became very much needed throughout the trip. While at first intimidating, they soon became like second nature, and we became proud of our fast boarding skills and map reading. We took the first metro of the trip to see The Eiffel Tower. It was so much bigger than I had imagined, and couldn’t get over how many people were there, to see this huge monument. You could hear accents and languages from all over the world. I think I must have taken a thousand pictures. We got to walk around and sit at a local café that sold the best French onion soup I have ever eaten. It was relaxing to live a Parisian lifestyle and watch Parisians walk by. You certainly can tell a Parisian from a tourist by their thin physique and exceptional dress. It is true that fashion is everywhere in Paris. We went back to the Eiffel at night to slowly see the different stages of lighting. At the top of the hour, we were all surprised to see it twinkle. The tower looked so beautiful sparkling in the dark. It took a few minutes to pry us away from the sparkling tower. Our next nighttime sight to see was the Notre Dame. After a “short” walk we came upon the lit cathedrals. The lighting was perfect for showing off the Notre Dame’s intense detailed carvings.  Around the side the gargoyles looked like they were peering right at you and cased shadows on the rest of the architecture. People gathered all around to see the Cathedral lit up at night.

The next day we traveled to the Louvre Museum. I was so excited to see the Mona Lisa and other famous works of art such as the Venus De Milo, which was my favorite. Luckily, it wasn’t too crowded and we were able to travel our way though the maze, (the hallways of the Louvre) until we got to The Mona Lisa. Surprisingly the painting was smaller than expected, and more dull. In fact, I was more impressed with the ceilings of the Louvre itself, than the Mona Lisa. The ceilings were gorgeously detailed with gold accents and huge murals. At the Winged Venus, my roommates and I took a fun picture impersonating the statue. Of course we probably looked silly as ever, but we were having a good time. We got lost in circles a few time before finding the entrance. Through the window we were able to get a good view of the triangular glass pyramids and people outside by the fountain. The weather was fantastic and put everyone in a good mood as we left the museum. We walked past the fountains and rows of newly blossomed flowers, bought a crepe and enjoyed the scenery of people relaxing over a cup of coffee. It truly felt like a picture perfect day in France as we headed toward the Arc D’ Triumph. After walking past designer stores such as Dior, Gucci and Louis Vuitton that made us wish we weren’t college students, we finally landed at the circular roadway in front of the Arc. We went to the top and enjoyed the windy breeze and sight of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. The circular stairs on the way down made me dizzy, and I figured it was probably good we took this baby step before our next experience, the top of the Eiffel Tower. We went our separate way from the rest of the group and hopped on the metro to head toward the giant Eiffel Tower. The wait wasn’t too bad and we were soon buying our tickets to the top. Once on the elevator we started getting nervous. On the second level, the view was amazing and you could see the other main tourist sites such as the Sacre Coeur and Arc D’ Triumph, the Louvre and others. The elevator to go up way more nerve racking than actually being outside, and as we rose to the top, the people on the ground were barely visible. Cars looked like play toys from the top and the clouds casted huge shadows on the tiny model-house looking buildings. You could see all of Paris with the river Seine running through it.

That night we got ready for a wonderful group dinner with everyone. We went to a restaurant that specializes in groups, which made it easier to order. The setting was nice and there were musicians for entertainment. I decided to try duck for the first time, as well as escargots! It was all surprisingly good. While I normally do not try many new foods, I figured, your only in Paris once! After everyone had a few glasses of wine, he dancing began. Yes- we were dancing in the restaurant with the help of the musicians that worked there. Dr. Hosey started us off with dancing queen, and even Feargal jumped in! Later the chicken dance and the Macarena were performed by many of us, and Joe surprised us with his own guitar performance. Everyone had a great time together celebrating Paris.

The next day, we headed for the Muse D’Orsay. Here we got to see paintings from Degas, Monet, Renoir and others. I especially loved the Degas dancer paintings and statues. After, we headed toward the town of Montmartre. This was by far my favorite place in Paris. Even better than the Eiffel Tower, or the fancy shops. Here, the uphill winding roads were lined with street artists, painters, and dancers. Music filled the streets, and pastries and ice cream were all over. I knew instantly that if I lived in Paris, this is where it would be.  Cai and I bought some pastries from a little bakery and enjoyed them as we walked about the streets. The beautiful sunny weather created the perfect day! Spring flowers, like hyacinths filled the air with a good smell. Finally at the top of the hill, we reached the Sacre Coeur! This was the most beautiful Cathedral I have ever seen. While the white outer part resembled something similar to the palace in Aladdin, the inside was almost more breathtaking. The inside had a beautiful mural in front and an opening that let some light in at the top. The windows were of course beautiful stained glass. The sixe was impressive and after sitting there for a moment I felt a chill of silence. I truly wanted to cry at such a special place.  It took time to pry myself away from the beautiful sights, but we slowly made our way down the hill to Moulin Rouge! While the exact opposite in character, we all laughed as we passed the “exotic shops” leading to the Moulin Rouge. Finally, in front of the famous windmill, my roommates and I tried to take a picture of a kick line without falling over.

Napoleon’s Tomb was the next place for us to see. A group of us headed off to Les Invalides to see his burial site. It was amazing to see such a huge masterpiece devoted to the death of such a physically small man. Clearly from the decoration and statues, his ego made up for it! It was impressive to see how much work must have gone into his tomb. He had a statue representing him as the emperor of king of different lands. This still shows what his personality was even today. After, we broke up, and decided to end the day with a boat ride. We took some time to walk the streets and pick up a few scarves from vendors. We looked about for postcards, and slowly made our way back toward the Eifel Tower where the boat takes off. Our group opted for the pasta cruise, and we got to enjoy some pasta and wine as we realized on the Seine River. We chose to go t night just after dusk, which provided a different lit up view of Paris. It was very nice, and made us feel like we had a full day. Although it was a tour boat, there’s something about Paris that gives you a romantic feel no matter who you’re with. To end the night, we were able to see the tower twinkle one last time. I will never forget that sight.

The next day was full again. At this point our feet were starting to hurt, but we were still eager to see all of the sights. The group planned to go the Picasso museum before heading to the Pompidou, however, our plans were changed when we found out that the Picasso museum had been closed for over two years! Instead we improvised by looking around a smaller museum. I enjoyed the court yard the most and took some time to take pictures of the orange poppies and new budding flowers.  Soon we were outside the Pompidou which was a huge change from the medieval and renaissance style museum we had just left. Inside, the art here was drastically radical on the first floor. For most of us, the art was a bit too radical for our liking. One reminded my roommates and me of our apartment after a long weekend. The exhibit showed papers and plates all over a “room”. But, I guess art is in the eye of the beholder. The second level was more familiar to us. I enjoyed the works or Dali, Matisse, and Kandinsky. Outside there were street artists. The one I enjoyed the most was the chalk artist. He was very talented and had created a huge mural of Jesus. The colorful and creative fountain decorated the outside yard. After, we took a short lunch (baguette) break in a little park and prepared to hop back on the metro toward the Notre Dame. Although we say it at night, it is different to see the inside during the day. Inside, the stained glass windows were incredible. They were the biggest bits of color I have seen on a window. The circular ones on each side of the alter let in a shining purple color, while the red ones behind contrasted.  Quiet church music played in the background as we slowly walked viewing the beauty of each window and station. Outside the Cathedral looked different than at night. We walked across the bridge to an ice cream stand. According to everyone, it is the best ice-cream in France! I got mocha flavored, and we each sat on the bridge savoring the flavor. As we sat there an older man came up to us blabbering away in French. We sat there confused until finally he asked if we spoke French. I responded with no, and asked if he spoke any English. “Parlez Vous Anglais?” Suddenly he broke out in almost perfect English, and stood there talking to us the entire length of our ice-cream. It was interesting to hear what he had to say about America. Interestingly, we couldn’t believe how everyone we talk t says that Americans should feel un-safe, and that we are far more paranoid. It was a different look at our own culture.  That night we headed back early. We laughed about the experiences we had, and the funny characters we had met.

The final stop in our trip was Versailles! We figured we’d save one of the best for last. Despite a train strike, we were able to take the RER to Versailles. A small group of us went with Feargal. Once there I couldn’t get over how magnificent it was! The gold gate surrounding the courtyard was incredible. Inside we had a self guided audio tour that discussed the history. The place was huge and so elaborately decorated! I loved the detail in the murals and paintings. The beds had feathers on the tops, and gold trim. My favorite room inside was the Hall of Mirrors. The chandeliers sparkled and you simply felt elegant in the room.  However it was very crowded and we were happy to get outside and explore. There, the fountains had beautiful sculptures within them. The grasses were perfectly trimmed along with the bushes. It was easy to imagine Marie Antoinette being carried about the yards. Gee- life must have been hard! No wonder she had so many affairs! Every turn you made, could get you lost. In fact, a few of us did get lost on the way back, but after passing a few sheep, horses and swans, we found ourselves back where we started! I found it funny that they still keep the sheep there. Apparently, Marie loved the sheep, but expected them to be cleaned every day. By the end of Versailles, we were ready to go home. It had been a long a full week and our feet were tired. That night I went out with a group of girls to a small Italian restaurant with best pizza! We each got a different ne and tried each others. Although it wasn’t Parisian food, it was filling and amazingly tasty.

Coming back, many of us battled colds or the flu. Paris had taken it all out of us, but we each left part of our hearts there. We didn’t want to leave, but it was time to go. I know where the parts of my heart are there- the Eiffel Tower, the river Seine, the bowl of French onion soup, and of course the artistic city of Montmartre!

Friday night we were on our own. The group of friends I went with traveled to the Temple Bar area. It was crowded and slightly more touristy than some other areas, but gave a great time.. We stayed at Fitzsimmons for most of the night, and got to enjoy some live music and sing along. Little did we know but the singer was actually Bono’s brother from U2! He was really  talented and we had a lot of fun. The place was five floors, with a open terrace on top, and packed full to the brim like a pint of Guinness itself. My roommate was  able to meet up with a friend who was ironically in Dublin for the weekend during his study abroad travels. I realized that that was one unique aspect to Dublin. It seemed like New York in a sense that people from all over were there. There was much more diversity, and a pace where you could meet some “characters” by jus talking to the person next to you! We left and statred to walkdown the Temple Bar street late at night before we went home. Walking in this area at night was hard to explain in workds. It got very crrazy late at nght. You could see the sites of people getting sick, wearing outragouse outfits that clearly were meant to have moe clothing to them, and people slopily laughing as they moved down the street. One scary street performer stood on the street, while others played guitar. After a few moineus my friends and myslef stopped to take it all in and looked at each other saying; ” don’t you feel like your stuck in a movie walkig into Dante’s Infernno?” That was the only way we could describer it, and it was an eye opening experience. We went home early to prepare for the next day after being overhelmed by our first sights of Temple Bar nightlife.

Saturday we decided to walk. And walk. And walk. Literally across Dublin. Although we personally missed out on the writers museum, we got to experience several other places. In the morning we headed to Christ Church. It was absolutely breathtaking inside and we learned so much in the crypt underneath. I was surprised by the influence of English Kings and again felt the history spewing out of it. Just thinking that this was the same church that the Kings attended while in Dublin was impressive. The church still has occasional mass, however is primarily used as a museum. it made me think about church’s back home and how nice it could be to turn our closed church’s into museums with history like this one. After the church, we posed for yet another group picture for Tom Keith, although it will be so nice to get all of the pictures at the end of our trip. he has done a great job documenting. Not only does he take pictures, but videos as we walk in and out of the sites. Being silly, my friends and I started coming up with things to make the movie, little more “interesting” to watch, like waving to the camera, or walking backward. By the end of the trip we will see all different types of walks in and out of the historic places. It made me laugh.The next stop was Irish Parliament. I looked at it as the equivalent to the White House in the U.S. Personally, I have never gotten to go to the White House, and found it interesting to be in the Irish Parliament before I have ever been to the White House. We were very lucky to get the tour, and learned a little more about Irish government and how it works. As we left, we were given a copy of the proclamation of the Republic of Ireland.

After Parliament, we traveled to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells. The College was beautiful and seemed picture perfect with a wedding occurring in the square. I enjoyed looking around, seeing the grounds, statues, and learning about the Book of Kells. The next stop was the post. Although still used as a post office, it has been reconstructed since the 1916 rebellion. This was where all the action happened. Tom again gave us some history about the battle, and the situation between the English and Irish. After this site, we were freed to explore on our own. Our little “family” Dave, Liz, Cai and I decided to simply walk the streets of Dublin the rest of the day. Monica came with us and we explored the Greens which were similar to New York City’s Central Park. Here we saw children feeding the pigeons and swans, and freshly blossomed daffodils all around the walkways. Monica set us on an adventure to see Catherine McCaulley’s first site. It took much longer than we anticipated, but it was a nice thought to go back to the reason Mercyhurst is here. It was because of her the sisters of Mercyhurst came to Erie, Pa. and started our school. I shook the hand of the statue with satisfaction of our arrival. Hopefully, she appreciated it.  Although tired by this point, we enjoyed the walk and sights of Dublin such as the architecture, horse drawn  tours traveling the streets, and beautiful shop fronts. That night, we went back to the Temple Bar area and enjoyed ourselves. We tried out a few other pubs as well, and laughed with the people around us. while singing some oldies.

On Sunday, we had to experience a time change. This made us lose an hour of sleep. After Saturday night, this was the last thing we needed, but we had to be quickly awoken to experience the rest of Dublin. After shoving some food into our systems, we headed off to our next stop. After one too many Guinness the night before, you would think Guinness should be the last stop on the list, but as a true Dublin tourist, we headed straight there with Feargal and the group. Since we were a bit tired and slap happy, it added to the humor of the day. We were experiencing Dublin as a young tourist should. At Guinness, the number one tourist attraction, we enjoyed learning about the history, how it was made, advertisements, and finally how to pull your own pint of Guinness. Next on the list was Kilmainham Goal (Jail). It was first built in 1796 and served as one of the first “new jails”. instead of a dungeon style, the  new section of the jail was designed to have more light and separation of prisoners. Most of the history’s Irish rebellion leaders were put in jail here, and many executed. It was creepy, yet interesting to learn about the events that took place, and the transformation jail’s have made.We got to explore the newer areas which is now often used in movies. It had been a long weekend, and by the end of the day, we were ready to get back to our down comforters at home, Dungarvan, Park Hotel. Our smaller group decided to spend  a couple Euro for the bus ride back to the hotel to catch the bus back. After so much walking, we enjoyed getting to sit for a moment.

While the bus ride there was full of chatter, the way home was silent with tired out students (and teachers). We had fully enjoyed Dublin. Although we did not see everything, I came back with a feeling of knowing Dublin. We had a sense for the city, and I realized how different it was from our small “home” in Dungarvan. I will never forget it, and enjoyed every mimute of the experience. It was time to go back to school time a bit. Most of us had papers to work on during the week, and soon prepare for our next big trip to Paris, France!

On the way back, we took a shorter, more direct, yet more scenic route home. As we were walking, we passed cow pastures, horse pastures and sheep pastures. Every where you looked there was new life, which of course, Keiko especially loved. I was running around, being myself and annoying everyone with my excitement of the baby animals when I found a bleeding sheep. I started screaming and running away until I stopped and turned around, only to run back and start screaming; “It’s birthing a child!” It was in fact having a baby. There was already one baby, and the second had just arrived. It was amazing to see the mother in a natural setting cleaning her babies and watching them each take their first steps. I couldn’t believe how after only a few wobbly steps they were walking around and drinking from their mother.Of course, the best moments happen when you least expect them. (And when there is no camera around). The walk back smelled so fresh from the rain. It was a great afternoon.

That afternoon for class we watched Avatar for symbology class. It was cool to look at it from a different point of view, and see symbology from a recent current movie. It also gave us a nice break from all the walking.

It was great experiencing more of the country aspect of Ireland that most people imagine. Now, we get to look forward to Dublin and the city side of Ireland.

After the parade we got to go to the sailing club for a reception. They were so kind once again, and we got to have an Irish dinner to fill us up before going out. There we enjoyed seeing council members, teachers, and socializing with a few regulars. They have not only become the people that got us here, but friends and people we enjoy a good laugh with.

The Paddy’s Day night was filled with some drinks and a nice time at the Anchor Bar. Most of the Mercyhurst students went here, and we enjoyed the scene. Anchor is not a traditional Irish Pub, but more designed for the younger crowd and a  place to go before heading over to Creation, the dance club. At Anchor, we all enjoyed getting to dance, be silly, and take in the true Irish Paddy’s Day. The music here is not as recent as in America, but the locals seem to love it, and we always laugh when funny songs seem to come on.

After Paddy’s Day was over, Friday was the perfect day for a day trip to Waterford City. Keiko went along  with a few of us to experience a slightly bigger city in Ireland, which also happens to be the oldest. It was about a forty minute bus ride to get there. I enjoyed going in Reginalds Tower, which is the oldest tower in Ireland. It was used for many different things but was kept throughout the Viking time as well as many Kings. People must have been much shorter back then because the doorways were small. We had fun exploring the small spaces and history behind the oldest site in the city. We also stumbled upon the French Church. The creepy ruins belong to an old church that was once also used as a monastery and as a hospital. Oddly, there was smoke and the smell of fire immediately as we came upon it. I still am wondering if there are some ghost stories behind it. There always seems to be an eerie story behind most of these historic sites, or a burial ground under your feet. For lunch, we got to go to a great Chinese Restaurant. We read about it in a travelers book, and it lived up to our expectations. After so much Irish food, we were all craving a little ethnic variety. Ethnic diversity is something America does well, and it oddly made us feel a little at home. One unique thing about Ireland is the strong history it has. It does not have the diveristy of America, but America does not have the strong and focused history or cultural differences. I realized at that point that America really is a true melting pot. However, on the other hand it has been fun to see the concentration of heritage in the people that live here. Most people here can trace back their roots, their last names, and history. I think that this is so special, and wish I could do this like they can.

As we strolled the roads of the city we enjoyed the old architecture as well as beautiful inside of the Cathedral in the town square. Inside, it was larger than others, and had a darker tone to it. However, it was beautiful and I liked stopping at each painting and stain glass. On the way back, we found a little Italian ice cream shop and indulged before catching the bus back.

Friday and Saturday nights were spent having fun and enjoying the local activities here in Dungarvan. We’ve become friends with the bartenders here at the hotel pub, and always enjoy having a drink or two while feeling right at home in the Park Hotel. Friday night, my roommate and I even went to Creation with a few of them and got to dance and have a good time together. At Anchor, I was even forced into swing dancing with an Irish local. It was a “good crack” as everyone says here.

On Sunday, after doing some homework, several of us learned how to make sushi with Keiko. She was so kind and made noodles, cut up vegetables and had the whole meal planned out. I had never had sushi, so it was funny to think that my first time trying it would be here in Ireland. I think we have brought some of our appreciation of cultures here with us, and I love having Keiko here teaching us. Of course, we each joked about the symbology within the sushi wraps and food! It has become the joke with everyone in her class, and now we can’t look at anything without seeing some symbology in it. We had picked up the seaweed and other supplies at a small Asian food market we fond in Waterford City on Friday. I loved the sushi and it was great to spend time together creating something from scratch. Here in Ireland, it seems we all have more time and a relaxed mind which helps when enjoying life. Here, instead of always being on the go, we get to enjoy the culture around us, appreciate the beauty and simple things like a bite of food, or time it takes to do something. That is one thing I want to take back home with me.

Saturday was another day of Irish culture. We were invited to attend Christy Moore’s concert in Cappoquin. He is well known in Ireland fr his music. I enjoyed it. Although it wasn’t something I would listen to every day, it was nice to hear the stories behind them and get a feel for Irish folk music. He was a middle aged guy and had anther older man playing so many types of guitars. The guitarist reminded me of dad when he’s older! Both musicians seemed passionate about their music. It was a surprise that they even said a shout out to us, and dedicated a song to the Mercyhurst Students. Afterward, we got to go to the pub owned by the Mayor of Waterford. She was so kind and even made ribs and sausages for us to try. Although I hated the sight of the pigs bone, I have to admit they were good! There, we mingled and talked. I enjoyed trying our first “Irish Flag”s with Damien, the Mayor of Dungarvan. Soon, students got the jukebox to  work, and we all got to sing to oldies such as spice girls. I am sure the locals were laughing at the music coming out of the back room! After “shout” came on, even Keiko was dancing and singing with us. We really enjoyed our night (and bus ride home) together in Cappoquin.

Sunday brought yet another Irish tradition of Hurling. Many of us hose to go to the Hurling Game which was Waterford against Lismore. The sport is so fast and dangerous that someone even had to be taken away in an ambulance. There are about thirty payers on the large field at once. The payers do not wear any padding and run around in a combination of  what seems like baseball, soccer, football and hockey all in one. We got to sit right behind some of the Lismore players, and even got to talk to a few after they turned around and asked us where we were from. I think it was obvious we were a bit confused with the game, but we caught on the the goals and points and most of the concept. Luckily, Waterford won, and everyone was in a good mood.

After, we got some food at the hotel Pub, and relaxed before catching up on a little homework. Speaking of food- it is so different here! In fact, there is absolutely no Macaroni and cheese. Just a few other reminders to anyone traveling to Ireland: Grilled Cheese is called toasted cheese, other wise you will get a single piece of bread with melted cheese on top. Hamburgers are not like American hamburgers and remind me more of meatloaf, and mustard tastes more like horseradish mixed in. A few differences I have enjoyed however, have been the constant supply of fish, (the Salmon is my favorite), the deep fried brie cheese, the orange pop like drink,  and the filling potatoes.

After the weekend, Monday only brought more fun, but this time with more history. We started the day learning about grave sights near Dungarvan. One site we went to was abandoned, and reminded me of the secret garden, but with an eriee feeling to it. Leonard, an old local man that lives “jus down the road” told us stories about the grave-sight, the famine and why it had been the way it was. I was amazed with the ruins of the old tombs, and ivy and grass that covered everything. Hopefully, we will be going back to help Leonard clean it up and restore some of the history that lies there.

Our next  stop on the Monday bus tour was Ardmore. Here, we saw one of the first churches and towers created in the 9th and 12th century by a monk by the name of Declan. Although st. Patrick often gets all the credit for bringing Christianity to Ireland, it was Declan who actually brought it first. He was a monk that traveled to Ireland, before Patrick was sent from Rome to spread Christianity. In Ardmore, we saw this beautiful place on the hill, tombs, graveyards, and the church itself. Some of the engravings can still be made out as Adam and eve, and Mother Mary with the baby. I loved the history behind it. Down the hillside the Atlantic Ocean seemed so blue. We got to spend a few minutes there and enjoy the view before traveling up another hill to see Declan’s Hermitage. This was the quietest and most peaceful place, and seemed so green even compared to the fields we had passed all day on the bus. The ruins of his Hermitage were beautiful, and as we walked in you could hear bagpipes playing tin the distance. It  felt better than something in the movies. We each got a turn to trace over the crosses that  have been traced for good luck for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Next stop was Lismore. Here we learned about Lismore Castle, got a bite to eat and tried to manage down the mushroom soup they had kindly given us. Lismore Castle and the surrounding cathedrals were impressive. You couldn’t help but feel the history here. The cathedral had a tomb which is said to bring bad luck when touched. Although my roommate seemed to have bad luck after touching it, I am still waiting to see if I will. Inside was white and light green with beautiful windows. The Castle itself is owned by the current Duke of Devonshire, but can be rented out for a large price. (Apparently, the Kennedy’s still come each year) The tour guide told us about the connections of people who had lived there. Surprisingly, through an affair, even our music star Fergie is related!

After leaving Lismore, we traveled up the mountains into Mount Melleray Abbey in Waterford. Here, the monks still live and pray. It was stunning to see such a large building and cathedral in such a rural place.  We got to go inside, and say a few prayers for our families, or whoever we wanted to think of. There was a quietness abut most of the places we went on Monday, that made me think about history and how important it is. It also shows how much sweat and tears people have put into their religions, family and life itself.

Before and after class we have time to use the gym and pool at the hotel, and it has been very convenient so that we can stay active. I feel like we are slowly becoming a little community here. It is fun seeing each other walking around town or running into each other at the pool. One of the professors brought their family, and we have become specifically fond of their youngest daughter. It is fun to have a younger child around to see her innocence and excitement about being here. We agreed to “adopt” her for one day- and she became our buddy on one of the trips. On Tuesday many of us went to a film presented by the Irish Film Festival. It was an English film, showing the importance of education, especially for young ladies. I enjoyed it, and noticed some of the slight differences in the approach the movie was filmed in. They keep us very busy here with new things. Wednesday was our chance to go to “The Ring” which is a Gaelic community on the other side of the bay from Dungarvan. Here, the people speak the traditional Irish language. We took a bus ride and were accompanied by two residents of the community that knew so much history about the area. It was hard to absorb every story, but I did my best to take in as much information as possible. We stopped at the Famine Graveyard, or “Graveyard on the Mountain”. This gravesite was created and dedicated for the people from the local poor house in Dungarvan who died during the famine. I enjoyed hearing the Irish poems and history about the event and how it affected the community of the Dungarvan area. You can tell that this is really a part of all the people in Ireland. Continuing our travel, we saw beautiful sights of the ocean, horses, mountains and sheep. The green pastures looked amazing from this view. We saw other monuments dedicated to a Chicago mayor Daley, as well as other sights such as the traditional Irish television station.

It was here we made our final stop, and watched a documentary about the honor guard at President Kennedy’s Funeral. I never knew that the honor guard used at his burial was from Ireland and we enjoyed learning about how he had such a strong admiration from the country of Ireland. After, we got to mingle over cheese and wine, and get to know some of the interns at the television station. This continued throughout the night, and once again, I felt we had met a welcoming group of people by the end of the night. At Mooney’s local pub in “The Ring”, we enjoyed some traditional Irish music, along with amazing sights and an authentic old décor. It was impossible to look around without finding something different that caught your eye, made you laugh or intrigued you. There was even a pub cat that everyone enjoyed. We enjoyed a group of young people we met from the television station so much, that we continued our visiting all the way back to the hotel! Laughing and surely messing it up several times, a couple of us got to learn how to say “my name is…” and “God be with you” in the traditional Irish language. If only I could hold onto those saying longer than one night! Maybe they will have to come review with us again over a pint of Guinness!

After the greeting and a Irish breakfast at a nice hotel, the Dungarvan officials lead us to the bus to get to our home for the next ten weeks. The bus was very nice. We were shocked by the left side driving for the first day or so! Every turn felt the wrong way, every cross walk was scary. (remember while in IRE, look right first!) “Round abouts’ were another new idea for me. The traffic moves continuously instead of having many stop signs like back home. The way to “County Waterford” was longer than expected, but the sights of sheep, green fields and new architecture kept me awake and excited. After going up and around the small mountain in front of us we reached home, Dungarvan! We settled into our beautiful townhouses. They left us a few groceries to make us feel at home, as well as treating us to a three course dinner. I’ve found that the Irish are very welcoming and amazingly hospitable. It feels so safe and at home here. Everyone reaches out and offers their hand if we need anything, and sandwiches always always have the crust cut off, perfectly. – Just  an extra touch seems to always be present.  That night we took time to look around the town a bit with Heidi and settle in. I was excited to see that skype works and will be keeping in touch with family and friends via skype.  Although the five hour time difference can be somewhat confusing.

Good news arrived on Saturday that my luggage was on its way. That morning we went to what is their city hall, to be welcomed officially by the city. All of the city and county officials were here, and after hearing about how Mercyhurst and Dungarvan first started this process, the twinning of the cities and finally how we are the first group from the United States to be welcomed in the town…we all felt very blessed to be such a part of history between two countries. Most of us did not realize until that point just how big this was, and what it really meant for the cities of Erie as well as Dungarvan; and Ireland and the U.S. in general. I truly felt like in some small way we were all making a contribution to history! After the ceremony ended we were greeted with dancing and Irish music from a few local children, as well as more food and refreshments. We received info on how to join in with activities in the area, and shook hands with so many people from the city. We even saw the grocery store employee who helped us on the first day, and she remembered us! It seems that everyone here in Ireland is helpful and connected to the town in a deeper way than in the U.S. Things go slightly slower, but everyone really experiences what they are doing as apposed to quickly getting a million things done as we do in the states! Later in the day we got to tour the whole city, see our classrooms that were set aside for us in the theater and art gallery, and buy a few essentials.

We headed back to our “Mew” to rest before, yes, another reception…while waiting Liz and I decided to make tea. However, directions and labels on food in Ireland is very confusing. We used an electronic tea pot, while laughed at the confusing directions, as if we were reading Chinese. After a few attempts, and a little guessing, we successfully made a “pot of tea”. We have yet to try out the coffee, as the grinds and directions look very different. This simple action of making coffee and tea made us laugh at how simple things are made in the U.S. While in Ireland, it is more about the process.

At night, we got to go to Merry’s Pub for our first night on the town. This was such a wonderful and warm experience. We talked with the officials of the town, over a glass of our first Guinness! We bonded with some of the wives as well, and got insider tips on where to go. Laughing and talking for hours we enjoyed ourselves. The mayor of Dungarvan, Damien celebrated with us, and we learned what each of our names were translated in traditional Irish. Mine became pronounced “Circa”, or Sadie for a common nickname for Sarah.  I especially got a laugh out of one of the wives, Maura. We all bonded  and found ourselves laughing like friends. We found out where the dance club was- “Creation”. Here, we realized yet another difference. The girls dress up so much. While we were in our jeans and nice sweaters, the girls in Ire. wear dresses and heels. We were also surprised after talking to two local guys, Peter and Liam, that when at clubs, the guys and girls dance separately, and instead, make it more of a show for each other. While we felt like no guys wanted to dance with us, the guys explained that this was just how it is in Ire. The few young people we talked with were also very welcoming however, and told us more about young life in Ire. Needless to say, I will be happy when my luggage arrives so I can have some heeled boots to wear out next time! Returning home, Caileen and I made some good American grilled cheese and went over our night. It is so different in many ways, but is quickly feeling like a home away from home. I think Ireland has a way of doing that to everyone who visits. Our next adventure will be the daily life, now that the receptions and initial welcoming is over. Now it is time for classes and seeing what daily life is like, here in Dungarvan, Ireland!