Thursday, June 11th, 2009

June 14th, 2009 by meemmi10

So, I started this blog on the 11th in the Fall, so I thought it fitting to end it on the 11th in the Spring. What’s happened?

 

June 3rd– It was more real to me on the plane that I was indeed going home, but I still felt as if I was just going on another trip. My parents were waiting for me and my roommate came along to surprise me too! It was a bit of sensory overload as more friends came and visited- I definitely would not have had it any other way, I was so happy to see everyone, but it was weird because in my mind I felt I was still in Ireland, on Ireland time? I’m still figuring that one out…haha.

 

June 4th– I woke up, way early- ah, so this is jetlag- thinking about when I should greet my friends in the apartment across the courtyard and then remembered that I was home; I felt at that moment how quickly the year goes and couldn’t believe that I was home already.

 

My weekend was filled with more visits from family and friends, which was wonderful and hard at the same time because the answer to the question “How was Ireland?” is never an easy one. You either want to tell everything or you have to keep it short and sweet. I found the latter is better (I can always show the family the pictures later).

I was very busy this first week back in the States, which in a way was good because it forced me not to be ‘homesick for Dublin.’ But today, I do miss Dublin. And I think that’s great. I certainly immersed myself within the culture, I look for certain things here in the States that remind me of Dublin, I’ve been told that I’ve been comparing Dublin with the States (i.e.- well, in Dublin we do… or in Ireland the way it works…). I say ‘cheers’ instead of ‘thanks’ still and add the occasional ‘like’ at the ends of my sentences and a personal favorite phrase picked up- ‘no worries.’ I will miss being able to walk everywhere, I will miss the rain (I still argue that rain in Ireland is very different from the rain we get here- insert your laugh here) and I will miss my friends. I can honestly say that studying abroad in Dublin was one of the best experiences of my life, I will always reflect on it and be thankful. When I miss Ireland on days like today, I find myself checking Irish news, music, and sports (I am in love with the band The Script and yes, who doesn’t love Rugby?).

 

I know I will be going back to Dublin, I just don’t know when.

I am very excited, though, to share my abroad experiences with my fellow classmates who were also studying abroad. So goodbye for now Ireland and hello again Holy Cross!

 

Cheers,

Megan   

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

June 5th, 2009 by meemmi10

Well, last full day in Dublin. I ran around Grafton St. getting last minute gifts, finished packing, and went to our favorite pub to say goodbye to friends. It was a great night, but hard to believe. I had established for myself another home and created a family of new friends; I was excited to go home but still couldn’t believe that I wouldn’t be walking past Trinity’s campanile or past the Arts Block or grabbing a coffee at the Science Gallery Café, following what had become my new routine in a new place. Off course this night I didn’t sleep because I was in a room that was now empty and it hit me that my wonderful, outstanding experience in Dublin was ending.

Monday, June 1st, 2009

June 5th, 2009 by meemmi10

Had a great last weekend in Dublin- bittersweet though. Thursday night I spent time with my Neuroscience classmates, they are really an awesome bunch and I was so happy to celebrate the end of exams with them on what would be my last ‘class night out’ with them. Friday we spent more time at the Pav before going to a favorite spot called the Palace. And this weekend I began the packing process and in between went down to Sandycove to say goodbye to Silvia and drop some stuff off for next year’s group. It’s funny to learn how much stuff you can acquire in a year while abroad, my room didn’t seem too full, but my suitcases were definitely starting to fill up. Being that it’s a Bank Holiday today, I was able to relax with friends and enjoy the glorious sun we’ve been having. I am happy to be able to tell everyone back home that my last five days in Ireland were filled with sun and many of us even got a little sunburn!

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

June 5th, 2009 by meemmi10

Last exam today! Went well, glad it was in the morning because afterwards my classmates and I grabbed some lunch at the Pav. The Pav was getting to be quite the popular place once people were finishing up exams-which was great- because I was starting to have to say my goodbyes which seemed unreal.

 

While I’d been in Dublin for just about a year, I had yet to go to one of the music/club venues, Tripod. Friends and I got tickets to see a reggae band- Toots and the Maytals- and it was a fun concert to celebrate the end exams. And what I love about Dublin so much is that there is always something fun to do and a lot of diversity.

Monday, May 25th, 2009

June 5th, 2009 by meemmi10

Two exams in one day! Given my schedule of Neuroscience combined with French, I was bound to have an exam clash and with this clash came a hilarious day of exams. My morning started out with a Neuroscience exam and then once I finished I was ‘babysat’ by an invigilator (what we call ‘exam proctors’) who would take me to my afternoon exam. Okay, so the day wasn’t hilarious but I thought it was funny that given this clash, my name wasn’t on the exam seating list, meaning my invigilator and I had to run up and down looking for the head invigilator so I could just take my exam. I was happy to have finished my second exam and to leave the exam venue which used to be a gym, so yea, it smelled like fish and a shoebox- maybe that’s hilarious.

Monday, May 19th, 2009

May 20th, 2009 by meemmi10

Had my first exam today! Quite an interesting experience. Students wait outside the exam venue, you have to make sure you check your seat number, otherwise you might be sitting for the wrong exam paper. After exams, there were some students waiting outside with Student Study Packs- filled with ‘brain food’ and one of my favorite candies here…not a bad deal. With one exam done I was feeling pretty good, but I was starting to realize that my Trinity experience was coming closer to its end.

Monday, May 11th 2009

May 20th, 2009 by meemmi10

Well the excitement of Trinity Ball is still being talked about; however, it is now finals time…

Thus, now here at Trinity we have begun study week and visits to the library will be often. I have four exams to study for, the norm at Holy Cross after a semester’s work, but some friends have up to seven or even ten, so I consider myself lucky.

 

In between studying, perhaps a bit of procrastination, I walked around Dublin taking some pictures of my favorite spots and had lunch in St. Stephen’s Green.

 

Trinity Ball! Friday, May 8th, 2009

May 9th, 2009 by meemmi10

TRINITY BALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So its really here and you can tell how excited everyone is. We started our morning collecting our tickets for the Ball and relaxed for the afternoon before getting all decked out. It was great because you could hear the sound checks going on, all of Trinity was closed for set up, and soon enough it was time for us all to get ready. (Yesterday, I took some photos of what the tents looked like during the day, so I coud see if I recognized them at night…haha).dsc02734dsc02760

 

Everyone looked so gorgeous- all the guys in their tuxes, the girls in their dresses, it was a little chilly outside, but we were too busy taking pictures.

 

So, how was the Ball? Amazing. It started at 10pm, it had 5 stages with different bands playing- a couple of favorites were The Script, Ladyhawke, and Fight Like Apes, Calvin Harris. We got into the Ball around 11ish and we left at 5am. The last bands were only starting up at 4am. It was truly a great experience to bounce around from stage to stage with friends and dance.

 

Really, there’s no words to describe how wonderful a night/event/ extravaganza it is. I was speechless, Trinity looked great with all the lights, thousands of people, it was so fun. I can now understand why my Irish friends were so pumped and why they say it’s the largest and greatest private European party.

 

All I can really say is that it was fantastic. I was with my friends, listening to great music, dancing, and got to really enjoy the whole night. Walking home with my roommate at 5am listening to the morning birds chirp was hilarious. Really Trinity Ball is hard to describe; it is just a fantastic experience!

 

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Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

May 6th, 2009 by meemmi10

Well, you can definitely tell that Trinity Ball is almost here. It’s not just in the air but all over campus as they are setting up all the tents for each of the different bands playing. Everyone is talking about it and getting really psyched, last minute plans are being settled, and since classes are over for Trinity term this week, its nice to say see ya Friday at the Ball to fellow classmates.

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

May 6th, 2009 by meemmi10

Yea, back in Dublin! And sticking here for my last four and half weeks. I am excited because I know how beautiful Ireland can be in the springtime and I am hoping to take some nice pictures of some of my favorite outside spots in and around Dublin (in between studying for finals of course!). I was also back in time to celebrate our friend’s birthday so we went to another new place- Café en Seine- we were lucky that the 4th was a bank holiday, so there was a good crowd out on a Sunday night to celebrate.