Making Community Connections (Service Project)

As a part of one of our classes we were to do a service project. This was a way to get us involved with the community of Spiddal. A few of us had the opportunity to go to the near by retirement home, Áras Chois Fharraige. At the retirement home they have different events and activities for the residents to participate in each day of the week.

http://www.thearas.com/home.html

During our visit we would join in and help with these activities. We did anything from playing cards, giving hand massages, and to doing chair aerobics. Each time we did something different and got to interact with the residents. One of my favorite ones that I met was Paddy. He is an adorable Irish man originally from Dublin. On the first day he taught me how to play 25, and Irish card game. It was so much fun and I even had some beginners luck and won! For another one of our visits they had a guest come in and play guitar and we had a singing session. I didn't know the words to all the songs but I sang along as best I could. Some of the residents even did some solos and they sang beautifully! (Paddy was one of the residents that did a solo.) The chair aerobics was one of my favorite activities led by Katie. She is one the staff members there and she is great with the residents. She speaks both Irish and English to them, to make them fell as much at home as possible.

Resident-Nora Folan, Staff-Katie Ui Chuláin, Dearbhla Thornton, Pat Folon, and Nancy Mullen.

Resident Nora Folan is 96 years old making her one of the oldest residents. 

Little did I know how much of an impact these people would have on my day. Each time I went to visit I left with a big smile on my face and my day was much brighter. Seeing their smiles and how happy they were to see guest made my time there worth every minute. I wish I would have had more time to go and visit to hear more of their stories but for now I will cherish my time I spent there.

Out and about exploring Ireland! (Field Trips)

This past month has been packed with trips around Ireland. We have travelled to Westport, Belleek, Portrush, Enniskillen, Derry/LondonDerry and Belfast. Along the way as we travelled through the countryside we stopped multiple times to enjoy it and take pictures of the beautiful scenery. Really I could spend all day driving around Ireland taking in all of the sites.

View of the country side as we were passing through.

View from the other side of the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.

While traveling to all of these cities we saw a lot of different things and learned a lot! But one of my favorite places was on the way to Westport. We stopped at Croagh Patrick. Croagh Patrick is a 764 meter high mountain and every year 40,000 people make pilgrimage here. I didn't think this place would impact me as much as it did. It was was a tough 1.5 hour hike to the top but the view once I got there made every ache and pain worth it. I don't know exactly why but I even found myself becoming a little emotional during my hike which made me appreciate the experience even more. It was a test of my determination and strength to climb over the rough terrain and not give up.

I made it to the top of Croagh Patrick!

What I was hoping from my hike up Croagh Patrick was to have some kind of sign as to what I should do once I return to the states and graduate. That didn't really happen, but what did happen was the remembrance to enjoy every moment while I am here. I was reminded of how happy I was to be here and to be learning about such an amazing and beautiful country. I was reminded of the fact that you don't always have to have a plan and that things will work themselves out. Most importantly I was reminded of how short life can be and that I was blessed to be there at that moment.

The view from up here was amazing!

As my time here is starting to come to an end I can't help but be thankful for this experience. Studying abroad not only in Ireland but the Czech Republic as well has completely changed me, for the better! Like the Irish proverb says" May your feet lead you to where your hear is." my feet have lead me to so many places that I couldn't just pick one for my heart to belong to. So cheers! Cheers to the all the memories, cheers to new friendships, cheers to following your heart, and CHEERS TO LIVING!!

Can you spot the differences?

Having been here for over two months I have quickly adapted and come accustomed to the cultural difference here. From the food, how they drive and other modes of transportation, dress, or speak all of this makes Ireland what it is!

Do you remember when your parents told you to always look both ways while crossing the street? Well that is very important here! Here in Ireland they drive on the opposite side of the road than us. This caught me off guard when we arrived but after some time now I am used to which way the cars will be coming down the street. Not everyone has to drive here though. Pubic transportation is big here in Ireland and all of Europe. You actually can't get your drivers license until you are 18. You will see a lot of people walking or riding bikes as well. Some countries even have bike lanes. This is something I am not accustomed to coming from small town Nebraska.

Riding bikes through the street.

When it comes to food there are not much differences in what they eat compared to what I eat back home. The difference is in the names. What we would call french fries are called chips and what we all chips are called crisps. This can get a little confusing when ordering your food. Typically your meals are fairly cheap and large. There is this adorable cafe in Galway that has meals for 6.90 euro and it's more than enough food for me and I eat a lot! :) Also its isn't typical that they would bring you water. Typically you have to ask for it and in some countries pay for it. Tipping here isn't as big as in the U.S. Waiters and waitresses are paid a higher wage so a tip is just extra. Sometimes depending upon the person they even refuse to accept a tip.

Smoked salmon open faced sandwich for 7 euro!

Another difference you will see is that people are usually well dressed. I know sometimes I am feeling lazy and so I throw on leggings or sweat pants. Here you won't see people walking around dressed like that at all unless they are running or riding a bike.

Not much is too different from back home. You forget about these differences and become used to them within a short amount of time. Here people are so inviting and helpful so even if you do seem out of place you have no need to worry, they will help out.

Sláinte (slawn-cha) - Social Life

While not only studying here in Ireland I also have a busier social life. Whether I am in Spiddal or Galway visiting with locals or at Park Lodge hanging out with my classmates, I find myself to be quite the social butterfly. Nights out in Spiddal and Galway give us the opportunity to meet and visit with the locals. Several times in Spiddal we run into the same locals and pick up a conversation right away. Socializing is great because they give you insight and information about local events or places to see.

Something I really enjoy about going out here in Ireland is the live music. You don't just find live music in the pubs, they are also in restaurants. So if you don't want to drink you can go out and and enjoy the atmosphere along with everyone else. While visiting Cork we found a large two story pub/restaurant that had a band downstairs and another upstairs. I went upstairs and enjoyed some local musicians playing traditional music.

I am not only socializing with locals but the large group of us studying here together hang out on a daily basis. We recently even threw a birthday party for one of the girls. It was a lot of fun. In a very short amount of time we have all gotten to know a lot about each other. Many of us have connected on personal levels and are creating new lasting friendships. I am truly blessed to be on this amazing journey with such great people.

I feel like socializing while studying abroad is very important. Even if you are shy this is a great way to get out of your shell and get to know people you might have never known.  Go out for a bite to eat or a coupe drinks, you'll create memories and have stories to tell for years. I have been blessed to have friends come into my life all by putting myself out there and just staring a conversation. 

Studying in Ireland

While I am studying in Ireland I am not actually attending classes at a university. The way the program is set up is the professors come to us at Park Lodge where we are living. Each week on different days we have class for a solid four hours. This is something I am not used to. Back in the states my longest class is two hours long. Luckily we get a a break half way to grab a quick lunch and to break up the four hours. Although the four hours does seem to fly by most days. Irish culture, history, and language is quite interesting. 

Earlier this week we had a special guest come in for Irish culture and teach us how to play the Irish Penny whistle. It reminded me of playing the recorder when I was in fifth grade. We started out with with playing some basic tunes such as Mary had a little lamb and twinkle twinkle little star. After we mastered these(fairly quickly) we moved on the learning some Irish polkas. Since polkas are more complex and played at a more rapid pace we didn't master these right away. After some practice this week though I think next class we will be able to play two polkas. This class was by far one of my funnest and memorable classes. It's nice to actually participate in the Irish culture instead of just being informed about it. Next week we also get to learn an Irish dance and I can't wait! 

Each of the professors keep all the classes interesting in their own way. For example for history class last week we actually met in a pub, but not just any pub. We met at the historical Kings Head in Galway. It was a great chance to get out of the classroom. Also being in and seeing what you're learning about enhances the learning experience. 

I know it doesn't always seem like I'm going to school while I'm here. I swear it's not a three month vacation. By the end of the program I won't be fluent in Irish but I will know how to say  basic phrases and talk about myself, I will have knowledge about Irish history, know how to play the penny whistle, know an Irish dance or two, and I will not only have read books and poems by Irish authors but I will also know about the authors themselves. This truly is a great learning experience and by far one of the best ways to learn. 

It's Not Everyday

I've previously mentioned that coming from a place that is land locked, I could get used to living next to the water. It's not everyday that I can walk five minutes and put my feet right in the ocean. It's not everyday that I wake up and can smell the ocean air. It's not everyday that I enjoy one of the most scenic views as I walk to town. Ireland is certainly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and I couldn't be happier to be living here for three months.

 

What I get to wake up to everyday!

I do want to point out that daily life is certainly different here in Ireland than back at home. First of all it takes getting used to not driving everywhere. I am so accustomed to getting in my car and driving myself where ever I want or need to go. Here we use busses, taxis, trains, and our good ol' two feet to get us where we are going. It's pretty common for me to walk at least 4 miles a day; sometimes more and sometimes less.

Another difference particularly for me is living with multiple people. Back in Kearney I just have one roommate. With out busy schedules we would rarely even see each other. That's not the case here. Out of my four other roommates there is typically at least one or two of them here all the time. I guess I'm just not that used to constantly being around people. Thankfully they don't drive me too crazy! :p I really do enjoy their company though and cooking for them. Its nice to sit down as a little cottage family and enjoy a home cooked meal, something many college students don't do often. Here's a couple of them I've prepared, try not to get too hungry.

Pork chop and potato casserole.

Chicken and veggie stir fry and peach cobbler.

I feel like all of here are becoming like one giant family. This helps me not to miss mine back home too much. We all support each other here and help each other out when we need it. Each and everyone of them make daily life here even more enjoyable.

Life on the Aran Islands: Field Trip #1

Last weekend we travelled to the Aran Islands. Before heading over there we got a little background on what life was like on the Island. We watched the movie Man of Aran, that was filmed on the Island in 1934. This really helped to give us some perspective of what life used to be like compared to it now. Life was quite difficult there. We found out from our short amount of time there that the weather definitely makes it even harder. 

To get to the main island of the three that make up the Aran Islands, we took a large ferry. It was one of the roughest boat rides I had ever been on. It was a lot of fun to ride on the top, in the open, even though it was rainy. Coming from being land locked, I could get used to being surrounded by water. Maybe I need to move to an island?!

On top of the ferry ridding back to the main land.

While we were on the Island some interesting facts that I found out was that they didn't actually get electricity until 1975. Also unlike on the main land where people use peat to heat their houses, they only use oil or coal here. I also found it quite interesting that because the ground is mostly limestone, they aren’t able to grow much on the Island. Before goods were shipped from the main land, they would break up the limestone, haul seaweed from the ocean to cover the rock, and then what soil they could scrape up or find they would put that on top of the seaweed. It was a lot of work to create even just a small area to grow any crops. One advantage of all the limestone on the island is they don’t have to pour a foundation for the houses. As you can see in the photo the limestone is quite smooth. They also use it to build the stone walls. 

The trip to island was a wet, windy, and memorable time. I really enjoy connecting what we are learning in our classes to the actual places we visit. Having some background to the area helps me to appreciate and be more knowledgeable about what I am seeing. 

Had to leave my mark on the island!

Dia Dhuit (Hello)

Compared to my last study abroad trip to the Czech Republic, there really isn't a big language issues here especially when it comes to communicating with locals. Ireland is primarily an English speaking country with only about 35% of the people still speaking Irish today. Where we are living in Spiddal is located in a region that is filled with many Irish speaking people and they speak it on a daily basis. Many of the primary schools located in the area taught in Irish. So even though the language appears to be dying out there are many people still trying to keep it alive and bring it back. You can see rock/signs around and in Spiddal that are only in Irish. I wasn't sure what they said but I found them interesting and took a couple pictures of some that I saw.

Signs in Irish down by the harbor.

Marking a path near the harbor.

When traveling throughout the country you will find signs that have both Irish and English on them. From our little trip to Cork we also found out that the buses and trains use both names of the cities on their signs as well. This was slightly confusing for us at first because we weren't aware that Corcaigh and Cork were the same city. We thought we were going to get on the wrong bus! No worries, we didn't and we make it to Cork. There we had a great weekend exploring the city, visiting with locals and even speaking and learning some Irish from them.

Photo credit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Twomileborris_signage.JPG

From my language class I am finding out that the language is very hard to learn because words don't look anything how they are actually pronounced.  Dia Dhuit ,which means hello, is pronounced gee-a-hutch. Many other phrases are hard to say just by looking at the spellings. Thank you for example is pronounced go-ra-ma-aw-got but is spelled go raibh maith agat. It really is a beautiful language with many religious meanings in the phrase but not a language you can learn a lot of in a short amount of time.

Notes from language class.

Something else I noticed that even though they speak English the Irish speak very fast which makes them hard to understand especially if they have a very thick accent. I've visited with many locals and have to have them repeat themselves because their English is hard to understand. One man we sat next to on the bus home from Cork admitted that he talks very fast and that's why he is hard to understand. So if you visit Ireland you won't have any problem getting around and communicating with people but be aware that you might have to ask them to repeat what they say.

Line Dancing with the Locals

I have officially been in Ireland for over a week now. I can't believe how fast the time is flying by. We are officially all settled into our cottages and attending classes three days a week. The weather hasn't been the best to us raining almost everyday. Luckily today we had almost a full day of sunshine. A few of us headed out for a jog and made our way down to the ocean. It was so beautiful and peaceful. It was great to just sit on the rocks and put my feet in the water. Down by the ocean is a great place to sit and just listen to all the sounds around you and take in the smells. I could have sat there for hours or at least until the tide came back in.

Sitting by the ocean shore.

"I've got my toes in the water..."

Throughout the past week we have made several trips into both Spiddal and Galway. Thursday evening a group of us went to Spiddal for supper and hung out at a couple of the local pubs. It was quite an eventful night meeting lots of the locals. They were some of the nicest people I have ever met. They even make you feel safe here. Unlike in most places back in the states when your out you typically only visit with the people your with. Very rarely do you go out and meet someone and have a genuine conversation with them. Here they will walk right up to you and start a conversation. Typically you don't even know the persons name until about halfway through. Many of the owners were quite inviting as well telling us that we were welcome anytime. It was a great feeling for someone who is a stranger to feel welcomed in a new place. 

The streets of Spiddal.

The next evening we had a planned trip into Galway to experience the night life in a little bit bigger city. After arriving in Galway we hit the streets, wandering around to find our hostel for the night. After dropping off our bags we enjoyed some Irish food. From there we headed to Thigh Foxes, a pub that the locals in Spiddal told us to go to to enjoy some local Irish music. They certainly didn't point us in the wrong direction! We spent our entire evening there dancing and visiting with the locals. One elderly lady even taught me a new line dance, which I am excited to teach people back in the states. By the end of the night we had also taught them how we line dance and swing dance. Some of them told us we should teach dance lessons. It was really one of the best nights out I had ever had. 

This weekend we are going to explore Cork! I can't wait to see what treasures await us there. 

SHMME

I'm sure all of you are wondering what SHMME stands for. Well here in Park Lodge Hotel, located two miles outside of Spiddal, 17 UNK students are living in four separate cottages. Cottage #4 is my home for the next three months along with my four other roommates; Sara, Hannah, Miranda, and Emily. Together we are SHMME our own little cottage family.  Since day one we have already started to bond, unfortunately being the oldest one I got deemed Mom. Our cottages are quite roomy and have everything we will need; small kitchen, dining area, living room, bathroom and three separate rooms. I was the lucky one to get the single room. :)

Cottage #4 home of SHMME

If we happen to be missing anything we can more than likely find it in town which is two miles away. If we want to go to town we walk. It takes about a half an hour to get there but it's such a great view all the way there that the time just flys by. We are right along the Atlantic Ocean. This is something most Nebraskan's have never seen, such as myself until I visited Ireland last year, but here we are living right across from it.

The ocean right outside of Spiddal

I love that with this program I have the opportunity to live with and get to know fellow students I wouldn't have met just attending my classes back home on campus. I'm looking forward to the many great friendships that will come out of our three months in Ireland together. 

SHMME