My feet hurt and I'm still Jet-lagged, but I've fallen in love...

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I'm settling into bed after my second day in Ireland, and I cannot describe how content with life I am at this very moment. Immediately after getting off the plane Monday I was greeted by helpful and friendly people. The living arrangements for the summer are great- although thoroughly concentrated by Americans. However, of the other American's I've met, they all are really nice and I've connected well with a couple of them. We went out as a group to the Temple Bar area last night (one of the most popular/touristy areas of the city) and on our way into the city, we got confused on the bus and had to ask for help by an innocent looking passenger, obviously on his way home from work, being that he was decked out in a sweet Ikea uniform. I KNEW THERE WAS A REASON WHY I LIKED IKEA SO MUCH! it ended up that our bus proceeded to break down quite immediately after this so Dan the Ikea man offered to walk us to the area we were trying to go. So off we went, the nine of us Americans and Dan, a "local" who was actually British, giving us a guided tour along the way. He ended up taking us to one of his favorite bars in the area and taught us the in's and out's of proper Guinness drinking... basically we would have been lost without our new friend Dan. After a bit we went and wondered around the area and stopped in the actual "Temple Bar" which was fun, but filled with far more foreign tourists than I really liked. Regardless by the time we piled the remaining 7 people into the cab home, we all had gotten to know each other a good bit better and were high on the euphoric attitude that so much of the Irish culture exudes.

As for tomorrow, I have my placement interview early with the company I'm working for, then off to get a bus pass and grocery shopping, and then we're going to a pub crawl that my internship placement supervisor puts on which just so HAPPENS to start at my pub that I'm working at!! Needless to say, I'm pretty stoked- but now need to get some sleep! Jet-lag is a bitch, not sure how you do this all the time Dad!

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Photos

First Night
Our little American group during our first night

Commemorative Statues
Really cool/sad statues in memory of the Potato Famine

Pretty Park
After wondering around we sat here and drank tea for a bit :o)

Pub Crawl
Learning how to properly pour a Guinness Pint

DEEELISH
EUSA treated us all to a fancy traditional Irish meal- this was the main course and it was soooo good!

My Flatmate
Laura, the girl I live with