Busy BEE! Spain

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted! I've been so, so, so busy! This post will be dedicated to my trip to Spain to visit Ali! Sadly it's been so long since then, I'm sure I'll be leaving out vital details, but that's ok.

I headed out for my first, big journey by myself to some foreign land! Elizabeth (one of my apartment-mates) was heading out at the same time, so we arranged a taxi together to cut the cost and be economical! It was great because I had someone to hang out with for the first part of my airport journey. Once we departed ways, I was left in the hands of Ryanair and we were Spain bound!

I arrived in Madrid with no problems, but quite a few butterflies in my stomach and fake confidence painted on my face. I had faith that I would make it to Cordoba, but I wasn't quite sure how. I remembered to be resourceful so I stopped at the information desk to ask the direction of the metro and how to use it, but while I waited in line, I heard a woman asking the same thing as I would be, and she was Irish and looked approachable so I decided to ask her and tag along. Before I knew it, I had my very first travel buddy. She was absolutely lovely! She was from a village in the west near Shannon; visiting her sister, brother-in-law and niece in Madrid, who are residents of Chicago. We quickly bonded, and before I knew it, she was buying my metro ticket and trying to set me up with her son, who is studying at UCC (Cork), maybe one day... Sadly, we had to depart ways and I was on my own for one more metro switch, and left to conquer the train station. With 2 minutes to spare I made it safely onto the correct train! I arrived in Cordoba to Ali's open arms and familiar face! It felt great and liberating!!

The next morning we met a few other Wheaton girls from her program and headed south to Malaga!

Malaga was wonderful and rainy!! We stayed at great, little hostel over looking the Mediterranean Sea. We met some very

interesting people, and befriended a few as well. We roamed around the main plaza, stopping in a Dunkin' Coffee, and then checking out the Picasso Museum. We went out both nights with two Irish and three English boys, all who were staying at the hostel. They were incredibly entertaining and winning us over with the "brilliant" vocabulary and classic accents. Malaga is a beautiful place, and I can only imagine what is it like in the sunny, summer months!

Back to Cordoba on sunday to some much needed rest and some more exploring. Ali had class, so I roamed around the city with another girl who was visiting a boy on Ali's program. Vicky was on her spring break, and traveling around Spain, from a program in London. We quickly became friends. It was great having a buddy to explore with. We went into this mosque, it was enormous and very beautiful!

I really enjoyed seeing another part of the world! It is very, very different then Ireland of course. Ali amazed me with her nearly fluent spanish skills and cooking skills. She made me delicious spanish tortilla. It is similar to a quiche, made with egg, potatoes and onions and lots of oil! Yum!

I was sad to leave Spain after such a short trip, but incredibly anxious to get back to Ireland for Mom and Bob's arrival! As much as I loved Spain, I found myself longing to return to Dublin. It was the first time I was able to miss Ireland, and boy if that is any indicator, then this summer will be very hard! I was so delighted to see the squared off green fields from the airplane! Just BEAUTIFUL!

As I expected, this trip to Ireland, and all the other traveling that I had planned gave me a whole new sense of independence and freedom. It's amazing what you can do when you're by yourself and without any comfort zone. A large and necessary lesson for all to learn and I'm so glad that I finally have.

It's amazing that I am more than half way done with this program! I feel as though I just got here.

Just a quick update: Mom and Bob came and I had the most fun with them! Needless to say, they completely fell in love with the country as I have, and thoroughly enjoyed their vacation and just today they arrived back in Maine.

My internship is going so well. I love the organization and all the women I work with. Yes, it's only women, but that can be expected when it's a women's organization.

Bittersweet Musicans

Yesterday was the last day of classes. Part of me was clearly jumping for joy, however I could've sat and played the Bodhran all night. Taking the Arts in Ireland course was one of the best academic choices I've made in a while and could very easily be the highlight of my academic career. Of course the class itself was not academically challenging, but learning to play a traditional Irish instrument and participating in a session on the last day of class, quickly earned the title for best class ever, hands down!

We have been playing the Bodhran for about 6 weeks, and the class only met on Tuesday nights for three hours. Padhraic, our instructor is a fantastic Bodhran player and very enthusiastic teacher. He should write Hallmark cards because he is so encouraging, always saying we're "brilliant, grand, and deadly," and applauding us for catching on so quickly.

A few weeks ago, Padhraic taught us a pretty difficult beat that I just wasn't picking up. I stayed after class for some one-on-one and he quickly helped me get it. We sat together and played a few beats on the Bodhran and I just fell in love with the drum, Irish music, and just about everything Irish. I haven't been playing a musical instrument for a while and it feels great to produce some good beats after being absent from my piano for so long. To my surprise, Padhraic went online and found a pub in Portland that holds traditional Irish music sessions and he wants me to get a Bodhran and go play! eeeks, better watch out! I'm flattered but not brave enough to go play just yet. The director of our program here teamed up with Padhraic to encourage me to bring Irish music back home...we shall see.

Last night, for our last class, Padhraic brought in a guitar player, an fiddle player and an accordion player and we had our very own session. Padhraic played his banjo while we joined in with our Bodhrans. It was unbelievably cool, I didn't want it to end. But if we didn't end I would only have one arm! Wow, lots of quick playing really takes a toll on the arm and wrist!

I'm looking forward to continuing the Bodhran, but for now I have to focus on the visual arts component of the art history class. I'm doubtful it will be as great, but I'm sure it will be great!

I took my first exam today for my history class. It went very well and now I'm focused on my exam for sociology tomorrow. After class I head to the airport for my first experience with Ryanair and SPAIN! I'm so excited to head to a new country and of course to see Ali! It's so weird to be without my roommates here in Dublin, but it's so exciting that I get to travel around Europe to visit them. Ali has planned the weekend in Malaga, then we head to Cordoba for the week because she has class :( I'll fly home on wednesday just in time to welcome Mom and Bob to Ireland!

Here is a video of a Bodhran solo (Click) so you can get a taste of what it's like. You'll see his hand sliding down the back of the drum which is the technique used to make all sorts of different sounds.

TIME IS FLYING!

This is my last week of classes, spring break starts on Thursday and then I begin my internship! Wow!

Again, nothing but pure happiness coming from Dublin! I'm still wondering when the honeymoon stage is going to end...hopefully it won't!

I had another busy week and weekend in Dublin. Last week we had two field trips for my Contemporary Irish Society class. On wednesday evening we went into town to attend the premier of Christ Deliver Us at the famous Abbey Theatre in the city centre. It was fabulous, highly controversial, and very intense. The acting was incredible! and the theatre was packed. I urge you to check out the website for more information about the play and the Abbey Theatre. http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats_on/event/788

The set was very simple, but the effects were outstanding. At one point, they had "rain" coming from the lights on stage, another time one of the main actors commits suicide and it was just so realistic, and at the end the lights actually fall to the ground when another actor jumps from a building to make a more dramatic crash.

On Thursday, instead of having class, we went into Dublin to visit the Dail Eireann, the Irish government! We were able to sit in and listen to a meeting of the Upper House conducted in Irish and English. It was very fun to listen to, some of the ministers got quite worked up, trying to argue their points, ect. We also sat in on a Senator meeting, and later in the day met Senator Joe O'Toole. He was intersting, and very curious about our American government and raved about Obama. They love them some Obama, but I mean who doesn't!!

This past weekend, many people from our program went to Amsterdam so the apartments felt very empty! Friday we had a very leisure day, sleeping and relaxing, finally! We went out on friday night into the city for our own small pub crawl. The first two pubs we went to had live music, which wasn't outstanding, but yet entertaining. I drank Smithwicks this weekend, and to my surprise, I'm beginning to really like beer. This of course, makes me a bit nervous, but I'm in Ireland so what else should I expect!

On Saturday 4 of us went into town to shop. Ali and Sydney wouldn't be surprised to hear that I tried on many things and didn't buy a single thing! That night we did another pub crawl, a few more than friday night but yet the same kind of thing.

Sunday 6 of us headed back to the outskirts of the city to Phoenix Park and the Dublin Zoo. It was so entertaining! Some parents laughed at us because we were more excited than many of the little children. We saw Guerillas, Lions, Tigers, Elephants, Zebras, Giraffes, Sealions, Flamingos, Hippos, Rhinos, Monkeys, Leopards...and so many more. It was a bit chilly out, but the weather didn't dampen our day!