Here are some photo's!!



Hanging out in really cold water.........

Plunging into freezing cold water



Yay!


Me at THE RIVER TAY!!!


Hanging out at the Ulster Folk Museum.  I like trees...


Anyway, I'm totally loving Belfast.  It's a really nice city.  I've also enjoyed being able to see parts of Lisburn.
My placement is going well.  It's starting to get stressful.... but I'm learning a lot and everyone is really nice to me.
I'm really excitied for this weekend.  We're going back to Corrymeela!
The program is almost over.  I can hardly believe it... I'll be back in the USA in a few weeks.....

I've moved to Belfast now.

But before that I spent about a week and a half in Scotland.
It began in Edinburgh.  I was there with Lauren and Ashton.  Edinburgh is a lovely, amazing city.  I am absolutely in love with it.  We went to the zoo for the craic, went on the hop on hop off tour, saw the Scots Monument (amazing), went on the city of the dead ghost tour around parts of Edinburgh and a graveyard (I was scared out of my mind) and went to Edinburgh Castle.
The Castle was amazing.  It's on an extinct volcano and is gorgeous.  The city was clean and just absolutely beautiful.  It's my favorite place I've ever been.  Also, we saw men in kilts playing the bag pipes. 
After that, Ashton and I headed into the country/highlands.  We went to a place calle Caputh in county Perthshire.... in the absolutely middle of nowhere.
The hostel was amazing.  There was a lot of relaxing and reading in front of the fireplace.  I read a book thats gotten really popular over here called Interpretation of Murder' and am always working on a book called 'Sophie's World.'  We hitchhiked from Caputh to Dunkeld and went ot the tourist center.  I found a a book called 'Tales of the Tay.'  Where we were staying was right near Loch Tay and Tayside.  We were able to do a fair bit of exploring around the River Tay.
Anyway, from Dunkeld we made plans to go cliff jumping in Aberfeldy.
Oh wow, it was amazing.  We walked around, rappelled down waterfalls, slid down natural rock slides and jumps into natural pools.  It was also freezing cold, but amazing fun.  I banged my hand up pretty bad and it swelled up.  It was very sad.
We went back to Derry for one night.  We sad goodbye to our host family.  We were especially sad to say goodbye to one of our host sisters, Muireann.  We already miss her.

But Belfast is amazing.
Our host mom here is sooo much fun.  The neighborhood we live in is really quiet and I've been able to figure out the public transportation easily enough.  It's so much better here than in the States.  I've really enjoyed riding around on double decker buses.
My new placement is amazing.  I'm learning so much.. but I'm not going to say anything about it here.
Ask me later and I'll share what I can.

I've Monday off because of Easter.  I may go to the Botanical Gardens.

Dublin was interesting.  Not really my kind of city, but interesting.
We had a tour of Kilmainham jail and Leinster House.
I also went to The National Museum for History and Archeology, The National Gallery (AWESOME), The Writer's Museum, The National Library and to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells.

The National Gallery was awesome.  Lauren and I liked it so much, we went twice.
The Book of Kells, the oldest illuminated Bible in Europe was neat too.  They had a display that explain all about how it had been made and it's history.
I also enjoyed the National Library.  They had a very cool display on W.B. Yeats.

St. Patrick's Day was a lot of fun and luckily the weather held out.  Getting dressed up was really fun.  I had a awesome view for the parade.  There were a lot of marching bands from the States, so Lauren, Ashton, Stephanie and I screamed a lot.

I'm back in Derry now.  Tomorrow I head to Scotland.

Here are some photo's from Dublin.


Lauren, me, Ashton and Stephanie
We're trying to show off our awesome green eyeshadow


Stephanie, me and Ashton


Lauren, me, Ashton and Stephanie

Current Mood: amused

Forgive me for my failure to upate.  Between being sick, running around and writings papers, things have been very hectic.
I'll give a more detailed update later(probably) but here is a brief overview of my activities.

Another visit to Corrymeela and a tour of the Antrium coast.  That was absolutely lovely.
We went to the fair with our Irish friend, Joseph.
The elections happened.
We went to the fair with our Irish friend ,Joseph, again, plus our host sister Muireann.
Became a planeteer.
Ended my work placement with Cumann Gaelach Cnoc na Rós. :(
In the same night we went to Paeders Bar to listen to some traditional music.  Jospeh, our Irish friend, ended up playing the fiddle and there was also some dancing.  It was good craic.
Visited the Tower Museum in Derry.
Worked on papers.
Had our dance and tin whistle presentation to the mayor where I spoke some Irish.

I can't really think of anything else.


I'm in Dublin in now.  The Earlham program in England has joined with our program and we all in Dublin for St. Patrick's Day.  The city is completely decked out in St. Patrick's Day paraphanilia and full of tourists/foriegners.  It's busy, but so far I've really enjoyed the half day I've spent here.

The hostel is lovely and we're right in the heart of the Temple District, which I'm told has the most happenin night life.  I'm sharing a room with two bunk beds with Ashton, Lauren and Stephanie.  It should be good craic.

I'll write more later.

:)

This was an amazing weekend

Lauren, Iona and I went to Malin Head in Inishowen Peninsula in Co Donegal in the Republic.

We left after classes on Friday and took a bus to Cardonagh, then to Malin Head.  There was some confusion about the tickets, so I ended up having to give my ticket back.  The driver said just to tell the next bus driver, and he would let me on.  I was nervous about it, but the second bus driver was chill.
We stayed at an amazing hostel by the water.
The owners were so nice.  They gave us tea and advice about where to go and what to do.
There were photo's to go with the explanation.  It was really entertaining.
Friday we mostly chilled.
Saturday we walked around Malin Head.
I got seperated from Lauren and Iona and ended up chasing them over this little mountain hill areas.  They couldn't hear me calling because of the wind.  It was both frustrating and funny.

Then I got stuck in a bog.  Also, the day before I fell and got stuck in a ditch on the side of the road.  Enough said.

Passing the unfriendly bad tempered Shetland ponies, we went to a beach full of colored rocks and stones.  It was sooo pretty.  We took some esepcially cool ones.
While we were there, a huge wave appearing from nowhere viciously attack Iona and I.  We had to walk several kilometers rather wet.  Walking in wet hiking boots=disguisting.
The next day we went to the Seaside Tavern and had a really nice meal.  The view from our table was lovely.
We walked around a little while longer.

Monday morning we got up early and the hostel owner drove us to Cardonagh to catch our bus.  He was so nice.  It was like 6 am and it was freezing.  We ate chocolate and drank juice.  We got back to Londonderry/Derry with plenty of time for class, so we went to Magee for a nice, leisurely breakfast.

Here are some photo's from Malin Head


Irish palm trees are hilarious


OMG meanfaced Shetland Ponies


Pretty rocks


It's slightly awkward because I took it myself.  Hehe.  My other attmepts were worse though.


Iona took this photo rather sneakily as I blow dried my hiking boots so I could go out the day after the wave attacked us.

Monday passed by slowly, mostly because all I wanted to do was go to sleep and I was dreading mediation class.
I really really dislike that class.

Now it's Tuesday
I'm at Chnoc na Rós doing absolutly nothing.
Fionnuala and I were locked out until 11:30.
So we decided to go to the Sandwich Co for some hot drinks.  The hot chocolate was very yum!
When we got back we were still locked out.  So we got someone else in the building to let us in.
So there is really nothing for me to do because everyone else is out at schools today.

Slán

We've more or less settled in our routines here.
The highlight of last week was going to the Foyle Women's Aid Conference at the Guildhall.  It was about domestice abuse and child abuse in Northern Ireland.

This Sunday was AMAZING.
We went on a scenic tour of the Inishowen Peninsula in Co Donegal in the Republic of Ireland.
And I feel in love.
Lauren and I (and probably Iona!) are trying to go back this weekend.
It was so beautiful.
We went to an ancient monmument built by the druids called Grianan Ailigh, the Guns of Dunree (an fort from the second world war) and the beach at Ballyluffin.
Check out my facebook for photo's.
Today was a slightly less happy day as i have decided that I HATE THE FOYLE BUS SYSTEM

Love to all!

Ashton, Iona, me and Mark at Corrymeela n Ballycastle not long after we first arrived in Northern Ireland.


We found this neat path behind Corrymeela to get down to the ocean.  It turned out to be slightly hazardous.  That is Mark braving the path.


Iona on the scary path of moderate doom


It's me!


My feet!  The beach at Ballcastle was rocky.


Iona and I in Ballycastle, talking along Drumaroan Rd towards the water


Christian, Marion (Volunteers from Corrymeela) Mervyn, me, Sara, Mark, Ashton, Greg, Iona, Anthony and Anna Lee on the way to the Giants Causeway


Lauren and Tay!  That's the Giants Boot at the Giants Causeway.


Lauren, Ashton and me at the Causeway


Lauren loves the morning!


Drying my hair my the space heater in my room at the Canavan's in Londonderry/Derry


Ashton and Greg...somewhere


Ashton practising the tin whistle.


Lauren


Greg


Anthony


aaand Mark.  Who is clearly the best of us all


Ashton lent me this crazy lip gross.  Apparently it enhances your lips, but it hurts!  I had mad pouty lips.
We're in a pub called Gweedore in Londonderry/Derry


Let me sleep!  I mean nap.  In the middle of the day...


Lauren and I made a heck awesome soup!


Tasty!


Lauren and I need to stop playing with her camera


um... I think I'm hot


Again... I'm drying my hair

I'll post some of Londonderry/Derry soon

Peace.

Last week was the first week of classes. They are as follows

1. Strategies of Conflict Intervention, Community Building and Reconciliation
2. Intermediate Conflict Resolution and Mediation Skills
3. Politic's
4. International Conflict Resolution
5. Representing Women in Literature, Politics and Community
6. Northern Ireland Historical Background: 1800-1921

It's more or less good times.
This weekend was not.
I think the shittyness of the weekend is summed up with a short story about what happened to Lauren at a club called the Strand.
A man got down on his knees in front of her and licked her skirt.
Yeah. The weekend sucked.

Today I went back to Cumann Gaelach for my placement. It was pretty chill.
Unfortunately there will be no tin whistling tonight.. boo.. I'm starting to be less terrible than I was before!

I've made several observations that I'd like to share with you.
The first is about driving.
Obviously, people drive on the otherside of the road.
Oddly enough, there are not stop signs. They paint the word STOP on the road.
Also, it flashes orange between green and red... but also between red and green.

Another thing I'd like to share is about public drunkness and young people.
WHAT THE HECK.
Why is there so much public drunkeness from the youth?
Well, I know why.
It has to be with the history of the police in this country and tensions between communities.
But still.
Don't these kids are parents?
AND
What is up with the roaming gangs of obnixious ten year olds?
Don't they have homework?
Or better things to do besides throw bottles at walls?
It's all very complicated.
Mervyn told us that during the troubles, the communities were more of less policed by paramilitary groups. Well, they cant do that anymore... and a lot of people are hesitant (or flat our refuse) to deal with the police because of some of their activities during the troubles.

But on a lighter note, walking home today along the river as absolutely beautiful.
It's my favorite part of the week.

Slán go foil

Classes started yesterday, which means we got to see Mervyn since he abandoned.. I mean left us... I mean placed us with our host families.

Today I went back to Cumann Gaelach. I was a long and slightly irritating day. I was editing a dubiously written document and putting together another booklet. I didnt want to be rude, but it needed a lot of editing and there wasn't enough time for it. Needless to say, I was no where near as excited about this booklet as I was about the last one.

I have tin whistle again tonight. I hope I'm less awful at it than before, but I'm not going to hold my breath on it.

In other and even more terrible news, Mervyn is sending me off into the Irish medical system. This is sure to equal confusion and ruin for all involved.

I shouldn't have told him my throat was still sore. I'm mad grumpy about having to go to the Doctor's.

But I guess it'll be worth to have my throat no longer rebelling against me.

Last night I had the best pp&j sandwich ever. Black currant jam. Way yum

Slán go foil, my friends.

Today was a pretty chill day.
I finished the booklet for Cumann Gaelach and went home a bit early.
There was much napping.
Greg and Anthony joined at the Canavan's for a pasta dinner.
After that we went to a pub called Gweendore (I think)
It was a cool place (smokey) with a live band.
Tomorrow I think we are going to a dance club.
Yay for the weekend!
Classes start on Monday.