All good things come to an end...

Well it has to happen eventually. But first, a quick recap!

This week I finished finals. They weren't bad, a bit of a hassle since each one of them was the first real legitimate work I had done in the classes all semester, but barring that each one was not very difficult. We did flip a bit about our International Financial Management, but that all turned out just fine, no worries. 

In any case, this weekend I traveled to Belgium. I went by myself which scared the hell out of me, but nonetheless I braved the storm and had a fantastic time exploring a very fine country indeed. On Friday night I stayed with my professor's mother, and the entire evening consisted of her telling me awesome stories about World War II and her time in Belgium. Good food too and a very homely atmosphere made that night very enjoyable.

Saturday I spent the day in Brussels. A very fine city indeed, the churches and buildings were fantastic. Later at night I grabbed a train to Antwerp where I was spending the next night. There I met two Canadians and we basically chatted and laughed all night, which made for a very good time. The hostel was great as well!

Sunday was spent in Antwerp. I saw mass at the Cathedral, which was fabulous, a very nice experience. The rest of the day was actually rather boring in Antwerp, there wasn't much to do. I settled in a bit early and watched a movie, just to relax some.

Monday (today) I went to Breendonk Concentration camp. Talk about heavy material. It was an educational yet emotionally tolling trip that left me both informed and saddened. It was quite a sight, being one of the few camps left that is actually intact. I enjoyed it though and hope I can pass that message along to other people. 

In all, I am coming back home tomorrow at 1:30. I have said much about my time already, so I can now only say that I have enjoyed my time here, but like the first yearning for Dublin I acquired, I must move to other things now. I have taken much and hopefully given back some as well. I'll talk to you later Ireland, it's been swell.

And thus ends my blog. Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed my eccentric narration, until next time, cheers!

Been a while.... time time time!

Wow it has been a while since I've posted on this blog. My most sincere apologies, I have been very busy and I don't feel like I have much to report on. I guess that is the effect living here has; eventually it becomes everyday sort of happenings, no big deal, but this time it's really not a big deal. In any case, I can catch you up quickly.

In November I had Ashley visit me for a week. We visited Cork as well as Howth and Dun Laoghaire. It was a fantastic time going out to pubs around town and generally having a very enjoyable week. I got to play tour guide again which was no problem on my part as she made everything fun and unstressful. Needless to say by week's end I was out of money and hadn't done any work, but who cares? Fun times.

After that my friend Hilary from Italy came to visit. That was a bit tougher because immediately after Ash left, Hilary came, and I was quite tired from showing people around the city. But I played my part and even though I was ill one night, we still had a great time. 

The week following was work week. Basically I did everything I was putting off the semester in a week and a half and turned it in. Boo ya. 

Thanksgiving was held at the Merrion Hotel, the highest rated hotel in Dublin. It's owned in part by Mr. Naughton who also gave us the money to buy the O'Connell house. He's loaded to say the least. I got to talk to him and his wife for a bit. They just got back to Dublin from London after visiting with the Prince of Wales. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This guy was awesome to the core. 

After the mass and reception with 80 Euro bottles of Champaign (the cheapest one on the menu), we headed upstairs for an incredible five star meal. There was bread, caesar salad, pumpkin and sage soup, Turkey with sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, and mashed potatoes with gravy. Apple pie with ice cream rounded off dessert followed by coffee or tea. There was also wine refills the entire night of some of the best merlot I've ever had. And while it definitely didn't have the familial aspect I missed, it was a great meal and a fantastic time.

After-dinner entertainment followed with all of us as the entertainment. There was singing, harp playing, oratorical declamation, and even a Monty Python skit done in part by yours truely (and no, it was not a wine-induced decision). We all went out to a pub for a while and had an absolute blast with Thanksgiving. 

Since then it's been realitively calm. A class at the O'Connell house here, a free day to do nothing there. December is not crunch time yet, but with the first final out of the way tonight, things are coming to a close. I am planning a trip to Belgium on the 19th through the 23rd, and after that I am home. In all honesty I am ready to come home. I miss being there with the snow, my home, as well as family and friends that make Christmas so great. Ireland is an absolute blast and I'm going to be sad leaving, but I will also be really happy to see Illinois again. Soon enough, two weeks from tomorrow!

I hope everyone is having a great time preparing for Christmas and finals. Have a great December, you'll be hearing me on this sooner, I promise. If not, I'll see you at home! Bye!

The essence of Ireland

Well it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Finally, an indepth analysis of my feelings for my time spent here in Ireland thus far.

It is funny; I spend so much time and energy working my way to Ireland, yet when I am here so often I find myself talking about America. Irish students want to know what it was like, US students want something they can relate to, and it is not possible to talk to a Notre Dame student without jumping into a joke about one's Midwestern accent (not that one exists...)

In any case, for these first two and a half months, Ireland hasn't really "sunk in". I have seen so many things and felt a part of the communities I am involved in. Between trips across the island to learning about the mystic culture in the classroom to walking down Merrion Square to even being a part of normal Irish students' activities, I have experienced more than my fair share of tourist propaganda. Yet always such actions were pecks at a bigger whole, they were scratches on a surface that seemed impenetrable.

Until, for some odd reason, right now.

Mind you it is past midnight on the second week of November. The recent election and compoundingly difficult financial situation of the US has pushed my home country into the spotlight of my recent memory. Yet all I can think about is how incredibly breathtaking this island really is. There is something else here when one has stayed longer than a week; to someone who hasn't witnessed it, such awe is impossible to describe. 

I guess the important thing I am writing on is that I am making such a strong connection here that I don't really want to leave. Of course I will and I am sure my first Wendy's double cheeseburger will taste fantastic, but a part of me wants to keep Ireland forever. Ghosts occupy this land. The wind speaks and the grass listens; water whispers and rocks pay heed. It is a moment of complete and total harmony, except that moment is every moment of my time here. Of what little I know of love, with all my heart I love this land. 

It pains me that such a realization took me so long and that my time here is dwindling quickly. Maybe it is a metaphor for the larger context of life, that so often we understand but at the cost of time. I feel that no matter how hard I try, I will be leaving here in December with something more to be desired, something left to be done. 

As dismal as it sounds, such a thought is actually rather comforting. I feel like I will understand Irish people in America on a much different plane. I feel that the mystical urge so many Irish Americans have to visit the isle will be framed all the better in my mind. Most importantly, I feel I will see my heritage as an American in a brand new light, one of appreciation and trust in a system just as mystical and just as stunning as Ireland's.

I have bridged the Atlantic and now keep one foot in America and one foot in Ireland. Soon I will hop back, but I know I can take my time here with me. I may not have Irish roots in my blood, but I can call Ireland a home now, and no matter where I go or who I choose to be, in my veins Ireland's blood now runs.

Busy busy busy

These past two weeks have been very jam packed with a lot of big events.

First off was our trip to Glendalough. It was a great time away if even for only a day down into the Wicklow Mountains near St. Kevin's monastery. We had a lot of fun hiking around the lakes, playing Spud, waking up at 6 to climb a mountain and watch the sunrise, walking along the forest paths, and crossing river rapids in true spiderman fashion. There was even a gigantic game of Mafia several times, many of them ending in my demise early in the game. It was a fantastic bonding experience.

After that Tori arrived and was around for the week. Tuesday the 21st was my birthday, excessive celebration followed. I need only say that it was a very memorable day and I had an absolutely fantastic time. Yay for being 21, finally! Not that it mattered here, but I am sure eventually it will come in handy.

The rest of the week was all over the place. Saturday morning in Dublin was experienced first hand by my family as their flight touched down amidst a torrent of rain and wind. Regardless we traveled to Christ Church as well as other parts of Dublin that day, pausing for a nap as my parents adjusted to jet lag. 

The rest of their visit involved taking tours and seeing Ireland. Places traveled to included Glendalough, Killkenny, Limmerick, the Cliffs of Moher, the burren, and Howth. We all had a fabulous time going all over and eating delicious food in the process. Nothing like eating on the parents' tab, right? Even a few pints here and there though my parents are heathens and do not drink Guinness. I guess there are some things that can be forgiven, especially if said parties arrive with an entire suitcase of food. Hamburger Helper for the rest of the semester? Yes please.

In any case the parents are off to London now. I am currently working hard on a few things so when Ashley arrives I will be able to hang out with her and not do homework. Of course I have other things planned including the quarter final round of debate tonight, a Halloween party tomorrow, a mountain climb up Croagh Patrick (the mountain St. Pat climbed barefoot, now a pilgrimage turned into an indulgence), and a trip to the horse racetrack on Sunday. Ashley comes on Friday, so I have that much time to get work done. 

Putting my foot to the pedal has been notoriously difficult as there has been very little work to do while I've been here. I will still be pressing on, however, and am determined to have work done before Friday. Until then, hope everyone back at home is having a fantastic week. It's past the halfway point now, I have to enjoy it while it lasts! Cheers.

A bit of a slowdown...

I imagine every trip to somewhere away from home eventually runs into a bit of a stall, and this trip of course is no different. 

The past week has been marked by classes, making dinner, and the occasional chit chat with someone. Unfortunately that is about it, and it makes for a rather awkward feeling as I sit and wonder what just happened. 

I think it is just an illusion brought on by my different schedule here. I had a small quiz on Monday for History of Ireland, that is literally the one thing I have due this entire month. While November may be a different story, schoolwork has normally been the crutch on which I judge my level of accomplishment. With that missing I have used a surrogate in the form of travel, culture, and experience. When THAT somewhat dried up, you will find me as I am now.

It is not necessarily a bad thing to take a quick breather. In reality I have done a heck of a lot in the past two months. Nonetheless, I am ready to dive back in and will hopefully have some interesting stories to relate again soon. 

We are making a pilgrimage to Glendalough this weekend. It is in the Wicklow Mountains south of the city and is an integral part of Andrew Hoyt's campaign to take over the Campus Ministry world. Retreats like this always offer a great time, plus I've been named official photographer, so that should be an interesting dynamic as well. Tori also comes in to visit on Saturday for the week, my birthday is on Tuesday, and then after that my parents will be in as well. October is going to fly by, so hopefully I can stay on top of things and keep up! Hope all is well in the states, more info and pictures will be on their way soon.

Updates through the roof

I am very proud of myself today.

Not only have I caught up on everything with this blog, I also added some fun new features:

-All my picture albums can now be accessed directly by clicking on the appropriate slide show to the right ----->

-London blog update is complete and can be read below this post

-For those of you that care, RSS feed is now available on this blog. RSS is like a bookmark, but it is more "living" and can notify you when updates to the blog are posted. If you know what I'm talking about, have free reign on that. If not, don't worry, just check here randomly and you will still be fine.

Hope everyone is having a great week! A few London boys are visiting this weekend, and I have been busy doing Table Tennis, debate, and even a little bit of work. I'll hopefully post an update early next week to bring everyone up to date on the day to day life of my time here in Dublin. All is well and I hope you are all too. Leave me a comment if you are enjoying my posts. Until then, cheers.

The marvelous city of London

As I said before, travel in Europe is one of the main reasons I wanted to study abroad in the first place. So it was no skin off my back (save the Euro to get there) when I decided to take a trip to London this weekend. I have friends from ND studying there and the history of the city is beyond measure. Why not?

Thursday October 2nd

The night was slightly cold and rainy as our plane touched down in Gatwick International Airport. A train ride into the city brought us to Farringdon Road where the ND London kids live. Jenna and I couldn’t reach Matt Walz, so we eventually found someone to let us in and then asked people who they knew before they brought us to Shea who brought us to Michelle who brought us to Matt. Inside his flat, there was a party! 

Not just any party mind you, but a ton of the London kids (read: not that many… 20 kids in one room is still only an 8th of the program total) and even a professor! I think his name was Boyle and he was fantastic. We talked with him and some of the other London kids for a while before finally settling down, watching a movie and the VP debates before retiring to bed. We had a long two days ahead of us, but it was definitely a cool way to start off the night. 

Friday October 3rd

Jenna and I woke up around 9:30 and fetched breakfast. We took a little bit of time in getting ready and waited for Tim to join us before we headed out. Matt and a few of the other London guys were going to see Spamalot at 5:15, an offer I of course could not pass up. Matt said he would get us tickets and that we could meet up later to go to the play. Meanwhile Chris came along and we took our tour of scenic London. My goal was simply to see all the awesome things that blow up in V for Vendetta.

 Our first stop was a market. Many of them appear throughout London, but this one was of particular note because William Wallace was hanged, drawn, and quartered in it. Walking beyond it led us down Bailey street, which gave me a twinge. Sure enough I walked around and found the Old Bailey which is officially known as the Central Criminal Court in England. There are buildings all around the narrow streets in the area, so taking a good picture proved to be impossible. nonetheless, the lady of Justice stood at the top of the dome, making for a very impressive sight. 

Down further was St. Paul’s Cathedral. While not a Catholic church (almost all the large churches that still stand in London and England are Anglican following Henry VIII’s insane schism) it still made for an impressive part of the London skyline. There is a very famous photograph here:

This is during the Battle of Britain and the London bombings of WWII. St. Paul’s remained unscathed during the fighting and is now a strong symbol of English pride and perseverance. 

London is built on the Thames River, thereby requiring approximately one billion different bridges. Straight down from St. Paul’s is the Millennium Bridge, a modern style footbridge built in 2000. This was the bridge shaped like an air foil that swayed and rocked so badly it had to be removed 3 days after opening and restructured. Way to go English engineers. 

Right across from the bridge was the Tate Modern Art Museum and the redesigned Globe Theater. We took a few pictures of those while Jenna decided to do the tour of the Globe and see a play. Tim Chris and I continued our journey West toward Parliament, Trafalgar Square, and Buckingham Palace. The walk along the Thames was quite enjoyable and very scenic. London is certainly a city quite conducive to excellent photography, so I took a few pictures along the way. 

We eventually made our way across one of the bridges which gave us a spectacular view of the Eye as well as Parliament. Across the bridge led us directly into Trafalgar Square which was pretty neat. Chris left to hook up with Brittney and Katie while Tim and I headed to the Notre Dame London Center. Again to highlight the awesomeness of Notre Dame, observe the London Center. Located directly off Trafalgar Square, its real estate location is most likely one of the highest in London. Flying high among the embassy flags that surround the square is a navy banner with the classic ND logo. It is simply phenomenal to have a presence everywhere I travel.

Tim talked with Nick for a while I talked with Michelle and Michelle on the square and took some photos. They ended up taking me to Buckingham palace, St. James park, Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. All of these places were just so interesting to see, it was royal on every step of the way. 

It was getting close to 5, so I headed back to Trafalgar Square to meet up with Matt and Jenna so we could head to Spamalot. Jenna was running late and since plays close their doors precisely when the show starts it was paramount to be on time. We ran a good distance down the London streets for about 10 minutes to make it there by 5:13. Our seats were in the fourth row (SCORE) and I was on the end seat.

Pay close attention now. These details are vital.

So the show began in true Monty Python fashion: with a song from Finland. The rest of the play closely followed Monty Python and the Holy Grail but with a few liberties added and a ton of random antics. It was by far the greatest thing I had seen in my life. Here I was sitting in a theater in London watching Spamalot. I was on Cloud 9 already. 

Here’s where things get even more interesting. For those of you that aren’t aware, part of the play involves destroying the Killer Rabbit with the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch (I truly cannot do more than explain it like that… watch the bloody movie). Once they do, they find a clue to the grail.

You are still reading very closely, right?

The clue to the grail was a set of very large block letters that read “DONE.” The knights begin trying to decipher what DONE means. Perhaps it means they are done and can walk off stage? Galahad thinks it’s Italian, “don-ay”. Lancelot poses the idea that it is a chess board clue, D-one (D1) being the Queen’s square, thereby making a gay joke. Finally they decided it must mean D-1. 

Remember that I was on the end of the fourth row? A… B… C… D 

Patsy runs down and gets underneath my seat and pulls out THE GRAIL!!!!!! Under my seat!!!!

Cloud 9, meet Cloud 14.

I was even happier than I was before. So were the knights, they were ecstatic, the crowd was happy, everyone was happy. Then the play entered an entirely new level.

King Arthur on stage asks “who found the grail?” The spotlight turns on me. Eyes on stage turn to me. The crowd rotates and settles on… me.

Patsy runs down, grabs my arm and hoists me onto stage. 

Read that again. I was now on stage with the cast of Spamalot in a London theater. 

Enter Cloud 17. 

King Arthur asked me my name. In a very shaken up voice (I was so dumbfounded I didn’t even know what was happening) I managed to tell him that as well as where I was from. Tthe crowd cheered when I said America, noting the  love the Brits have for us. King Arthur COMMEMORATED ME, and Patsy brought out a certificate and trophy, naming me the Best Peasant and handing me the Arthur Award. I’m dumbfounded.

Then they gather around, point to the right and take this Polaroid, of which I took a picture to show you: 

So here’s everything I got on that night, Nutella not included:

And then… the cast members began singing a song all about me! I couldn’t even tell you what they were saying, I was far too zoned out to remember much in the bright lights and the loud stage. All I know is that I was most likely in the happiest place of my life. It was an experience to remember forever.

Oh, one other minor point… since we had to run and I was wearing boots, my feet hurt during the play so I took them off in intermission. I didn’t have time to lace them up when Patsy came and got me, so I went up on stage in London during Spamalot… shoeless. I’m probably the only person to ever do so, and I know they noticed as King Arthur said once I sat down, “Ahh, all the way from the colony of America… over here we wear shoes.” It was absolutely epic.

I don’t remember the rest of the play. Again I was far too zoned out to remember much after the singing. After the play several people came up and talked to me and the entire ND crew was jittery with joy. Needless to say I walked out of that theater assured that would be the best 20 pounds of sterling I have or will ever spend in my entire life. 

We walked down to a supermarket and grabbed some stuff for dinner. Jenna who was possibly as excited as I was at this point decided we were going to make my chicken a la awesome for the London gang. Only 12 people, 8 more than I’ve ever cooked for. No worries.

It all actually turned out ok. Granted I had three skillets going and Craig made the potatoes for me. We drank wine, ate and listened to music. Everyone loved the food and I even enjoyed it! Eventually we decided a little London fun was in order, so we walked down Farrington Road to a small bar called Murphy’s. They had Karaoke and was a lot of fun. Eventually we got back and crashed. I was assured by far that it was the best day of my entire life. 

Saturday October 4th

If I were a guy who had to follow another guy in a talent show, I would not want to be Saturday having to go on stage after Friday. Nonetheless, I still had one more day in London and was determined to have just as much fun as the day prior. Matt and Tim left early to play Ultimate Frisbee, so Jenna and I were on our own to do a little more walking around. 

We took a similar path as the day before down Farringdon, this time cutting across to St. Paul’s to peak inside. The Millennium Bridge was our next stop again. Jenna took me along the ruins of the Rose Theater as well as the Globe, citing a lot of information from her tour. Our goal on the South side of the Thames was a fresh food market Tim suggested. Along the way we found the replica ship of Sir Francis Drake which was docked alongside London Bridge. 

Eventually we made our way into Southwark (one of the districts of London) and came across the area’s Cathedral. Inside was a large Anglican church with several side chapels and beautifully adorned walls, floors, and ceilings. One of the chapels was even named after John Harvard who was baptized there. Stepping outside brought us right into the Southwark food market which was quite intriguing on its own. There was fresh fish, newly picked fruit, sandwich carts, homemade jams, live lobsters, and many many more tables and stands. Had I room I could have done my grocery shopping right there and been happy for quite some time.

Now our goal was to grab a picture of Tower Bridge, the most famous bridge in London. We made our way East, took pictures of that as well as the HMS Belfast which is shored up in the river, and then headed back West toward the Tate Modern to see some art. The Tate held many famous works including several of Picasso’s cubisms and even a Claude Monet Water Lilies. That one especially was a real treat to see, as I have always appreciated the impressionist movement and Monet especially, so to actually view a real painting was a good experience. 

 Our interest did not hold in art, however, and we made our way instead to where our and my particular interest did lie: guns. That is right, we headed South to the Imperial War Museum. The front was covered with tarps and scaffoldings since it was under repair, but inside was amazing! They had rockets, tanks, guns, missiles, jets, and anything else you could imagine! Downstairs was a winding World War I replica trench, and upstairs was a large exhibit toward modern warfare. 

The main exhibit we saw, however, was the Holocaust. It was pretty intense; one had to be at least 14 simply to enter. Some of the videos and pictures as well as official Nazi documentation and artifacts were quite disturbing. It was an educational section to say the least and I spent about two hours pursuing the displays in what amounted to information and emotional overload. Time for something a little lighter… The Beatles perhaps?

We made our way to Abbey Road! Granted this is much harder than it looks if one is traveling from the South part of the city as Abbey Road is in the Northwest corner of London. Nonetheless we decided we should try to walk it. 

Bad idea. We walked an hour and were only a third of the way there. So we nabbed the subway at Green Station which let us off almost near Abbey Road. We had to walk in the rain and dark to get there, but by golly, we arrived! It was a very busy street so recreating the infamous picture was quite a challenge. Nonetheless I did snap several adequate pictures, plus the feeling of simply being there was really fun and invigorating. 

Next we took a train to the most famous station in London, King’s Cross. Yes this is the exact same station in Harry Potter and was surprisingly awesome as well. We walked toward platforms 9 and 10 and conveniently found platform 9 ¾ as part of the wall. A cart was going halfway through, presenting a great picture opportunity. Jenna for whatever reason knew that Warner Bros actually filmed for the movie at platform 5, so we trotted over there and took some pictures too. It was a cultural landslide in the day so far, what an experience!

The rest of the night was rather restrained but still interesting. We ate dinner with Michelle who made burrito fajita taco things, then took a bus down near the Sports Bar and watched some of the trouncing Clausen and the troops put on Stanford. Kyle Rudolf is officially my favorite player of all time and I’m super happy I have a jersey of him because he’s going to be a superstar. 28-21, that’s what happens when your mascot is the Cardinal. 

Our night ended with a walk through London to take some night pictures. Parliament and Big Ben were great to see at night. Trafalgar Square was also great to note for the V for Vendetta nostalgia. I took some pictures of traffic at night and even managed to snag a picture of Big Ben at 11:05 (another V for Vendetta reference…. Just watch the movie already). It was a great trip and we headed back to crash.

In all, London was an amazing city. We had a blast visiting, seeing the sights, and at least for me, becoming part of the culture. I hope to do it again someday, but until then I can remember this trip as the blast it was. 

That does it for my trips around Europe for a while. I am still not sure where I am going next, I will probably be able to plan one more trip before I come back to the states. My initial thought was on my last days before going home to head to Milan for a day, take a train to Poland, visit Krakow and Auschwitz, then fly back to Dublin. What are your thoughts on that? Anything else I should definitely see before I come back in December? Let me know!