Adventures in Ireland

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2010-05-21T20:13:00.008-04:00

Today was a long day of traveling, and sadly, this is my final post. I woke at 4 AM and traveled by coach for 3 hours from Limerick to Dublin. We stopped for breakfast and then headed to Dublin airport. The flight from Dublin to Philadelphia was around 7 hours long, but I had a window seat in the back by myself (so I had plenty of room to lay and relax). Then we took a plane from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, where I sat next to a nice guy who talked to me about my trip. I finally arrived to my family around 5 PM eastern time (which was 10 PM Ireland time). We ate out at Cracker Barrel, and now I am home. It is around 8 PM here, which is actually 1 AM in Ireland, so I need to adjust to the time. It was a very fun trip, and I am very thankful that I had the chance to go to Ireland! Thanks for reading my blog!

Last Day

2010-05-20T10:54:00.009-04:00

Today has been very eventful, and sadly, was my last day in Ireland. I woke up at 6:30 and had breakfast at 7:15 with the whole group. I ordered an Irish breakfast (which I have tried before), so it was another cultural piece of my trip. We all loaded onto the coach bus again to travel around Ireland.

First, we stopped in Adare. It has a small village of cute cottages. There was also a small park to walk around. Once we walked around a little, we traveled to the Cliffs of Moher. It was so gorgeous and very picturesque. I walked around with Gabby and Angelica up the steps and hills to make it to the top of the cliffs on both sides. One side has a tower. They warn how dangerous it is, but I went close to the edge for some great photos. The weather was so warm and perfect for the last day's adventures. After walking around here, I had lunch and got back on the coach around 2.

We traveled and made it to Limerick to drop off our luggage and relax until dinner. We met up at 4:30 and drove to Bunratty Castle. It was really cool to see this. The medieval banquet started by going up the castle and getting mead. I did not like this because I hate the taste of alcohol. There was a violinist and harpist. Then they guided us to where we had to eat. It was a candlelit room with music and entertainment. There were four courses: soup (with no spoon), ribs, chicken, and a fruit dessert. Once this was over, there was a 30-minute period when they sang. It was really fun, and I actually knew a lot of the songs. Most were Irish and a few I played on the guitar before (such as "Star of the County Down"). At the end, there was a man playing the bagpipe, and our tour guide (Joe) danced around. It was funny.

After this, we had a fun ride back to the hotel. Joe sang on the microphone, and we all joined in and clapped. It was hilarious. Then we had our final group meeting, which was so nice and really summed up the trip. We went around in a circle and shared a favorite memory and said our final goodbyes. This trip has been so worthwhile and given me so many great experiences. Tomorrow I am waking at 4 AM, driving to Dublin, and flying back home.

Another day in Killarney

2010-05-19T08:18:00.024-04:00

Killarney is such a cute town with a beautiful park. This morning, I woke around 10 AM. It was so nice to sleep in.

I headed out to explore Killarney. It is a small area with shops everywhere and pastel-colored buildings. There are a few churches and many buggy rides. I even found a few stores with my name in it. I bought a few last minute gifts for people, wandered around the shops, and had lunch. I had a ham and cheese sandwich. I forgot to say before that the cheese in their sandwiches is shredded cheese, which is so good.

Then I walked around and found their park. It is so gorgeous with flowers, views of mountains, and fun walking trails. I walked around and took many photos here.

When I got back, I hung out with Gabby and Angelica around the hotel and the national park. Then I met at 4 with Jan and the photography majors because we had to talk about the Ireland site I am creating. Once this meeting was over, we met an editor from the Kerryman at 4:30. He had some interesting information and said that around 60% of the newspaper is news and 40% is advertising.

Once this was over, Gabby, Angelica, and I had a blast around town. We had dinner, where I had yummy lasagna and great times with them. Then we treated ourselves to ice-cream and shopped around the area. It was so much fun!

I cannot believe this trip is almost over. Tomorrow we are leaving Killarney, seeing some sights, and staying overnight in Limerick.

We made it to Killarney!

2010-05-18T18:41:00.006-04:00

Today truly felt like Ireland. There was nature and animals everywhere all day. We left Cobh and headed to Killarney. I woke around 7 and had a relaxing breakfast at the hotel. Then we boarded the coach bus at 8:30. All day it was cold and rainy, but we still enjoyed the day nevertheless.

First we drove around the Ring of Kerry and stopped at the Kerry Bog Village Museum. It showed how people lived and worked many years ago. The homes were so tiny! We had awhile here, so I also went into the gift shop and looked around. Then we saw a sheepdog demonstration, which was so neat to see! He explained how the sheepdogs listen and herd the sheep. He uses a whistle and also says commands to the dogs. He showed us this, and it was just a very cultural experience.

We had lunch afterwards, and I had a ham and cheese sandwich and delicious hot chocolate. It helped me stay warm. Once we finished lunch, we took various stops for photo opportunities. We stopped at a beach and then different times around the mountains. It was very chilly but worthwhile to get the photos and see the sights.

Arrival to our new hotel was around 6, so we definitely were in the bus a lot today. The hotel room is one room with three beds and a bathroom. It is a decent place.

We had a group dinner tonight, so we met at 7:10. This dinner included Irish music and dancing. It lasted until a little after 11. It was such a fun time! I had an Irish dinner (potato soup, Irish lamb stew, and cheesecake). I sat with Gabby, Angelica, Aaron, Kristina, and Helen. Then the music came, which was really fun to listen to and participate in (they made us clap). I am starting to recognize a lot of Irish music now because I've heard it so much. Also, a little girl did an Irish dance, which was really cute. Eventually one of the musicians played the Titanic song and many people in our group were singing. Also, they did a shout out to Point Park University. It was such a fun time!

Tomorrow I have a free day in Killarney. I will sleep-in and explore. Then I am meeting at 4 to discuss the Ireland site and then meet an editor at 4:30.

Blarney Castle and kissing the Blarney Stone!

2010-05-17T12:11:00.015-04:00

The activities today were so much fun! I loved Blarney Castle. There was a breakfast buffet this morning at our hotel, so I woke at 7 and ate there. Our group met at 9 and hopped in the coach tour bus to the city of Cork. It looked similar to Dublin because of the river and shops, except it is much, much smaller.

We stopped at Red FM, a local radio station in Cork that has been around for almost 10 years. It had a very laid-back, fun atmosphere. Many people there talked to us, so I learned a lot about the station. It targets ages 15 to 35 and must advertise solely to this group. The average time of an ad is 30 seconds. They play a new pop artist and once that artist becomes popular, they move on to someone new because they believes this brings a unique edge to the station. It also has part of its airtime in the Irish language. Their site launched one year ago and is a work in progress. I think this is because the Internet is not as popular in Ireland as it is in America.

After this, we traveled to Blarney and had three hours at the Blarney Castle and Blarney Woolen Mills. Gabby, Angelica, and I headed to the castle first. It was really cool to see. Then it was time to climb the castle. There was a small line, so it moved fairly slow, but I understand why. The staircase spiraled up and was tight and very rocky. It was not fun for someone who is afraid of heights like me! Nevertheless, I was very excited when I made it to the top! The view was gorgeous of all of the greenland.

Here, there was a small line around the top of the castle to kiss the Blarney Stone. When it was finally my turn, I laid on the ground, grabbed the bars, and leaned in to kiss the stone. It was crazy being so high up and leaning over the castle like this! Now I can finally say I kissed the Blarney Stone. It was definitely a good experience to have.

After climbing down the castle's exit staircase, I saw my photo on the screen. I secretly took a picture with my camera instead of buying it. Gabby, Angelica, and I looked around at the shops after this and then had lunch at a cute cafe. Then we headed to Blarney Woolen Mills, which is a huge shop of Irish things, like handcrafted clothes, postcards, food, and more. I bought a few postcards and something for my family. After buying a few things, we headed over to a few other shops we saw. One was called Erin Giftstore, so I got a photo with me in it just for laughs!

We drove back, had a group meeting, and had time to relax. Gabby, Angelica, and I explored Cobh and had dinner together. At dinner, we bumped into a few others from our group. Then the three of us got some ice-cream. It was a fun night. Tomorrow, we are leaving Cobh and heading to Killarney!

Cobh!

2010-05-16T16:56:00.006-04:00

Cobh (pronounced cove) is breathtaking. It is an island in Ireland where I am staying tonight and tomorrow night. The suite is huge (we have 6 in here) and absolutely amazing with a great view (my bed is next to a window with the best view), comfortable place, huge screen television, and even wireless Internet! It is on a hill, and there is a cute town with pastel colored buildings. Also, this is where Titanic set off.

So, here is what all happened today. I woke a little before 7 and got ready to check out of the apartment and leave Dublin. It was sad to leave Dublin, but I had so many great experiences there and definitely did a lot. We met our new tour guide Joe (sadly, Rachel had to leave) and headed on the coach bus at 9. As we were driving, there were beautiful views of green. Also, there were adorable sheep everywhere!

We stopped at Wicklow Park and Glendalough Visitor’s Center. It was a pretty place with nature everywhere, sheep, a tower, ancient buildings, and even graves. Our tour guide told us many interesting facts about it, and then we had free time to roam. I even bought a few postcards. Then we ate lunch, which I had a breakfast panini.

We drove many hours (around 1 – 5) to Cobh. It was nice seeing the sheep, cows, and green while on the road. Once we arrived, we picked our beds and then met at 5:30 for a tour around the area. The tour guide’s name was Michael, and he really knew a lot about the area. He told us about the Titanic and how it boarded people here. His stories really made me feel like I was there. The walk around was just so fun and relaxing.

Once we got back around 7, we were able to relax for a little. I uploaded my photos. Then we met at 8 for dinner at our hotel. It was Chinese food and tasted very good.

Today was just great although there was a lot of traveling. I really enjoyed seeing the green parts of Ireland. In Cobh, I really feel a lot of Irish culture and love it.

Free day in Dublin

2010-05-15T06:35:00.016-04:00

I really know my way around Dublin now. This is our free day around the city, so I wanted to complete my last goals on the list. I wanted to get a photo of me by the river, go inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and take a tour of Guinness. I am pleased to say I accomplished my goals, and at that, very early in the day! I woke around 8:30 and finished at 11:30.

So first, I headed down to the river and got my photo taken. It was pretty easy and fast. Then I walked to the St. Patrick’s Cathedral. I received a student discount. It is beautiful inside and even has a gift shop. I bought a postcard and something for my Grammy. Then I headed to Guinness. Along the way, a group of people had me be their photographer. It was funny because they were drunk! After this, I arrived and also had a student discount here. Guinness has floors of information, like how it’s made, where it is in the world, and more. It also has samples for people (although I did not take any), a gift shop (where I bought a postcard), and a few places to eat.

Once my self-guided tour was over, I went to the store and bought Happy Hippos. They are adorable candies I found here shaped like hippos. I bought one for me and one for my family. They are surprisingly really good! They are not Irish, but I have heard of them and have never seen them in America before.

This is my last day in Dublin. Tomorrow we will be checking out. I will definitely miss it because I really can see myself living here. My roomies and I took a photo together.

Once I got back from my morning adventures, I relaxed for a little and packed everything up. In the afternoon, I headed back out to just walk around the city some more. It was really fun to just wander around. I actually stumbled upon a great experience. Henry Street is open to pedestrians and has many shops, restaurants, entertainers, and fruit stands. There were hundreds of people. It was crazy and exciting to see. I bought an ice cream along the way. He had soft serve, so I asked for twist. He did not know what that was, so I said it is chocolate and vanilla twisted together. Once again, he was confused and said he only had chocolate soft serve or vanilla soft serve. So apparently, they do not know what twist is. It may be an American thing. I learned something new about ice cream in Ireland!

At 6:30, I met with Gabrielle and Ryan for Irish food, dancing, and music. This was at the Arlington Hotel from 7:30 until 10:30. It was a very cultural experience! I had a carrot orange soup, which was actually really good. My meal was Irish Chicken. I also had a yummy chocolate mousse cake for dessert. Then there were two guitarists and one violinist. They played some great Irish songs, like "Molly Malone." Finally the Irish dancers came out. It definitely felt like I was in Ireland when I saw this. My favorite part was when they danced a cappella. It was very fun to watch! Although it was hard to take photos in the dark room, I got some good videos of this.

I am heading to bed now. Dublin has been a great experience! Tomorrow I'll be getting up at 8 and heading to Cobh, Ireland at 9.

Belfast

2010-05-14T19:08:00.005-04:00

Today was a fun day even though I had to get up at 5:30 AM! I actually took 200 photos just today. Everyone met in the lobby and walked a mile to the train station in Dublin. We boarded the train to Belfast (which is in Northern Ireland), and it took two hours to get there.

Around 10:30, we boarded a coach bus for our day tour of Belfast. We were going to get Black Taxi Tours, but it would be difficult to split everyone in different cabs. The tour guide Michael was really nice, and I loved his accent. He showed us around for many hours of the day to Freedom Corner, Northern Ireland Assembly, Belfast Castle, Belfast Shipyard where Titanic was built, many murals showing the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, St. Patrick’s Church (not to be confused with St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin), and more.

During this tour, we were able to stop at a few places and also eat lunch. For lunch, we ate at The Pump House, which was at the shipyard. I had my very first Irish breakfast there! It consists of eggs, sausage, ham, and potato bread. Then I bought a few postcards and took some photos around the place. I used my credit card to exchange dollars to pounds since I only had Euros on me.

We headed to the Belfast Telegraph to hear about media from Jerry Davis. He works on the website and says it is very fast-paced and hard at times with the battles between print and digital opinions. On the digital team, they have two web developers, who design and update the site, and three online journalists, who add content 24 hours a day. One fact that interested me is how he said everyone in Northern Ireland has the Internet, but no one really uses his or her laptop (or even cell phones) in public. They feel more comfortable doing this at home.

Then we stopped at The Morning Star for dinner. I had soup, pasta, and a dessert I cannot pronounce. It was pretty good!

After the long day, we headed back on the train and arrived around 10:30 PM. We power walked back to our apartments. It’s already midnight. Now I have to sort through my photos from today!

Day 5

2010-05-13T14:55:00.001-04:00

Well, this morning I was supposed to sleep-in and have a fun morning around Dublin. Instead, I needed to go to the doctor. I have bed bug bites all over my legs, and to add to that, I had an allergic reaction to this. So, I spent the morning dealing with that. I had a lot of support from my professors, tour guide, and roommates, which I am really thankful for. Nevertheless, I will be sleeping on the couch until I am out of Dublin and hopefully getting a discount because of this problem.

I met my group at 1:15 for activities today. The first was a lecture at DCU about digital media in Ireland. This was my favorite lecture of the trip obviously because this is my field. On medialive.ie, he showed us many interesting statistics. For example, the age group that uses the Internet the most are ages 25 to 34. Also, the Internet is used most for travel information, news, banking, and social sites like Facebook. One thing I did not know is that there are epapers, which are the newspapers online (but for a price).

Then we met with PhotoCall. They said it is hard to compete because everyone has a camera or camera phone. PhotoCall has 35 publications and eight people on staff, six of those being photographers. The environment of this was interesting because it was in the process of being a photo studio.

I wanted to get a photo of me by the river and also go inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, but I am not feeling up to it right now. I will do this on Saturday, as well as probably joining a group to take a tour of Guiness.

Tomorrow is going to be a long day. We are leaving at 6:30 AM to another country (Belfast, Northern Ireland) and will not be back until 10 or 11 at night. They use pounds instead of Euros there, which I did not know until yesterday. So, expect a late blog for tomorrow!

Day 4 in Dublin

2010-05-12T13:36:00.008-04:00

I woke up at 7 today and met with the group at 7:45. I’m in the swing of things now and feel very comfortable as far as the time difference and speed of activities go. I had eight hours of sleep, so I felt pretty good. My day’s agenda included breakfast with Rosita Boland, going to the embassy to see Dan Rooney, eating lunch on DCU’s campus, a lecture, a group meeting, seeing St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and dinner with friends.

We met the journalist Rosita Boland in Caffe Noto at 8, which is a place I have eaten for lunch before. She talked about her experiences and also gave advice, like checking name spellings and asking to use the bathroom while doing an interview at a home in order to see more of the personality in the home. She also said that short stories are 600 – 800 words, big stories are 1,400 words, and Saturday articles are around 1,600 words.

Then came the most exciting part of the day. I saw Dan Rooney! I could not take any photos of this because of the security, but we had one photographer in there for us. Karyn Posner-Mullen, the director of public affairs, greeted us and said that Ireland needs help with the economy and looks to other countries like the US for help. John Murphy, the press assistant, was only 23 and very successful. He takes photos, helps with the website, and basically deals with media. He said the most common question he gets is when Obama is coming to Ireland. Also, Dan Rooney gets many sports questions. Dan Rooney finally came out, and he said it is nice to have his home of Pittsburgh with him in Ireland. He only spoke for a few minutes because he was busy with a call with the President of Ireland. It was really nice, and we even got a group photo with him. At the end, he gave everyone a pin with the American flag and Irish flag.

Finally, we went to Dublin City University. I had lunch with Gabrielle, Angelica, and Rachel (the tour guide). It was a nice meal of meat, potatoes, and stuffing! The college is fairly nice but does not have much entertainment for the students. After hanging out for a while, we had a lecture from 2 to 3 with Helena Sheehan about Irish’s drama television. She said Ireland calls soap operas “serials.” Soap Operas received that name because they were sponsored by soap. She said television shows are a way of seeing a culture and its current lifestyles.

Then we had a group meeting for an hour. Once this was over, I walked to St. Patrick’s Cathedral and took some photos from around 4:30 to 5:30. It has a gorgeous garden and fountain. The cathedral stands out with its architecture. I tried to go inside to see it and take photos, but it was closed. Maybe I will have a chance to go inside tomorrow.

I relaxed in my room, and then at 7:30, I met Gabrielle and Angelica for dinner. We hunted all over, but restaurants basically only serve alcohol and no food at this point. On our walk, we had a fun time, though. We ended up buying dinner at a cheap grocery store.

I don't have to be up early tomorrow, which means I can relax and sleep in a little tomorrow.

Experiencing Dublin on my own!

2010-05-11T15:14:00.004-04:00

It was hard to wake up today with only around 5 hours of sleep, although it was a much more relaxing day. Today consisted of media visits in the morning and a free, fun-filled afternoon.

Our group walked to Buswell’s Hotel to listen to Jerry Davis talk about public relations. There are about 1,300 to 1,500 people in this field in Ireland, and Dublin has the most public relations. Something that interested me is that 70% in this field are female. For the club membership to the public relations club, it is 320 euros! The topic did not completely spark my interest because it is not my major, but it was nice to get a taste of it.

The next and final stop for today was Ogilvy for our advertising section. Jo Wood showed a fun short video of advertisements they have done. They have done advertisements for Heinz, which interested the whole group since it is from Pittsburgh! The next part was with Claire, which was about the digital aspect. I was interested me because this is my major. She said it is a hard and stressful job at times because the field is constantly changing as technology changes.

Finally, we had the rest of the day to ourselves! I went to lunch with Zack, Brittany, Kristen, Frankie, and Abby. We had a good time. The guy taking orders had trouble understanding us, so that was a funny situation. Then we headed over to Grafton Street and lost Brittany along the way. Eventually I found her back at the apartment.

After resting for a little, everyone did their own thing. This part on my own in the city was my favorite of the whole trip.

I went back out from 3 to 6 to explore, take photos, see O’ Connell Street, see Temple Bar, and buy souvenirs. It was fun to explore on my own around Dublin! It was an amazing experience. I walked all along the beautiful river and took so many photos. Then I made my way to O’ Connell Street where there were many statues and shops. I bought myself postcards, a claddagh ring, and a pressed clover keychain. I also bought a small gift for my mom, dad, brother, and boyfriend.

When I bought the ring, the young lady was so cute with her accent and was really kind. She guessed that I am from “the states,” as they call it here. She told me the meaning and background of the ring and more. I love it here!

After this, it began to pour! This would not ruin my fun day, though. I pulled out my umbrella like the Irish do, and I meandered around the city. I stumbled upon Temple Bar, which is a cute area of shops and restaurants. I took some photos here and then headed back to my room to relax for the night.

Tomorrow I am seeing Dan Rooney!

Day 2!

2010-05-10T19:59:00.004-04:00

Today I felt so much better after getting 9 hours of sleep. I woke at 7:30 and got dressed up for the first journalism day. Today on the agenda was a lecture at Dublin City University, some free time for lunch, the Dublin Bus Tour, dinner with friends, a group meeting, and the Frontline show.

One thing I forgot to write about yesterday is that they drive on the opposite side of the road. It is very confusing sometimes when crossing streets which way to look. The street signs are different, and many signs have Gaelic on them. Also, there are many horse rides around the city!

At Dublin City University, Roderick Flynn lectured about print journalism and broadcast journalism from 9:30 until 11. He actually mentioned the signs with the Irish language on them. He said this is to preserve the language and also to help guide the few who speak this and do not speak English. There is a television channel with Irish language, but he said not too many watch this. Media in Ireland is geared towards English speakers.

A few interesting things he pointed out were differences in media here than what I am used to. There are no home-delivered papers here. Instead, the people go to a newsagent each day or week. Another is censorship. He said abortion is illegal in Ireland, and the media was not allowed to write about abortion until 1996. Newspapers in Ireland are read by around 55% of people each day and 90% read once a week. This is interesting because these numbers are much smaller in America now with the news on the Internet. One big idea that shocked me is that a television license is required for each TV bought. The first tv license is 150 Euros.

Then everyone came back to the apartments to change into casual clothes for the rest of the day. Brittany and I ate lunch at Café Moro, which is right up the street from our apartment. I had a special kind of food that had an odd name, but it was like a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.

The trip to the Independent was cancelled, but since we arrived late yesterday and needed some rest time, we finally were able to do the rest of the city tour on the Dublin Bus Tour.

We met up again at 1:30 for a few group photos in our Point Park sweatshirts. Then we did the city tour of Dublin on a double deck bus at 2:45. I took the top, which was outside and was better for photos. It was really cold but definitely worth it. Some of the tourist locations mentioned were Liffey River, O’ Connel Street, Trinity College, Temple Bar, Grafton Street, various parks, the jail, Guinness, museums, and more. The tour showed all of Dublin, which was really enjoyable and a good experience. Around 4:30, Brittany, Zack, Kristen, and I found a place to eat in the Temple Bar area. I shared a cheese pizza with Zack, and it was different because it was really thin.

After this, we had some time to relax before having our daily meeting and heading out to the television show, The Frontline. We arrived and waited for a few hours, and then we went to the show. We watched an hour and a half of videos on political stances, and then the show went live for an hour and an half. This was from 10:30 PM until 12 AM. There were so many studio lights, four cameramen, and many interesting behind-the-scenes jobs. It was interesting to see political standpoints in Ireland, as well as what they are dealing with. However, it was a little long and difficult to focus at times. We were going to talk to the producer, but this would have lasted too long for our group to stay.

I am finally back and ready for a good night’s rest. Tomorrow I will be up at 7 AM.

First day in Ireland!

2010-05-09T15:43:00.003-04:00

I am in Dublin, Ireland! It was a long journey. I met the group at the airport on Saturday, and we took a plane to Philadelphia. The flight only took 45 minutes, which they said was a record time! Then we waited at the Philadelphia airport from 4 until around 8:30. It was a long wait, but I hung out with my friends. Brittany, Zack, and I ate at a fast food Italian restaurant. Then we waited in the terminal with the group. We attempted to watch Airplane, but we stopped since we were just excited for the Dublin flight.

Finally, we were on the flight to Dublin. Because of the volcanic ash, we had to take a different route, which added on about an extra hour. We were lucky because the next flight from Dublin to Philadelphia was delayed because of the ash. It may have even been cancelled. The flight to Dublin was long, but I slept a little which helped. They showed some movies and had dinner and a small breakfast, but not too many cared since we all were so tired.

We arrived in Dublin around 9:30 AM (4:30 AM eastern time). It was neat to see all of the green and farmland while we were getting close. After getting our baggage, we met up with our tour guide, Rachel. She took us on our coach bus and gave us a small tour of Dublin.

The first stop was Grafton Street, which is in the city of Dublin. It is filled with shops, restaurants, and a fun atmosphere. I wandered around with a pack of friends to take photos, see the performers along the street, and even walk around St. Stephen’s Green Park. It was an exciting first location.

The next stops were Trinity College, The Book of Kells, and Dublin Castle. Trinity College is a small college in the city and has a tourist attraction. It has the Book of Kells. This is a small museum that has the book and huge library. It was very educational and interesting to see. Then we went to Dublin Castle, which is more like a palace. We had a guided tour around the castle. It was really really remarkable to see. We even went underground to see where the wall and moat were. I have already taken so many photos!

After a nice time around Dublin, we arrived to our apartments. It was so nice to get in because I needed a break after the many hours of flying and activities. Then I went grocery shopping with my roommates and had a nice group dinner at the oldest pub in Ireland. I had soup, a pasta dish, and bread pudding dessert.

It's almost 9 PM here. I am really tired, but I am so excited and ready for more tomorrow!

The adventure begins tomorrow!

2010-05-07T11:30:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow begins my Ireland adventure! The volcano in Iceland has definitely worried everyone, but so far my flight to Ireland is operating. There are some back-up plans just in case, like staying overnight in Philadelphia or flying back to Pittsburgh. Well, I spent this week unpacking from college and packing for Ireland. It has been busy but very exciting. I will be meeting my class at the airport at 12:15 PM, and we will take a plane to Philadelphia at 3 PM. By 4:30 PM, I will land and have to wait for the plane to Dublin, Ireland at 9 PM. We will get to Dublin around 9 AM (4 AM eastern time), so it is about a seven-hour flight. They are five hours ahead. When I am finally in Ireland, there will be a full day of excitement on May 9th, although there will definitely be a lack of sleep! I will be in Dublin for a full week! There is an apartment (see it here- check out the image gallery!) I will be staying at with three other girls. The following week, I will be traveling around the rest of Ireland. I am excited for this vacation to begin!

Countdown: 12 days!

2010-04-26T10:33:00.008-04:00

Hi everyone. In less than two weeks, I will be in Ireland! The trip is from May 8 - 21, and I will be in Dublin, Belfast, Cobh, Killarney, and Shannon. I am really excited!