Back home..

It has been a little over a week since I have been home and I cannot stop thinking about Galway. Leaving was so sad, especially when I started to pack my room up. The weekend I left was the last weekend of the semester so everybody went out to celebrate and have a good time one last time. Friday night was the 12 pubs of Galway which was so much fun. Saturday my cousins from Leitrim came to Galway and we all went out for dinner. Sunday my cousins drove me to the airport, driving away from my apartment and leaving Galway city was so bittersweet. I know I will be back to Ireland again but never with the same group studying in Galway. I knew my roommate Amber was on the same flight as me, also Alycie but I then realized when I got to Shannon airport that there were a few more students I knew as well.  We all got lunch at the airport and a few of us exchanged our euros into dollars. Once we were on the plane waiting to take off I could not stop thinking about the awesome semester I just had in Ireland. I was really upset to leave but also excited to see my family at JFK. I never expected to be SO sad leaving Ireland but I was not the only one, some people were even crying as we took off.

I had a great Christmas with all of my family, and I have seen most of my friends from home since being back. It is so nice to be back with everyone but I still miss Galway all the time ALREADY. I always hear that studying abroad is the best experience of your life and it is something you will never forget. Well that is 100% true but I never knew what it would feel like to adjust being home. I cannot lie I am SO excited to go back to Bonaventure because it has been so long. I will always remember this experience and keep it as a memory.

Spanish Arch

Shop St. Downtown Galway

Campus

I loved NUI Galway, I met such an amazing group of people and spent a semester in a beautiful country! I would like to thank my parents for everything because without them this all would have never happened. Also thanks to the study abroad office for helping me with all the paperwork and application process because it was all worth it!!! Ireland and the other countries I visitied throughout the semester will always be special places. I now have memories that I will have forever, and so many pictures to prove it! I will be back to Ireland soon for sure, and I will forever be a Galway girl...

Christmas time in Galway, also my LAST week!

So today I finished my finals. Last week I had four and this week I had one. Little did I know finals would be nothing like Bonaventure here. When I first got to the sports center I had to look my name up on a chart, figuring out that my seat number was 565 for my first test. I could not believe there was about 1000 students in one huge room taking all different tests. I am so happy I am finally done with all of them, but I can't believe it is almost time to go home. Today my friend and I walked around Galway city and finished up Christmas shopping, we also went to The Front Door a pub for lunch. I first noticed the christmas decorations over the weekend when we all went out, then today during the day it was nice seeing them as well. Going out the last few times have been bittersweet knowing that we are all going home soon. This past weekend was my last weekend with my friend Alyssa who lives in Seattle. She left yesterday which really made me realize it is almost time for me to go as well.

Decorations on Shop Street

Sitting on the ledge.. Corrib River below us

Bike Ride!

20 more days to continue having the time of my life!

I seriously CANNOT believe that I will be flying home in 20 days! WHERE DID THE TIME GO? Study week begins today so I will be writing papers and studying all week and before I know it I will be taking finals. I think it is safe to say this has been the best semester of college so far! During my final weeks here I plan on doing well on my finals, taking even more pictures and visiting my family again. My cousins and I are going to spend my last day in Ireland together in Dublin, I am looking forward to it.

My gift of Eloquence in County Cork!

They say if you come to Ireland you have to go to the Blarney Stone! Myself my friend Ashley and Alycie planned a trip to County Cork. It was so nice meeting another Bonaventure student in Ireland! Alycie took a bus from Limerick where she studies and I took a bus from Galway, and both of us met at the bus station in Cork. Our first day in Cork we went to St. Anne's Church and even had the chance to play the Bells of Shandon!

St. Anne's Church

Alycie and I before playing the bells

Playing different tunes with the bells!

View of Cork City

Top Balcony

After going to St. Anne's we walked around Cork City. I really enjoyed it especially because there was Christmas trees lit everywhere and Christmas music playing on the streets. I never experienced the feel of Christmas time anywhere else but New York. We spent some time shopping and went to a pub for dinner. The next morning we got up early and got a bus to The Blarney Castle! It was beautiful..

Blarney Castle

My gift of eloquence! Kissing the Blarney

Two Bonnies in Ireland!

Lunch after The Blarney Castle

I had such a great time in Cork! It was such a pretty county and lots to do. It was nice meeting Alycie as well and I am so happy I got to the Blarney Stone :)

Ciao Rome, Italy!

Did I really get to go to Rome!!!? YES I did :)

After I booked my tickets through Ryanair it did not seem real that I was going to Rome, although once I got to Dublin airport it did! Myself, Ashley and her friend Sarah studying in Limerick waited to board a plane to Italy which turned out to be an experience of a lifetime! It was definitely a culture shock the second we arrived there. After going through customs and walking outside all I heard was people speaking in Italian. It was an adventure trying to find our hostel but we finally did it. Ashley's friend from Manhattan College studies in Rome so she met us and took us out for a delicious dinner when we got there! We ended up walking into a comedy club/restaurant which was so funny. It was all in Italian but once we told the guy with the mic  where we were from,  he started singing Frank Sinatra New York. The next day we woke up early and started to tour the city which was so exciting because it was our first full day in Rome!!!

                                                      Coin I threw into the Trevi Fountain!

                                                               Making a wish in Rome!

                                                                        Colosseum

The Trevi fountain and the Colosseum were both awesome! I loved making a wish and throwing a coin into the fountain :) I was surrounded by people from all over the world doing the same thing as me, once I threw the coin in I felt accomplished. The Colosseum was absolutely beautiful and I could hardly believe I was standing outside of it. The inside was even better I could not believe how old this place really was and that it was still standing.

                                                                   Spanish Steps

                                                 Illegal photos at Michelangelo's  Sistine Chapel

                                                                      Beautiful view

                                                          Lighting candles at the Basilica

                                                       The Pantheon- My favorite part!!!

After exploring the Trevi fountain, The Colosseum, Spanish Steps, The Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Basilicas and more it was time to go out to dinner and enjoy the night life Rome had to offer us!

                                 Three girls studying in Ireland can't pass up an Irish Pub in Rome!

The next day was an early start as well because it was our day to go to Vatican city. I honestly consider it it's own place thats how BEAUTIFUL it all was!!! Seriously as I was standing outside the Vatican I felt like I was in a dream and was going to wake up in Eastchester NY any minute. Nope it was real, it is all so surreal to me and the pictures don't even serve justice, standing outside looking around I was in complete awe.

                                                                       The Vatican!

After going into the Vatican we also went to all the museums and they were all very interesting and beautiful. I bought my grandma blessed rosary beads from The Vatican! I am sure she will love them :) We saw so many more important statues and monuments after walking around Vatican city, I honestly am so happy I had this wonderful opportunity. I would go back to Italy in a second!

Connemara & Kylemore Abbey

Connemara was one of the most beautiful parts of Ireland I have ever seen!!! Myself and couple of friends took a tour through Connemara and also visited Kylemore Abbey. Connemara is known for the beautiful scenery and the friendliness and warmth of the people who live there. I got to see the ruins of the Famine Village and even see the remains of original houses left behind by those trying to escape the famine.

                                                       Remains of houses

                                                                       Cottage

                                                                 Ready for the rain


At the start of the tour it was very rainy, but around noon it became sunny and the scenery was even more beautiful. The mountains were truly amazing, I have never seen anything like it before. The tour guide on the bus was very knowledgeable, and was very interesting to listen to. There was many opportunities for us to get off the bus and take amazing pictures!

                                                                  Kylemore Abbey

While we were at Kylemore Abbey we got lunch and went into the castle. It was absolutely beautiful! We also went into the gothic chapel which was also amazing. After spending a few hours there it was time to get back on the bus. We drove into county Mayo which was beautiful just like the rest of Ireland. On the way back to Galway we stopped at a wishing tree which was one of my favorite parts of the day. Next we stopped and learned how to cut turf which is what most people use to heat their homes in Ireland. The bus driver played traditional Irish music for our ride back home, which reminded me of my family because they play the Irish station on WFUV on Sundays. I smiled thinking about them listening to the music and looking out the window at the beautiful mountains as the sun was setting. We had one more stop before getting back to Galway and that was at the cottage from the well known movie, 'The Quiet Man'.

I had a great day at Connemara and Kylemore Abbey!  This was definitely one of my favorite days this semester.

Halloween started in Ireland?

I never knew the whole idea of Halloween started in Ireland! When the end of October was approaching I was wondering if they celebrated this holiday the way we do in America. Quickly I learned that Halloween started in Ireland! Then I was told that everyone dresses up, which meant I had to start looking for a costume store in Galway. Amber and I found one about five minutes from our apartment & luckily we both found a costume we liked. Compared to the price of everything else in this country, the costume was not too bad only 15 euros! This was a great deal especially because the cost of costumes in the states usually start at around $50. After I got my costume I was pretty excited for it to be Halloween.

                                                All of us at the townhouse before going out!

Three of our Irish friends dressed up as Americans which was really funny. Lorcan dressed up as Reggie Bush, Darren dressed up as Charlie Sheen, and Jamie dressed up as an American guy, from what he saw from Kyle. I noticed in Ireland the costumes are more original then at  home. They even put so much face makeup on! My friend Linda had so much face makeup but it made her costume 10X better,  you could tell she put so much thought into it & made it herself.

                                                                     Eyre Square

We all decided we were going to go to a club called Carbon. We found the promoters for the club on the street so we all got stamps for a discounted entry fee and we even got to skip the Q!! ( As the Irish would call the line )

                                                                       Elise & Linda!

Me, Michael Jackson & Linda!