Blogs from County Cork, Ireland, Europe - page 33

I can't remember if I said this in my previous entry, but WOW, it's no wonder the Celts came up with a religion based on the cycle of the solar year. Because short winter days here are SHORT. Sun up around nine, down at about 4:30 (of course, we're in a river valley, so there are hills all around. But still!). However, the woman who led orientation says that in the spring it stays bright until 9pm. The origin of the Celts, or the Gaels (I'm not sure if they're the same thing...), as explained by fabulous medieval scholars, is pretty much the story of Moses leading the Jews from Egypt. The ye olde scholars decided that if it had worked for the Israelites, it would probably do pretty well for their people as well. So ... read more

So after a full day yesterday my roommate kasey and I woke early (8:43am) to go to mass. Little did we know that it would be in Gaelic. She didn't even see the part about it being an "irish mass" and I just thought that meant it would be really long or kind of festive. but haha joke on us, no, it was in GAELIC!! and they definitely added and subtracted parts or changed things around, cause it became near impossible to follow. I thought I just haven't been to a catholic mass in a while, but kasey who goes regularly in the states, was lost as well. The church was INCREDIBLE though. Think of those amazing pictures of all the old cathedrals and that was kind of what it was like. it was a really ... read more

So it snowed here last night! I know!!! it was all white and fuzzy everywhere this morning and apparently it was 5 below this morning. But thank goodness, when I woke up it wasn't bad at all and thanks to my new jacket I was all warm and toasty and get this... only had to wear 2 layers today under my jacket!! (a tank and a long sleeve) apparently the roads might be so bad that we might end up going to ardmore and Youghal instead of ardmore is lismore this weekend. But they will have to decide that tomorrow. I am so excited!!! it promisses to be really beautiful and overlooking cliffs- ill take pics and hopefully i might be able to be in some? I signed up for their retreat next weekend which will ... read more

So I got a coat today!! I went out looking yesterday for one, but decided against getting this one because it was a leather coat and I thought I wanted a peacoat or something different. But while walking around today and just being observant, I noticed that a lot of girls were wearing leather coats and so I went and got it. I am going to an Irish cultural night at the chaplaincy so it will be its vogage trip and I will let you know how it goes. It is getting a little warmer each day or at least I am getting a little more used to it every day. But it is a small price to pay for being in this amazing city!!! And everyone says it will get warmer! All I can say ... read more

Hello loyal followers! Today began in a less than glamorous fashion, with a deadly boring class on Early Celtic Lyric Poetry. Won't be registering for that one. I think I'll end up with three electives and three major-requirement and/or gen ed credits. One does need elective credits to graduate, after all. At any rate, following the boring class, I had an AWFUL lunch at the campus main restaurant (I'll be brown-bagging it from now on, believe me), then was struck with incapacitating homesickness. Luckily, my Feminist Philosophy class was really engaging, and the professor very nice. Then, even better, as I was lazing around in my pajamas, I finally got a chance to check the UCC Choral Society website. It turns out they meet at 7pm on Tuesdays. I threw on some jeans and I was ... read more