Across the Sea.

I can't articulate what I feel now that my experience has come to an end. I was in Ireland a week ago. Five hours ahead, green, wet, and real Guinness. Feels like a dream. Was I really there? Haha, yes I was. I know this thanks to all the souvenirs, photographs (prob 2000 worth), amazing new friends, newfound taste for beer, and new vocabulary (brilliant, grand, cheers, langers...).

But in thanking Ireland and company, my friend Holly does justice on her facebook note, and I can't help but quote her because I couldn't have said it any better.
(I've made some edits in brackets so it applies to myself and not to Holly)

"Thank you for being as green as everyone says you are. I will never forget looking outside my plane window and seeing patchwork landscape below. Thank you for all the rain, even though [it was the reason for all my mold]. Thank you for Beamish, Carlsburg, Guiness and all the other wonderful beer. I can’t think of a better place than Ireland to learn how to drink. Thank you for being my homebase for when I traveled to London and [Paris] because it was always nice to know that I was coming home to you. Thank you for UCC and its unorganized ways. If anything, the school made me appreciate mine even more... Thank you for Cork with its unpredictable river and teeming English Market that spoiled me with its fresh products. The city’s streets were narrow, the night life was crazy, and I will always love it. Thank you for all the new slang and ways to express myself. My retorts will now be more colorful. Thank you for the drunken nights but also the nights were we just stayed in and ordered Dominos just for the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Thank you for 12 wonderful channels of cable TV that constantly played Simpsons episodes and had a channel just in Gaelic. Thank you for making me walk everywhere and [keeping the candy and beer from showing]. Thank you for Limerick, Dublin, [Galway] and all the other cities I visited. Thank you for Digestives, Nutella, [and Mini Rolls]. Last of all but not the least of course, thank you for all the people I met. Thank you for some of the best housemates I have had the pleasure to live with, [Nicky and Serena]... Thank you for [all my non-American friends Sirpa, Donie, Laura, Serafiina, and Dougie.] Most of all, thank you for my three girls, Nicky, Serena, and [Holly]. Our friendship began with an "H" and ends with an "olly" joke because someone couldn’t remember [Holly's] name. Us girls had some really fun nights together and some really hard ones, but in the end it was one hell of a ride. Thank you ladies. I will love you girls always and it was some great craic.

Slan"

Posted by Katie at 6:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

"Lay down,
your sweet and weary head.
Night is falling.
You have come to journey’s end.

Sleep now,and dream
of the ones who came before.
They are calling,
from across the distant shore.

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see.
All of your fears will pass away.
Safe in my arms,
you’re only sleeping.

What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.

Dawn will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
All souls pass.

Hope fades,
Into the world of night.
Through shadows falling,
Out of memory and time.

Don’t say,
We have come now to the end.
White shores are calling.
You and I will meet again.
And you’ll be here in my arms,
Just sleeping.

What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.

And all will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
Grey ships pass
Into the West."

~Annie Lennox

Posted by Katie at 11:18 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Kept awake real early last night thanks to our Irish neighbors upstairs. Still not into the whole party-during-the-week deal.

Tought rise at 8:30 to rush to 9am aquatic biology. At UVM, 9am class no problem. But here, for the first time in my life, I hit the snooze button.

Find a surprise waiting for me outside the apt door, rain! It hasn't rained in a while. Usually when it does it's only drizzle. But when it rains here, it rains. When a professor told me back in August that the rain can come at you horizontally, I didn't believe him. Let's just say, If there was ever a day to wear my wellies, it would have been today.

The wind whips around the rain so that even with an umbrella, you get soaked. Well I do. Forget if I mentioned my theory in an earlier entry, but the Irish have evolved invisible water repelling shields that allow them to stay dry. But I exaggerate... no.

Had to go to the music building twice, which is bad. The music building is the most hard to get to class ever. Thirty (pronounced "tirty" here) minute walk from home. *Across the river and up the hill to the music building we go!*

On the way home from class finally at 4, avoided a flooded road and counted the number of broken umbrellas abandoned in disgust on the roads.

Advice: Buy a huge sturdy fecking umbrella, hold onto it with two hands, wear your wellies, and wish you had been born Irish.

RIP - 12 umbrellas

Posted by Katie at 7:08 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I am a drained. Busy. >_<
So much going through my mind right now.
Practice step dance, do laundry, call parents, text Donie about Ceili, lab report due Tuesday, prepare for trip to Paris, write in journal, only three more weeks left! Am I excited to go home?! Am I not?!?

And I really want to do a good job on this report! But I can't concentrate.

God feck it all.
>_<

Posted by Katie at 11:57 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Here in pres coll comp lab bored and annoyed that we have a 15 minute break in aquatic bio lecture. It's a two hour lecture, but jaysus, a 15 minute break?! I have better things to do than wait around for the prof to grab a cup of tea. >_<

So I may as well spit out an entry:

Got all my classes for next semester back at groovy UV:
Ecology, Ecosystems and the Environment
Social Proc and the Environment
Environmental Problem Analysis
Intro Orgo Chem
Chem of Soil and Water
Ornithology

That's a full load of six science pretty hard core science classes. And it's gonna be that way till I graduate.

Irish Fashion:
boots worn over pants
uggs
Jansport backpacks
scarves

------
edit

Some random photos to enjoy!

Fall colors in Eire:

What I do in my remote sensing pracitical:
here

Skyping for the first time with Emily:
here

Posted by Katie at 11:07 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Basically, I'm sick of Americans. Unfortunately, becuase I live with Americans and in general usually only socialize with Americans, I've had a very cushioned experience. I'm here to meet people of a new culture! Half my classes are only international students (mostly American) and my two geography classes meet only once a week so I haven't really had the chance to make good Irish acquaintainces. I've tried a few clubs and societies, but I just met more international students! Which was ok. I've made great friends with two girls from Finland and a girl from Czech Republic. And I love them! We've had so much fun together. Last week we went out for dinner at Wagamammas , I'm sad we don't have Wagamammas in the states. Lucie had a good time trying to use chopsticks for the first time. :-)

Ugh, and I can't stand how my roommates ALWAYS WATCH THE FUCKING SIMPSONS. I hate it so darn much. I understand if they're homesick and want a taste of home, but god, couldn't you choose a better show?! I've always hated the Simpsons and now, even watching at least an hour every night during dinner, I STILL HATE IT. Can't stand their retarded voices and the stupid music. Lately I've been trying to put on other shows. Anything. Not just because I hate the Simpsons, obviously with a passion, but also because I want to watch anything non-American. We can watch American tv shows and movies at home. But when will you ever be able to watch an Irish soap opera or even the Irish channel, where they only speak in Irish? I don't know, guess we just have a different taste in tv. >_<

At least I have my Finnish/Czech friends!!

Lately I've come to the realization that I'm dreading going home. Of course, I can't wait to see my family and friends and gourge on Annies mac/cheese and Reeses peanut butter cups. But I've just been having so much fun lately. Feel like I've only just gotten into the swing of things and now I have to go back home. I could stay an extra semester, but that would put me so far behind in coursework at UVM. The only way I can explain it is to imagine that you've been in University for only one semester of your freshman year...then go back to high school. I feel like I've moved on. I went from LHS, to UVM, and now UCC. Going back to UVM feels like I'm taking a step backward.

When that plane lands in Logan in 6 weeks it will be the quite the mix of emotions.

P.P.S.The weekEND really was great.

Posted by Katie at 12:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The weekend (pronounced "weekEND" here) is almost here! I'm super psyched. Most of the Butler students (the other Americans I'm here with) are gone up North to Belfast. A part of me wishes I'd gone to see Northern Ireland, (plus my great grandmother Teresea McKeefry was born in County Derry!), but I'm also glad I'm staying here in Cork. I have plenty of time in my life to travel more, but I don't really have another chance at actually living somewhere like this. So this weekend I'm enjoying Cork!

Tonight, after a short day of one class (flute), I'm meeting Sirpa and Serafiina for some music at the Far Side Pub.

Tomorrow, after a looooong day of classes, I'm making myself a chicken nuggets and semi-mac and cheese dinner (reminds me of home) and going to an Irish house party! The house belongs to Doug, a 33 year old that Nicky and Holly met...in Berlin! Get this, he lives two blocks from us... It's a small world. Hopefully will meet lots of new Irish people, keyword Irish. Believe it or not, I haven't actually made any Irish friends! It's been aggravating. All my music classes are international and my two science classes only meet once a week so it's been hard making acquaintances. Sure you meet the occasional Irish lad at the pub, but that always feels like it's gonna be dating, not friendship. And I'm not looking to score here like some of my friends already have!

Saturday maybe get treated to lunch from a friend that owes me. Then maybe some shopping downtown... Maybe that cup of Gloria Jeans with another friend... And dinner with my Finnish friends! We're gonna share our photos from Galway, so instead of my 400 photos, I'll probably have three times as many! Then we may go bowling, Sirpa has never been!

Sunday I plan on staying in and doing some homework. Homework Sunday!

Hopefully my plans will work out and be enjoyable. Well I'm off to take a shower, spray some mold, eat some chips for lunch, and head out into the world!

Cheers!

Posted by Katie at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)